Why the National Park Service foreigner fee makes sense
By Easton Martin | November 26, 2025
Beginning January 1, 2026, the National Park Service will begin charging foreign visitors a higher fee to enter many of our most treasured public lands, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite. Visitors who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents will pay an extra fee per visit or for an annual pass. American citizens and permanent residents will continue to pay the standard pass price.
This change reflects a basic principle of fairness, but also with an eye to prudence. American taxpayers have long funded the upkeep, staffing, and conservation of our national parks. When non-residents come to enjoy the same lands our tax dollars support, it seems only reasonable and practical to ask them to contribute in proportion to their use.
The additional revenue will make a real difference. Many parks currently face a maintenance backlog that runs into the billions. Routine upkeep, from repairing trails to maintaining sanitation and visitor facilities, requires steady funding. Even a modest surcharge on international visitors can raise significant funds that go directly toward preserving these national treasures.
Charging foreign visitors a bit more is not out of step with global practice. Around the world, many of the most famous parks and natural attractions charge higher fees for tourists than for locals. If other nations manage to support their parks this way while still welcoming travelers from abroad, we can do the same.
At a time when staffing has been reduced and budgets have been squeezed, this surcharge seems to offer a sustainable way to safeguard our public lands. It helps ensure that the grandeur of America’s parks remains accessible to citizens while asking visitors from abroad to help shoulder the costs of preservation. American taxpayers have already done their part, Asking foreign visitors to pay their share is simply fair.
