New I-94 Arrival/Departure Record Fees

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officially announced new and increased fees for I-94 forms, as required under H.R. 1 (“One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Public Law 119‑21). The updated fees took effect on September 30, 2025, and apply to I‑94 forms at land borders, Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications, and the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS).

Key Fee Changes
Action	Previous Fee	New Fee (FY 2025)	Notes
Form I‑94 (Land Border)	$6	$30	Fee increased by $24; applies only at land border ports of entry.
ESTA (Visa Waiver Program Travelers)	$21	$40	New flat fee replaces the old rate; required for all newapplications.
EVUS (Chinese Nationals with 10‑year B1/B2 visas)	N/A	$30	Newly introduced fee for EVUS enrollments.

What Travelers Need to Know

- The new fees apply to applications or arrivals starting September 30, 2025.
- Travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries will see the ESTA fee nearly double.
- Frequent land border crossers (from Canada or Mexico) should prepare for higher costs on I‑94 forms.
- Generally, an issued I-94 remains valid for multiple land-border entries, allowing the traveler to re-enter the U.S.without paying the I-94 each time, as long as they are within the validity period indicated by the I-94 “Admit Until Date.” Chinese nationals needing EVUS enrollment will now pay $30 per registration.
- Fees will be adjusted annually for inflation, meaning they may continue to rise in future years.

Bottom Line

These fee increases reflect CBP’s implementation of new requirements under H.R. 1. Travelers planning international trips or frequent border crossings after September 30, 2025, should budget for these higher costs. Employers, immigration professionals, and frequent travelers should stay aware of annual adjustments going forward.

Farmer Law PC will continue to monitor developments with respect to these and other policy changes and will post updates on our blog as additional information becomes available.