H.R. 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” is a new law that will roughly double the ESTA price for visa-free tourists next year, from $21 to $40, with effect from September 30, 2025.  Formalized through a Customs and Border Protection notice in the Federal Register, the shift is part of a larger budget plan to support tourism promotion and electronic border technologies, according to the Department of Homeland Security.  Citizens of the 42 nations that are part of the Visa Waiver Program and depend on ESTA to enter the US for brief visits without a visa are impacted by the decision.

 Three components make up the new $40 fee:

 – Existing Travel Promotion Fee: $17

 $10 is the new operational fee.

 $13 is the new Treasury General Fund Fee.