Japan to Launch New Travel Authorization Program for 71 Countries, Including U.S. and Canada
by Daniel McCarthy
Photo: b-hide the scene / Shutterstock.com
Starting in 2030, there’s going to be a new requirement for North Americans traveling to one of the most trending international destinations.
Japan this week unveiled a new travel authorization system, joining a growing list of destinations that are adding another step to inbound travel. The news was first reported by Japan’s Sankei Shimbun news outlet.
The system, which is currently called JETSA, is expected to require travelers to register with Japan’s Immigration Services Agency via an online portal before arrival, declaring their purpose for travel and their place of stay. Japan will then either approve the stay or reject it if it deems the applicant is an illegal stay risk, which it cites as the reason behind the announcement.
If a traveler is flagged as a risk of overstaying beyond the allowed period of stay, which is somewhere between 14 and 90 days currently, they will have to get a formal visa through their local embassy instead.
In total, travelers from 71 visa-exempt countries and regions will be mandated to use JETSA, including visitors from Canada and the U.S., along with others from Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Singapore, and the U.K.
While there are no specifics on how the system will work just yet, JETSA is expected to operate the same way as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA in the U.S. That system screens international visitors via an online application before travel and costs travelers $21.
A similar application system is scheduled to be launched in Europe next year. Called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), the system will require all non-Europeans, to apply for, and pay for, a visa before entering any of the EU’s member nations.
The program has been in the works since 2016 and has been delayed several times since the initial announcement, going from November 2023 to 2024. Officials from the EU have said that travelers can expect the program to be in full operational in May 2025.
