With Europe's Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) set, after many delays, to kick in next year, a host of agencies and webpages have sprung up offering to help travelers with the new system—for a fee.
Originally scheduled to take effect in 2021, it has been repeatedly postponed for technical reasons. It's expected that there will soon be a formal announcement that the 2024 start date will be after the Paris Olympics end to avoid adding another layer of difficulty to a big travel event.
ETIAS, which is modeled on the U.S.'s ESTA system, will be required for travelers to Europe from countries whose citizens don't need a visa. Instead, they will pay a €7 fee for a two-year permission to travel in and through the 30 European countries that are part of the system.
Frontex, the EU border agency, is flying a caution flag on those agencies. First, it says that the official ETIAS website, when it's turned on, will be easy to navigate. And second, it points out that while agencies can legitimately obtain the document for travelers, the agencies will also have to obtain it through the same website, at the same €7 price, and will therefore be charging extra fees, sometimes substantial for their service.
And, Frontex's ETIAS director, points out, obtaining the document means supplying details of their passport details, credit card number and other personal data to a possibly unknown company or website.
“When applying for an ETIAS authorisation, it is important for travellers to consider whom they are giving their personal information to and how much they are willing to pay in addition to the application fee. It is important travellers take time and assess these factors carefully,” added the director
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