Over 150 fake ETIAS websites: what visiting family and friends need to know about ETIAS and EES (October 2026)
The English-language news site DutchReview has warned about ETIAS — the European Travel Information and Authorisation System. Nobody can apply for it yet, but more than 150 websites claim to sell it.
ETIAS does not apply to people who live in the Netherlands. It does apply to visa-exempt family and friends who come to visit — and when they ask "do I need to apply for anything?", it is the resident who has to answer. To complicate things, a different system, EES (the Entry/Exit System), is already running and has made the queues at Schiphol much longer.
This article combines DutchReview's report with official information from the European Commission, the EU's diplomatic service (EEAS) and Frontex, reporting by NL Times and IamExpat on Schiphol, and coverage from The Local and Connexion on the ETIAS timeline — to set out what is happening as of October 2026, and who needs to do what.
Main sources for this article
- DutchReview, "Watch out: Fake ETIAS websites are targeting travellers to the Netherlands" (16 October 2026)
- European Commission (DG Migration and Home Affairs), "The Entry Exit System is fully operational since 10 April 2026. Who is exempt?" (27 July 2026)
- NL Times and IamExpat on border control at Schiphol (August–September 2026)
- EEAS and Frontex information on ETIAS
| What this article answers | Short answer |
|---|---|
| When does ETIAS start? | No date as of October 2026; 2027 looks likely (section 1) |
| What has already started? | EES, fully operational since 10 April 2026; face and fingerprints at the border (section 2) |
| Does it affect residents? | Not with a residence permit: no ETIAS, no EES registration (section 3) |
| What do visitors need to do? | For now, only EES registration at the airport; under-12s skip fingerprints (section 4) |
| How do I spot a fake site? | Domain, application status and price give it away (section 7) |
| What if my permit expires while I travel? | You need a return visa (section 9) |
1. ETIAS has not started
The key fact
As of October 2026, ETIAS applications are not open.
The EU had said ETIAS would start in the last quarter of 2026, but according to The Local and others, it removed that target from its website in July 2026 and has not set a new date. Connexion, the French expat outlet, reports that a 2026 launch now looks unlikely. Officially, the start date will be announced several months in advance.
Why the delay
According to Irish travel-trade paper Travel Extra, the EU decided that EES must be completely stable before ETIAS is introduced. ETIAS sits on top of EES, and EES, after going fully live in April 2026, triggered software problems and long queues at major entry points (see section 5).
Travel Extra describes ETIAS as "on hold indefinitely", with a rollout unlikely before 2027 at the earliest. It is not the first postponement.
The information is inconsistent
What makes this confusing is that some official EU pages still carry old information.
| Source | Start date | Fee | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEAS information page | Last quarter of 2026 | €7 | Outdated text still online |
| European Commission (quoted by DutchReview) | Not set | €20 (under-18s and over-70s free) | October 2026 |
| The Local | Q4 target removed in July | — | October 2026 |
| Connexion | 2026 launch unlikely | — | October 2026 |
| Travel Extra | On hold; 2027 at the earliest | Quotes €7 | October 2026 |
Blogs and resellers built on the old pages ("starting soon", "€7") spread the confusion. Check the current status on the EU portal, travel-europe.europa.eu.
Older articles are everywhere
Search for ETIAS in any language and you will find travel agencies, apps and blogs repeating claims that are no longer true:
| Common claim in older articles | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|
| "Mandatory from late 2026" | Target withdrawn in July; no date set |
| "The fee is €7" | €20 according to the European Commission |
| "It covers 26 countries" | Current information says 30 |
If someone you know is worried by an article, check its date and whether it matches the official EU site.
2. EES has already started
Fully operational since April 2026
Much of the confusion comes from mixing ETIAS up with EES (the Entry/Exit System), which is already running.
EES replaces passport stamps with an electronic record. It was phased in from October 2025 — at the first Dutch airports from 20 October — and became fully operational on 10 April 2026. The European Commission says it has recorded more than 145 million entries and exits since launch.
