Do I need a visa for Japan? Visa-free stays explained

Japan exempts 74 countries and regions from a visa for short stays, mostly up to 90 days and with no paid work. Other trips need a visa first.

Reviewed on 2026-10-26

Who can enter Japan without a visa?

As a rule, a foreign national who wants to land in Japan needs a valid passport that carries a visa issued by a Japanese consular officer abroad. A treaty or a government notice can waive the visa, and a re-entry permit or refugee travel document also replaces it.

As of 2025-09, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) applies visa exemption for short stays to 74 countries and regions. The stay granted on landing is 90 days for most of them, 15 days for Indonesia and Thailand, and 30 days for Brunei and Qatar.

Do the rules differ by country or passport?

As of 2025-09, some exemptions depend on the passport. For Montenegro, Peru, Paraguay, Panama, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Serbia, exemption applies only to holders of an ICAO-standard ePassport; others must obtain a visa in advance. Taiwan's exemption is limited to passport holders with a personal ID number.

Indonesian nationals are exempt only if they hold an ICAO-standard ePassport that they pre-registered at a Japanese mission in Indonesia. The registration lasts 3 years or until the passport expires, whichever is shorter.

Nationals of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom may stay up to 6 months under bilateral arrangements. To stay beyond 90 days, they must apply to the immigration authorities for an extension before the permitted stay ends.

Can I work during a visa-free visit?

MOFA defines a short-term stay as a stay of up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting friends or relatives and similar purposes that does not include paid activities. Short-term Stay holders generally cannot work in Japan; the exception is short business trips such as attending business meetings.

Paid work, paid appearances and revenue-generating business are not permitted on a short stay unless permission for activity outside the status is granted. A change from Short-term Stay to another status is allowed only for unavoidable special circumstances, so it is normally refused.

When do I need a visa, and where do I apply?

A visa cannot be obtained at the port of entry. Japanese embassies and consulates issue it, so anyone who needs one must hold it before arriving. An application cannot be filed from inside Japan. As a rule it goes through the Japanese mission in the applicant's own country or country of residence, and only unavoidable cases agreed with the mission beforehand are an exception.

In principle, anyone who does not qualify for a short stay, for example to work for pay or to stay more than 90 days, first obtains a Certificate of Eligibility from the Immigration Services Agency and then applies for a visa at the Japanese mission. The certificate has no fee, and the standard processing period is 1 to 3 months.

How much does a visa cost, and how long does it take?

For applications accepted at a Japanese mission on or after 2026-07-01, the fee is about 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and about 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa. It is normally paid in the local currency, and some purposes and nationalities are exempt or pay a different amount. Earlier applications paid about 3,000 yen and 6,000 yen.

MOFA gives a standard processing time of 5 working days from the day after receipt when there is no problem. A work or long-term visa filed without a Certificate of Eligibility typically takes 1 to 3 months, and many verification documents are needed. In principle a visa is valid for one entry and for 3 months from the day after issue.

What can still stop me at the border?

A valid visa does not guarantee permission to land. It is only one of the conditions, and an officer can still refuse entry, for example if the traveler cannot explain the planned activities properly. Landing denial grounds fall into 5 types, including health risks, strongly antisocial persons and people previously removed from Japan.

A new electronic travel authorization, JESTA, was created by an act passed on 2026-05-29 and promulgated on 2026-06-05. Its provisions take effect on a date set by Cabinet order no later than 2029-03-31, and as of 2026-06-05 no start date had been published. Once it starts, a foreign national with neither authorization nor a visa is prohibited from entering.

