August 13th, 2018
After so many years, I am now inspired by the DXCC. I really want to hang the DXCC award to a wall of my shack! Well, though I never minded about it, wanted or not, during all these years I've collected QSL cards coming from much more than the 100 countries needed to submit the application; thus, I've chosen 100 QSLs, I've filled in whatever is needed for the "Online DXCC application" (the most cost effective) and I'm ready to check out. Surprise! The bill is 57 (read FIFTYSEVEN) cute dollars! 
You don't believe me, do you? Here you are the snapshot:
Convinced? And consider that it is only an estimation of the cost ("Estimated Total"), they couldeven charge more... 
"Yes, ok", you say," if that's the price, either you want your little award thus pay whatevere thay want to charge or you don't want it and quit". Of course, but ARRL advertises much lower fees. Here they are:
Let's make the addition by ourselves for a "Non-member (Non-US)", like me and many other radio amateurs:
Application fee: 15 USD up to 101 QSOs: I have 100 QSOs, perfect...)
Certificate fee: 12 USD (the cost of the printed award)
Certificate shipping fee: 15 USD (it's a lot, if I'm not wrong, it was 4 o 5 USD, not too long time ago!)
Total: 42 USD, that is 15 bucks less than ARRL system wants! 
Something's wrong here. The difference seems to be due to the "Application fee":
30 USD instead of 15 USD!
In order to get the correct fee, I wrote to ARRL. May be they will tell me that those apparently wrong 30 USD include some other service. When they reply to me, I'll tell you. Stay tuned! 
UPDATE August 16th, 2018
(I have no time to translate the part written in Italian right know, I will do it later, however you can just read the parts in English, I think it's understandable anyway)
During these days, I've had a short mailing with American Radio Relay League, Radiosport Department's Awards Manager, Sharon. I won't bore you with the details, I just want to tell you that I provided her with my account access data, so that she could try the DXCC application online. After her trial, here you are the words she wrote to me:
"Hello Roberto: You are definitely correct; there is something wrong here. Unfortunately, the Online programmer is now out for an extended vacation."
...omissis...
"...the correct charges:
$15.00 non-member submission fee
$27.00 Mixed award with shipping
$42.00 total"
...omissis...
"I am sorry for this inconvenience and confusion."
Greetings follow.
In the "omissis" parts, she explains how to write a note on the application to let ARRL charge my credit card with correct fee. Thank you, Sharon!
Well, I don't need to rush, after all. For the DXCC request, I would use QSL cards confirming contacts dated 1986 or so, let's say I could wait a few more months 
In any case, probably you are reading this article because you are trying to submit an online DXCC application but something is going wrong. If your experience were more or less like what I have just described, I would expect that ARRL is going to fix the problem in a few months but, if you are really in a hurry, you can ask 'ARRL for instructions. The e-mail address is somewhere in their website, you'll find it easily.
I hope that you find my notes useful and I wish you good DXes and a good life!
