Government objects to new US fee for travellers

The government disagrees with the upcoming introduction of a €10.52 fee for travellers to the US under the Visa Waiver Programme and will be fighting it through the European Commission, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has said.

The $14 will start to be paid from next month when filling out the online form required to travel to the US, its embassy in Malta confirmed.

But the ministry says it will not accept this fee and has reported the matter to the European Commission, which is tackling the situation directly, representing its member states which fall under the Visa Waiver Programme.

The European Commission has said it “regretted” the decision by the US to introduce the fee on foreigners visiting the country without a visa, and planned to analyse it to determine whether it was equivalent to an imposition of a visa requirement on EU citizens.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström has been quoted as saying that the new requirements are inconsistent with the commitment of the US to facilitate transatlantic mobility.

A spokesman for the US Embassy yesterday confirmed that the $14 charge applied to any country under the programme but was not aware of any criticism of the fee or assessment on the part of the EU.

“We are not aware of any disagreements with the EU and are not privy to any discussions with it, or anyone else,” the spokesman said.

The new ruling was recently passed by Congress, he said, explaining that the Transportation Promotion Act establishes a corporation that would be funded in part by $10 of the fee. The Act will create a partnership between the US government and the private sector to market travel to the US to overseas visitors and to communicate new security measures, among other things, he explained, describing it as a “travel promotion fee”.

The government concluded the Visa Waiver Programme with the US in 2008, doing away with the need to apply for a visa. Visitors to the US need only fill in an online form up to 72 hours before travelling.

Travel to the US for more than 90 days, or for a purpose other than tourism and business, still requires a visa from the US Embassy.