Japan Tourism Entry Requirements from the Asia Travel Experts

Updated: on 23 February 2024

If you dream of bullet trains, kimonos, and the iconic Mount Fuji, now is a good time to visit one of Asia’s most diverse nations as Japan tourism entry requirements have become much easier in recent years. Visitors from most countries can now enjoy the visa-free entry Japan has implemented and stay for up to 90 days. The following countries are free to enter Japan without a visa for up to three months (90days), unless stated otherwise, provided they are travelling on a Machine Readable (MRP) ePassport that is in compliance with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards and has an IC chip. If you are from one of the below countries but your passport is not a MRP ePassport then you will need to apply for a Japan visa for tourists.

Europe	Asia
Andorra	Brunei (14 Days)
Austria	Indonesia
Belgium	Malaysia
Bulgaria	Republic of Korea
Croatia	Singapore
Cyprus	Thailand (15 Days)
Czech Republic	Hong Kong
Denmark	Macao
Estonia	Taiwan
Finland	North America
North Macedonia	Canada
France	United States
Germany	Latin America and the Caribbean
Greece	Argentina
Hungary	Bahamas
Iceland	Barbados
Ireland	Brazil
Italy	Chile
Latvia	Costa Rica
Liechtenstein	Dominican Republic
Lithuania	El Salvador
Luxembourg	Guatemala
Malta	Honduras
Monaco	Mexico
Netherlands	Surinam
Norway	Uruguay
Poland	Oceania
Portugal	Australia
Romania	New Zealand
San Marino	Middle East
Serbia	Israel
Slovakia	Qatar
Slovenia	Turkey
Spain	United Arab Emirates (30 days)
Sweden	Africa
Switzerland	Lesotho
United Kingdom	Mauritius
	Tunisia

It is important to note however that before arriving in Japan, travelers must register at the Visit Japan website: https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/ and submit the relevant documentation to customs and immigration. Once everything is received and authorized a QR code can be downloaded to your smartphone. On your arrival in Japan, you will be required to show this QR code to immigration officials for visa-free entry to Japan. The requirements for entering Japan include having a clean and complete (no damaged or missing pages) passport that is valid for at least the full duration of your stay. You will also be fingerprinted and photographed for immigration administration purposes. Although it is unlikely you will be asked, visitors should be prepared to provide a valid ticket for onward travel out of Japan or proof that they have the funds to purchase a boat or airplane ticket. Those holding a Japan visa on arrival from the following countries are also eligible to apply for an extension to their visa free 90day stay in Japan:

• Austria
• Germany
• Ireland
• Lichtenstein
• Mexico
• Switzerland
• UK

Those wishing to extend their stay in Japan will need to apply for an extension at a Japanese regional immigration bureau. The application must be made before the expiration of the Japan on-arrival visa and will cost 4000 yen. Citizens of other countries may find it difficult to extend their stay unless a business contact or member of the family can act as a guarantor. Again, any enquiries about the possibility of an extension should be made at a Japanese regional immigration bureau.

Longer visas are available to those wanting to work, train, or study in Japan. These visas are for periods of three months, six months, 12 months, and three years. To obtain a longer-term visa, applicants will need to visit a Japanese Embassy in their own country before arriving in Japan. As well as a Japan visa for tourists, it is possible to apply for a working holiday visa. This is available for nationals from 26 countries including the UK, Korea, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Holders of this type of visa are permitted to work while traveling around the country. However, the type of work and the number of hours a person is permitted to work is limited.

Application for Japan Tourist Visa for Travellers Not Eligible for Visa-Free Entry

Visitors who come from a country that does not have a visa-free entry agreement with Japan, or travellers from eligible countries that do not have the required MRP ePassport, will have to make an application for Japan tourist visas. This can be done through a Japanese Embassy or Consulate in your home country. A Japan visa for tourists can also be obtained through an accredited travel agent. Applicants may have to attend an interview as part of the process and the documents you need to submit may vary depending on the visa required. Full details are available on Japan’s MOFA website. Once all the paperwork has been approved you will have to pay the visa fee. For a single-entry visa, this will be around 3,000 yen. A double-entry or multiple-entry holiday visa for Japan costs around 6000 yen. All payments should be made in the equivalent amount in the currency of the country in which you are applying for your visa. Applicants should allow a minimum of five days for the documentation to be processed.

For more information visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html. It is important to only consult government resources or webpages by Asia travel professionals like Secret Retreats when researching Japan entry requirements for tourists as fraud websites do exist. If you require help with your application for Japan tourist visa, the team at Secret Retreats is more than happy to help. As the Asia experts, we have years of experience dealing with the obstacles of traveling throughout the continent. Please feel free to contact us with any queries you may have about travelling to Japan, where to stay after you arrive, and what to do when you are there. Our Japan travel experts are also happy to craft tailor-made Japan travel itineraries and we also have a variety of ready-made Japan travel itineraries available.

Japan Arrival Requirements for Travelers with an eVISA

If you are holding a passport from a country that is not visa free for travel to Japan, or if you are holding a passport from a country that is eligible for visa free travel to Japan but your passport is not a MRP ePassport, then you will need to apply for a tourist visa to visit Japan. Visitors can apply online for an eVISA if they meet the Japan arrival requirements stipulated on the official website. The electronic visa is issued for those wishing to visit Japan for the short term on a single entry for the purposes of tourism. All the information you submit online must be correct as supplying the wrong documents or incomplete information will result in the application being cancelled and the whole process will have to be repeated which will delay the eVISA being issued and may affect your travel plans. Those who meet the Japan tourism entry requirements will be issued with a “Visa issuance notice” which will need to be shown on your mobile device at the airport. Printouts, screenshots, and PDFs will not be accepted. And it is important to note that travellers on an eVisa are only allowed to enter Japan via one of the country’s international airports.

We look forward to helping you with your travel plans to Japan and Asia, and we are constantly monitoring any changes in the Japan tourism entry requirements and keeping the information on this page up to date. As the Asia Experts, the Secret Retreats team are available to you for assistance with planning and booking your travels to Asia. Start planning your next holiday in Asia with Secret Retreats.