ESTA Fee Hike Hits Kiwis Travelling to the United States

ESTA Costs Nearly Double for Kiwi Travellers

From September 30, the ESTA fee will increase from US$21 (NZ$35) to US$40 (NZ$68), significantly raising travel expenses. Authorities confirmed the rise results from Donald Trump’s recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which restructured ESTA’s fee composition.

Officials explained the ESTA fee now includes three elements: travel promotion, operational costs, and a new Treasury General Fund fee. Congress introduced a minimum US$13 Treasury fee and raised the operational portion from US$4 to at least US$10.

The unchanged US$17 travel promotion fee remains steady, meaning the overall increase mainly stems from the added Treasury and operational charges.

What Kiwi Travellers Need to Know

Travellers with existing valid ESTAs do not need to reapply, ensuring current holders avoid the higher fee until expiry. The ESTA covers 42 Visa Waiver Programme countries, including New Zealand, enabling 90-day visits for business or tourism without requiring a visa.

Since October 1991, New Zealand has remained a participating member, benefiting from simplified travel access to the United States.

New “Visa Integrity Fee” Adds More Costs for Some

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act also introduced a US$250 (NZ$418) “visa integrity fee” affecting many non-immigrant visitors. B visa holders, including tourists, business travellers, and students, will feel the greatest impact, as the fee is added to existing visa costs.

While most Kiwis use ESTA, this change highlights increasing scrutiny and financial hurdles for foreigners entering the United States post-election.

Rising Scrutiny at U.S. Borders

Since Trump’s re-election, border scrutiny has increased, with more New Zealanders seeking help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Between November 2024 and August 2025, 30 Kiwi passport holders required assistance after experiencing immigration difficulties while entering or passing through United States borders.

MFAT emphasised most cases did not involve detention and represented only a small proportion of the many daily Kiwi travellers.