For years Britons travelling to the USA have had to pay a similar ESTA fee.
Quid pro quo.
It seems the only thing governments are good at is dreaming up more ways to tax people.
NB illegals arriving across the English Channel from Africa and the East will be exempt.
Yes. And next year the EU will introduce a very similar authorization process for non-EU citizens, US included. I suspect nothing of this would have happened without the US coming up with ESTA first.
ESTA fee (for Brits to visit the USA) = $21
ETA fee (for Americans to visit the UK) = $13.50