The United States will raise the application fee for its electronic travel authorization required for short-term travelers under its visa waiver program starting later this month, the US Embassy in Seoul said Wednesday.
The fee for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization will increase from $21 to $40, effective Sept. 30, the embassy said in a posting on X.
The measure comes as US authorities tighten visa policies for foreigners, including international students, amid the Trump administration's hard-line stance on immigration.
The ESTA was the permit under which many of the 316 South Korean workers were visiting the US for short-term work trips when they were arrested in a major immigration raid at a car battery plant in Georgia on Sept. 4. They were released after a week in detention following diplomatic negotiations.
South Korean companies have called for clearer visa guidelines for short-term business trips, arguing that the lengthy US visa process hampers their ability to carry out large projects that contribute to the US economy. (Yonhap)
