Japan Japan — entry & visa requirements

Visa-free for many visitors; e-Visa for eligible others

Max stay: 15, 30 or 90 days on landing, depending on nationality

Short answer

Most visitors from visa-exempt countries enter Japan visa-free as a “Temporary Visitor” for 15, 30 or 90 days depending on nationality. If you need a visa, nationals or residents of Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA can apply through the JAPAN eVISA system; everyone else applies at a Japanese embassy or consulate. Processing normally takes about five working days, and from 1 July 2026 consular fees are roughly ¥15,000 single-entry and ¥30,000 multiple-entry.

Max stay

90 days for most visa-exempt visitors; 30 days for Brunei and Qatar; 15 days for Indonesia and Thailand[2]

e-Visa available

Yes — for nationals and residents of nine listed countries and regions[6]

Typical fee

About ¥15,000 single-entry / ¥30,000 multiple-entry from 1 July 2026[13]

Processing

About five working days from acceptance[5]

Who can enter visa-free

Japan admits visa-exempt travellers as a “Temporary Visitor” when landing permission is granted at the port of entry. Exemptions depend on nationality and on the type of passport you hold, and they are not always reciprocal. Some nationalities only qualify with a biometric ePassport or an ICAO-compliant machine-readable passport.

If your nationality has a visa-exemption arrangement, you enter as a “Temporary Visitor” and the status of residence is granted at landing.[1][2]
Visa exemptions are not necessarily reciprocal: some countries waive visas for Japanese travellers unilaterally because incoming visitors are economically useful.[5]
Barbados and Lesotho nationals must hold an ICAO-compliant machine-readable passport; without one, obtain a visa in advance or face strict screening and possible denied entry.[1]
Serbian nationals need an ICAO-compliant ePassport; without one you must get a visa in advance, and entry without a valid visa will be refused.[1]

Not included in this section: Diplomatic and official passport arrangements for Mongolia and Iran, plus the country-by-country exemption table rows.

Visa-exempt by stay length

The period of stay granted on landing varies by nationality within the visa-exemption scheme. Most exempt visitors receive 90 days, Brunei and Qatar receive 30 days, and Indonesia and Thailand receive 15 days. Diplomatic and official passport holders follow separate rules.

Most visa-exempt nationalities are granted a 90-day period of stay when landing permission is given.[2][3][4]
Brunei and Qatar nationals are granted 30 days, while Indonesia and Thailand are granted 15 days.[2][3][4]
Mongolian diplomatic passport holders are visa-exempt for stays of up to 30 days; stays longer than that need a visa obtained in advance.[1]
US diplomatic and official passport holders are exempt for private or sightseeing visits of up to 90 days, but still require a visa for official duties.[1][2]

Not included in this section: The full country-by-country exemption lists and the note explaining why developing countries waive visas for Japanese nationals.

Duration of stay

Visa-free stays are normally capped at 90 days, though some arrangements allow six months with an extension part-way through. Extensions and longer stays are handled by the regional immigration bureau, not by the embassy. The validity of an issued visa itself cannot be extended.

If your exemption allows up to six months, for example Mexico, staying beyond 90 days requires an extension from the Regional Immigration Bureau before your permitted stay expires.[1][2]
Visa validity cannot be extended, so anyone already in Japan who wants a longer stay must consult the regional immigration bureau.[16]
Diplomatic passport holders visiting for leisure, tourism or transit are given “Temporary Visitor” status of 15, 30 or 90 days and must still provide fingerprints.[3][4]
Chinese nationals residing in China may be issued eVisas with a period of stay of 15 or 30 days.[6]

Not included in this section: A savings-threshold table row for a long-stay programme, which is not visitor material.

e-Visa & travel authorisation

People travelling to Japan for short-term tourism can apply online and receive an electronic visa through the JAPAN eVISA system. As of 15 May 2026 the system is open to nationals and residents of nine listed countries and regions, excluding those who are already visa-exempt. Incomplete applications are cancelled without processing and must be submitted again.

Short-term tourism applicants can apply for an electronic visa through the official JAPAN eVISA website.[6]
From 15 May 2026 the system covers nationals and residents of Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA, except those already exempt from short-term visas.[6]
Incomplete or incorrect applications may be cancelled without processing, forcing you to reapply and potentially disrupting your travel plans.[6]
Watch out for fraudulent websites that imitate the JAPAN eVISA site.[6]
The Japan Visa Information Hotline (japan-visa@bridge-ms.com, English) asks you to state your nationality or citizenship and your place of residence.[6]

Not included in this section: A photo credit line and website navigation text.

Required documents

Short-term visa applications generally need a passport, an application form, a photograph and, where relevant, a Certificate of Eligibility or invitation paperwork. Additional documents can be requested during examination. A Certificate of Eligibility does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.

