ETIAS Visa Waiver for Travelers from Japan

Japanese people's travel rights to the EU will fundamentally change now that the EU has introduced a new ETIAS (European Travel Information Authorisation System) visa waiver. It has a planned launch date of January 2023. Japanese citizens will join the 60 other ETIAS countries, and Japanese people wishing to make journeys into the Schengen area for any purpose less than 90 days must follow the new ETIAS requirements.

In recent years, the EU was a haven, free from the conflicts of the world. This safety is over, and the EU must respond to growing global threats. Entry to the EU without documentation, as most ETIAS countries were able to, is no longer tenable.

Designed to further traceability of incomers, the ETIAS visa waiver will allow the EU to collect data from every traveller into the Schengen area. Having gathered this data, the EU can conduct cross-references on many more travellers, and turn away potential threats. Leveraging Interpol databases will be a fundamental part of this task.

Practically, the ETIAS visa waiver will change how Japanese people travel to the EU on a very minor level. It will not be a barrier for many travellers. Based on similar schemes worldwide, it has been estimated that 95% of Japanese people's ETIAS visa applications will be accepted.

Most Japanese people travelling to the Schengen area will need the ETIAS visa waiver after 2023. Most Japanese travellers come for short-term travel, so the EU will have to give out huge amounts of ETIAS visas.

Short-term refers to Japanese people who come to the Schengen area for less than 90 days, and it covers all manner of purposes, such as business, pleasure, and medical tourism. Japanese people that want to travel to the EU for more extended stays must arrange a standard visa as they do right now.

Japanese people between 18 and 70 will have to pay a 7 euro application fee. Those outside of this age bracket will not have to pay an application fee.

ETIAS visas come with restrictions of period and area of travel (detailed below), and for some travellers, a standard visa will be more appropriate. Travellers to Europe should thoroughly research the rules and only apply for an ETIAS visa waiver if suitable for their journey.

The EU will not reward around 5% of Japanese people with an ETIAS visa waiver for various reasons. The most important reason will be concerns that the Japanese person will pose a threat. Unlike rejections because of errors in the application, no amount of appeal will help the Japanese person to be rewarded with an ETIAS visa. Instead, they must attempt to gain a standard visa, although doing so will likely be difficult if they have already been earmarked as a threat.

The ETIAS visa gives Japanese people the right to visit all the nations listed below.

This list includes all nations inside the Schengen area. Nations inside the EU, outside of the EU, and with a defacto Schengen status are included.

Japanese people must get simple documentation ready to show that they fit the ETIAS requirements. This includes their passport, their credit card, and proof of address.

ETIAS requirements also need them to answer all the questions on the application form accurately. Aside from general personal information, the questions are serious and can define if a Japanese person is granted entry. They are...

Successful Japanese applicants will receive their electronic ETIAS visa waiver through their email address. It will grant them access to the Schengen area for up to 90 days, and they must make this trip within three years of being awarded an ETIAS visa waiver. The Japanese person should prepare to make their planned journey to the EU.

Complying with requests for further documentation or information than they supplied on their ETIAS application form will turn a refusal to a successful application in most cases. The Japanese rejected applicant has 96 hours to provide anything asked of them. The receiving nation has four weeks to decide if what they have provided has cleared up the discrepancies.