That ETIAS Website You Found Online Can’t Actually Approve You

A quiet scam is riding on confusion about Europe’s coming travel authorization. More than 150 third-party websites are reportedly advertising help with ETIAS applications, even though the European Union is not yet accepting any.

The official ETIAS portal states that the system is not operational and that applications are not being collected. Poland’s government advisory of October 20, 2026 points to an introduction in 2027, though the European Commission has not confirmed a date.

The sites are exploiting a real change that is already in force. The Entry/Exit System became fully operational across participating external Schengen crossing points on April 10, 2026, so travelers have heard plenty about new border rules, which makes a convincing-looking application page easy to trust.

The proposed ETIAS fee is 20 euros, revised from an earlier 7 euros, so any site charging much more for an application that cannot yet be filed deserves suspicion. Travelers should rely on official EU sources, and note that Indian passport holders generally need a Schengen visa rather than ETIAS.

Sources: Travel And Tour World