EES vs ETIAS
| EES | ETIAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Running (fully since 10 April 2026) | Not running (no date) |
| What it does | Records entries and exits electronically | Pre-travel online authorisation |
| Where | Border control at the airport or border | Online, before you travel |
| What is recorded | Passport data, facial image, fingerprints, dates | Application data and the decision |
| Who | Non-EU short-stay visitors (residence permit holders excluded) | Visa-exempt non-EU nationals |
| Cost | Free | €20 (planned) |
| What the traveller does | Register at border control | Apply online in advance |
When a visitor hears that "Europe has a new system", it is usually EES. It needs no advance application and no payment — just follow the border officer's instructions.
3. Residents are not affected
According to the European Commission, non-EU nationals holding a long-stay visa or residence permit issued by a country operating EES are not registered in EES. ETIAS is for visa-exempt short-stay visitors, so residents do not need it either.
| Who | EES registration | ETIAS | At the border |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-EU resident with a Dutch residence permit | Exempt | Not needed | Show passport and residence card |
| Family member of an EU citizen with a residence card | Exempt | Not needed | Show passport and residence card |
| Visa-exempt visiting family or friends | Yes (face and fingerprints on first entry) | Needed once it starts | Register at border control |
| Visa-exempt visiting children under 12 | Yes (facial image only) | Needed once it starts (free under 18) | Register at border control |
One catch: you are only treated as exempt if you show your residence permit. The Commission notes that exempt travellers still present their passport together with their permit. Travel without your residence card and you risk being treated as a short-stay visitor. Always carry it with your passport.
Permits issued by Cyprus or Ireland do not qualify for this exemption.
4. What visiting family and friends need to do
For now, only EES registration
Visa-exempt visitors can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Right now, all they need is EES registration at border control.
What happens at border control
| Stage | What happens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First entry | Passport scanned, facial image taken, fingerprints recorded | Under-12s exempt from fingerprints |
| Later entries | Identity checked by face or fingerprints | Matched to the stored record |
| Exit | Departure recorded | Days of stay calculated automatically |
| Data retention | Three years from the exit record | Under the EES Regulation |
The big change is that days of stay are now counted automatically. The 90-in-180 rule that used to be checked by counting stamps is now tracked by machine. Visitors staying a while should know that days spent in other Schengen countries count too.
According to EU agency eu-LISA's report for the first quarter of 2026, there were 19,985 refusals of entry. The most common reasons were insufficiently justified purpose or conditions of stay (7,202) and having reached the maximum permitted stay (4,353). In the same period there were 978,940 fingerprint exemptions, mostly for children under 12.
Preparing for border control
The most common refusal reason was being unable to justify the purpose or conditions of the stay. A short family visit is very unlikely to be refused, but hesitating at the desk slows things down — especially now.
| Bring | Why |
|---|---|
| A passport with enough validity left | Schengen requires at least three months beyond the planned departure date |
| The address where they will stay | To answer "where are you staying?" straight away |
| A copy of the return ticket | Shows they will leave within 90 days |
| The purpose in one sentence | "Visiting family" is enough |
| The host's phone number | In case border staff want to check |
For older relatives travelling alone, a short note with the address and purpose can take the stress out of the conversation.
5. Schiphol queues are long
One to two hours
EES has made border control slower. According to NL Times, Schiphol said in August 2026 that non-EU passport holders were waiting one to two hours on average to clear border control, calling it unacceptable.
IamExpat, citing the Financial Times, reported that Schiphol's maximum wait rose from 80 minutes to two hours, about 50% more. Peak waits in Munich doubled from 31 to 60 minutes, and Frankfurt's peak doubled to two hours.
Early September was worse. NL Times, citing Het Parool, reported internal documents describing the situation as "critical", with waits reaching 110 minutes. Schiphol reportedly paused plans to expand face and fingerprint scanning for a while.
| When | At Schiphol | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 18 May 2026 | 279 flights delayed by security and border queues | NL Times |
| August 2026 | Non-EU arrivals waiting one to two hours on average | NL Times |
| Early September 2026 | Up to 110 minutes; scanner expansion paused | NL Times (Het Parool) |
Why the queues
Reports point to too few border staff, faults with automated e-gates, and very low use of the EU's pre-registration app. The temporary flexibility allowing countries to pause biometric registration during peaks was due to end in September, and it was unclear whether it would be extended.
