FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

.Asia TLD FAQs are divided into three parts, and put together to give you better understanding of registering, selling, and technologies associated with the .Asia top-level-domain.

If you are looking for more information on DotAsia Organisation, please see DotAsia FAQ. If you still do not find answers to the question(s) you are looking for, or if you need further assistance, please write to us. We value and welcome your questions and comments.

.ASIA Top-Level Domain FAQ

What is .Asia Top-Level-Domain?

.Asia is the designated web address for Asia and Asian communities worldwide. You can use a .Asia domain to expand your business across Asia, cater to an Asian audience or start a personal or professional profile online. It is the one domain that connects you instantly to the largest Internet marketplace and the most dynamic region in the world. .Asia is open to all businesses, individuals and organizations around the world.

What is a Sponsored Top-Level-Domain?

.Asia is a Sponsored gTLD. Based on ICANN’s definition (http://www.icann.org/registries/): “A sponsored TLD is a specialized TLD that has a sponsor representing a specific community that is served by the TLD….” The boundaries of the .Asia community are  defined based on the ICANN Asia / Australia / Pacific region (http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm). We retain certain policy formulation responsibilities specific to the interests of the sponsored community. For example, the .Asia registry has an expanded list of reserved domain names; explore the feasibility and value of augmenting the UDRP with local DRP forums; eligibility requirements; and other policies and practices that minimize abusive registration activities and other activities that affect the legal rights of others, especially in the community.

What is a Domain Registry? What is a Registrar, a Reseller or a Registrant?

A Domain Name Registry is responsible for managing the database of domains registered under a specific Top-Level-Domain (TLD). The DotAsia Organisation is the registry operator for the .Asia TLD. A Registrar is an entity accredited by ICANN and / or other Registries to sell domain names directly to customers who register domains – also known as the Registrants. If you own a domain, you are a Registrant.  Resellers resell domain names through directly accredited Registrars.

Where Can I Get a .Asia Domain?
You can register a .Asia domain from a .Asia Accredited Registrars or their resellers.
Do I Have to Live in Asia to Get a .Asia Domain?

Any business or individual around the world can register a .Asia domain. However, you must fulfill the .Asia Charter Eligibility Requirement. This can be satisfied in the following three ways:

  1. One of the contacts for your .Asia domain registration is a legal entity within Asia Pacific community (CED Contact)
  2. You have a postal address in the Asia Pacific region (CEA Contact)
  3. You identify as an entity that either have established, seeking or have nexus relationship and presence within the Asia Pacific Sponsor Community

For detailed policy information please see .ASIA Charter Eligibility Policy.

Can the Registrar or a Third party Act as Proxy and Provide CED or CEA Contact for Registrants?

Yes, a CED Contact or a CEA Contact may or may not be the same entity as the Registrant Contact, and may be an agent, such as the Sponsoring Registrar, or related entity satisfying the requirements as laid out in the Charter Eligibility Requirement Policies.

How Much does a .Asia Domain Cost?
Cost of a .Asia domain varies with registrars and the level of service they provide. Connect with a .ASIA Registrar and learn about their latest offering for a .Asia domain today.

.ASIA General FAQ for Registrars and Resellers

What Does it Cost to Become Directly Accredited with .Asia?
If you are already an ICANN accredited registrar, becoming directly accredited with .Asia is simple and at no extra cost. Get first-hand access to registry price promos, innovative marketing collateral and assistance on navigating Asia by becoming accredited today.
How Can I Become a Reseller of .Asia Domains?
You can start reselling .Asia domains in a few clicks. Setting up a reseller account with one of our accredited registrars is often simple and straightforward. Contact a .Asia accredited registrar, or if you need further assistance please connect with us.
How Often is the .Asia Zone and WHOIS Information Updated?

.Asia WHOIS information and the .Asia zone files are updated in real time.

How Can I Get Access to .Asia Zone Files?
.Asia zone file is now available for download via the Centralized Zone Data Service (CZDS) at https://czds.icann.org. If you do not have an existing account, please create a new account using the instructions on the CZDS site. Previous credentials to the Afilias FTP server can no longer be used on the CZDS to download the .Asia zone file.
Does .Asia registry allow WHOIS Privacy?
While this is not a service we offer at the Registry level, a number of .Asia Accredited Registrars offer domain privacy or WHOIS privacy for Registrants. WHOIS Privacy is accepted by the Registry.
Does .Asia Registry offer DNSSEC?
Yes, for a list of DNSSEC enabled Registrars please see the list of .Asia accreditated Registrars.

.ASIA Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) FAQ

What are IDNs?

Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) are web addresses represented in local languages such as “亚洲.Asia” or “こんにちわ.Asia”.

What is Punycode?

In short, Punycode is the ASCII character conversion of Internationalized Domain Name (IDN). Punycode is an ASCII-Compatible Encoding (ACE) that translates an IDN or a Unicode sequence into a string of ASCII characters (alphanumerics and hyphens). Punycode strings can be easily identified by their first 4 characters, starting “XN–“.

What IDN Scripts are Available in .Asia?
.Asia currently offers IDNs in Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese and Korean scripts with plans to offer other Asian scripts in the near future. To stay updated on the launching of other .Asia IDN scripts please write to us.
What are the Benefits of Having .Asia IDNs?

Asia is continuing its rapid growth as the world’s most populated Internet marketplace. The vast majority of these users will not be navigating the Internet in English. IDN domains will help drive brand identity, search patterns and Internet market behaviors online and offline. Navigating the Internet in one’s native language will be natural for the hundreds of millions of users coming online from China, Japan, Korea and around Asia. IDN will play an amplifying role in supporting increased search volume and improved search engine ranking results. While most web addresses today are still English alphanumeric, most of the searches are done in local languages. “Asia”, itself, is a highly searched and natural type-in keyword. Together with IDN, the “.Asia” web extension helps to improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization) organically. The “.Asia” domain provides improved relevance for websites to users searching from Asia as well as for Asia related information, bringing you closer to customers in Asia.

What are Character Variants and How does .Asia Handle Them?

Character variants in IDN domains occur when two or more native characters share the same meaning or are linguistically deemed equivalent by local authorities. Such as in the case of Simplified and Traditional Chinese scripts. When registering for Chinese .Asia IDNs there is no need to register or purchase for both Simplified and Traditional Chinese scripts. Once the Simplified Chinese .Asia domain name is applied for, the equivalent Traditional Chinese .Asia variant will be given / included as part of the package, and vice versa.

Which Registrars Offer .Asia IDN Domains?
Please visit our .Asia Accredited Registrars directory for a list of .Asia IDN enabled registrars.
Why isn't My .Asia IDN Showing up on the WHOIS?
For IDN domains please check the .Asia IDN WHOIS at http://whois.idn.asia.
How much does it cost for.ASIA IDN domains?
A.ASIA IDN domain may cost about the same as a regular.ASIA domain. Connect with a .ASIA registrar and learn about their latest offering for a.ASIA IDN domain today.
Connecting Asia with One Domain