ETIAS: Websites offer help with travel permit despite launch delay

Travellers to the EU are being advised not to apply for the bloc’s new travel authorisation, ETIAS, after more than 150 websites were found to be offering the service despite the system not yet being operational.

The warning comes from travel association Abta, which has urged travel agents and holidaymakers to be alert to potentially fraudulent websites.

The launch of ETIAS remains uncertain following significant teething problems with the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) in countries including France.

Initially announced as starting “in the last quarter of 2026”, ETIAS now looks likely to be postponed until the new year.

This assumption is based on changes to the wording on the official ETIAS website, which now merely states that the system is not yet in operation and that several months’ notice will be given before its launch.

Under EU rules, it was not meant to launch until at least six months after the full rollout of EES on April 10, 2026, meaning an October launch had been considered possible.

However, with no fixed date announced, and the EU almost certainly unwilling to launch the system during the busy Christmas and New Year period, a 2026 start now appears improbable.

The European Commission told The Connexion: “Obviously, as with any large-scale IT system, many factors come into play when deciding when to launch it. Once all conditions are in place, the commission will set a date for the start of the system.”

What is ETIAS?

ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System. It will be an online application for permission to travel to 30 European countries.

Authorisation will be subject to a €20 fee and various checks. Once the system launches, there will be a six-month phasing-in period.

It is similar to the UK’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) and the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) required to enter the US.

ETIAS will apply to visa-exempt visitors from non-EU countries, including British and American tourists, but not holders of qualifying EU residence documents.

Along with EES, it forms part of plans to modernise European borders amid concerns over issues such as irregular migration and terrorism.

People will be able to apply at the official ETIAS website or via an app, which is not yet available.

Confirmation of a valid ETIAS authorisation will be sent by email and digitally linked to your passport. Once the system is deployed, the authorisation will be checked automatically when your passport is scanned, alongside the separate EES checks.

It will remain valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It will also cease to be valid if you obtain a new passport following loss, theft or for another reason.

Information requested will include your name, home address, date and place of birth, nationality, email address, phone number, parents’ first names, level of education and current occupation.

You will also have to provide the country of your first intended stay. However, once you have received authorisation, you will still be able to change your plans and travel to any country covered by ETIAS.

Questions will also be asked about past criminal convictions, travel to war or conflict zones and whether you have been subject to an expulsion order.

Who needs to apply for ETIAS?

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not need to apply, nor do people holding qualifying residence permits or visas.

This includes British residents in France who hold a valid French residence permit, including a Withdrawal Agreement residence card.

Otherwise, an application will generally be needed for each traveller.

Applicants under 18 or over 70 are exempt from payment, although they must still apply. Parents or guardians can apply for a child.

Certain family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens will also need to apply for ETIAS, even if travelling with an EU/EEA/Swiss spouse or partner, but may qualify for an exemption from the fee.

Unlike EES, people who are required to have a short-stay visa to visit the EU will not be concerned by ETIAS.

What should applicants check?

Applicants must check that the information they fill in when applying is the same as shown in their passport, as boarding can be refused if they do not match.

They must also (apart from certain exempt family members) ensure their passport will be valid for three months after their intended departure date and was issued within the previous 10 years.

If you realise you made a mistake in an application, the simplest solution will often be to make a new one – corrections can be requested but can take up to a month.

Once granted, you should also make a new request if important personal information has changed.

ETIAS is not considered equivalent to a visa, which is more complex and costly. The EU advises that in the future people should obtain the authorisation before buying tickets and booking hotels.

Most applications will be processed within minutes and, in ordinary cases, within four days.

However, some applicants may be asked to provide additional information or documentation, or to undertake an interview with national authorities, which may extend the processing period.

If the application is refused, the email will give reasons and explain appeal options. Refusals could be linked to using a passport that was reported lost or stolen, being considered a security or illegal immigration risk, failure to provide requested additional information, or previous bans on entering or remaining in the EU.

Will ETIAS be compulsory immediately?

After launch, there will be a transitional period of at least six months in which travellers should apply for ETIAS but will still be allowed to enter without it, provided they meet the other entry conditions.

It will be followed by a grace period of at least six months, during which travellers entering a country covered by ETIAS for the first time since the end of the transitional period will also be allowed to enter without authorisation.

Can someone else apply for ETIAS on your behalf?

It is possible for another person, such as a friend or a paid intermediary (eg. a travel agency), to apply for ETIAS for you if you have authorised them to do so.

In this case, you will both need to sign a declaration of representation.

However, note that any other website offering intermediary services will collect your data and use the official website to apply for you.

Before using any websites offering this, check their fees (in addition to the €20 ETIAS fee itself) and data protection.

The only official ETIAS site is the one given above and it is intended to be simple, so it is questionable what extra value third-party sites will provide.

It is also possible that some sites will be scams seeking to steal money and/or identity or banking details from you.

If using any such service, having checked that it is bona fide, you should also ensure that it will give the EU a personal email address to receive updates.

You should also ask to see a copy of the completed application before it is submitted, as you remain responsible for the accuracy of the information provided even when an intermediary applies on your behalf.