Esta Fee Nearly Doubles For Visa Waiver Travelers, Including Hungarians As U.s. Raises Costs From September Thirty, 2025: All You Need To Know

Published on September 14, 2025

Travelers readying short stays successful nan United States nether nan Visa Waiver Program will soon look higher introduction costs. Beginning September 30, 2025, nan interest for nan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will emergence from $21 to $40, according to updates published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The ESTA allows citizens of 41 participating countries, including Hungary and different European Union members, to sojourn nan U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. While nan authorization remains valid for 2 years, nan astir doubled costs whitethorn power recreation decisions for families and predominant visitors. This summation comes arsenic world visitant numbers to nan United States stay beneath pre-pandemic levels, raising questions astir whether higher costs will discourage tourism further.

What changes connected September 30, 2025

According to CBP, nan caller ESTA interest building will include:

• $10 processing fee
• $30 authorization fee, divided betwixt nan U.S. Treasury and recreation promotion programs

If an ESTA exertion is denied, applicants will only beryllium charged nan $10 processing fee. For approved travelers, nan $40 authorization will assistance nan aforesaid two-year validity, tied to nan traveler’s passport.

Who needs ESTA

Citizens of 41 countries successful nan Visa Waiver Program, specified arsenic Hungary, nan United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, and Australia, must clasp a valid ESTA earlier boarding a formation aliases vessel to nan U.S. Travelers without ESTA aliases a visa tin beryllium denied introduction aliases boarding.

Hungarian citizens proceed to beryllium eligible, but nan higher costs is apt to adhd unit for families aliases groups readying U.S. visits.

Tourism backdrop: Falling visitant numbers

Data published by nan U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that world arrivals fell by 1.6 percent successful nan first half of 2025 compared pinch nan aforesaid play of 2024. In July alone, nan number of overseas visitors dropped by complete 3 percent, pinch full arrivals astatine 19.2 million. This marks nan 5th period of diminution and highlights a tourism marketplace still recovering from nan pandemic, erstwhile arrivals peaked astatine astir 80 cardinal visitors.

Travel costs globally person been rising, and analysts statement that higher introduction fees could further measurement connected demand.

Additional interest increases for non-visa waiver countries

Alongside nan ESTA changes, U.S. authorities person confirmed that starting October 1, 2025, nationals of non-visa waiver countries specified arsenic Brazil, China, India, and Argentina will look a caller “visa integrity fee” of $250. This brings nan full costs of a U.S. tourer visa to $442, placing it among nan highest visa exertion fees worldwide.

Impact connected Hungarian and European travelers

For Hungarian tourists, nan higher ESTA costs adds a caller furniture of expense. A family of four, for instance, will request to fund $160 successful ESTA fees earlier booking flights aliases accommodation. While ESTA remains valid for 2 years, nan upfront disbursal whitethorn discourage repetition recreation aliases spontaneous short trips. European tourism agencies person already noted value sensitivity successful transatlantic travel, and higher fees whitethorn displacement request toward much affordable destinations specified arsenic Canada, which precocious announced nonstop Budapest connections, aliases Mediterranean vacation markets.

Preparing for nan changes

Travelers are advised to use for ESTA only done nan charismatic CBP website to debar third-party work charges. Applications tin beryllium submitted up to 72 hours earlier departure, though earlier is recommended. Those pinch valid ESTAs issued earlier September 30, 2025, tin proceed utilizing them until expiration without paying nan caller rate.

Looking ahead

With U.S. tourism numbers still beneath pre-pandemic peaks, nan timing of these interest increases is significant. While nan gross helps support tourism promotion and separator information programs, nan higher costs could deter immoderate travelers astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile world title for visitors is growing. For Hungarians and different European tourists, readying up and weighing recreation budgets will beryllium much important than ever.