Fees and taxes
Tourist taxes and entry fees, country by country.
The charges that catch US travelers out are the ones that move on political timelines: city accommodation levies, and entry fees like the UK ETA. This page keeps the ones we watch most closely in one place, with the amount, when it took effect, and a link to the official source. Every figure is pulled from a country guide and carries the same checked date. For the everyday taxes and tipping in a country, the full guide has the detail.
Tracked entry fees and city levies
The high-churn charges we check against their official source and date. Each entry links to that source and to the full country guide.
ED Card and sustainability fee
Mandatory online form before boarding, 20 dollars per person (under 8 exempt)
Tourist levy on accommodation
12.5% of the room rate, plus about 3 dollars per room per night environmental levy
Card surcharge ban
Surcharges on eftpos, Visa and Mastercard end nationwide; Amex and PayPal surcharges can continue
ETA (entry authorization)
Required for US visitors, AUD 20 service fee, applied for only in the official Australian ETA app
Brazil visitor e-visa (US citizens)
about 81 dollars, on the official VFS portal before boarding
Cambodia tourist visa (30 days, US citizens)
About $36 on the official e-visa site (a $30 visa plus a $6 processing fee), or $30 as a visa on arrival at the airport, with clean US dollars and a passport photo. A free e-Arrival Card is also required within 7 days of arrival.
240-hour visa-free transit
Up to 10 days without a visa only if continuing to a third country, via a designated port
Tourist (L) visa for US citizens
Required for a normal round trip, roughly 185 to 250 dollars all in, applied for in advance
Galapagos National Park entrance fee
200 dollars per foreign adult, 100 per child, cash on arrival
Galapagos transit control card (INGALA)
20 dollars per person, bought in cash at the mainland airport
Egypt tourist visa (30-day, US citizens)
about 25 to 30 dollars single entry, as an e-visa on the official portal or on arrival
Mandatory travel insurance (Decree 602)
Required for all tourists from 1 Jan 2026, at least 30,000 GEL of medical and accident cover
Hotel Accommodation Tax
3% on the room charge, usually shown in the hotel bill; exemptions include stays of 28 or more consecutive nights and guesthouses with fewer than 10 rooms
India e-Tourist Visa (30-day, US citizens)
about 25 dollars April to June, about 40 dollars July to March, on the official portal before you fly
Indonesia visa on arrival (30-day, US citizens)
IDR 500,000 (about 35 dollars), as an e-VOA on the official portal or on arrival, extendable once
Laos tourist visa (30 days, US citizens)
About $40 as a visa on arrival at the airport, or roughly $50 via the official e-visa, plus two passport photos and the fee in clean US dollars or Thai baht. A free online Lao immigration form is also required before arrival.
Closed currency
The dirham cannot be bought abroad or taken out beyond 2,000 MAD; withdraw it on arrival and convert any leftover before you fly home
Tourist tax (taxe de sejour)
About 10 to 50 MAD per person per night depending on the property class and city; children under 12 exempt; usually paid in cash at your hotel or riad
Cruise day-visit fee (Walvis Bay and Luderitz)
N$300 per cruise passenger disembarking for a day visit at Walvis Bay or Luderitz harbours.
Namibia tourist visa (US citizens)
Required since 1 April 2025 at N$1,600 (about US$88), via the online e-visa portal or visa on arrival at main airports and border posts. Default stay is generally 30 days, sometimes up to 90 at the officer's discretion. Bring a printed approval if you apply online.
Card surcharge ban
A ban on in-store card surcharges was promised for May 2026 but stalled in Parliament, so surcharges still apply
International Visitor Levy (IVL)
NZD 100 per visitor, paid with your NZeTA, non-refundable
NZeTA (entry authorization)
Required for US visitors: NZD 17 in the app or NZD 23 online, valid two years, multiple entry
GST (sales tax)
9%, already included in displayed prices, and held at 9% for 2026 with no rise announced
SG Arrival Card (SGAC)
Mandatory and free, filed online within three days before arrival, with a short health declaration
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
Now live for nationals of China, India, Indonesia and Mexico but not required for US visitors, who still get a free 90-day stamp on arrival; confirm on the official Home Affairs site before you fly
Tourist VAT refund
The 15% VAT is refundable to foreign visitors on goods over R250 taken out of the country; ask for a tax invoice and claim at the airport with your passport and the goods
e-Arrival Card
Mandatory and free, filed online before arrival if you do not hold a K-ETA
K-ETA (entry authorization)
Not required for US visitors through 31 December 2026, then required again from 1 January 2027
Sri Lanka tourist ETA (30 days, US citizens)
Free of charge for US citizens since 25 May 2026 under the 40-country fee-waiver scheme, but still mandatory: apply online at the official ETA portal before you fly. Valid 30 days with double-entry. Confirm the fee shows as zero for your passport before you rely on it.
Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC)
Free online arrival card required for entry, filed up to seven days before arrival, having replaced the paper card
Tourist VAT refund (TRS)
5% VAT refundable on goods of NT$2,000 or more per store per day, claimed before departure within 90 days
300-baht air arrival fee
300 baht (about $9) for air arrivals, still not being collected
Edinburgh visitor levy
5% of the room price, capped at the first five nights
Vietnam e-visa (up to 90 days, US citizens)
$25 single entry or $50 multiple entry, on the official e-visa portal before you fly
We check these against official pages and date each guide, and how that works is on our methodology page. For how each country actually pays, day to day, see cash or card by country. Rules and fees change, so confirm anything critical on the official source before you rely on it.