Guide · updated 19 October 2026
What passenger and border fees do countries charge?
Published charges differ in both amount and purpose. UK ETA costs GBP 20, Canadian eTA CAD 7 and US ESTA USD 40.62 1,23. Australia's passenger movement charge is AUD 70 per departure 4. EU ETIAS is not operating and advertises a EUR 20 application fee 5. These are not equivalent per-flight security charges. The table separates application fees from departure charges. A published traveller fee alone does not establish a private supplier's share.
- Comparison date
- 19 October 2026
- Scope
- Application, departure and US passenger-inspection charges. Register terms below show further historical and proposed fees.
| Programme | Amount | Unit and status | What the source establishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom ETA | GBP 20 1 | Per application, operating 1 | An authorisation fee, including children. Not proof of a supplier revenue share 1. |
| Canada eTA | CAD 7 2 | Per application, operating 2 | Official online application price 2. |
| United States ESTA | USD 40.62 3 | Per application, operating 3 | Effective 16 October 2026. Denied applications cost USD 10.62 3. |
| Australia PMC | AUD 70 4 | Per departure, operating 4 | Carrier collects with the ticket and remits to Home Affairs. Exemptions apply 4. |
| European Union ETIAS | EUR 20 5 | Per application, not operating 5 | Applications closed. Exact launch date not announced 5. |
| United States customs passenger fee | USD 7.61 6 | Covered commercial passenger arrivals from 1 October 2026 6 | Passenger inspection fee, not an ESTA application charge 6. |
| United States immigration passenger fee | USD 7 7 | Covered inspections, subject to exceptions 7,8 | The law creates a Treasury user-fee account. Certain vessel journeys use a separate USD 3 fee 7. |
What the comparison does not show
The Australian source describes collection by carriers and remittance to government, not a border-technology vendor allocation 4. The ETIAS source says applications are not open 5. Neither amount should be presented as a current per-passenger payment to a contractor.
Exemptions and payment units
Australia exempts children aged 11 or younger and certain transit passengers 4. UK guidance says each eligible traveller needs an ETA, including children 1. A comparison that omits these rules does not describe what the same family would pay.
Fees recorded across the register
These are the register's recorded terms, not a current-payment calculator. Each row links to its dated contract record and source list. A proposal, historical charge and charge in operation are distinct. Missing terms are not evidence that no fee or data restriction exists.
| Programme | Recorded status | Recorded terms |
|---|---|---|
| Australia: Global Digital Platform visa processing tender | Terminated As of 18 March 2020 | Companies would have received a cut of the visa fee for each application processed, as reported by the Canberra Times Contract record and sources |
| Belgium: New Belgian passport production and personalisation | Awarded As of 27 January 2022 | At the January 2022 launch, Foreign Affairs stated ordinary 34-page passport charges of EUR 65 for adults and EUR 35 for minors, excluding municipal taxes. These are applicant charges, not a disclosed supplier revenue split 1 Contract record and sources |
| Benin: Civil aviation and immigration security system (CAISS) at Cotonou and Tourou airports | Disputed As of 31 December 2020 | USD 20 per arriving and departing international passenger, instituted by the 15 March 2016 order described in paragraph 35 of the judgment. Historical fee, not confirmation of collection today 6. Contract record and sources |
| Cameroon: Biometric passport build-operate-transfer programme | In operation As of 1 July 2021 | October 2024 CAMERCAP-PARC brief reports XAF 110,000 and a 10% DGSN, 90% operator split. The underlying payment schedule was not available for verification 3 Contract record and sources |
| Canada: Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) | In operation As of 19 October 2026 | CAD 7 per application, paid by foreign travellers who fly to or transit through a Canadian airport (IRCC page modified 5 June 2026) Contract record and sources |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo: Biometric passport production | Completed As of 2 September 2026 | USD 185 per passport paid by the applicant. Reuters reported the split as USD 65 to the government, USD 48 to Semlex-linked firms, USD 60 to UAE company LRPS and USD 12 to Mantenga Contacto Trading. Contract record and sources |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo: Integrated security and immigration management system | Awarded As of 19 October 2026 | Article 38 of the contract sets a USD 30 fee on every arriving and departing international air passenger. The government said the fee is not new and is already in ticket prices collected by airlines, with part now redirected to the contract. Fees go monthly into a joint account run by the government and Securiport, with an irrevocable instruction to send 85% to Securiport to recover its investment and 15% to the state, as reported by Ecofin Agency. Contract record and sources |