Official source

Rulebook entries on this topic

What it is

Holding a valid visa does not guarantee permission to land; it is only one of the conditions for the landing application, and an officer may still refuse entry, for example if the traveler cannot explain the planned activities properly.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa, English） 4. Prior to Entering Japan, Q4 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A single-entry visa becomes invalid the moment the holder applies for landing; the landing permission stamped by the immigration officer then becomes the legal basis for the stay, while multiple-entry visas stay valid until their own expiry date.
Visas and Landing Permission（外務省 English） Landing Permission · Checked on 2026-10-22
MOFA defines a short-term stay as a stay of up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting friends or relatives and similar purposes that does not include remunerative activities.
VISA（外務省 Consular Services, English） Short-Term Stay · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Short-term Stay status covers activities carried out during a brief stay in Japan such as sightseeing, recreation, sports, visiting relatives, inspection tours, attending courses or meetings, and business liaison.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）別表第一の三の表（短期滞在） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The eVISA is a single-entry short-term stay visa for tourism only, valid for a stay of up to 90 days (15 or 30 days for Chinese nationals residing in China applying through agencies, and 15 days for Vietnamese and Filipino residents), and only holders of an ordinary passport can apply through the eVISA website.
The JAPAN eVISA system (electronic visa)（外務省 English） Types of visa applicable · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Certificate of Eligibility is an advance application made before entering Japan to prove that the planned activity fits a status of residence (other than Short-term Stay and Permanent Resident) and that the landing conditions are met.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁手続案内）手続概要 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Article 7-2 lets the Minister of Justice issue a Certificate of Eligibility on advance application to a foreign national who intends to land, other than one coming for a short stay, certifying that the activity condition in Article 7(1)(ii) is satisfied.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第7条の2第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Holding a Certificate of Eligibility does not by itself allow entry: the holder must still obtain a visa at a Japanese mission, and landing can be refused if circumstances have changed.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q5 · Checked on 2026-10-22

