With the ETIAS launch approaching, fraudulent websites impersonating the official EU portal are already collecting personal and passport data from would-be travellers. Some charge €40 to €90, double or quadruple the official €20 fee, and offer fake "express processing" that does not exist.

The only legitimate ETIAS site is travel-europe.europa.eu/etias. Official communications come from EU domains ending in .europa.eu. Any website using "official" or "fast-track" branding without that domain is a third-party reseller at best, and a scam at worst.

Warning signs include: prices above €20, promises of guaranteed approval, requests for documents beyond a passport scan, and high-pressure language about urgent travel. If you've already paid one of these sites, contact your bank to dispute the charge and monitor your passport details for misuse.