Citizens of Japan must apply for the electronic travel authorization ETIAS soon if they want to travel to EU and Schengen countries. Learn about the ETIAS requirements and which travel destinations will be affected.
As passport owners from one of the visa-waiver countries, Japanese citizens can travel to the EU and Schengen Area for tourism, short business trips, medical treatments, or transit without a visa for up to 90 days.
From 2025 on, visa-free travel to EU and Schengen countries will require an extra step, however: the new ETIAS electronic travel authorization is coming. With the implementation of ETIAS, every Japanese citizen must apply for travel authorization before entering the EU and Schengen Area.
ETIAS is not a visa, and hence, it must not be processed through the embassies. So, in contrast to the Schengen visa, the ETIAS travel authorization is affordable, quick, and easy to get. Here are the main differences between ETIAS and a Schengen visa at a glance:
| ETIAS | Schengen visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Online | Embassy or consulate |
| Required documents | Passport | Passport and supporting evidence |
| Duration of stay | 90 days | Depending on visa |
| Purpose | Tourism, business, medical travel | Depending on visa |
| Number of entries | Unlimited | Depending on visa |
| Validity | 3 years (or until the validity of your passport is ending) | Depending on visa |
| Cost | € 7 | € 80 |
| Wait time | Max. 96 hours | Up to 60 days |
In the future, Japanese citizens will be allowed to either use ETIAS or apply for a visa to travel to the ETIAS zone. However, some European states like Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ireland, the UK, or Serbia are not participating in the ETIAS program.
Suppose you are planning a round trip through Europe. In that case, you might have to apply for a visa anyways because of these exceptions. Therefore, always check the list of participating ETIAS countries before traveling.
Even though it was even simpler to travel without a visa before ETIAS, Japanese travelers will benefit from the new system as it will increase travel security for everyone. ETIAS is designed to combat identity fraud, misuse of travel documents, terrorism, and serious crime.
In addition to your Japanese nationality, there are more criteria to fulfill before you can travel to the EU and Schengen Area with ETIAS. Japanese citizens must fulfill the following ETIAS requirements:
The ETIAS questions will ask for details on your criminal records, travel history, and travel intentions.
With your approved ETIAS travel authorization, you can travel to the following countries within the EU and Schengen Area:
| ETIAS: participating countries | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra1 | Austria | Belgium | Bulgaria |
| Croatia | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark |
| Estonia | Finland | France | Germany |
| Greece | Hungary | Iceland | Italy |
| Latvia | Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Malta | Monaco1 | Netherlands | Norway |
| Poland | Portugal | Romania | San Marino1 |
| Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden |
| Switzerland | Vatican City1 | ||
1ETIAS is required for transit through the Schengen countries to get to these microstates.
The EU will soon launch a website and mobile app where Japanese citizens can complete the ETIAS application within minutes. Applicants will have to enter the following information:
After submission, your data will be checked automatically. The ETIAS approval will normally arrive within minutes or - at the latest - after 96 hours.