Fake ETIAS websites are already taking money. How to spot them

ETIAS is not open yet, but fake ETIAS websites already are. With the launch expected in Q4 2026, copycat sites are racing to rank ahead of the official system, and some are taking money for an authorisation that nobody can issue today. Here is how to tell the real thing from the lookalikes.

The simplest test

No website can sell or issue ETIAS right now. The official system is not live. So any site asking you to apply, pay or hand over passport details today is, at best, holding your money for a product that does not exist and, at worst, a straightforward scam. When ETIAS does open, the only place it is issued is the official EU site at travel-europe.europa.eu/etias.

Warning signs to look for

• Taking applications before launch. The clearest red flag. There is nothing to apply for yet.
• EU flags, yellow stars or crests. Official EU pages look official. Private sites that copy that look are trying to pass themselves off as government. We deliberately use none of it, and we explain why on is ETIAS Pro official?
• The words “official” or “government”. A private site should never describe itself that way.
• Prices well above €20 with no clear, separate service fee. The EU fee is €20; anything on top must be spelled out.
• Manufactured urgency. Countdown timers and “apply now or miss out” pressure. ETIAS is not open, so the urgency is fake.

What to do if you have already paid

If you have handed money or passport details to a site that claimed to issue ETIAS, contact your bank or card provider about a chargeback, keep any receipts and emails, and watch for follow-up phishing. You can also report it to your national consumer protection or fraud service.

Staying safe until launch

You do not need to do anything yet. When the time comes, start at the official EU site. If you would rather be told when that is, rather than risk searching and landing on a copycat, we send one email at launch. For the full list of tactics these sites use, see our guide to ETIAS scams.