Japan tourist visa application, requirements, price, and processing time
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The tourist visa for Japan is available to foreign nationals who wish to visit for the holidays. However, there are selected countries whose citizens do not have to comply with the visa requirements as they are on the visa exempt list. These countries include the EU, the US, Argentina, Australia, and others.
If you are from any of these countries on the visa waiver program, you can travel to Japan for tourism with just your passport. However, foreign nationals from other countries not on the list have to apply for a tourist visa.
What Is The Japan Tourist Visa?
The Japanese tourist visa is a travel document issued to foreign nationals by Japanese authorities from non-visa-exempt countries who wish to visit the country for the holidays. This visa is a short-stay visa valid for 90 days or 6 months. The single-entry visa validity is for 90 days and can only be used once, while the double-entry visa is valid for6 months and can be used twice to enter the country.
This visa is solely for tourist purposes and doesn’t allow the holder to engage in any work to earn income during their stay in the country. Furthermore, the government of Japan doesn’t grant visa extensions unless under special circumstances, so visitors are advised to leave the country before or on the day their visa expires so as not to be guilty of immigration violations.
Japan Tourist Visa Application Requirements
Those who wish to apply for a tourist visa must meet the requirements as shown below.
Valid Passport: A valid passport with a minimum validity of six months is required. The passport should also have at least 2 blank pages for visa stamps.
Colored Photograph: A colored photograph not older than 3 months is required. The photograph should show the applicant’s face clearly.
Birth Certificate: A copy of their birth certificate.
Proof of Financial Capacity: Documents to prove financial capacity are required. The government wants to ensure that applicants can support themselves during their stay in Japan. A statement of account for 6 months will suffice.
Travel Itinerary: Information about the applicant's travel itinerary. The place they plan to stay and visit, and their arrival and departure date.
Above all, the authorities want to be sure that the person applying for the tourist visa has every plan to return to their home country at the expiration of their visa. Applicants must show that they have strong ties with their home countries before entering Japan.
Is There A Multiple Entry Visa?
The government of Japan has multiple entry visas for tourists who want to visit Japan regularly.
Applicants may apply for a 1-5 years visa depending on their nationality and passport. Multiple entry visas allow the holder to visit as often as they wish, but they cannot stay for more than 30 days per visit.
Japan Tourist Visa Fee
The tourist visa fee varies depending on the validity of the visa and type. Single-entry visas cost less than double or multiple-entry visas. Multiple entry visas are valid for 1 year or more and cost more than 6 months or 30 days visas. Those who wish to visit Japan for medical treatment may also apply for a tourist visa under Japanese law.
How To Apply For A Tourist Visa?
Interested applicants may apply for a tourist visa by visiting the nearest Japanese consulate to submit their application form, but those who don’t live close to an embassy, they can apply for a Japanese E visa online.
Japan E Visa
The Japanese E visa was launched in August 2022 as part of the government’s plans to increase the number of foreign visitors to 60 million annually by 2030. The visa was only open to US and Canadian citizens, but other citizens from eligible countries may now apply. If you are from an E-visa country, you can visit VisaHQ to apply by doing the following.
Log onto VisaHQ and enter Japan as your destination
Choose your country of origin
Select ‘Tourist visa'
Fill out the application form
Scan and attach all necessary documents
Pay the visa fee with a bank-issued card
Submit for approval
Once you submit the form online, it will be processed, and you should receive feedback in the next 5-7 working days. Successful applicants will receive the electronic visa in their email inbox, which they should print out and bring to Japan when they visit.
The immigration officers on duty will examine the visa and other documents, and if they are satisfied, they will stamp their passports and be allowed into the country.
The Japan tourist visa application form is available on VisaHQ. Kindly visit the platform to complete it and ensure you only provide accurate details; otherwise, your application will be rejected.
Japan Visa Policy
Visitors who intend to visit Japan are expected to obtain a visa from Japanese diplomatic missions abroad before they are allowed into the country unless they are citizens of visa-exempt countries. One of the important documents visitors must possess is a valid passport which must remain valid throughout their stay in the country. The policy also clearly explains the different visitor categories based on nationality, and it also states the types of visas, their purposes, duration, and validity.
Obtaining a visa for Japan is relatively easy because the government has introduced different application processes to aid in such endeavors. In addition, there are different visas for pleasure, business, study, and many other options. Currently, visitors from 129 countries require visas or authorization to enter Japan, which may be short or long-stay visas, and Long-stay visas require visas with a validity of one year or more. As for visa-free access, 68 countries are on Japan’s visa-free list, and visitors from these countries can reside there for a short period.
