ESTA: $14 is the price to visit the Land of the Free

Disapointingly, the ESTA fee will become live after 8th September to apply for permission (not guarentee permission, but merely ask for it) for travel to the United States of America under the Visa Waiver system.

The Visa Waiver system is valid for 36 countries, and will allegedly dump the old I-94W’s.

For UK viewers, that’s £9 every two years. The fee is $10, but of course there is an “administration fee” of $4 to handle it.

So what to do?

Don’t try and avoid it. Whilst in theory you could get it at an airport, it’s not a good idea to risk that you will get it. British Airways and American Airlines recommend 72 hours to process. If you attempt to travel without an ESTA, you will be denied boarding and off-loaded.
Thinking of travelling to the USA in the next two years? Apply NOW at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta. It costs nothing at the moment
Got an ESTA Number already? GO AND RENEW IT. NOW. You can apply again at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta and a replacement number will cover you for another 2 years. It might take 24-72 hours to process.
Got a new passport, and yet to register for ESTA? Apply NOW at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta.
If you’re unsure, consult Money Saving Expert for advice – http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/esta-usa-visa

The US Government and it’s associated departments continue to spout out the junk that this is to boost tourism attract foreign spending. Although how ripping people off to fill in a form is going to attract spending is way beyond me.

Prehaps some US Senetor who voted for this or the CBP Press relations officer who is reading this might like to explain it to me in dollar benefits how this will

Benifit visitors,
Other than line the pockets of the US Goverment promote local cities and
How long this program will go for
The net benefits of to all concerned.
Explain if it looks like a visa and smells like a visa, it isn’t a visa, but a “wavier”

Personally, I am looking forward to ESTA affected countries to apply a reciprocal fee to US Citizens, as a reminder that the US cannot act unilaterally like this, and expect to not face the consequences.

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