Full Breakdown
ETIAS Launch Delayed, Travelers Urged to Avoid Scam Sites
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Postponement of the European Travel Authorisation System
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) – a visa-waiver-style electronic authorisation for travellers from visa-exempt countries – has been pushed back with no official launch date announced. The delay follows technical problems with the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES), which ETIAS depends on. The rollout is now expected no earlier than 2027. In the meantime, more than 150 unauthorised websites are advertising ETIAS authorisations, prompting the UK travel association ABTA to warn travellers not to apply through any third-party site.
Background & Context
ETIAS will work like the United States ESTA, requiring pre-approval linked to a passport before travel to the 29 Schengen states plus Cyprus. The fee is €20 (£17) for applicants aged 18-70; those under 18 or over 70 are exempt but must still apply. The system cannot become operational until the EES – a biometric border-check database for non-EU nationals – is fully functional. Repeated postponements of EES, including software glitches at French entry points, have kept ETIAS in suspension.
Data & Statistics
- Fraudulent sites: Over 150 websites claim to sell ETIAS authorisations.
- Fee: €20 (£17) per application for most travellers.
- Coverage: 60 eligible third-country nationals, including the United Kingdom, will need ETIAS to visit the 30 European nations.
- Validity: Up to three years, with a new application required after a passport change.
- Travel impact: ABTA’s Holiday Habits survey of more than 2,000 respondents found 6 % are less likely to visit the EU because of the new border checks.
- EES performance: Fewer than half of British travellers have been processed through EES; among those who have, 87 % waited less than an hour, and half cleared the border in under 30 minutes.
Official Statements & Responses
ABTA’s director of public affairs, Luke Petherbridge, told delegates at the Travel Convention in Madeira that “there is now no official launch date for the ETIAS system” and urged travellers not to purchase the authorisation from any site.
Frontex, the EU border-security agency, warned that unofficial sites may mimic the official layout and expose personal and financial data.
The European Commission confirmed the launch date has been removed from its public portals and that no infringement proceedings will be taken against member states that continue to suspend EES checks when queues become excessive.
ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer called for a “pragmatic approach” to the EES rollout, urging the industry to use the time before the next summer to resolve outstanding technical issues.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Some outlets reported that ETIAS was scheduled for the final quarter of the current year, while later statements from ABTA and the European Commission indicate the launch date has been removed entirely, leaving the timetable undefined. No official target beyond “at least 2027” has been provided, and the EU has not detailed the specific criteria that must be met before ETIAS can go live.
What’s Next
ABTA is lobbying for contingency measures that allow member states to suspend EES biometric checks during peak periods to be extended into 2027, and for legislative adjustments that would smooth the final rollout. The agency also advises travellers who have been registered on arrival but not on departure—to contact the relevant national border authority for correction.
Travellers are encouraged to monitor the official EU portal (europa.eu/etias) for the definitive launch announcement and to avoid any third-party offers until the system is officially operational.