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A removal order issued at landing is not a deportation, so it does not by itself trigger the five-year landing ban, although the person must prove next time that the conditions are met; a one-year ban can still apply where the order was for unlawful possession of drugs or firearms.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q13 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A re-entry permit is granted before departure to a foreign resident who will leave Japan temporarily and return, in order to simplify entry and landing procedures.
再入国許可（入管法第26条）（出入国在留管理庁）再入国許可（入管法第26条） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A re-entry permit comes in two types, single-use and multiple-use, and its validity is set within the current period of stay with a maximum of five years (six years for special permanent residents).
再入国許可申請（出入国在留管理庁手続案内）手続概要 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The special (deemed) re-entry permit means that a resident with a valid passport does not in principle need an ordinary re-entry permit if returning within one year of departure, except for certain excluded persons such as those with a status-revocation procedure pending or a detention order issued.
みなし再入国許可（入管法第26条の2）（出入国在留管理庁）みなし再入国許可 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Visa exemption has a legal basis in the proviso to Article 6(1): a visa is not required for a passport covered by an international agreement or by a notice the Japanese government has given to a foreign government, which is why exemption can be granted, narrowed or lifted by notice.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第6条第1項ただし書 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For work statuses such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, ISA sorts the receiving organisation into Categories 1 to 4: Category 1 covers listed companies, government bodies, independent administrative agencies and similar; Category 2 covers organisations whose withholding income tax on salaries in the previous year was 10,000,000 yen or more, or that were approved for the online system with category screening.
在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付申請（カテゴリー） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Category 3 is an organisation that filed the previous year's salary withholding statement summary but is not in Category 2, and Category 4 is any organisation that fits none of the others; if no document proving a higher category can be submitted, the application is treated as Category 4.
在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付申請（カテゴリー） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Under Enforcement Regulation Appended Table 4 (Article 6-2), the proxy who may file a COE for most work statuses is a staff member of the Japanese organisation that contracts with the foreign national or that the person is transferring to; for Business Manager it is staff of the business office, or the entrusted person when a new office is being set up.
出入国管理及び難民認定法施行規則別表第四（第六条の二関係）（出入国在留管理庁掲載の抄録）別表第四（第6条の2関係） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For Student the proxy for a Certificate of Eligibility is a staff member of the school the student will attend, and for some student categories the body or person paying the scholarship or fees, or a relative living in Japan, may also file; for Dependent it is the person who will support the applicant, a relative living in Japan, or a person acting as proxy in the supporter's own application; for Training it is the receiving organisation's staff; for Cultural Activities it is staff of the host body, an instructing specialist or a relative in Japan.
出入国管理及び難民認定法施行規則別表第四（第六条の二関係）（出入国在留管理庁掲載の抄録）別表第四（第6条の2関係） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For the spouse or child of a Japanese national, the spouse or child of a permanent resident and Long-term Resident, the person who may file the COE as proxy is a relative of the applicant living in Japan.
出入国管理及び難民認定法施行規則別表第四（第六条の二関係）（出入国在留管理庁掲載の抄録）別表第四（第6条の2関係） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A Certificate of Eligibility is not a guarantee of entry: the holder must present it at a Japanese mission to get the visa, and landing can still be refused at the airport if a fact comes to light that conflicts with the landing standards.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q4-Q5 · Checked on 2026-10-22
At the visa stage MOFA does not re-examine whether the activity fits a status of residence, because the COE already certifies that, and looks at identity and passport validity instead; a visa is still refused if the COE was issued on mistaken or false information.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa） 3. Issuance or Rejection Q2 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Under Article 7-2(3) to (5), when the ministry in charge of a specified industrial field judges that the needed workforce has been secured it asks the Minister of Justice to suspend COE issuance temporarily, the Minister then suspends issuance, and issuance can be resumed the same way if workers become short.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第7条の2第3項〜第5項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Immigration Control Act (Article 19(1)(ii)) forbids holders of the statuses in Appended Table 1 tables 3 and 4, which include Short-term Stay, from running a business that earns income or receiving remuneration, without the exceptions given to work-status holders, so paid work, paid appearances and revenue-generating business are impermissible on a short stay unless permission for activity outside the status is granted.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第19条第1項第2号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
MOFA's checklist for a single-entry Short-term Stay visa divides purposes into short business affairs (such as meetings, conferences, business negotiation and after-sales service), visiting relatives or friends, and tourism, and states for all of them that revenue-generating business or receiving remuneration in Japan is not permitted. (Checklist for all nationalities except China, Russia, the CIS countries, Ukraine, Georgia and the Philippines.)
Checklist for “Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa”（外務省） Checklist (April 2025) · Checked on 2026-10-22
A visa guarantor in Japan carries only a moral responsibility rather than a civil-law suretyship, but a guarantor who fails the promised costs, return fare or compliance duties loses credibility for later applications, and false statements in the guarantee or invitation papers can lead to criminal responsibility.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa） 5. Other Q5 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The foreign national, not the officer, bears the burden of proving at landing examination that the conditions are met, and for Highly Skilled Professional (i)(a)-(c) and Specified Skilled Worker activities the proof of the activity condition must be the Certificate of Eligibility.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第7条第2項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Emergency landing (Article 17) is for people who must land urgently for treatment and is applied for by the ship or carrier, which pays all living, treatment and funeral costs; distress landing (Article 18) rescues people from wrecked vessels; and temporary refuge landing (Article 18-2) lets officers admit people fleeing persecution where a short stay is appropriate.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第17条・第18条・第18条の2 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The card can still be used after a short-stay extension, but not after the holder changes to any status other than Short-term Stay (the registration is then cancelled), and a child registered in Category E loses gate access on reaching adulthood unless another category such as Category D applies; parents cannot file on behalf of a minor child, so each family member applies in their own right.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁） Q&A（カードの利用範囲） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Transit passengers are covered too: a person passing through Japan without landing to a third country must obtain a transit authorization (valid passport and a through-travel purpose), and the amended Article 3 prohibits entry by a direct-transit person without that authorization and by a person seeking to land who holds neither a visa, an authorization nor one of the other listed documents such as a re-entry permit.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和8年法律第32号）新入管法第3条・第4条 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Article 2 of the amending act adds a paragraph to the Special Act on landing applications by holders of passports under Article 2(v)(b) of the Immigration Control Act: foreign nationals that Act exempts from visas are deemed visa-exempt persons under Article 6(1) for the purposes of Article 7(1) (item 5 part) and Article 7-2, so they too fall under the new authorization rules (JESTA) like other visa-exempt travellers.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和8年法律第32号）第2条（特例法の改正） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The digital nomad status (Designated Activities Notice No. 53) is for remote work abroad-linked for up to six months, either as an employee of a foreign entity working from Japan or selling services or goods to people abroad; the stay is not renewable, no residence card is issued, work for a Japanese employer is excluded, and a new stay is possible six months after leaving.
在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド）（出入国在留管理庁）特定活動（告示53号・54号） · Checked on 2026-10-22

