Japan
Thanks to its thriving technology and automotive industry sectors Japan has strong and stable connections to European businesses. The Japanese fashion industry as well has longstanding and deep-rooted synergies with its European counterparts. Also, Japan has always been a major incoming tourist player for the EU and Schengen Area since the last few decades.
ETIAS for Japanese travelers in brief
Japan Nationals required to hold valid ETIAS starting from 2025
ETIAS candidates must be in possession of a valid passport of Japan
ETIAS application activated exclusively through electronic system
ETIAS necessary for business, leisure, transit and medical therapy trips towards and across 34 European countries
Duration of stay in the ETIAS Area in its entirety must never surpass 90 days within 6 months.
Ties between Japan and Europe
Thanks to its thriving technology and automotive industry sectors Japan has strong and stable connections to European businesses. The Japanese fashion industry as well has longstanding and deep synergies with its European counterparts. Also, Japan has always been a major incoming tourist player for the EU and Schengen Area since the last few decades.
These far-reaching connections will soon be made stronger and more stable since Japan has been confirmed to hold Visa Waiver rights to at least thirty-four European Destinations for the upcoming years.ETIAS eligibility for citizens of Japan
As a matter of fact, beginning from 2025, Japan citizens will be eligible to obtain an ETIAS Visa Waiver in order to travel to the EU/Schengen Area for short term journeys whose purpose is tourism, business, transit or medical care.
Also, family and friends visit journeys are allowed since they are considered to fit in the leisure and tourism category.
Work, study and any sort of long-term stay, exceeding the limits mentioned in the foreword, are not allowed on ETIAS.
Still, even if the Visa Waiver is not suitable for long term study programs, it can be used by Nationals of Japan for short training programs (such as language courses or corporate training courses) if the stay in the ETIAS area as a whole will not pass the aforementioned threshold of ninety days out of every 6 months. To this extent still it is always important, before applying for an ETIAS, to verify if the receiving school or institute in Europe accepts to enroll scholars with a Visa Waiver and not with a Schengen Study Visa.Exceptions to ETIAS eligibility criteria
Holders of Japan temporary or permanent resident status can only apply for ETIAS only if they have nationality and passport from one of the 60 ETIAS eligible countries. Those who have a passport of a country that is not included in such Visa Waiver program will still need a Schengen Visa even though in possession of a valid Japan residence permit.
An ETIAS will be required to Japanese citizens travelling to the ETIAS area regardless of the Nation they will be arriving from; although no Visa Waiver will be required to those who already hold valid Schengen Visas or Residence Permits issued by one of the Schengen Member Nations or de facto Members.
To this extent in must additionally be highlighted that, until its Membership in the Schengen Area is perfected, a National Visa or Permit of Stay issued by Cyprus will not be considered a valid exemption criterion from the obligation to hold an ETIAS or Schengen Visa, while ETIAS will in any case be required to Visa Waiver visitors entering the insular State.ETIAS for Japanese – application and validity terms
Citizens of Japan are required to input a series of data to electronically submit their ETIAS Visa Waiver application.
Among the required data are:- personal information and contact details including a valid e-mail address
- first ETIAS country of intended stay
- eligibility and background questions
Once the ETIAS application has then been sent forward through the tax payment, all the data will be cross checked by European Institutions and International Security Databases.
The security check protocol is meticulous but also very efficient and aims to allow most of the candidates to receive the result of their application on their e-mail address within 72 hours.Validity standards
Once issued, the ETIAS Visa Waiver for Japanese visitors is valid for 3 years and allows for multiple entries in any of the ETIAS Member or De Facto Member Countries.
Travelers’ whit a passport having less of 3 years of remaining validity when obtaining their ETIAS must keep in mind that the Visa Waiver will cease its validity on the same date as their passport.
Moreover, the passport used for the travel itself must always have a remaining validity long enough to cover for the whole duration of the trip planned to the ETIAS Area plus 3 exceeding months counting from the departure date from Europe.ETIAS Area arrival
Upon arriving in the ETIAS Area, whether air, land or seaway, Border Control Officers will always have the authority to ask Visa-free voyagers from Japan to present additional supporting documents to assess the purpose of their travel.
Among the supporting documents that might be required are:- Return ticket to the country of origin or onwards ticket to a non-ETIAS country
- Proof of sufficient funds to support one’s stay in the ETIAS Area
A health insurance is not compulsory to ETIAS travelers but strongly recommended.
