Source: The Points Guy
Summary
The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is a planned electronic travel authorization for visitors to the Schengen Zone, including France, Germany, and Spain. It was scheduled to launch alongside the Entry/Exit System (EES) but has been delayed until 2027. Scammers are exploiting the delay by offering fake ETIAS waivers. According to the EU, no applications are currently accepted, and travelers should avoid unofficial sites. ETIAS would allow visa-exempt travelers, such as U.S. citizens, to stay up to 90 days in the Schengen Zone over 180 days.
Our Reading
The escape is carefully planned.
ETIAS is a new system for Schengen Zone entry, delayed until 2027.
Scammers are selling fake waivers, mimicking official sites.
Travelers should wait for official updates before applying.
Relaxation requires checking the right website.
Author: Evan Null
What is ETIAS?
ETIAS is a forthcoming system that will be used to allow visitors to enter 30 countries in Europe’s Schengen Zone. These include popular tourist destinations like France, Germany, Greece, Switzerland and Spain; see the full list here.
When the system goes live, travelers from dozens of visa-exempt countries, including the U.S., will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization. It’s technically not a visa, but an electronic waiver will allow you to stay in the 30 applicable countries for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. It will be valid for three years or until the travel document you used in your application expires, whichever comes first.
The planned cost of an ETIAS waiver is 20 euros (around $22) per adult; travelers under 18 and over 70 can apply for free.
How is ETIAS different from the U.K. ETA?
ETIAS is easily confused with the United Kingdom’s electronic travel authorisation (ETA), but there is a big difference.
When introduced, ETIAS will apply to 30 Schengen Zone countries across continental Europe (and Iceland). It does not apply to the U.K. or Ireland.
An ETA, on the other hand, is an existing document that most tourists need to enter the U.K., Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man. It costs 20 pounds ($26) and allows access to these areas for up to six months.
How can I get an ETIAS travel authorization?
The short answer? You can’t — yet.
ETIAS was slated to roll out soon after Europe introduced its biometric border control Entry/Exit System. However, EES has been plagued by software bugs and long delays since its launch earlier this year, and as a result, ETIAS has been put on hold until sometime in 2027.
Per an official EU site, “ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point.”
Beware of scam sites
Although ETIAS has not been introduced yet, that hasn’t stopped various websites — over 150 of them — from trying to sell “ETIAS waivers.”
These sites often try to hoodwink travelers by mimicking the layout and domain name of the official EU website and creating a false sense of urgency. They may also provide inaccurate information about ETIAS and who needs to apply for it.
For now, if you stumble across a site offering ETIAS waivers, it is a scam. ETIAS is not operational yet, and you do not need to apply for a European travel waiver until at least next year.
Bottom line
The main takeaway is: Do not apply for an ETIAS waiver right now. Instead, keep an eye on this page to see when ETIAS launches, at which point you will most likely need to apply for an ETIAS authorization before you visit the Schengen Zone.
When you do, be sure to apply through the official EU website only. According to pan-European border agency Frontex, commercial sites can legitimately apply for ETIAS waivers on behalf of clients, but they may charge exorbitant fees, do dubious things with your data and even put you at risk of identity theft.
Stay safe out there.
