How JESTA Will Work: Application to Arrival Gate

The planned JESTA process in brief

JESTA will work in three stages: an online application before travel, an airline check before boarding, and a kiosk and walk-through gate on arrival in Japan, with no passport landing stamp. These plans come from the ISA summary of Act No. 32 of 2026 and government answers in the Diet. Many details are still under consideration, and JESTA is not required yet.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Everything on this page describes plans stated by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) and in the National Diet. Final rules will be set by Cabinet Order and ministerial ordinances before launch.

White Shinkansen bullet train arriving at a platform at Tokyo Station — A Shinkansen bullet train pulls into Tokyo Station.

Key facts

OnlineApplication made before travel

iAPIAll airlines to check approval before boarding

Kiosk + gateArrival without a staffed booth

No stampNo passport landing stamp for approved travellers

Step by step: from application to arrival

Apply online before your trip. Enter your personal and passport details and trip information on the official JESTA website, which is expected to use a go.jp domain. Pay the fee (amount not yet announced).
Wait for a decision. The ISA checks your passport, the purpose and length of your stay and the grounds for denial of landing. Processing time has not been announced.
Book and check in. When your ticket is issued, the airline or ship operator reports your details to the ISA. Before boarding, the ISA tells the carrier whether you may travel.
Submit your ED card through Visit Japan Web. To use the walk-through gate, you must also submit the disembarkation (ED) card electronically through Visit Japan Web.
Use a kiosk on arrival. Approved short-stay travellers register fingerprints and a face photo at a kiosk.
Walk through the gate. You pass a walk-through gate instead of a staffed immigration booth. No landing stamp is placed in your passport; your landing details are sent by e-mail and shown on a JESTA portal.

Stage 1: the online application

According to the government, JESTA applications will be made online before travel. In the Diet, the Justice Minister and ISA officials described these planned data items, which are still under consideration:

name, date of birth and nationality
passport number, with the passport data page read by OCR
purpose of travel
place of stay or places to visit in Japan
intended length of stay

A vice-minister said the information will be more detailed than today’s paper ED card. The ISA will also check the Interpol database of lost and stolen passports and information from other agencies. Questions about criminal records or health have not been officially confirmed.

Two practical points were raised in the Diet:

Multilingual form. The ISA plans to offer the application form in several languages. The number of languages has not been set.
Help for travellers without a smartphone or PC. The ISA is considering allowing travel agencies to enter data on a traveller’s behalf. This is under consideration, not decided.

A fee will be charged when applying and when receiving authorization. The amount will be set by Cabinet Order and has not been announced.

Beware of fake sites

There is no official JESTA website yet. In the Diet, the government said it is considering a go.jp domain for the official site as a measure against phishing. Until the ISA announces the official address, do not enter passport or card details on any site that claims to offer JESTA.

Stage 2: the decision

According to the ISA summary, an application is checked against four conditions: a valid passport, a planned activity that is not false, a stay that fits the short-stay limits, and no grounds for denial of landing under the Immigration Control Act.

The ISA says decisions will not be made on nationality alone. If an application is refused:

no reason will be given
there is no appeal
the traveller can still apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate and travel with it

The official summary says authorization is given “each time of a new entry”. How long an approval lasts and whether you must apply again for every trip have not been detailed.

Stage 3: airline and ship checks (iAPI)

JESTA shifts part of the border check to the moment you book and board. The law places new duties on carriers:

Carrier duty	What it means for travellers
Report passengers to the ISA when issuing a ticket	Your name and booking details reach the ISA before you fly
Do not carry a passenger the ISA says should not enter	Travellers without approval will be denied boarding
Penalty for violations	Carriers face a non-criminal fine

The pre-boarding check will use iAPI, an advance passenger information system through which airlines send booking data to the ISA. The ISA said in the Diet that today only a few airlines cooperate voluntarily; after launch, all airlines serving Japan will report bookings, and the ISA will tell each airline whether boarding is appropriate.

Stage 4: arrival in Japan

Approved short-stay travellers are expected to use a new arrival flow:

Kiosk: you register fingerprints and a face photo.
Walk-through gate: you then pass through a gate without stopping at a staffed booth. A staffed booth currently takes about 75 seconds per person.
No landing stamp: your passport will not be stamped. The ISA has mentioned a JESTA portal site where you can log in to see your landing permission, including status and period of stay, and an e-mail with the same details.
Rollout: gates will be installed first at the busiest airports.

Visit Japan Web is still needed

JESTA and Visit Japan Web are separate systems. According to the ISA, an approved traveller must also submit the ED card electronically through Visit Japan Web to use the walk-through gate. Integration of JESTA into Visit Japan Web has not been announced. Our Visit Japan Web guide explains how the service works today, and the current Japan entry requirements page covers the rules that apply until JESTA starts.

Tax-free shopping without a stamp

Because JESTA travellers will not receive a landing stamp, the Ministry of Justice has asked for a review of how tax-free shops check eligibility, as part of the FY2027 tax reform requests. Details will follow.

Your data

The ISA plans to keep JESTA data for 30 years. Automatic sharing with other countries is not planned. A supplementary resolution of the House of Representatives asks that only strictly necessary data be collected.

What we do not know yet

the exact launch date (target: fiscal year 2028; legal deadline 31 March 2029)
the fee amount
processing time and validity
whether there will be a mobile app
the full list of questions

Follow our JESTA launch date and timeline for updates, and see who will need JESTA for the groups covered.

FAQ

Will JESTA be checked by my airline?

Yes. According to the ISA summary, airlines must report passengers when issuing tickets and must not carry anyone the ISA says should not enter. The check will use iAPI, and all airlines serving Japan will take part.

Will I get a passport stamp with JESTA?

No. Approved travellers will use a kiosk and walk-through gate, and no landing stamp will be given. The ISA plans a JESTA portal and an e-mail showing your landing permission.

Do I still need Visit Japan Web with JESTA?

To use the walk-through gate, yes. The ISA said approved travellers must also submit the ED card electronically through Visit Japan Web. The two systems are separate.

What happens if my JESTA is refused?

You will not be told the reason and cannot appeal. You can apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate and travel with that visa instead.

Can a travel agency apply for me?

The ISA is considering allowing travel agencies to enter data for travellers who have no smartphone or PC. This has not been decided.

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.

How Will JESTA Work? Application, Airline Checks and Arrival