The article says that they will collect the fee when the visitor registers online for ESTA. Since ESTA is only for visa waiver visitors, will only visa waiver visitors pay?
Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. If it's to promote tourism, I would rather have the overseas visitor pay for it than the US taxpayer. And charging fees to foreign visitors is hardly a new idea. Many countries have airport taxes/fees exclusive only to foreigners. The DR (and other Latin American countries) has its tourist card. Mexico's departure tax (included in the price of the ticket when flying US airlines) does not apply to Mexican citizens, and in South America, with governments down there becoming less and less gringo friendly, they have their "reciprocity tax". Now, when you arrive in Bolivia and you are a US citizen, they blackmail you into paying $135! (by threatening to deport you on the next plane back home if you don't pay.) and in return give you a little sticker in your passport good for 5 years. Chile does this as well (but if fairness, applies it not only to the US but to a few other countries, too) Brazil's visa costs $135 for Americans, about $50 for everybody else, and Argentina has approved charging a $135 tax on Americans entering their country, but has not set a date to start yet. They see this as an easy way to bring in quick revenue and prop up their third world economies. In contrast, this proposal of charging a $10 fee to foreigners to cover costs is quite modest.
The article says "The European Union has said that some U.S. travelers to Europe could face retaliatory fees if the bill should pass" This belongs in the clown bin. A requirement of Visa Waiver Program participation is that the country must offer visa free travel for U.S. citizens. Countries that put any entry restrictions on U.S. citizens are automatically disqualified from VWP, even when all other requirements are met. This is why Europe will make a lot of noise and scream in protest, but in the end do nothing. Just like they did when the US-VISIT program was implemented, and just like they did when ESTA became mandatory. Imposing visas, taxes, or fees on US citizens in retaliation would be like cutting off their nose to spite their face. If they think it's tedious to visit the US now, imagine if their VWP eligibility was revoked. They'd realize just how good they had it before.
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US Senate passes new international visitor fee
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