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The cost of the US Visa Waiver Program is rising. Here’s everything businesses need to know in order to prepare for the ESTA fee increase.
If you’re planning on visiting the United States for work, don’t get caught out by the new ESTA fee increase. Obtaining an ESTA allows eligible business travellers to visit the United States, visa-free, but recent changes to legislation mean that the price is nearly doubling.
Beyond cost, what do the latest ESTA updates mean for your business travel plans, and how does the whole system work? In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about getting an ESTA for business travel, including rules, fees, and tips to make work-related trips to the US run more smoothly.
Short for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, ESTA is an automated system that determines whether visitors are eligible for travel to the United States under the US Visa Waiver Program. It’s available to citizens from over 40 countries with reciprocal agreements, including the United Kingdom and much of Europe.
Available for certain types of business travel as well as leisure visits, ESTA approval lasts for either two years or the date of your passport’s expiry. It grants entry to the US for multiple trips during this timeframe, provided each stay is under 90 days and business travellers do not spend more than 180 days within the US each year.
The ESTA fee has risen from $21 to $40, effective from 30 September 2025. The price breakdown includes a $10 processing charge plus a $30 authorisation fee once the ESTA is approved. If your ESTA application is rejected, you’ll only pay the $10 processing charge.
This comes after a previous price hike from $14 to $21 in May 2022. If you’ve already started an ESTA application in the system but haven’t paid yet, it will now be subject to the new fee amount of $40.
This ESTA fee increase was approved by the US Congress in July 2025 as part of a wider legislative package, the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’. According to the US Government, the extra funds raised will be used to promote travel into the United States.
The primary impact for business travellers will be the added costs. These must be factored into financial planning to maximise ROI for any upcoming company trips. While a $19 increase for one traveller may not seem significant, consider that for a group of ten it will be an additional $190 to work into the budget. And when you add this on top of business flights, accommodation, and car hire, spending must be carefully managed.
Another thing to note is that the fee will rise over time in line with inflation, using July’s figure for the US consumer price index as a guideline. In July 2025, this inflation percentage was 2.7%, which means that the ESTA cost will go up to $41 in 2026.
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Despite the price increase, there are still multiple advantages to using ESTA. The primary goals of the US Visa Waiver Program are to boost tourism and business travel, encourage international relations, and facilitate more efficient administrative processes.
Visa-free travel benefits the country from an economic standpoint. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), approximately 18 million travellers entered the United States on the Visa Waiver Program in 2023 alone, spending $84 billion on goods and services and injecting $231 million a day into local economies. At the same time, it also enhances security by utilising international databases for comprehensive screening.
For business travellers, benefits of the ESTA system include expedited entry into the US. A streamlined, fast-track electronic application process and two-year validity is useful for those who need to visit frequently to meet with clients, or attend a last-minute conference.
In addition to paying relevant fees, there are strict guidelines for entry into the US with an ESTA. It’s vital for businesses to understand who qualifies before applying, remembering that denied ESTA applications still cost $10.
To travel visa-free using an ESTA, business travellers must first be a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program Designated country. This includes the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and most European countries – you can find a comprehensive list on the US Department of State website.
Here are additional eligibility requirements:
Finally, any travel to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen after March 2011 disqualifies applicants from an ESTA, and no travel to Cuba after 12 January 2021 is permitted.
Not all business trips will qualify for visa-free travel, and the ESTA business travel rules are extensive.
To qualify for ESTA authorisation, business travellers may engage in the following activities:
Business travellers may not receive any salary or remuneration from a US source, nor may they engage in any work outside of these permitted activities during their visit.
Primarily, business trips qualify if the purpose is brief, specific, and carried out for your foreign parent company.
We’ve noted above that business travellers cannot engage in work outside of the short list of permitted activities – but what does this mean? Here’s a closer look at the type of activities that would require a business visa instead of an ESTA.
Essentially, any productive, paid work that strays outside of the clearly defined ‘permitted’ activities will require a business visa. ESTA also doesn’t cover full-time remote working, even if you’re paid abroad by foreign clients.
Despite the ESTA fee increase, it’s still a bargain in comparison to a standard business visa. This is also due to increase in price. While the processing fee remains $185, recent legislation has added a new ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ of $250 – bringing the grand total to $435.