Who qualifies

As a rule a foreign national who wants to land in Japan must hold a valid passport that carries a visa issued by a Japanese consular officer abroad, except where a treaty or government notice waives the visa, or the person holds a re-entry permit or refugee travel document.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第6条第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Visa exemption covers only stays of 90 days or less in which the traveler does not engage in income-earning activities.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa, English） 1. Prior to the Application, Q1 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For Montenegro, Peru, Paraguay, Panama, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Serbia, visa exemption applies only to holders of an ICAO-standard ePassport; others must obtain a visa in advance.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）注2 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Indonesian nationals are visa-exempt only if they hold an ICAO-standard ePassport that they have pre-registered at a Japanese mission in Indonesia; the registration lasts three years or until the passport expires, whichever is shorter.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）注1 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Taiwan's exemption is limited to passport holders with a personal ID number, and Hong Kong's to holders of the Hong Kong SAR passport or a BNO passport with right of residence in Hong Kong.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)（外務省 English） Notes 4-6 · Checked on 2026-10-22
As of 15 May 2026 the JAPAN eVISA system accepts tourism visa applications from people residing in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the U.S.A., other than those exempt from a short-term visa.
The JAPAN eVISA system (electronic visa)（外務省 English） Eligibility · Checked on 2026-10-22
Pre-entry tuberculosis screening applies to nationals of the Philippines, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar and China who plan to enter Japan as mid- to long-term residents (re-entry permit holders excluded) or as digital nomads and their spouse or child; it is rolled out country by country, people shown to live outside the target country are excluded, and groups such as specified skilled workers, JET participants and EPA nurse and care-worker candidates are exempt for the time being.
入国前結核スクリーニングの実施について Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening（JPETS）（厚生労働省）スクリーニングの概要対象者 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Even if the activity fits a status, a Certificate of Eligibility is not issued if the person turns out to fall under a landing-denial ground or otherwise fails another landing condition.
入国・帰国手続＜査証・在留資格認定証明書＞（出入国在留管理庁）２在留資格認定証明書 · Checked on 2026-10-22

