JAPAN & THAILAND: New Electronic Travel Authorisation process for both countries

The world is moving to Electronic Travel Authorisations to replace immigration entry protocols. Japan and Thailand are just the latest countries to adopt the practice.

In Thailand, the process will be trialled from December 2024 with the full introduction in June 2025. For Japan, the timescales are longer, with a complete move over to the new system not scheduled until 2030.

Thailand ETA System

The new ETA will be mandatory in Thailand for visitors who currently enjoy visa-free entry. There are almost a hundred of these visa waiver countries, including Australia, Canada, China & Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the USA as well as most European countries.

Thai ETA applications will be submitted online through the government’s official Thai e-Visa website. A new application will need to be lodged for each trip. No charges are expected to apply. Approved ETA holders can head straight for the automated passport gates at immigration.

Thailand added a range of new visa categories in July 2024. These cover tourists, and business travellers from visa-free countries. Depending on your country of origin and the visa approval you seek, you may be allowed to stay for up to 60 days instead of the previous 30.

The Thais have also added new categories including remote workers/digital nomads, and those attending Muay Thai or cooking classes. These are available for up to five years.

There is even a new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) which will set you back 10,000 ฿aht (~AU$430). But you also need to evidence of having over AU$21,000 (500,000 ฿aht) available for the duration of your stay. The DTV can cover the rest of your immediate family, for multiple entries of up to 180 days. Other conditions include proof of employment.

Japanese ETA system proposal

This new system currently known as JESTA will apply to more than 70 countries that currently have visa-free entry, which includes Australia.

A visa is not currently required for Australians travelling to Japan.

The system will be introduced to further discourage tourist overstays. Currently, more than half of overstaying tourists emanate from visa-free entry countries.

Japan has become a popular destination for Australians, especially since the value of the Yen has plummeted. That means the cost of travel to Japan, notoriously expensive, has come down to a reasonable level. The Australian dollar is currently worth 100 ¥en.

The Japanese government has not released the cost, or a schedule for the introduction of the JESTA scheme

2PAXfly Takeout

ETA’s are the way of the world. For Australian passport holders who have access to visa-free travel to many countries, entry protocols will soon mean completing an ETA before travel, and some kind of digital arrival card, closer to entering the country as commonplace.

I’m up for anything that circumvents that long and tawdry visa application process, we used to go through to enter most countries.