Airport association ACI Europe asked the European Commission to suspend EES over the summer; the EU refused, saying a suspension was neither needed nor possible.
What to tell visitors
- Allow about two hours after landing before connections, pick-ups or hotel check-in
- With children, expect a long queue and bring water and snacks
- Departures have reportedly been less affected than arrivals, but still allow extra time
6. When ETIAS does start
Here is what the EU's official information says about how ETIAS will work.
| Item | What we know |
|---|---|
| Countries | 30 European countries, including the Netherlands |
| Purpose | Short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period |
| Validity | Three years, or until the passport used expires, whichever is first |
| Processing | Most within minutes; otherwise within four days; up to 14 more days if information is requested, or 30 if an interview is needed |
| Fee | €20 (under-18s and over-70s free) |
| Where to apply | Only the official site on the europa.eu domain |
| What it is | Not a visa, and not a guarantee of entry |
Reports suggest there will be a transition period during which nobody is refused for lacking ETIAS, followed by a grace period for first-time travellers. When it starts, it will not shut anyone out overnight.
It is similar in concept to the US ESTA:
| ESTA (US) | ETIAS (EU) | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Mandatory since 2009 | Not running |
| Application | Online | Online |
| Validity | Generally two years | Three years (planned) |
| Biometrics at the border | Fingerprints and photo at US border control | Handled by a separate system (EES) |
The difference is that ESTA has run for years while ETIAS has not started. "It's like ESTA" is accurate; "so you can apply now" is not — and that gap is exactly what the scam sites exploit.
7. Spotting a fake
What is out there
According to DutchReview, more than 150 websites claim to offer ETIAS. Some belong to legitimate travel agencies that plan to apply on travellers' behalf once ETIAS starts; others pose as official to charge high fees or harvest personal data. Reported charges range from €50 to €178.
Back in 2024, Frontex warned that unofficial sites copy the official layout, use official-sounding domain names and use EU material without permission.
A quick decision flow
Detailed checks
| Check | Official | Typical of fake or reseller sites |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Ends in europa.eu | Its own domain such as etias-something.com |
| Status | Says the system is not yet operating | "Apply now" |
| Price | €20 (once live) | €50–€178, with no breakdown |
| Language | Proper EU-language versions | Awkward translation, typos |
| Urgency | No pressure | "Limited time", "apply today" |
| Contact | EU institution named | Unclear who runs it |
Note also that the top search result is not necessarily official. Ads can be bought, so fake sites can appear above the real one — and "I clicked the first result" is how many people get caught. UK travel association ABTA also advises waiting until the system officially opens.
8. If someone already paid
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Contact the card issuer about reversing a payment for a service not provided | Recover the money |
| 2 | List what was entered: passport number, date of birth, address, email, card details | Understand the exposure |
| 3 | Change any reused passwords | Prevent knock-on damage |
| 4 | Treat follow-up emails with suspicion ("your application has a problem, pay again") | Avoid being caught twice |
| 5 | If passport details were shared, contact the authority that issued the passport | Prepare for identity misuse |
A passport number plus date of birth can be used for identity fraud. The data handed over is usually a bigger problem than the money.
If the person lives outside the Netherlands, their own country's consumer-protection body can usually advise on disputes with foreign websites. Keep records — payment statement, website address, emails — to make that easier.
9. Travelling as a resident: keep your permit valid
ETIAS and EES do not apply to residents, but there is a related point for residents travelling abroad and coming back. With border checks now electronic, document problems stand out more.
A residence card alone is not a travel document
The IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) says you need a valid travel document and a valid residence permit; the residence card is not a travel document. With a valid Dutch permit and passport, you do not need a visa to travel within the Schengen area.