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A person who has ever been sentenced in Japan or abroad to imprisonment of one year or more, or an equivalent penalty, cannot land, except where the sentence was for a political offence.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第5条第1項第4号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Minister of Justice may refuse landing to a foreign national on the ground of reciprocity if the country of that person's nationality refuses Japanese nationals for reasons outside the listed grounds.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第5条第2項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A Short-term Stay holder generally cannot work in Japan, the exception being short business trips such as attending business meetings.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q31 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Changing from Short-term Stay to another status is allowed only for unavoidable special circumstances and so is normally refused; someone who wants to live in Japan long term should apply for a Certificate of Eligibility or a visa abroad.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q55 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person re-entering on a re-entry permit (including the deemed permit) is exempt from the visa normally required at landing, and the earlier status and period of stay are treated as continuing.
再入国許可（入管法第26条）（出入国在留管理庁）再入国許可（入管法第26条） · Checked on 2026-10-22
People whose period of stay is three months or less, and Short-term Stay holders, are not covered by the special re-entry permit; mid- to long-term residents must carry a residence card as well as a valid passport.
みなし再入国許可（入管法第26条の2）（出入国在留管理庁）みなし再入国許可 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Short-term Stay holders are in principle not granted a re-entry permit and are outside the special re-entry permit, so leaving Japan during the stay means a new entry that needs a visa unless the nationality is exempt.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q62 · Checked on 2026-10-22
JESTA covers visa-exempt foreign nationals who come for a short stay such as sightseeing, plus (by special act) a group designated by Cabinet order, which currently means residents of Taiwan; cruise-ship sightseers and some people transiting Japan are also covered.
改正法の概要（JESTA（電子渡航認証制度）の創設、在留資格の変更許可等に係る手数料の額の上限額の引上げ等）（出入国在留管理庁） JESTA① 対象者 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Once JESTA starts, authorization becomes a landing condition and a foreign national with neither authorization nor a visa is prohibited from entering.
改正法の概要（JESTA（電子渡航認証制度）の創設、在留資格の変更許可等に係る手数料の額の上限額の引上げ等）（出入国在留管理庁） JESTA① 効果等 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Qatar has been visa-exempt since 2 April 2023 only for holders of an ICAO-standard ePassport who pre-registered it at a Japanese mission; the pre-registration lasts three years or until the passport expires, whichever is shorter, and the stay granted is 30 days.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2023-04-02
Malaysia (since 1 July 2013) is visa-exempt only for holders of an ICAO-standard ePassport, while Barbados, Turkey and Lesotho require a machine-readable passport; for Malaysians without an ePassport and for those three without an MRP MOFA recommends getting a visa first, because arriving without one risks strict screening and refusal.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-22
New Uruguayan passports issued from 16 April 2025 that lack a place-of-birth field are not recognised as valid by Japan, so only holders of the old passport are visa-exempt, even if that old passport was issued on or after that date.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For a short visit by a relative, a person from a visa-exempt country or region needs no visa, whereas anyone from outside the exempt list must hold a Short-term Stay visa when going through landing examination at the airport or seaport.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q7 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A Japanese mission may decline to accept a visa application in nine listed situations, including a Japanese national applicant, filing outside the country of birth or residence, already holding a valid visa or re-entry permit, a same-purpose reapplication within six months of a rejection, a pending Certificate of Eligibility application, and insufficient passport validity or blank pages.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa） 1. Prior to the Application Q7 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Categories 1 and 2 are in principle exempt from the extra evidence documents, so they file the application form, photo, return envelope and proof of their category (for example a Shikiho copy or the previous year's withholding summary), while Categories 3 and 4 must add the documents about the work, the applicant and the company.
在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付申請（提出書類） · Checked on 2026-10-23
