Is it cheaper to apply directly on the official site?

Yes. Applying directly costs the government fee only (for example $40 USD for the ESTA). With Charta Visa you pay the same government fee plus our $39 service fee. The government fee is never marked up.

Does applying through Charta Visa get a faster decision?

No. The government decides on its own timeline. Our processing-speed options change how quickly we review and file your application, not how quickly the authority answers.

What does the service fee actually cover?

The guided, plain-English form, a 23-point pre-submission checklist, a reusable traveler profile, status tracking with notifications, and support. For the DS-160 it also covers guidance through the interview stage.

Which option should I choose?

If your case is simple and you are comfortable with the official form, apply directly. If you want a review before submission, are applying for several travelers, prefer your own language, or are preparing a DS-160 interview, our service is built for that.

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Applying directly vs applying with Charta Visa

Both routes end at the same place: the government decides. The difference is what you pay and what you do yourself. Here it is, product by product.

Charta Visa is an independent private service, not a government website. Government fees are stated separately and paid to the authorities in full. Read our independence statement.

Last checked: September 15, 2026. Our fees are read live from our pricing engine.

Cost, per traveler

Product	Directly on the official portal	With Charta Visa
ESTA (United States, Visa Waiver Program)U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)	$40 USD government fee only	$40 USD government fee + $39 service feeOptional: faster review/filing, Refund Guarantee ($14.99), other add-ons.
UK ETA (United Kingdom)UK Government — Electronic Travel Authorisation	£20 GBP government fee only	£20 GBP government fee + $39 service feeOptional: faster review/filing, Refund Guarantee ($14.99), other add-ons.
Canada eTAGovernment of Canada — eTA	CA$7 CAD government fee only	CA$7 CAD government fee + $39 service feeOptional: faster review/filing, Refund Guarantee ($14.99), other add-ons.
DS-160 US visitor visa (B1/B2)U.S. Department of State — DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application	$185 USD government fee only	$149 service fee+ the $185 USD MRV fee, which you pay directly to the U.S. government (not through us)Optional: faster review/filing, Refund Guarantee ($29.98), other add-ons.

ETIAS (the EU's travel authorization) is not open yet. Nobody — including us — can file one today; the only official information source is the EU's ETIAS site.

What you do yourself, directly

Fill in the official form on the government site (in the languages it offers)
Check your own passport number, dates and declarations for typos
Pay the government fee by card on the portal
Check status by logging back into the portal with your application number

What Charta Visa adds

Step-by-step guided form with plain-English explanations for every question
23-point automated pre-submission checklist (passport format and expiry, date consistency, required fields)
One reusable traveler profile for every future application
Real-time status dashboard with email notifications and pre-trip reminders
Free tools: Schengen 90/180 calculator, passport validity checker, entry-cost calculator, US interview wait times and interview practice
Priority email support, with re-application guidance if needed
Optional Refund Guarantee add-on (see below)

DS-160 only

Guidance on paying the $185 MRV fee on the official portal and booking the consular interview
Interview date / consulate tracking and a follow-up nudge after the interview
Free US visa interview practice tool (25 real B1/B2 questions + §214(b) readiness score)

The Refund Guarantee, honestly

For $14.99 ($29.98 on the DS-160): If the government denies an eligible, complete application, we refund the full service fee. It is void when the nationality is ineligible, the passport does not qualify, or a declaration question was answered in a disqualifying way. It never covers the government fee (which the authority keeps whether it approves or not) and it is not a promise of approval.

When to apply directly

Your case is simple: eligible passport, no prior denials, no complicated answers to the declaration questions.
You are comfortable with the official form and its language, and have 20–30 minutes to complete it carefully.
You are on a tight budget — the government fee is the only unavoidable cost.
You are applying for ETIAS: it is not open yet, so there is nothing to file with anyone.

When our service helps

You want a second set of eyes before submission — most rejections of eligible travelers are typos, mismatched dates and wrong formats.
You are applying for several people (family, colleagues) and want one profile to fill every form.
You prefer to apply in your own language — the site and support run in 10 languages.
You are applying for the DS-160 and want structured help with the interview stage.
You want status updates and reminders pushed to you rather than checking a portal.

Start an application See full pricing

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to apply directly on the official site?: Yes. Applying directly costs the government fee only (for example $40 USD for the ESTA). With Charta Visa you pay the same government fee plus our $39 service fee. The government fee is never marked up.
Does applying through Charta Visa get a faster decision?: No. The government decides on its own timeline. Our processing-speed options change how quickly we review and file your application, not how quickly the authority answers.
What does the service fee actually cover?: The guided, plain-English form, a 23-point pre-submission checklist, a reusable traveler profile, status tracking with notifications, and support. For the DS-160 it also covers guidance through the interview stage.
Which option should I choose?: If your case is simple and you are comfortable with the official form, apply directly. If you want a review before submission, are applying for several travelers, prefer your own language, or are preparing a DS-160 interview, our service is built for that.

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Applying directly vs applying with Charta Visa

Cost, per traveler

What you do yourself, directly

What Charta Visa adds

The Refund Guarantee, honestly

When to apply directly

When our service helps

See also

Frequently asked questions

Applying directly vs applying with Charta Visa

Cost, per traveler

What you do yourself, directly

What Charta Visa adds

The Refund Guarantee, honestly

When to apply directly

When our service helps

See also

Frequently asked questions