Travellers warned as fake visa and arrival form websites multiply

Travellers applying for arrival forms and electronic visas are being caught out by fake websites that closely imitate official government portals and charge inflated fees for applications or forms that may be free. Travel agents say the sites also put users' personal and financial information at risk.

Key facts

• Fake sites have charged for Mauritius arrival forms, Turkish e-Visas and the new SARS traveller declaration
• European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) applications are delayed indefinitely, with no applications being accepted
• More than 150 websites are already advertising services to obtain the ETIAS permit
• One site charged US$200 (R3 330) for a Bali e-Visa on arrival listed at $35 (R585)
• Warning signs include excessive adverts, suspicious domain names and poor website quality

What is happening?

Fake websites posing as official visa and travel declaration platforms are targeting both travellers and travel agents. They often copy legitimate government portals and appear prominently in online searches, which makes them hard to tell apart from the real thing.

Travel agents report that scammers are increasingly focusing on less familiar but mandatory processes, such as arrival forms and electronic visas, rather than flight bookings, which travellers have become more aware of.

Which processes are being targeted?

Lilly Fourie from Trip Tonic said clients had come across websites charging for Mauritius arrival forms, Turkish e-Visas and the new SARS traveller declaration. She investigated one site offering a Mauritius arrival form and found it looked very much like the legitimate platform but demanded payment. The page carried numerous adverts and showed no government affiliation in its contact information or domain.

"It's so similar that I'm not surprised that clients get confused," she said.

What is the situation with ETIAS?

Visa-exempt travellers to Europe have also been warned about fake ETIAS websites. ETIAS applications have been delayed indefinitely and no applications are being accepted, yet more than 150 websites are already advertising services to obtain the permit.

European border agency Frontex warned that some third-party sites imitate official government pages, use convincing domain names and give inaccurate information about entry requirements.

How can travellers spot a fake site?

Fourie said travellers should look out for excessive adverts, suspicious domain names and poor website quality. Leigh Mitchell from Travel 4 Fun cautioned that these signs are not always obvious, because fake sites appear in search results as sponsored content or adverts that look legitimate.

She described a client who was given the official website for the Bali e-Visa on arrival application, found the page was not working, searched for an alternative and ended up on a site charging US$200 (R3 330) instead of $35 (R585).

The American Society of Travel Advisors warned that artificial intelligence is making these scams harder to identify. Poor spelling and grammar were once common warning signs, but AI now allows scammers to build convincing websites that closely imitate official platforms.

What this means for travellers

Check whether a website is government affiliated before entering personal or payment details, and remember that some arrival forms and declarations are free of charge. Fourie said travel agents share correct links and information with final vouchers and e-tickets, and that some clients need extra help navigating online services before departure.

ETIAS remains delayed indefinitely and is not accepting applications; no date has been given for when it will start.