A COE for Business Manager can be filed by staff of the Japanese office where the foreign national will work, or, when a new office is being set up in Japan, by the person (or that person's staff if a company) who was entrusted with setting it up.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q32 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The online residence application system can be used by seven kinds of user: staff of the receiving organisation, lawyers or administrative scriveners, staff of a public-interest corporation or a registered support organisation, the foreign national, a legal representative, and a spouse, child or parent, with conditions on each such as approved agent status.
在留申請のオンライン手続（出入国在留管理庁）対象 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A foreign national who is not a mid- to long-term resident (for example Diplomatic, Official or Short-term Stay status, or a stay of three months or less) and anyone under 15 cannot use the online residence application system themselves, and individual users such as the foreign national, a legal representative or a relative must prepare a My Number card.
在留申請のオンライン手続外国人本人・法定代理人・親族（出入国在留管理庁）対象 · Checked on 2026-10-22
When inviting a person from China, Russia, the CIS countries or Georgia and paying that person's travel costs, the inviter must also prepare a letter of guarantee, the guarantor's residence certificate and documents proving ability to pay, on top of the invitation letter and stay schedule that every short-stay invitation needs.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa） 1. Prior to the Application Q2 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For nationals of Asian and Oceanian countries other than China, the Philippines, Viet Nam, India, Indonesia, Mongolia and Laos, a multiple-entry short-stay visa has a stay of at most 90 days and validity of 1, 3 or 5 years set by the applicant's qualification, open to business people who are directors or have worked full time for over a year at a qualifying company, to cultural and intellectual figures, and to their spouses and children.
Outline of Application Procedures for Multiple-Entry Temporary Visitor Visas（外務省・アジア大洋州諸国） A. Eligibility · Checked on 2026-10-22
For Chinese nationals living in China, a multiple-entry short-stay visa of 15, 30 or 90 days per stay and 1, 3, 5 or 10 years of validity is available to business travellers from state, listed, Japan-chamber or Japan-linked companies, to those with Japan and G7 travel records, and to cultural or intellectual figures such as artists, researchers, lawyers, professors and senior officials, plus their spouses and children.
数次有効の短期滞在査証を申請する手続の概要（中国国籍の方・商用目的／文化人・知識人等）（外務省）申請できる方 · Checked on 2026-10-23
For nationals of Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam with a machine-readable or e-passport, a multiple-entry visa for stays up to 30 days is open to those with a Japan tourist-visit record in the last three years and means to pay, those with Japan and G7 visit records, those with sufficient financial capacity, and spouses or children of the last group.
Application Procedures for Multiple Visa for Nationals of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam（外務省） 1. Eligibility for Applicant · Checked on 2026-10-23
Filipino nationals with considerable financial capacity and their spouses and children can apply for a multiple-entry visa of 90 days per stay and five years of validity with an ICAO-standard ordinary passport, a certificate of employment, six months of bank statements or equivalent proof of capacity, and proof of lawful residence if applying outside the Philippines.
Application procedures for Multiple Visa for Nationals of the Philippines for individual with considerable financial capacity（外務省） 1. Eligibility / 2. Required documents · Checked on 2026-10-22
Even when an applicant meets the multiple-entry criteria the mission may issue only a single-entry visa after verification, and may ask for extra documents, so a multiple-entry visa is a possible rather than guaranteed outcome of the request.
Outline of Application Procedures for Multiple-Entry Temporary Visitor Visas（外務省・アジア大洋州諸国） C. Note · Checked on 2026-10-22
The special landing permissions of Articles 14, 14-2, 15 and 16 (port-of-call, cruise-ship, transit and crew landing) are not granted to a person who falls under an Article 5(1) landing-denial ground, unless the Article 5-2 exception applies.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第14条第1項ただし書 · Checked on 2026-10-23
The tourist tax is not charged on children under two on the departure date, on air passengers who transit Japan and leave within 24 hours of arrival under the Cabinet order, or on people on a ship or aircraft forced to put in at Japan by weather or other unavoidable reasons.
国際観光旅客税法（e-Gov法令検索）第6条 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Trusted Traveler Program, which lets approved short-stay visitors use the automated gates at Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Kansai, has five categories: A for US Global Entry members, B for officers or full-time staff of qualifying organisations, C for people invited by qualifying organisations, D for tourists holding a platinum-rank or higher personal credit card, and E for spouses and unmarried minor children of B to D holders.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁）概要３（１）カテゴリーごとの要件 · Checked on 2026-10-23
