How much does it cost to get an ESTA

The ESTA is a compulsory authorization for anyone wishing to travel to the United States. It must be applied for at least 72 hours before departure, and costs $21.

Why pay $21 for ESTA?

To be authorized to travel to the USA, you need toobtain an ESTA. This is obtained by filling in a form requesting information about the traveler’s identity. This authorization is only available to citizens of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, including France. A biometric or electronic passport is also required. If you don’t have one, you won’t receive your ESTA.

The procedure for obtaining authorization is online only. It is therefore essential to have a means of payment that can be used on the Internet. The $21 fee is set by the U.S. government to cover administrative costs. These fees are then redistributed as follows:

• 17 goes to various organizations working with the U.S. administration to promote tourism in the country;
• 4 goes to the ESTA program.