U.S. President Trump. EPA=Yonhap News.  

The United States has increased the fee for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which allows entry into the U.S. without a separate visa, to $40 (approximately 56,000 won).

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website on the 21st, ESTA applicants will be required to pay $40 starting from the 30th of this month.

The original fee was $21 (approximately 30,000 won), so it has nearly doubled.

Consequently, the burden on those visiting the U.S. through ESTA is expected to increase.

ESTA applies to visa-free travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days for tourism and business purposes. It was introduced in Korea in 2008.

Previously, the U.S. government also significantly increased the fees for H-1B visas, known as professional visas.

On the 19th, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to raise the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 (approximately 140 million won), a hundredfold increase from the current $1,000 (approximately 1.4 million won). The new fee regulation took effect on the 21st at 00:01 U.S. Eastern Time.

Upon the announcement of the new regulations, U.S. companies fell into great confusion, with some directing their foreign employees holding professional visas to return immediately. The White House attempted to de-escalate the situation the following day, the 20th, stating that the increased fees would only apply to new visa applicants.

Yonhap News