The standard set is a passport, one visa application form, one photograph and the Certificate of Eligibility original or copy where applicable; Russian, CIS and Georgian nationals must submit two forms and two photographs.[8]
Additional information or extra documents may be required while your application is being examined.[5]
Holding a Certificate of Eligibility does not guarantee visa issuance.[5]
For an invitation for a short-term stay of 90 days or less with no income paid, the host writes a Letter of Reason for Invitation and a Schedule of Stay.[5]
A company or personal seal on the Letter of Guarantee and Letter of Invitation is no longer required.[11]

Not included in this section: Working-holiday applicant residence rules and long-stay document tables aimed at specific programmes.

Fees

Visa fees change from 1 July 2026: applications accepted overseas will cost roughly ¥15,000 for a single-entry visa and ¥30,000 for a multiple-entry visa, expressed in yen. Fees are normally paid in cash in the local currency, although some eVISA applicants can pay online by card. Nothing is charged if the visa is not issued.

For applications accepted at overseas diplomatic missions on or after 1 July 2026, the fee is about ¥15,000 for a single-entry and ¥30,000 for a multiple-entry visa, paid in local currency.[13]
eVISA applicants in certain countries and regions can pay the fee online by credit card, following an email notification.[5][7]
No visa fee is charged when a visa is not issued, but a separate agency handling fee may still apply if you apply through an agency.[13]
Depending on your nationality and purpose of visit, fees may not be required or the amount may differ.[13]

Not included in this section: A link to the fee table for applications accepted before 1 July 2026.

How to apply

You apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over where you live, not at your destination and not inside Japan, in person, through a proxy, via an accredited travel agent or online. Standard processing takes about five working days from acceptance. A rejected application for the same purpose cannot be resubmitted within six months.

Apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate covering your own country or place of residence; you cannot apply at your travel destination unless there are unavoidable circumstances you have discussed with the mission first.[5]
You can apply in person, by sending a proxy with a Letter of Proxy, through an accredited travel agent, or by the method the mission specifies, including online.[5][11]
Standard processing takes five working days from the day after your application is accepted, and longer when many applications arrive at once.[5]
If a previous application was rejected, you cannot apply again for the same purpose of visit within six months of the rejection.[5]
A Certificate of Eligibility can be received by email and presented for a visa application or for landing; printed copies are still accepted.[5]

Not included in this section: Table rows for long-stay status categories that do not concern visitors.

At the border

Immigration officers check at the port of entry whether you meet the requirements of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act before granting landing permission. Visas are issued only at Japanese embassies and consulates and cannot be obtained on arrival. Pre-entry tuberculosis screening applies to nationals of certain countries entering for medium- or long-term stays.

Landing permission depends on holding a valid passport, a valid visa where one is required, and a purpose and planned length of stay that meet the requirements.[9]
Visas cannot be obtained at the port of entry; they are issued at Japanese embassies or consulates.[9]
Pre-entry tuberculosis screening has been introduced for nationals of countries with particularly high TB case numbers who enter Japan for medium- to long-term stays.[17]

Not included in this section: COVID-19-era border measure notices and archive links, which are historical press material.

Notices & things to watch

Several recent notices change visa-free stay lengths. Paraguay was added from 1 June 2025 with stays of up to 90 days, Brunei's waiver was extended to 30 days from 10 December 2024, and the UAE's was extended from 30 to 90 days from 1 July 2025. eVISA holders should also check how to display the visa issuance notice.

From 1 June 2025 Paraguay nationals holding an ordinary IC passport can enter visa-free for stays not exceeding 90 consecutive days.[19]
From 10 December 2024 Brunei nationals holding valid Brunei passports get visa-free short-term stays of up to 30 days, extended from 14 days.[20]
From 1 July 2025 UAE ordinary passport holders who meet the stated requirements get visa-free stays of up to 90 days instead of 30.[21]
The UAE reciprocally grants Japanese passport holders short-term visa-free stays of up to 90 days from 1 August 2024.[21]
eVISA holders should follow the official instructions on how to display the visa issuance notice PDF.[6]

Not included in this section: Summit-meeting references and general announcement wording from the press notices.

Legal basis

Whether to issue a visa is a sovereign decision under international customary law, and Japanese consuls administer visas under the Act for Establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Applicants' personal information is handled under Japan's personal information protection law. Applicants must not fall under the Immigration Control Act's exclusion grounds.

Under international customary law, issuing a visa is a sovereign act of each country, and Japanese consuls act under the Act for Establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[5]
Personal information of the applicant, inviting person and guarantor is managed under the Act on the Protection of Personal Information, and travel agencies must be approved on the same terms.[5]
Applicants must not fall under any item of Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the Immigration Control Act.[22]

Not included in this section: JET Programme, JICA and scholarship categories, which concern long-stay programmes rather than visitors.

