ESTA charges to start in September - UPDATED 22 AUG

From the BBC

Fee will be $14 (currently converted as £9)

Currently valid ones will be free so if you need to apply / renew do it now !

[honey lamb]

Something tells me I am going to lose/forget my ESTA some time early September :w

Something tells me I am going to lose/forget my ESTA some time early September :w

How unlike you! normally so organised too !

I have to get my passport renewed - the form is sat on the table along with old one, photos and cheque. Will be paying a visit to post office on Monday to send it off.

[honey lamb]

Something tells me I am going to lose/forget my ESTA some time early September :w

How unlike you! normally so organised too !

I know! Terrible, isn't it? It's my age, you know

I know! Terrible, isn't it? It's my age, you know

Helped along by a few G&T's!!! ): ):

Presumably this is a once only fee?

[Neil]

I assume it will be a charge everytime you apply.

Blast - I just knew a bunch of you would beat me to this!

Presumably this is a once only fee?

I read it that the charge will then apply for each NEW one you take out after September but that updating it will be free. Then two years later you cough up again when you reapply.

So make a note of the number people !

[RichardMannion]

The irony:

'The fee has been introduced to fund a programme which aims to promote tourism in the US and attract foreign spending.'

[Darren Wheeler]

We'll they're $14 better off before anyone arrives.

Will have forgot my number by Sept 8th. :w

I did mine May last year.
Have just done a new app and it went through
So no need to lose your number !!!

I think Darren's tongue was more than firmly in his cheek there, kensteve 8D

[Darren Wheeler]

Yep. A new application means your 2 years starts from that date. If you only update an existing ESTA, it still expires 2 years from initial issue.

Was just doing my 'new' ESTA after getting my new passport and came across these snippets of info from this official CBP FAQ

Q: Is there a fee for a travel authorization?

A: ... The fee is comprised of two parts:

* Processing Charge -- All applicants requesting an electronic travel authorization are charged for the processing of the application. The fee is $4.00.
* Authorization charge -- If your application is approved and you receive authorization to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, an additional $10.00 will be charged to your credit card. If your electronic travel authorization is denied, you are only charged for the processing of your application.

So its a two part charge so apply and get rejected you still pay $4.

And if you loose your ESTA number (though I save it in a word document) you will be able to retrieve it

Q: I forgot my ESTA application number. How can I log back into the system to update my information or check my application status?
A: If a traveler loses, forgets, or does not have access to his or her application number or travel status, he or she may retrieve the application number, beginning September 8, 2010, through the ESTA website by entering the applicants name, date of birth, passport number and passport issuing country.

And if you cocked up the application

Q: How can applicants correct a mistake when completing their ESTA applications?
A: ... If an applicant makes a mistake when filling out the passport or biographic information, and he or she realizes the mistake only after having submitted the ESTA application, he or she needs to submit a new ESTA application. The associated fee will be charged for each new application submitted ... Mistakes on e-mail address, telephone number, carrier, flight number, city of embarkation, and address while in the United States may be corrected or updated by using the ESTA update function. There are no associated fees for updating an ESTA application.

[Darren Wheeler]

Just a reminder.

If you haven't applied for your ESTA (regardless of future travel plans, now is the time.

Tomorrow is the last day to do it for free.

[honey lamb]

Silly me! I've forgotten my ESTA number. Time to do it all again!

Silly me! I've forgotten my ESTA number. Time to do it all again!

LOL, well I went uptown and renewed my passport yesterday, it's very different to the ten-year-old one! But, I just had to update my ESTA last night didn't I, then forgot the #1's so did his too :w .

[Darren Wheeler]

What a forgetful lot we are here.

Do not presume that your application will be granted immediately. It can take upto 72 hours to be processed.


I was doing the eldest daughter's application yesterday (she hadn't given me her passport even though I'd been asking for it for more than 6 weeks), & the system had to think about her application. I checked last night & it had been processed.

When I did the rest of the household's the other week they all went thru straight away.

Whether the fee would have been incurred if the application had taken me into 8th Sept I don't know.

R-P

[Neil]

It is just the number of people doing applications which is stopping the instant approval. Usually if you check back with a minute or 2 it is has changed from pending to approved.

As long as you do your application before the 8th then there is no charge.

Neil

[honey lamb]

Just tried to do Aer John's and the site is down!

[Neil]

Just tried to do Aer John's and the site is down!

I've read a few reports of that today, and one person reported it took nearly an hour to complete the application due to the site crashing.

[Bazz]

The ESTA site is now showing this message:

"ESTA is undergoing routine maintenance. Please check back later. "

Good timing huh?

The ESTA site is now showing this message:

"ESTA is undergoing routine maintenance. Please check back later. "

Good timing huh?

Yes, strange coincidence!!