| European Union: European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) | Proposed As of 19 October 2026 | EUR 20 per application, up from EUR 7, paid by visa-exempt non-EU travellers. Applicants under 18 or over 70 are exempt. The Commission said the increase covers operating costs and inflation (European Commission, 17 July 2025) Contract record and sources |
| Ghana: Ghana Card national identification system | In operation As of 19 October 2026 | Part of NIA revenue from use of the card is to cover operating costs and repay the partner's investment over 15 years (NIA, 2018) Contract record and sources |
| Kenya: eCitizen government payment platform and Electronic Travel Authorisation | Under review As of 19 October 2026 | ETA from USD 30 for normal processing, plus USD 100 for expedited processing (official ETA site). Convenience fee on eCitizen payments set by Gazette Notice as a percentage, charged at KES 50 per transaction according to the Auditor General, as reported Contract record and sources |
| Malaysia: National Integrated Immigration System original IRIS contract | Disputed As of 28 July 2025 | No applicant charge or private passenger-fee allocation published in these sources. Contract record and sources |
| Maldives: IMUGA immigration-services and traveller-declaration portal | In operation As of 9 July 2023 | Maldives Immigration states that its traveller declaration is free. This does not establish that every passport or visa service is free 2. Contract record and sources |
| Mali: Biometric passport concession | In operation As of 2019 | Company describes applicant payments collected through vouchers. Amount and revenue split not published 1. Contract record and sources |
| Mali: Concession for a civil aviation and immigration security system | Awarded As of 27 September 2016 | The approval decree refers to the airport security fee framework. Amount, payer and revenue split are not published in this decree 1. Contract record and sources |
| Nigeria: e-Visa Application System and Automated Landing and Exit Card | In operation As of 19 October 2026 | Visa fees not stated in the sources reviewed. Overstay fine of USD 15 per day from 1 September 2025, as reported Contract record and sources |
| Pakistan: Airport biometrics and passenger data proposal | Proposed As of 19 October 2026 | Securiport would recover its costs through a government-mandated passenger security surcharge, as reported. Amount Not published. Contract record and sources |
| Philippines: Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services (CAISS) public-private partnership proposal | Under review As of 19 October 2026 | User-pays model in which travellers who use the service bear the cost, as reported. Fee amount Not published. The Bureau of Immigration said public feedback on user fees would be considered. Contract record and sources |
| Senegal: Biometric entry visa production concession | Terminated As of 19 October 2026 | EUR 50 per biometric visa, paid by the traveller, as reported by Au-Senegal. The state's share of visa revenue was earmarked to repay SNEDAI for police vehicles, equipment and public buildings it prefinanced, under Article 29 of the 2014 amended finance law, per the government. Contract record and sources |
| Senegal: Integrated immigration control system at international airports | Under review As of 24 October 2025 | Decree 2018-2107 of 5 December 2018, published on 6 April 2019, lists USD 12 per passenger to Senegal and USD 12 per passenger departing Senegal. The security-fee table identifies the airport manager as collector and MEFP for SECURIPORT as beneficiary. These are historical statutory terms, not confirmation of current collection or a supplier-government revenue split 4. Contract record and sources |
| Sierra Leone: Airport security fee and border security services at Freetown International Airport | Suspended As of 6 July 2026 | The original agreement set USD 64 per passenger, divided USD 54 to Securiport and USD 10 to government. A March 2013 amendment set USD 40 for Securiport 6. From September 2022, passengers paid USD 25 directly, replacing government payment, according to the government announcement reported by the Sierra Leone Telegraph 1. The USD 25 fee was suspended from 6 July 2026 2,3. Contract record and sources |
