Scammers are using confusion over Europe’s new border technology systems to trick Nigerian travellers into paying for travel documents they don’t need, and in one case, one that doesn’t yet exist.
The trick relies on two similar-sounding acronyms. While the Entry/Exit System (EES) is real and already running, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is not. Scammers blur two of Europe’s new border systems, claiming travellers must pay a “€20 ETIAS fee” before flying to Europe.
What EES and ETIAS actually are
The EES launched across 29 European countries on October 12, 2025. It records the biometrics of non-EU travellers, such as fingerprints and a facial image, and replaces passport stamping. It applies to non-EU nationals generally, including people who hold a Schengen visa, but it costs nothing and requires no online application.
ETIAS is a different thing. It is a pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, so Nigerians, who must obtain a Schengen visa, are not its target group. It also has not started. The official EU website says ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected. The site previously pointed to a last-quarter-2026 start but now promises only to announce a date several months ahead. Reports suggest the launch could slip into 2027.
How the scam works
Reports emerging on Saturday revealed that the European authorities have already identified over a hundred unofficial websites providing information on ETIAS. These sites use convincing designs and domain names to mimic legitimate portals.
Since the programme is on hold, any site requesting a €20 fee today is considered fraudulent. Travellers are warned to be very cautious because it is not currently possible to apply for an official ETIAS authorisation since the system is not operational yet. Many of these third-party sites charge inflated fees or steal personal information.
In Nigeria, the pattern is now familiar.
Take Sola, a 28-year-old applicant in Surulere while talking to the press revealed that a travel agent on Instagram operating as Travel with Tayo told her she needed to pay N65,000 naira for mandatory ETIAS registration before her Schengen visa appointment at VFS Global.
She paid and was given a receipt that looked official with a European Union logo. At her appointment, VFS Global told her ETIAS does not apply to Nigerians and the paper was worthless.
Also, Emeka, a trader in Onitsha who wanted to visit his brother in Milan, said an agent in his local plaza operating as Blessed Travels collected tens of thousands of naira for EES biometric pre-registration and ETIAS approval, promising fast-track entry. He arrived in Rome to find his entry under EES was recorded fresh at the border anyway, and the extra papers meant nothing.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the development is also happening in other countries. ECTAA and Frontex have detected more than 150 fraudulent websites targeting travellers. The sites typically copy official-looking branding, carry “ETIAS” in the domain name, and push urgency. Victims pay a fee, hand over passport details, and receive nothing valid in return.
The risk goes beyond lost money. Passport scans, photos, and personal data submitted to fake portals can be reused for identity fraud.
To stay safe
To stay safe as a Nigerian passport holder, remember three things: you do not pay €20 for ETIAS; you pay about €90 for the Schengen visa itself at VFS Global or TLScontact. The Entry/Exit System costs nothing, and you do not pre-register for it. And only use the official portals for information, as the protection of your personal data cannot be guaranteed if you use another website.