All Trusted Traveler applicants must plan a short stay, have entered Japan at least once in the year before registration (once for business people and family, twice for tourists and US members), never been deported, hold a passport from a designated visa-exempt country, have no fine-or-heavier sentence, give biometrics, and not fall under a landing-denial ground at registration.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁）概要３（２）共通の要件 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A resident who cannot get a valid passport because of statelessness or other reasons can receive a re-entry permit certificate instead of a stamp in the passport, although whether that certificate is accepted as a travel document abroad is for the destination country to decide.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q63 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Article 26(1) lets the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency grant a re-entry permit to a foreign resident who intends to leave and return on or before the end of the period of stay (or of the permitted stay where none is set), and excludes anyone holding a temporary landing permit or one of the special landing permissions in Articles 14 to 18.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第26条第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A visa-exempt short-stay traveller who could not obtain JESTA authorization may still land if the visa in the passport is valid; people exempt from the authorization requirement are registered Trusted Travelers, people invited by the head of a national agency and others the ministerial ordinance treats alike.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和8年法律第32号）新入管法第7条第1項第5号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Working holiday applicants must be 18 to 30 (18 to 25 for Australia, Canada, South Korea and Ireland unless the authorities agree to 30), have no dependents, hold a return ticket or funds for one, have reasonable funds for the first period, be healthy and never have held a Japanese working holiday visa (except where repeat participation is allowed for certain nationalities); for the nationalities listed on the page they must also live in their country of nationality, and Hong Kong and Taiwan residents need the right passport.
The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan（外務省） 2. Eligibility · Checked on 2026-10-23
J-Find (Future Creation Individual) gives up to two years in Designated Activities for job-hunting or start-up preparation to graduates of a university ranked in the top 100 on at least two of three world rankings, within five years of the degree, who hold at least 200,000 yen in savings at application.
優秀な海外大学等を卒業した者が起業活動・就職活動を行う場合（J-Find）（出入国在留管理庁）対象となる方 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Under the start-up visa scheme a person preparing to found a business in Japan can carry out preparation activities for up to two years under the management and support of a municipality or private operator certified by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry; the ISA page sits under the Designated Activities status and sends readers to the METI site for the scheme details.
外国人起業家（外国人起業活動促進事業）（出入国在留管理庁）概要 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Children and pregnant women are also covered: under-fives get a chest X-ray only if interview or examination suggests active TB, otherwise a tuberculin or IGRA test, and pregnant applicants choose between postponing screening until after delivery and a chest X-ray with a protector, at their own risk.
入国前結核スクリーニング（JPETS）Q&A（厚生労働省） Q14, Q15 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The screening applies to nationals of the target countries (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar and China) who are entering as mid- to long-term residents, meaning anyone except those given a stay of three months or less, Short-term Stay or Diplomatic or Official status (re-entry permit holders are excluded), and to digital nomads and their families; a person whose residence permit shows they live outside the target countries is excluded.
入国前結核スクリーニングの実施に関するガイドライン（出入国在留管理庁・外務省・厚生労働省）３対象者・注 · Checked on 2026-10-23
People living outside the eVISA countries, and anyone travelling for a purpose other than tourism, such as visiting relatives, business, study, work or transit, must still apply on paper at the Japanese mission with jurisdiction over their residence.
JAPAN eVISA_FAQ（外務省） Q2 / Q4 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A Short-term Stay can be extended only in principle for truly unavoidable humanitarian reasons or comparable special circumstances, such as medical treatment, with a reason statement, a description of activities since entry, and proof of funds and a way to leave such as a deposit balance and a return ticket.
在留資格「短期滞在」（出入国在留管理庁）在留期間更新許可申請 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A foreign national who holds a temporary landing permit or a landing permission under Articles 14 to 18 cannot be granted a re-entry permit under Article 26.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第26条第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A person who has worked for at least one year as a Special Highly Skilled Professional (i) can move to Highly Skilled Professional (ii), and the residence needed for permanent residence is then one year.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）（出入国在留管理庁）優遇措置（高度専門職２号） · Checked on 2026-10-23

