Travelers from Poland using America’s Visa Waiver Program will feel the ripple effects of Washington’s latest security overhaul: the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) fee has risen from US$21 to US$40, and applications now demand expanded personal and social-media data. Although the increase took effect on 30 September 2025, industry analysts warn that many Poles booking 2026 business trips are only now discovering the higher cost.
CBP’s new mobile-app-only filing system includes biometric uploads and NFC passport chip reading, promising a 20 % reduction in fraud but lengthening first-time completion to an estimated 40 minutes. Polish travel managers say the combined fee and data burden could cut corporate trips to the US by up to 10 % in 2026 as companies reassess ROI.
![US ESTA fee hike hits Polish short-term travellers after 30 September 2025]()
Polish travelers looking for a one-stop solution to navigate these shifting requirements can turn to VisaHQ’s dedicated Poland platform (https://www.visahq.com/poland/); the service compares ESTA and full visa options, flags documentation gaps, and offers a managed submission process that spares corporate travel desks from the extra administration.
Practical advice: build the extra US$19 into travel budgets, schedule applications at least a week earlier to allow for manual reviews triggered by social-media disclosures, and brief staff on privacy implications. Companies that rotate engineers or sales teams to US clients should explore B-1/B-2 visa alternatives when stays exceed 90 days or activities risk ESTA non-compliance.
The hike also interacts with Poland’s own consular fee increases, compounding overall mobility costs in 2026. Firms with US-bound talent pipelines should update policy documents and traveller training modules accordingly.
CBP’s new mobile-app-only filing system includes biometric uploads and NFC passport chip reading, promising a 20 % reduction in fraud but lengthening first-time completion to an estimated 40 minutes. Polish travel managers say the combined fee and data burden could cut corporate trips to the US by up to 10 % in 2026 as companies reassess ROI.
Polish travelers looking for a one-stop solution to navigate these shifting requirements can turn to VisaHQ’s dedicated Poland platform (https://www.visahq.com/poland/); the service compares ESTA and full visa options, flags documentation gaps, and offers a managed submission process that spares corporate travel desks from the extra administration.
Practical advice: build the extra US$19 into travel budgets, schedule applications at least a week earlier to allow for manual reviews triggered by social-media disclosures, and brief staff on privacy implications. Companies that rotate engineers or sales teams to US clients should explore B-1/B-2 visa alternatives when stays exceed 90 days or activities risk ESTA non-compliance.
The hike also interacts with Poland’s own consular fee increases, compounding overall mobility costs in 2026. Firms with US-bound talent pipelines should update policy documents and traveller training modules accordingly.
