JESTA Japan: Japan’s Electronic Travel Authorization Guide

JESTA: Japan’s electronic travel authorization is coming

JESTA is not required to visit Japan today. Japan passed the law creating it in May 2026, and the government aims to launch it in fiscal year 2028 (April 2028 to March 2029). By law it must start no later than 31 March 2029. Until then, visa-exempt visitors enter Japan exactly as they do now.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Facts on this site come from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and other official Japanese sources listed at the bottom of each page.

Snow-capped Mount Fuji rising above the city of Fuji in Shizuoka, Japan, on a clear day
Mount Fuji towers over Fuji City, Shizuoka.

Key facts at a glance

Not yetJESTA is not needed for travel to Japan today

FY2028Government target: April 2028 to March 2029

31 Mar 2029Latest legal start date, set by Cabinet Order

74Countries and regions visa-exempt today (MOFA)

JESTA stands for the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (電子渡航認証制度 in Japanese). It will be an online pre-travel check for foreign nationals who can visit Japan without a visa. Approved travellers will be screened before they board, then use kiosks and walk-through gates when they land.

The law behind it, Act No. 32 of 2026, passed the National Diet on 29 May 2026 and was promulgated on 5 June 2026. The exact start date will be fixed later by a Cabinet Order. No day or month has been announced yet, and no fee amount has been set. Our JESTA launch date and timeline page tracks every official step.

Explore the guide

What is JESTA?

The official name, what the system is for, and what is confirmed versus still being decided.

When does JESTA start?

Fiscal year 2028 target, the 31 March 2029 legal deadline and the full legislative timeline.

Who will need JESTA?

Visa-exempt visitors, Taiwan residents, cruise passengers and some transit travellers. Visa holders will not.

How will JESTA work?

The planned online application, airline checks, arrival kiosks, walk-through gates and Visit Japan Web.

Japan entry requirements today

What visa-exempt visitors need right now: passport, purpose of stay and length of stay.

Do I need a visa for Japan?

Check your nationality against the 74 visa-exempt countries and regions and your allowed stay.

Visit Japan Web guide

The official service for online immigration and customs forms and tax-free shopping.

JESTA vs ESTA, ETA and ETIAS

How Japan’s plan compares with the US, UK, EU and South Korean systems.

What changes with JESTA, and what stays the same

Today, a citizen of a visa-exempt country such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia or any EU state can fly to Japan with a passport and receive permission to land on arrival. Japan’s MOFA lists 74 visa-exempt countries and regions. Most can stay up to 90 days; Brunei and Qatar 30 days; Indonesia and Thailand 15 days.

Once JESTA starts, those travellers will also need an approved JESTA authorization before they travel. According to the ISA summary of the new law and government statements in the Diet:

  • Applications will be made online before the trip.
  • Airlines and ship operators will have to report passengers to the ISA and must not carry anyone the ISA says should not enter.
  • A traveller with neither JESTA nor a visa will be refused entry.
  • A fee will be charged. The amount will be set by Cabinet Order and has not been announced.

What stays the same: the visa exemption itself, the permitted length of stay and the rule that visa-exempt visitors cannot do paid work. JESTA is a screening step for people who already qualify for visa-free entry. It is not a visa.

What to do now

You do not need to do anything about JESTA yet. For a trip to Japan in 2026 or 2027, these are the steps that matter today:

  1. Check your visa exemption. Confirm your nationality is on MOFA’s list and note your maximum stay. Use our visa checker for Japan.
  2. Check your passport. Japan sets no minimum remaining validity, but your passport must be valid for your whole stay.
  3. Consider Visit Japan Web. You can complete immigration and customs information online before you fly and show QR codes on arrival. Read our Visit Japan Web guide.
  4. Beware of fake JESTA sites. There is no official JESTA application website yet. Any site offering JESTA “pre-registration” or applications today is not official. The official site is expected to use a go.jp address.

For the full list of current rules, see Japan entry requirements for visa-free visitors.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need JESTA to travel to Japan now?

No. JESTA is not required today. The provisions take effect on a date set by Cabinet Order, no later than 31 March 2029. Until that date, visa-exempt visitors enter Japan under the current rules.

When will JESTA start?

The government targets fiscal year 2028, which runs from April 2028 to March 2029. No exact day or month has been announced. See our JESTA launch date timeline.

How much will JESTA cost?

A fee will be charged, but the amount has not been announced. It will be set by Cabinet Order. Figures you may see online are comparisons with foreign systems or guesses, not an official JESTA price.

Can I apply for JESTA already?

No. There is no official JESTA application website yet. In the Diet, the ISA said the official site is expected to use a go.jp address. Treat any site that takes JESTA applications or payments today as unofficial.

Will I need JESTA if I have a Japanese visa?

No. JESTA is for travellers who use Japan’s visa exemption. A traveller with a valid visa meets the landing conditions without JESTA, and someone refused JESTA can still apply for a visa.

Japan ESTA Guide is an independent information website. It is not run by or affiliated with the Government of Japan. You cannot apply for JESTA here.

Sources