News · 19 October 2026
ETIAS for minors in 2027: what families can check now
The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation still has no start date. Here's what is already fixed for travellers under 18, what changed at the border in April 2026, and what a family outside the EU can check before summer 2027.
Does your teen need ETIAS for a summer trip to Switzerland in 2027? Right now, no one does. On 19 October 2026 the EU's official ETIAS site says the system is "currently not in operation": it isn't taking applications, and the start date will be announced several months before launch.[1] Until that date is out, nobody can tell you whether ETIAS for minors will apply in July 2027. What you can know now is how it'll work for an under-18, and what's already changed at the border.
What does the EU say about ETIAS right now?
ETIAS is a travel authorisation for people who don't need a visa for a short stay in 30 European countries, Switzerland among them. Passports from the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia are all on the EU's list, so their holders will need to apply.[3]
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) says the same: the EU sets the timetable, nobody is taking applications, and you don't need to do anything yet.[9]
Does a minor need their own ETIAS?
Yes.[2] And two of the EU's rules are written with parents in mind. Someone with parental authority or legal guardianship has to submit the application for anyone under 18. And under-18s pay nothing, against a standard fee of EUR 20.[4]
If a travel agency or anyone else applies for your teen, you both sign a declaration of representation. It's one per traveller, children included.[5]
Campers are 16 to 19 on 11 July 2027.[11] If your teen is under 18 when the application goes in, you submit it, and there's no fee. From 18, your teen applies like any adult and pays the EUR 20. And an ETIAS granted before your child turns 18 stays valid until it expires.[2]
ETIAS in figures
| Rule | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Start date | Not announced yet[1] |
| Fee | EUR 20; no fee under 18[4] |
| Who submits for an under-18 | A person with parental authority or legal guardianship[4] |
| Valid for | Three years, or until the passport expires if that comes first[2] |
| Length of stay | Up to 90 days in any 180-day period[2] |
| Processing | Most within minutes; some up to 30 days[2] |
| Transitional period after launch | At least six months[6] |
| Grace period after that | At least six months[6] |
What happens once ETIAS starts?
Once it launches, two phases follow.[6]
- A transitional period of at least six months. You should already apply, but a traveller without an ETIAS isn't turned away as long as they meet every other entry condition.[6]
- A grace period of at least six months. Now an ETIAS is required. The only traveller who can still enter without one is someone coming in for the first time since the transitional period ended. Anyone else without one is refused entry.[6]
Whether ETIAS is running by July 2027, and in which phase, depends on a start date the EU hasn't set. So that date is the thing to watch.
What changed at the border in April 2026?
The Entry/Exit System, or EES, is already running. It's been fully operational at every external border crossing point since 10 April 2026, and passports don't get stamped any more.[7] Switzerland is one of the 29 countries using it. Each time a non-EU traveller on a short stay enters or leaves, the system records it electronically.[8]
If you don't need a visa, that means four fingerprints and a facial image. Children under 12 aren't fingerprinted. Your teen, at 16 to 19, will be. A non-biometric passport is in principle still accepted at the border; only the self-service kiosks need a biometric one.[7] On a direct flight, all of this happens at Zurich Airport.
What this means for your family
- Check the passport now. It has to be valid for more than three months after your teen leaves, and it can't be older than 10 years.[2] With a flight home on 24 July 2027, that means valid beyond 24 October 2027.
- Renew first, apply second. An ETIAS is tied to one passport: change the passport and you need a new ETIAS.[2] If a renewal is due before the summer, get it done before you apply.
- Check for a second passport. Does your teen also hold the nationality of one of the 30 ETIAS countries, or of Ireland? Then they need no ETIAS, as long as they travel on that passport.[2]
- Watch the official site for the date. Once applications open, the EU advises getting the authorisation before you buy tickets. Stick to the official website or app, because other sites may add fees of their own.[2]
- Write a consent letter if your teen is under 18 and travels without you. SEM recommends one from the parents, with your details and phone number, and English is fine.[10] You'll find how we look after campers on the Parents & safety page.
An ETIAS gets your teen on the plane, but the border guards still check the entry conditions and have the final word.[2]
Where the camp fits
The BHMS Summer Camp runs from 11 to 24 July 2027 in Lucerne.[11] We built it for pupils with one more year of school to go, so the class of 2028. Transfers from and to Zurich Airport are included, and the arrival window on Sunday 11 July runs from 09:00 to 16:00.[11] Your teen needs a valid passport and health insurance. To apply, send the filled-in application form and a scan of the passport. Places go first come, first served, so it's worth applying early.
Next, read our Visa & travel page, then see Dates & Prices for everything the camp includes.