'Permission' needed as travelers visiting this popular country now face pricier entry fee

An Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) has been implemented that digitizes tourists' requests to visit the country while paying a fee.

The fee began at around $13, but will see a hike as tourists will be forced to fork up nearly $18 starting on April 9. 

There were 38 million visits to the U.K. during 2023, which was an increase of 6.7 million visits compared to 2022, according to the U.K. Office for National Statistics.

The government site says the ETA "authorizes a person to travel to the U.K."

The ETAs are linked to a traveler's passport in an effort to smooth security checks and "prevent abuse" of the immigration system.

Travelers can apply for an ETA through an online form by providing information such as travel details, an email address, a credit or debit card, valid passport information along with suitability questions.