If your permit expires while you are away: a return visa
According to the IND, if your permit is temporarily not valid, or will expire during your trip, you need a return visa (terugkeervisum, TKV) to come back. It requires an IND appointment, so check your permit's expiry date before booking.
| Situation | You need | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permit valid for the whole trip | Passport and residence card | No visa needed within Schengen |
| Permit expires during the trip | Return visa (TKV) | Get it from the IND before leaving |
| Renewal applied for, no decision after the legal deadline | Return visa (TKV) | Can be free in this case |
| Permit already expired and you are abroad | Possibly an entry visa | Check Netherlands Worldwide, not the IND |
Apply for renewal while your permit is still valid. If it has just expired, the IND advises applying within four weeks to avoid a gap. Check before holiday trips.
10. How the 90-day rule is counted
Any 180-day window
Visa-exempt visitors may stay as long as, looking back from any day, they have spent no more than 90 days in the Schengen area in the previous 180. It does not reset every half-year. EES now calculates this automatically at the border.
A worked example
| Stay | Dates | Days |
|---|---|---|
| First visit | 1 March – 29 April | 60 |
| Second visit | 1 June – 30 June | 30 |
| Total in the 180 days to 30 June (2 January – 30 June) | — | 90 |
On 30 June this visitor is at exactly 90 days; one more day would exceed the limit. Entry and exit days both count.
And remember, days in other Schengen countries count too — a side trip to Paris or Berlin uses the same 90 days. For longer stays, visitors can check with the European Commission's short-stay calculator.
11. What to tell visitors, and when
| When | What to say |
|---|---|
| Now (before ETIAS starts) | "You don't need to apply for anything. Only trust sites ending in europa.eu." |
| Once the trip is booked | "Your face and fingerprints will be recorded at the airport. Border control can take one to two hours." |
| Once an ETIAS date is announced | "If you travel after the start date, apply on the official site. €20; free under 18 and over 70." |
| For longer stays | "Up to 90 days in 180, including other Schengen countries." |
The safest one-liner:
You don't need to do anything yet. I'll tell you when it officially starts. Only trust sites ending in europa.eu — and allow plenty of time at the airport.
A note for border control can help visitors who are nervous about speaking English:
I am visiting my family who lives in the Netherlands. I will stay at [address] from [arrival date] to [departure date]. My return flight is [flight number]. Contact: [host's phone number]
12. Three situations (fictional)
These examples are fictional.
A: Parents in their seventies visiting in December
They arrive at Schiphol in December for two weeks and have read that "ETIAS is required".
They only need EES registration at border control. ETIAS has not started, and when it does, over-70s will not pay. Plan the airport pick-up assuming two hours at border control.
B: A sister's family with a ten-year-old
They are coming for three weeks in summer, with a few days in Paris.
All three register in EES on first entry; the ten-year-old gives no fingerprints, only a facial image. The days in Paris count towards the 90-day limit, but three weeks is well within it.
C: A friend who already paid €95
A friend paid €95 for an "ETIAS application" on a site that came up first in search.
It was not a genuine application. Tell them to contact their card issuer and watch out for misuse of their passport details. Their trip itself only needs EES registration.
| Case | Needed now | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| A: parents in their seventies | EES only | Long border queues |
| B: family with a child | EES only (child: no fingerprints) | Other Schengen days count |
| C: friend who paid | Contact the card issuer | Misuse of passport details |
13. What not to do
| Don't | Why |
|---|---|
| "Apply" for ETIAS on the top search result | Every application today is unofficial |
| Rely on "€7" or "starts late 2026" | Old text survives even on EU pages |
| Travel as a resident without your residence card | You cannot show you are exempt from EES |
| Plan tight connections after landing | Border control can take one to two hours |
| Give passport details to a reseller | Identity misuse is the bigger risk |
14. Checklist
Residents
- I travel with my passport and residence card together
- I have checked my permit's expiry date (a return visa is needed if it expires while I am away)
When family or friends visit
- I told them ETIAS does not need applying for yet
- I told them only europa.eu sites are official
- I told them their face and fingerprints will be recorded at border control
- I allowed about two hours after landing
