WASHINGTON (AFP) - Travelers from countries which do not require visas for the United States -- such as Sweden, Britain, France, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand -- must pay a 14-dollar tax starting Wednesday.

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Travelers from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries must "pay operational and travel promotion fees" when applying for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), the US Customs and Border Protection said on its website.

"The total fee for a new or renewed ESTA will be 14 dollars," the website said. The breakdown includes 10 dollars tax and four dollars to recover the cost of the ESTA system.

The ESTA has been required of travelers from VWP countries since January 2009, it said. The system allows travelers for business or tourism to stay 90 days or less.

The VWP countries are Andorra, Iceland, Norway, Australia, Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Italy, San Marino, Belgium, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, South Korea, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovenia, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Spain, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, Malta, United Kingdom, Germany, Monaco, Greece, The Netherlands, Hungary and New Zealand.

European Union home affairs chief Cecilia Malmström warned last month that newly-increased US fees for tourist entry application processing amount to backdoor visa trading.

"I regret very much the fee established," Malmström said. "I have repeatedly raised concerns about the introduction of this fee and I remain convinced that these new requirements, applicable only to travellers under the Visa Waiver Program, are inconsistent with the commitment of the US to facilitate transatlantic mobility and will be an additional onus for European citizens travelling to the US."