| Sierra Leone: Electronic passport supply and collection with Netpage and HID | Disputed As of 8 April 2026 | The May 2020 audit records a passport price amended from USD120 to USD100 on 3 August 2015. In April 2026, Netpage's CEO reported a Leone-denominated price of Le2,280 and a revised 10% royalty from October 2025. These are dated terms, not one continuous tariff. 1,4 Contract record and sources |
| Singapore: BIKES automated motorcyclist immigration clearance | In operation As of February 2007 | ICA described the clearance service as free for eligible users, this is not a published vendor payment model. 2 Contract record and sources |
| South Sudan: Juba airport aviation and immigration security financing | Awarded As of 24 December 2018 | Bank financing uses future airline-fee flows. Fee amount and revenue split not published 1 Contract record and sources |
| Sri Lanka: IVS-GBS and VFS electronic-visa services agreement | Suspended As of 2 August 2024 | VFS describes a user-paid model with a USD 18.50 service charge across visa categories, plus payment charges and local taxes 2. Contract record and sources |
| The Gambia: Civil aviation and immigration security services at Banjul International Airport | Under review As of 6 July 2026 | USD 20 per arriving and departing international passenger at Banjul International Airport, collected from September 2020. The National Audit Office, as reported by The Point, cited a contract clause sending 75% (USD 15) to Securiport and 25% (USD 5) to the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority through a joint bank account. Gambiana, citing Malagen, reported USD 10 to Securiport and USD 5 each to the government and the aviation authority. Dubawa reported Malagen said the fee had risen to USD 25. The sources conflict on the split. Contract record and sources |
| United Kingdom: Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) | In operation As of 19 October 2026 | GBP 20 per application, including eligible babies and children. Supplier allocation not published 1 Contract record and sources |
| United States: CBP Biometric Entry-Exit (air exit facial recognition) | In operation As of 2 September 2020 | Fees collected by USCIS on certain H-1B and L-1 visa petitions, paid by the petitioners, fund the programme. CBO first estimated USD 115 million a year. Collections fell to USD 26 million in FY 2022. The report says the programme has no other dedicated revenue stream. Contract record and sources |
| United States: Customs passenger inspection user-fee programme | In operation As of 1 October 2026 | USD 7.61 commercial aircraft or vessel passenger arrival fee from 1 October 2026, subject to the regulatory categories and exceptions 1,2. Contract record and sources |
| United States: Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) | In operation As of 16 October 2026 | USD 40.62 per approved authorisation from 16 October 2026. A denied application costs USD 10.62 1. Contract record and sources |
| United States: Electronic Visa Update System enrolment programme | In operation As of 16 October 2026 | USD 31.75 per enrolment from 16 October 2026 1. Contract record and sources |
| United States: I-94 land-border arrival and departure record programme | In operation As of 16 October 2026 | USD 30 per required land-border I-94 application. The notice does not impose this application fee on air or sea arrivals 1. Contract record and sources |
| United States: Immigration passenger inspection user-fee programme | In operation As of 15 October 2026 | USD 7 per covered commercial air or vessel passenger inspection. Statutory and regulatory exceptions apply. Certain vessel journeys have a separate USD 3 charge 1,2. Contract record and sources |
Questions and answers
Is each charge paid on every flight?
No. The authorisation programmes charge for applications. Australia's PMC attaches to departure, subject to exemptions 1,23,4.
Can I apply for ETIAS now?
No. The official site says the system is not operating and applications are not accepted 5.
Sources
- UK Government: ETA overview (accessed 19 October 2026)
- IRCC: Electronic travel authorization (5 June 2026)
- US Department of Homeland Security: FY 2027 fee adjustment, 91 FR 62534 (1 October 2026)
- Australian Border Force: Passenger Movement Charge (accessed 19 October 2026)
- European Union: ETIAS (accessed 19 October 2026)
- US CBP: Customs user fees for FY 2027, 91 FR 48398 (31 July 2026)
- US Code: 8 USC 1356, subsections d to h (2024 edition)
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: 8 CFR 286.2 (current through 15 October 2026)