We require all participants to maintain health insurance coverage while traveling abroad. Please check with your insurance provider to understand what coverage you may or may not have while overseas. You can choose to enroll in your own insurance plan and provide proof of coverage. VIA can also arrange comprehensive travel health insurance coverage for US citizens through iNext’s Comprehensive Ultimate Group Plan with Standard Political & Natural Disaster coverage at an additional cost (see policy details).

If you choose this option, you will be enrolled for the minimum 11-day period (March 2 – 12, to allow for transit time), at an additional cost of $31.62 for travelers 60 and under ($77.16 for travelers over 60 years old). If you opt to join the add-on trip to Kamakura, your insurance policy will be extended by two days to March 14 ($35.46 for travelers 60 and under or $89.28 for travelers over 60 years old for the entire 13-day period).

You will have the option to purchase additional Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption coverage and/or extend your travel dates after initial enrollment.

Please Note: We will not enroll you in the iNext plan until your registration fee is paid in full. If you change your mind and find another option before then, just let us know and we will remove the charge from your registration fee invoice.

Before You Start: Number of Travelers

You may include up to five travelers in one registration. We recommend registering multiple people if you would like to pay all registration fees for members of your party together. If you prefer to pay separately, we recommend registering separately.

Step 1: Primary Contact / Solo Travelers Complete Registration Form

If you are registering individually or as the primary contact for your party, please complete the online registration form. In addition to Personal and Contact Information, the Primary Contact will provide additional information about travel interests, accommodations and insurance preferences, and the names and emails of other party members, if applicable (see form questions below).

Step 2: Additional Travelers Complete Registration Form (Personal & Contact Information Only)

If additional travelers were listed in the Primary Contact’s registration form, they will each receive an email invitation to complete their Traveler Profile (Personal & Contact Information sections of the Registration Form). All party members must complete their Traveler Profiles before the party’s registration can be finalized.

Registration Form Questions

Traveler Profile

• Travelers in Party
  • Are you the primary contact for your party? (yes/no)
  • Total Number in Party (enter a value 1-5)
• Personal Information
  • Full Name
  • Native Characters
  • Preferred Name
  • Gender
  • Date of Birth
  • Nationality
  • Current Residence (state/province/prefecture, and country)
• Contact Information
  • Primary Email Address
  • Alternate Email Address (optional)
  • Messaging App Contact (optional)
  • Phone Number (optional)
  • Mailing Address (Primary Contact only – for invoicing purposes)

Part 2: Registration Details (Primary Contact Only)

• Tour Interests
  • Select Tour
    • Select Add-On Option (if available)
  • Have you traveled to this location before?
  • What are your particular interests in this trip?
• Accommodations
  • Accommodation Preferences (shared / single occupancy)
  • Comments or Additional Accommodations Requests
• Travel Insurance
  • Request enrollment in iNext travel insurance through VIA (for all, some, or no travelers)

Part 3: Additional Travelers (Primary Contact Only)

• For each additional traveler:
  • Full Name
  • Email Address
  • Enroll traveler in iNext? (yes/no)

After completing your registration, you will receive (at minimum) the following communications:

• Registration Confirmation (from VIA Programs) – You should receive a confirmation email within a few minutes of submitting your registration. This email will include a summary of your registration details. If additional travelers are joining your party, they will also receive an email invitation to complete their Traveler Profile (Personal & Contact Information sections).
• Participation Fee Invoice (via Bill.com) – After reviewing your registration details, VIA’s finance department will issue an invoice to the Primary Contact for your participation fee. If you are traveling with minors or requested special accommodations, VIA staff may contact you regarding adjustments before finalizing your invoice.
• Participant Portal Invitation (via Airtable) – A few months before the tour, you will receive an invitation to the VIA Participant Portal. The portal will provide information about your tour, what to expect, tips on preparing to travel, and pre-departure tasks for you to complete.

After completing your program fee payment, you will receive the following communications:

• Donation Receipt (from VIA Finance) – You will receive a donation receipt for the donation portion of your registration fee ($500 per registration).
• Travel Insurance Enrollment (via iNext) – If you opted to be enrolled in travel medical insurance through iNext, you will receive an email from iNext within a month of your departure date. Please follow the instructions in the email to confirm your enrollment. You will have the option to purchase additional Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption coverage and/or extend your travel dates when you go through the enrollment process.

After our staff review your registration, they will reach out if they have any questions about your travel arrangements before our finance department issues your invoice. Please note that VIA does not currently offer registration fee discounts and/or travel funding for study tours.