Japan’s Visa-Free Countries
Japan has a list of visa free countries whose citizens are free to enter its territories without visas. The list comprises mostly EU and other first world nations but the list is constantly updated in line with Japan's diplomatic realities.
The Japan E Visa
The Japanese e-visa is a special online visa that is available for visitors from a few countries.
The e-visa or electronic visa was introduced by the government of Japan in 2019 to simplify the visa application process and to ease its embassies and foreign missions abroad. This e-visa is designed for citizens from the countries listed above.
The visa can be applied online and issued for tourism, business, and transit.
E visas are single-entry visas that allow holders to stay in Japan for up to 30 days. It can only be used once, and you can only stay for a month. However, if you get a special extension you can stay for much longer. Extensions are granted at the discretion of the officer handling your application.
E Visa Eligibility
Before deciding whether you want to apply for an e visa or not here are the Eligibility criteria
- You must be a citizen of an approved country with a valid visa to show
- You must have no intention of seeking employment in Japan
- You must have no intention of becoming a permanent resident
- You must have financial sufficiency to foot your expenses
- You must posses a flight ticket for the return trip to your country or to a third country
Only persons who meet the above conditions may apply for an electronic visa.
Important Things to Bear In Mind
Here are some things to bear in mind before you submit your application and what to expect when you arrive in Japan.
Landing Permit: Once you arrive at the airport in Japan, the immigration office on duty will request your e-visa and passport for examination. You will also be asked questions regarding your trip, and if you satisfy their curiosity, you will be given a landing Permit to replace the e-visa you have. This action automatically renders the e-visa invalid and the landing permit valid for your stay. The landing permit will be attached to your passport, so always keep your passport with you wherever you go.
Use The Same Passport: The approved e-visa will be linked to the passport you used for the application. You must travel with the same passport, not a different one; otherwise, you will not be allowed into the country.
Not For Work: Note that on no account should you engage in any work or economic activity that will earn you income in the country. E visas are short-term entry documents for leisure, transit, or noncommercial purposes. Working with it is an immigration violation that can lead to sanctions like fines, deportation, or entry bans for a few years.
Extensions: Extensions are allowed under special conditions but must be activated before the current visa runs out. If you realize you must stay longer than your visa allows, visit the nearest Japanese immigration office to apply for an extension.
Dealing With Japanese Immigration: Despite having a valid e visa the immigration authorities have the legal right to deny a visitor entry if they aren't convinced of their intentions or are found to have obtained the visa under false pretext or done so with fake or invalid documents. Immigration officers are required by law to question visitors at the point of entry to ascertain their true intentions and to also check their travel documents to ensure they are in order.
An Air Travel Document: Electronic visas are only valid for air travelers in Japan. Despite having more than a few seaports along its Pacific coasts, visitors are not allowed to enter the country through any of them.
Note: The multiple-entry visa is only available to some eligible visitors online. If you cannot apply for the multiple entry e-visa online that is valid for 1-5 years, you may need to visit the nearest embassy or consulate to apply for a consular visa.
Japan Visa Online – Get your Japan e-Visa with VisaHQ
Applying for a Japanese visa online is quite easy with VisaHQ. You don’t have to visit the embassy to submit your application; you can do so online from the comfort of your home and receive the visa electronically via email.
How To obtain a visa with VisaHQ?
Did you know you can apply for a Japanese e-visa from the comfort of your home or office in minutes? Here are the simple steps to take to complete the application.
Fill out The Form: The online application form is available on VisaHQ’s official website. Fill out the application form and make sure to double check to ensure all the information mentioned is correct.
Attach Documents: Upload soft copies of the required documents depending on the type of visa you are applying for.
Receive Your Visa: After 24-72 hours, your e-visa will be forwarded to your registered email address. Please print it out and travel with it.
Why Use VisaHQ
Many travelers have used VisaHQ to apply for their online visas for years now, and they keep coming back because they trust the safety of our platform and the quality of our service. If you are still trying to decide whether to use our platform or not, here are a few reasons why you should choose VisaHQ to apply for your e-visa application.
- We are a trusted brand with more than 2 decades of experience.
- We have representatives scattered across 6 countries in several locations to provide value-added services to our clients.
- Fast and easy application process. Our application process takes only a few minutes to complete.
- You can apply for more than one visa at a time.
- Our site is safe and secure, so your sensitive information will not fall into the wrong hands.
- Provide round the clock technical support.
- You can track your application from your phone.
Waste no more time. Visit the VisaHQ application page now to apply for your e-visa to Japan. Or you can send us a message if you have any questions and our representatives will get back to you in no time.