AFS-Japan has been informed by their travel agency that they must provide a confirmed list of first arrival students by June 19, 2019 in order to ensure they are not penalized significantly with fees. This is considerably earlier than most other partners.

In order to support Japan, AFS-USA will be providing AFS-Japan with a list of confirmed (FPC) and nearly confirmed (PWP) students on June 19. This means we will need to provide this list to JPN by close of business on Tuesday, June 18. 

For any placements of students from Japan that occur between June 18 and July 23 (our first arrival FPC cut-off date), AFS-USA will need to make a special arrival request with Japan in order to determine whether the student can be approved by Japan to travel on first arrival (August 7).  If an exception is needed so that the student may travel on 1st arrivals, the Team Development Specialist on staff for the Team will work with Hosting Operations and Travel Staff in order to determine whether or not a Japanese student will be able to travel on 1st arrivals or if the student will need to travel on 2nd arrivals in late August.

Please share with host families & schools that Japenese students who are placed between June 18 and July 23 should arrive on August 28 if at all possible (unless the school placement will be lost with the August 28 arrival date).

We and AFS-Japan recognize the challenges this request creates in placements and are appreciative of your efforts to secure placements for these students so that they may begin their program in the US as soon as possible.

Please note that second and third arrivals for JPN will not be affected in the same way – and that the above applies ONLY the JPN students for the period in question.