The US ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) scheme is a mandatory travel authorisation program that has been in place since 2009, and since 2010 they have been charging for ESTAs.It probably doesn't come as a shock to anyone however that as soon as they start charging for ESTAs then a whole host of fake websites aroud the world spring up porporting to offer the ESTA service and in some cases charging over $150 dollars for one.
The official charge for an ESTA is only $14.
The Official ESTA Website
The best way to protect yourself is by ensuring that you only use the official ESTA website for your travel authorisation.https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
All other webistes are fake, no matter what they say or how genuine they look.
Do not buy from any website that ends with .com, .org, .us, .esta, or any other, is not official, and they are not operated by the United States Government.
The official ESTA charges the applicants with a fee of $14.00, which includes a fee of $10.00, collected in accordance with the the Travel Promotion Act (TPA), and also a fee of $4.00 for administering ESTA.
What can you do if you have applied through a scam site?
If you believe that you have applied for an ESTA througha scam website, then you could contact your credit card company or bank immediately, let them know that you have used your card on a fraudulent website and ask them to stop any payment.You should also contact the United States Visa Information Services in your own country and let them know. The local US Embassy should be able to assist.
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Book Cheap Overseas Holidays:
We tend to use lastminute.com, they constantly return some of the cheapest holidays abroad and they don't have to be made at the last minute either!
Book Cheap UK Holidays:
We use TravelSupermarket and Easyjet - maybe not known for their UK breaks, but they have some really cheap deals for hotels and B&B's around the country.
Travel insurance:
Holiday Extras can be difficult to beat, you can also book your airport parking from them too. Never leave home without your travel insurance to protect yourself from illness, injury, theft, and cancellations.
If you are looking for other areas to save money when booking holidays check out our Discounts and Deals page. We list all the ones we use to save money when we travel – and that will save you time and money too!
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