It pays to get organised. For convenience and cost control, it’s therefore well worth applying for ESTAs when eligible. Factor price increases into your business travel budget, while taking approval times and eligibility requirements into account.
To apply for the Visa Waiver Program with an ESTA, business travellers must complete an online application form through the approved government website or mobile app. They’ll also need to pay the fee at the time of application, so it’s important to keep receipts for travel expense approval and reimbursement.
The Department of Homeland Security recommends submitting your ESTA application as soon as travel plans are made. The estimated average time to complete the application is 23 minutes, and approval times range from seconds up to 72 hours.
ESTA authorisation doesn’t guarantee entry, and business travellers should be prepared to answer some basic questions at the border regarding the nature of their visit.
To expedite this process, consider carrying supporting paperwork to show your business travel itinerary, including all booked hotels, activities, and proof of onward travel. You can also use an all-in-one travel solution like Booking.com for Business that keeps travel plans in one place, for easier access.
Knowing your deadlines, applying online well in advance, and carrying the correct paperwork all go a long way towards ensuring smooth, successful entry into the United States. Here are a few tips to streamline your time spent at passport control.
One of the first questions asked at border control is ‘what is the purpose of your trip.’ And a common answer that could lead to additional questioning is to state ‘for work’ when you’re travelling on an ESTA or B-1 visitor visa. Yet this could lead to additional questioning, because with both types of documents, you’re not allowed to perform labour or provide services for US businesses. Be more specific when stating your purpose, whether it’s attending a conference or a training session. Keep answers short and to-the-point.
Gathering supporting documents is an important part of corporate travel planning, and you should have these close when called to the immigration desk. This starts with your passport and ESTA, but should also include things like an official company letter stating the purpose of this trip, along with evidence of financial resources and a return plane ticket home.
Only 0.01% of arriving international travellers had their devices searched in 2024. But while it’s unlikely to happen, technically Customs and Border Patrol have the authority to inspect electronic devices at the border. Employees should consult their company’s best practices for digital security while travelling. For example, taking a work device may not be recommended if it contains sensitive data.
In an ever-changing business travel climate, it’s more important than ever for companies to support business travellers with clear policies. Booking.com for Business supplies a free Travel Policy Builder to help with creating these guidelines. You’ll be able to provide team members with budget guidelines to cover the cost of increased visa fees.
Set up team booking guidelines, spending limits and contact information with this simple online tool.
A thorough policy will also include duty of care details, so business travellers know where to get assistance if there are any issues crossing borders. Because government rules change over time, you’ll be able to log back in and update policies as needed.
The US Visa Waiver Program facilitates a quicker, easier entry into the United States without the need to apply for a costly visa. The recent rise in ESTA fees should be factored into your business travel budget, and it’s also important to determine eligibility before applying.
Successful travel planning means always being prepared, and this includes following ESTA updates. Make sure you understand which types of business trips are allowed, and what types of documentation you’ll need to carry to ensure a smooth, seamless travel experience to the United States. A robust company travel policy can help, particularly when integrated directly into your booking platform.
No, there is no group discount. Application fees remain the same whether you apply as an individual or submit your application as a group. However, if you’re planning US business travel for a group of employees, it may be easier to submit applications together on the DHS website to keep all electronic records in one place.
Within the United States, the ESTA is the only Visa Waiver Program available to business travellers. There are similar set-ups in other countries, including the UK’s ETA and EU’s ETIAS visa waiver schemes as well as the EU Entry/Exit System which is due to begin its rollout in October 2025.
What happens if your planned business activities fall outside of the scope of what’s allowed on an ESTA? Visa-free travel is capped at 90 days and only covers very specific types of trips, such as attending meetings and negotiating contracts. For anything else, you’ll need to look at the US’s other business visa options.
Most short-term business travellers will apply for a B-1 Visitor Visa. This allows stays up to six months. There’s also a wide range of highly specific visas for those planning to work in the US. For example, employees travelling as part of work for an international organisation may qualify for a G visa, while crewmembers on ships and planes may qualify for a D visa. It’s important to investigate thoroughly to make sure all business travellers are entering on the correct visa type.
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