- For longer stays, I explained the 90-day limit including other Schengen countries
15. Summary
- ETIAS is not running as of October 2026; the EU withdrew its Q4 target in July and 2027 looks likely
- Even so, more than 150 sites claim to sell it, with charges of €50–€178
- EES is what is running: fully live since 10 April 2026, with over 145 million entries and exits recorded
- Residents with a residence permit need neither ETIAS nor EES registration — but must show the permit
- Visitors register face and fingerprints at the border; under-12s skip fingerprints
- Schiphol border control has seen one-to-two-hour waits; plan for it
Sources
Official
- The Entry Exit System is fully operational since 10 April 2026. Who is exempt? — European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs: who is exempt from EES; 145 million+ entries and exits
- FAQs about EES — Travel to Europe (EU): EES questions and answers
- ETIAS — Travel to Europe (EU): the official ETIAS site
- Information on ETIAS — EEAS: validity, processing times, the 90/180 rule, the official site (start date and fee not updated)
- Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 — EUR-Lex: the EES Regulation; fingerprint exemption for under-12s; data retention
- eu-LISA publishes the EES Quarterly Report for Q1 2026 — eu-LISA: refusals and their reasons; fingerprint exemptions
- Travelling with a residence permit and a return visa — IND: travelling as a permit holder; when a return visa is needed
- Appointment for return visa — IND: return-visa appointments; when it is free
- Regular temporary residence permit extension — IND: when to apply for an extension
- Beware of risks posed by unofficial ETIAS websites — Frontex: how unofficial sites operate
Media
- Watch out: Fake ETIAS websites are targeting travellers to the Netherlands — DutchReview: 150+ fake sites; the €20 fee and age exemptions; ABTA's advice
- EU Entry Exit System (EES): what travellers to the Netherlands need to know — DutchReview: EES in the Netherlands
- New Entry/Exit system kicks off at first Dutch airports on October 20 — IamExpat: the Dutch rollout
- Why non-EU travellers now wait 2 hours at Schiphol — IamExpat: waits at Schiphol, Munich and Frankfurt; ACI Europe's request
- Schiphol says new border controls are causing one- to two-hour waits — NL Times: Schiphol's statement
- New border checks at Schiphol pushed wait time to almost 2 hours in early September — NL Times: 110 minutes; scanner expansion paused
- 279 flights delayed at Schiphol as security queues, border checks disrupt operations — NL Times: May delays
- British travellers warned to avoid scam websites offering ETIAS visa waiver — The Local: the withdrawn start target
- ETIAS launch delayed again as border control warns of scam sites — Travel Extra: the reason for the delay; 2027 at the earliest
- ETIAS for France: EU travel permit launch now unlikely in 2026 — Connexion: a 2026 launch looking unlikely
All checked on 18 October 2026. ETIAS timing and EES operations may change; check the official europa.eu pages before travelling.
Original article
Watch out: Fake ETIAS websites are targeting travellers to the Netherlands — DutchReview
FAQ
- Can I apply for ETIAS yet?
- No. As of October 2026 ETIAS is not operating. In July 2026 the EU removed its 'last quarter of 2026' target from its website and has not set a new date. It says it will announce the start several months in advance.
- I live in the Netherlands. Do I need ETIAS or EES registration?
- Not if you hold a valid Dutch residence permit. ETIAS is for visa-exempt short-stay visitors, and holders of residence permits issued by EES countries are not registered in EES. Show your passport and residence card at the border; no fingerprints or facial image are taken.
- What do visiting family and friends need right now?
- If they are visa-exempt short-stay visitors, only EES registration at border control — no advance application, no fee. Their facial image and fingerprints are recorded on first entry; children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting. ETIAS will come later.
- How much will ETIAS cost?
- €20, according to the European Commission, with under-18s and over-70s exempt from paying. Older EU pages and articles still say €7. Any site charging more is either unofficial or adding its own fee.
- How long are the queues at Schiphol?
- In August 2026 Schiphol said non-EU arrivals were waiting one to two hours on average at border control. In early September waits reportedly reached 110 minutes. Leave plenty of time after landing.
- Someone I know already paid an ETIAS website. What now?
- It was not a genuine application, because none can be made yet. Contact the card issuer about reversing the payment, change any reused passwords, and be wary of follow-up emails asking for more money. Passport details given to the site are the bigger risk.
Source: DutchReview
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