Nations were amazed to find out that U.S. Customs and Border Protection hopes to enact a vacationer levy, specially the EU. 36 nations were chosen as the group required to pay to enter the U.S. a $14 “operational and travel promotion” for the traveler tax. The tax will be paid by anybody, reports Yahoo! News, that does not have a United States visa already.
Many wonder if EU is right about tourist tax being ‘inconsistent with facilitating transatlantic mobility’
The European Union has been very open in its opposition to the United States’ newly instituted tourist tax masquerading as an operational and travel promotion fee. Air and sea travelers from nations ranging from Australia and Germany to France, Japan and the United Kingdom (among many other nations large and small) could be subject to the fee. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) used to be free as it checked foreign tourists against terrorist databases and no fly lists, but now the cost, according to Homeland Security, could be paid for with the tourist levy. The NY Times explains that tourists will need to have internet access along with a credit or debit card on them. This is to help them pay the traveler levy as they go through the ESTA program. If the tourists are denied by ESTA, they must apply for a more expensive, non-immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate. ESTA can deny someone without explaining why they’re denied.
What your tourist dollars pay for
Homeland Security explains the mandatory travel promotion cost is actually only $10, however the extra $4 is assessed to help recoup administrative costs. a vacationer, just don’t forget one thing. Anything goes a lot better with an ESTA application submitted before really traveling. Unless your visa expires, you should be able to get into the U.S. multiple times in two years with authorization. Of course, if homeland security decides you have to reapply, then you might have to still. You can find more info on the “operational and travel promotion fee” or vacationer levy at CBP.gov. This is the site for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Additional reading
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/national/08062010_2.xml
Yahoo! News
news.yahoo.com/s/ynewspoint/20100907/ts_ynewspoint/ynewspoint_ts3556
