BRITS travelling to Spain have been issued an urgent holiday warning as scammers target those who apply for a visa.
The EU has issued a warning to British citizens to be aware of fraudsters amid preparations for the launch of the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
It means Brits will have to pay €7 (£6) for a three-year visa if travelling to countries in the EU.
EU officials have warned that UK travellers and other non-EU nationals are being targeted by scammers who are using fake Etias application websites.
The fake pages claim to complete the application process or even trick travellers to submit their personal information and credit card details.
They also charge an additional administration fee.
The fraudsters are profiting from the system by “engaging in abusive practices”, the EU said.
They also noted that travellers should only use the official ETIAS site- which has not been set up yet but it will use the europa.eu domain.
Brits will be required to take part in the visa system as they are no longer a part of the EU.
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 70 will have to pay it if traveling for less than 90 days, with applications submitted 96 hours before travel.
Applicants will be asked for information about their identity, passport, education, job, recent travel, and criminal convictions, including if they have ever been kicked out of a country.
After filling in an online application form, the EU will conduct security checks and, in the vast majority of cases, issue the visa within minutes.
Another new system - the Entry/Exit system (EES) - is still expected to start from May 2023, which will require Brits to submit their fingerprints as well as register their name, and points of entry and exit.
This will replace the need to stamp passports, which is required for UK passengers in Europe since Brexit.
