A Federal Register notice set to publish on 12 October—but released online late on the 11th—confirms that the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) fee for Visa Waiver Program travelers will rise from $21 to $23, while the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) enrollment for Chinese B-1/B-2 visitors will climb from $8 to $9. The changes take effect 16 October. The increases, mandated by section 100017 of the 2025 HR-1 Act, reflect a 6.8 percent jump in the Consumer Price Index. While modest, they represent the first fee hike since 2024 and coincide with record trans-Atlantic business-travel demand. Travel-management companies told Global Mobility News they will update corporate booking tools this week to avoid reimbursement delays. Organizations with high-volume short-term assignees from Visa-Waiver countries should remind travelers that their existing ESTA remains valid until it expires; only new or renewed applications submitted on or after 16 October will be subject to the higher price. DHS also confirmed that the $30 land-border I-94 fee will remain unchanged for FY 2027 after rounding rules nullified the CPI adjustment.
