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Japan's easy visa-free entry for citizens of the U.S., EU, and many other countries will change with the planned introduction of the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA), which will affect visitors from 71 countries, including the U.S., by 2030.
Modeled after the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which requires visitors from visa-waiver countries to apply for travel authorization before their visit to the U.S., a JESTA approval will also be required for visitors from the U.S., European Union, and other countries:
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Panama
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Korea
- Romania
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Tunisia
- Türkiye
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
Why is Japan Implementing JESTA?
As with the U.S. ESTA program, Japan is planning to implement JESTA to add an additional layer of security to determine whether a prospective visitor poses a security or law enforcement risk. Specifically, as of January 2025, Japan reported over 79,000 individuals who had illegally overstayed their visa or entry authorization; over 60 percent of them originally entered Japan on a short-term visa.
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How JESTA Will Work
Once implemented, prospective visitors to Japan from visa waiver countries will submit their intended travel dates, purpose of travel, and accommodation details via the JESTA application. Japan's Immigration Services will analyze the data, and flag those that are considered as potential overstay risks, who will be denied authorization and will instead have to apply for a visa through their local Japanese embassy.
Bottom Line: while this is still several years away, U.S. and other visa waiver travelers to Japan should be aware that by 2030, they will need to plan ahead and submit their travel details to JESTA in time to receive authorization to travel to Japan.
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