Recent changes

The captured timeline entries are thin and largely historical. One records the 2022 measures for resuming cross-border travel, and one records the long-standing suspension of Iran's ordinary-passport exemption.

Japan set out an application route on 7 November 2022 for foreign nationals covered by phased measures toward resuming cross-border travel.[18]
Iran's visa-exemption arrangement has been suspended for ordinary passports since 15 April 1992, leaving only diplomatic and official passport holders exempt for stays of up to 90 days.[1]

Not included in this section: Archived pre-2020 material held by the National Diet Library.

Official downloads

15 documents · grouped by how they are used10 files as ZIP ≈2.2 MB

Most of these files are visa application and invitation forms that you complete and submit with your application; the rest are reference guides for the JAPAN eVISA site. Long-stay, work and student documents were excluded because this page covers visitors.

PDF

別記第三十号の二様式(第二十一条関係)

Four-page Japanese-language visa application form (Form 30-2) to complete and submit with your application.

RequiredApplication form4 pp409 KBja001459426.pdf

[24]
PDF

別記第三十号様式(第二十条関係)

Six-page Japanese-language visa application form (Form 30) to complete and submit with your application.

RequiredApplication form6 pp277 KBja930004072.pdf

[25]
PDF

evisa pdf contact 20260908 210908

Two-page English contact sheet used in the eVISA process when you need to reach the handling office.

RequiredApplication form2 pp190 KBenevisa_pdf_contact_20260908_210908.pdf

[26]
PDF

evisa pdf visa notice proxy 20260908 210913

One-page English visa issuance notice for a proxy, used when someone applies on your behalf.

RequiredDeclaration / guarantee1 pp268 KBenevisa_pdf_visa_notice_proxy_20260908_210913.pdf

[27]
PDF

mofa pdf application form en 20260908 210823

Two-page English visa application form — the standard paper form to complete and submit.

RequiredApplication form2 pp267 KBenmofa_pdf_application_form_en_20260908_210823.pdf

[28]
PDF

mofa pdf invitation letter single 20260908 210847

One-page English invitation letter used for a short-term visit hosted by a relative, friend or business contact.

RequiredApplication form1 pp194 KBenmofa_pdf_invitation_letter_single_20260908_210847.pdf

[29]
PDF

evisa pdf recommended env 20260908 210905

Two-page English guide to the recommended browser and device environment for using the JAPAN eVISA site.

BackgroundOther2 pp93 KBenevisa_pdf_recommended_env_20260908_210905.pdf

[32]
PDF

evisa pdf visa notice applicant 20260908 210910

One-page notice for applicants explaining how to display the visa issuance notice after approval.

BackgroundOther1 pp176 KBevisa_pdf_visa_notice_applicant_20260908_210910.pdf

[33]
PDF

mofa pdf applicants list 20260908 210852

One-page English applicants list sheet used as a supporting document in group or agent submissions.

BackgroundDeclaration / guarantee1 pp113 KBenmofa_pdf_applicants_list_20260908_210852.pdf

[34]
PDF

mofa pdf application form cn s 20260908 210826

Two-page Chinese-language application form pack; the captured file reads as guidance rather than a fillable form.

BackgroundApplication form2 pp290 KBzhmofa_pdf_application_form_cn_s_20260908_210826.pdf

[35]

Official sources

63 citations · 19 unique pages · 2 official domains

The sources are official MOFA and Immigration Services Agency pages and cover exemption rules, the eVISA system, fees and border procedure well, but a share of the captured items is page navigation, press notices or FAQ headlines without answers.

Numbers match the markers in the text above; click a marker to jump here. Groups are collapsed by domain - click a heading to expand. A source cited more than once keeps a single number.

www.mofa.go.jp17 URLs · cited 57 times

1www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page22e_000692.htmlcited 7×
2www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.htmlcited 6×
3www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa14.htmlcited 3×
4www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa15.htmlcited 3×
5www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/faq.htmlcited 13×
6www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/visaonline.htmlcited 8×
8www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_000996.html
9www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/system/index.htmlcited 2×
11www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.htmlcited 2×
13www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/procedure/pagewe_000001_00391.htmlcited 4×
16www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/procedure/validity.html
17www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page24e_000249.html
18www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/pagewe_000638_00001.html
19www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/pressite_000001_01316.html
20www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/pressite_000001_00767.html
21www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/pressite_000001_01332.htmlcited 2×
22www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/procedure/issuance.html

www.evisa.mofa.go.jp2 URLs · cited 6 times

7www.evisa.mofa.go.jp/index
23www.evisa.mofa.go.jp/faqcited 5×

Popularity rank #9 (score 43.29). This page was written by an AI from the official material listed above and adds no facts from outside it; visa rules change, so always confirm on the official portal before you apply.