How much does a US ESTA authorization cost?
A US ESTA authorization costs $40.27, paid online by card or PayPal through the official channel.
Verifiable answer
A US ESTA authorization costs $40.27, paid online by card or PayPal through the official channel.
- How much does a US ESTA authorization cost?
- US$40 / authorization
- US$40
- United States
- 7 August 2026
- Confidence: High
- Official ESTA fee; Online application payment; Travel authorization processing
- Card currency-conversion fees; Third-party service charges; A US visa if ESTA is not available to you; A new passport if needed
- EUR/USD exchange rate; Foreign-payment card fee; Use of a third party; Visa Waiver Program eligibility; Accuracy of the submitted data
- 1 source
Short answer
ESTA is a US government fee, not a travel estimate. The real amount charged in euros only changes because of currency conversion, card fees or third-party websites.
ESTA is a small line in the cost of a trip to the United States, but it is one of the easiest to overpay. Eligible travellers under the Visa Waiver Program do not apply for a traditional tourist visa before departure; they submit an electronic travel authorization and pay the fee set by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The official figure checked for this guide is $40.27. Keeping the amount in dollars matters because the euro charge depends on the exchange rate and the payment card. The main risk is not the official fee but the path used to pay it: search results often include third-party sites that add service charges. This guide reports only the government fee and explains what sits outside it.
What is included
- Official ESTA fee
- Online application payment
- Travel authorization processing
What is not included
- Card currency-conversion fees
- Third-party service charges
- A US visa if ESTA is not available to you
- A new passport if needed
How the price breaks down
| Item | Type | Frequency | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESTA applicationOfficial fee paid through the ESTA system for a travel authorization request to the United States. | Compulsory | one-off | US$40 |
What the price depends on
- EUR/USD exchange rate
- Foreign-payment card fee
- Use of a third party
- Visa Waiver Program eligibility
- Accuracy of the submitted data
Hidden costs
- Your bank may charge for a dollar payment
- A non-official website may add service fees
- Wrong data can force a new application
- ESTA is not a substitute for a visa when your case is outside the waiver program
Three realistic scenarios
Official channel
US$40
Application paid directly online at the government fee.
Card conversion
US$40
The fee is still $40.27, but the euro charge depends on the card.
No intermediary
US$40
Using the official channel avoids third-party service mark-ups.
How to spend less
- Use only the official ESTA route linked by CBP.
- Check your passport details and name before paying.
- Use a card with low foreign-currency fees if you have one.
- Avoid websites that turn ESTA into an unnecessary consultancy package.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ESTA fee in euros or dollars?
The official fee is in dollars: $40.27. The euro amount depends on the exchange rate at payment time and on any fee charged by your card issuer. That is why this guide does not publish a fixed euro conversion.
Do I need a third-party website to apply?
No. ESTA can be requested online through the official channel. Third-party websites may offer extra services, but they are not required to pay the government fee. Avoiding them is the main way to keep the cost at the official level.
Is ESTA the same as a tourist visa?
No. ESTA is an electronic travel authorization for eligible Visa Waiver Program travellers. If your case does not meet those rules, you may need an actual US visa, with different costs and procedures.
Sources and methodology
How we worked it out
We used the U.S. Customs and Border Protection help page about paying for ESTA, opened on 7 August 2026. The source states the $40.27 fee and the accepted payment methods. We did not convert the amount to euros because exchange rates move daily and card fees are not set by the US authority. Third-party application websites are excluded because they do not represent the official cost.
Why this confidence level
Confidence is high because the fee comes directly from a US government source. It is not a euro value and it excludes bank charges, so the amount on a European card statement can differ slightly.
CBP states that the ESTA fee is $40.27 and that payment is made by card or PayPal
ESTA - How do I pay for my application? (opens in a new tab)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Public authority · Verified on 7 August 2026
US government source opened on 7 August 2026. We used the official ESTA application fee and excluded card currency-conversion costs and third-party websites.
Authority5/5
Revision history
First published on 2026-08-07 with the fee verified on the CBP government page.
- 7 August 2026
- 7 August 2026
- 7 November 2026
What did you actually pay?
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