U.S. nearly doubles application fee for visa waiver program
The United States will raise the application fee for its electronic travel authorization required for short-term travelers under its visa waiver program starting later this month, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul said Wednesday, Yonhap reports.
The fee for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will increase from US$21 to $40, effective Sept. 30, the embassy said in a posting on X.
2025년 9월 30일부터 비자면제 프로그램을 통해 미국을 방문하는 경우 필요한 전자여행허가제 #ESTA 수수료가 기존 21달러에서 40달러로 인상됩니다. 자세한 내용은 미국 세관국경보호국 @CBP 공식 ESTA 웹사이트 https://t.co/A0rtioliu8 를 참고하세요. 대행업체 사이트는 더 높은 수수료를 청구할… pic.twitter.com/qOqWoiNRGK
— 주한미국대사관 U.S. Embassy Seoul (@USEmbassySeoul) September 17, 2025
The measure comes as U.S. authorities tighten visa policies for foreigners, including international students, amid the Trump administration's hard-line stance on immigration.
The ESTA was the permit under which many of the 316 South Korean workers were visiting the U.S. for short-term work trips when they were arrested in a major immigration raid at a car battery plant in Georgia on Sept. 4. They were released after a week in detention following diplomatic negotiations.
South Korean companies have called for clearer visa guidelines for short-term business trips, arguing that the lengthy U.S. visa process hampers their ability to carry out large projects that contribute to the U.S. economy.
As written before, the U.S. is tightening rules for non-immigrant visas.
