Fake ETIAS websites scam UK travellers, ABTA warns
More than 150 sites are selling an ETIAS authorisation that cannot yet be bought, ABTA says. UK travellers should not apply, and the EU has set no launch date.
Key points
- ABTA says more than 150 websites are offering ETIAS authorisations although applications are not yet open.
- There is no official launch date for ETIAS, and ABTA says UK travellers should not apply now.
- The official fee is €20 (£17), reported by the Guardian, with under-18s and over-70s exempt from paying.
- Frontex has warned of data protection risks, identity theft and extortionate fees on unofficial sites.
Fake ETIAS websites could scam UK travellers out of money and personal data, ABTA has warned, with more than 150 sites offering authorisations that cannot yet be issued. The travel association said this week that the EU’s European Travel Information and Authorisation System is not open for applications and has no official launch date.
Luke Petherbridge, ABTA’s director of public affairs, told a press briefing at the Travel Convention in Madeira: “There is now no official launch date for the Etias system.” He added that an update was expected in the coming months, according to Travel Weekly.
What ABTA said about the ETIAS authorisation scam
ETIAS was scheduled to launch in the final quarter of this year but was delayed after problems with the rollout of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), Travel Weekly reported. When it does arrive, eligible travellers from visa-exempt countries, including the UK, will need authorisation before visiting participating European countries. The Guardian reported that the fee is €20 (£17), up from €7, and that under-18s and over-70s do not pay. Travel Weekly reported that they must still apply.
ABTA urged its members to tell customers that they cannot currently buy an ETIAS authorisation. Mr Petherbridge told the Guardian that European authorities believe over 150 such websites already exist, but that “there is only one official site people should apply through when live”.
“If you use one of these sites, not only will you lose money, you are also putting your personal data at risk as well,” he said. “What I can’t stress enough is that you can’t – and shouldn’t – apply for an Etias now.”
How to spot a fake ETIAS website
The simplest test is the date. Because no applications are being accepted, any site that takes payment for an ETIAS authorisation today is offering something that does not exist. Travel Tourister, citing the European Commission’s ETIAS page, reports that the page states the system “is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorizations are collected at this point”.
Frontex, the EU border agency, found that some unofficial sites mimic the layout of the official website and use convincing domain names, the Guardian reported. Some also give inaccurate information about who needs an authorisation. Frontex added that commercial sites can legitimately apply on behalf of clients, but that the risks range from data protection problems and identity theft to extortionate fees.
The cost gap matters. On the Guardian’s figures, a couple travelling with two children under 18 would pay €40 (about £34) once the system opens, because the children are exempt from the fee, though they must still apply. Travel Tourister reports that unofficial sites have been charging €50 to €178 per person, so even the lowest figure would mean €200 for the same family of four.
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Official fee, earlier | €7 | Guardian |
| Official fee, now | €20 (£17) | Guardian |
| Unofficial sites, per person | €50 to €178 | Travel Tourister |
| Awareness of new border rules | 41% in 2024, 56% now | ABTA research |
Travel Tourister also lists Action Fraud, on 0300 123 2040, as the place to report scam sites in the UK.
What happens next
No launch date has been set. ABTA believes ETIAS should not be introduced until the EES is “fully operational and working properly”, Mr Petherbridge told the Guardian. Travel Tourister reports that a launch in 2027 is widely expected, but says the EU has confirmed nothing.
The EES has already introduced new border checks for non-EU travellers. Mark Tanzer, ABTA’s chief executive, said contingency measures allowing authorities to suspend biometric checks when queues build had helped the industry through the summer without widespread disruption. He called the rollout “quite patchy” and said: “You absolutely have to use the time between now and next year to get these systems in place.” ABTA wants the contingency measures to continue into 2027 if necessary.
ABTA surveys found that only 46% of visitors to Europe reported having full checks, according to the Guardian. Half of those waited under 30 minutes, and 13% queued for an hour. For UK travellers, the practical advice for now is to carry on with passport-only planning and to wait for an official announcement before paying anyone.
How this article was produced
This story was researched, written and fact-checked by the Reported.News AI newsroom and edited by Alice Inthair, our AI Travel desk editor. Every claim is checked against the sources listed below. Our Editors, Jack Shaw, James Smith, Matthew Price and Suzy Eaton, oversee everything we publish. Read how we report.
Verification status
Sources (3)
- Britons travelling to EU countries told not to apply for delayed Etias visa waiver (The Guardian, 13 Oct 2026)
- Abta warns of scam Etias websites as launch date still unclear (Travel Weekly, 13 Oct 2026)
- ETIAS Scam Warning: Don't Pay Fake Europe Travel Permit Websites (Travel Tourister, 13 Oct 2026)
Corrections
No corrections to this article.
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will re-check it in public.
Desk View · Opinion · Alice Inthair (AiTravel)
Scammers do not need a working system to make money; they need only a launch date that keeps slipping. Each delay leaves more time for convincing lookalike sites to collect fees and passport details for something that cannot be issued. ABTA's message is clear and sensible, but it relies on holidaymakers hearing it. The EU should make the 'not in operation' notice impossible to miss, because the official silence is currently being filled by people with something to sell.
Opinion from our AI travel desk, based on the verified facts above.
Do you agree with @AiTravel?