Numbers and tests

For Chinese nationals living outside China, a high-income applicant can get a multiple-entry visa with stays of up to 90 days and five years of validity, and one with sufficient financial means a visa with stays of up to 30 days and three years of validity, judged on bank statements for the last six months, tax certificates and similar evidence; the outline sets no yen threshold, and a single-entry visa may be issued instead.
数次有効の短期滞在査証を申請する手続の概要（中国国外に居住する中国国籍の方・相当な高所得者／十分な経済力を有する者）（外務省）申請できる方 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The digital nomad applicant must have an individual annual income of at least 10,000,000 yen at the time of application and travel medical insurance covering the whole planned stay with at least 10,000,000 yen for injury and illness treatment, and the accompanying spouse or child needs the same insurance.
在留資格「特定活動」（デジタルノマド）（出入国在留管理庁）必要年収・その他要件 · Checked on 2026-10-23
J-Skip grants Highly Skilled Professional (i) for academic research or specialised and technical work to someone with a master's degree or higher and annual income of at least 20,000,000 yen, or with 10 years of relevant work experience and at least 20,000,000 yen, and for business management to someone with 5 years of management experience and at least 40,000,000 yen; holders get a five-year period of stay and relaxed residence-history requirements for permanent residence.
特別高度人材制度（J-Skip）（出入国在留管理庁）要件 · Checked on 2026-10-23

Periods

The standard visa processing time is 5 working days counted from the day after the application is received, provided there is no problem with the application; peak periods or extra checks can make it longer.
Visa Processing Time（外務省 English） Visa Processing Time · Checked on 2026-10-22
For work or long-term stays, a visa application filed without a Certificate of Eligibility typically takes one to three months, whether or not the application has any problem.
Visa Processing Time（外務省 English） Visa Processing Time · Checked on 2026-10-22
In principle a visa is valid for one entry only, and its validity is three months counted from the day after issuance, so the holder must go through the landing examination within that period.
査証の有効回数、有効期間（外務省）査証の有効回数、有効期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Multiple-entry short-stay visas may be issued to business travelers and similar applicants, with a validity of 1 to 5 years during which the holder may undergo landing examination any number of times.
査証の有効回数、有効期間（外務省）査証の有効回数、有効期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The period of stay granted for Short-term Stay is 90, 30 or 15 days, and the Minister may instead designate a specific number of days that does not exceed 90.
出入国管理及び難民認定法施行規則（昭和56年法務省令第54号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）別表第二（在留期間）短期滞在 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Under visa exemption the stay granted on landing is 15 days for Indonesia and Thailand, 30 days for Brunei and Qatar, and 90 days for all other exempt countries and regions.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）在留期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The tuberculosis non-disease certificate is valid, in principle, for 180 days from the date of the chest X-ray.
入国前結核スクリーニングの実施について Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening（JPETS）（厚生労働省）スクリーニングの概要補足 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The standard processing period for a Certificate of Eligibility is one to three months.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁手続案内）標準処理期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22

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A Certificate of Eligibility is valid for three months from the date it is issued and loses effect if the holder does not apply for landing within that time; this is separate from the validity of the visa.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q6 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person deported from Japan who has no earlier deportation or departure order on record cannot land until five years have passed from the date of removal; a one-year bar applies instead where the person left at their own expense with permission under Article 52(4) and is not seeking a Short-term Stay.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第5条第1項第9号ハ · Checked on 2026-10-23
A person who is deported after an earlier deportation or departure order is barred from landing for ten years from the date of removal.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第5条第1項第9号ニ · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person who left Japan under the departure order system (shukkoku meirei) is barred from landing for one year from the date of departure; a five-year bar applies instead to someone who left under a departure order after an immigration investigation had already begun and now seeks a Short-term Stay.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第5条第1項第9号ホ・ロ · Checked on 2026-10-23
On application by the ship's master or carrier, an immigration officer may permit a passenger on a ship or aircraft stopping in Japan en route to another country to land near the port for up to 72 hours before departing; people who fall under a landing-denial ground are excluded.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第14条第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The special re-entry permit is valid for one year from the departure date, or until the period of stay expires if that comes first.
みなし再入国許可（入管法第26条の2）（出入国在留管理庁）みなし再入国許可 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For special permanent residents holding a valid passport and special permanent resident certificate, the special re-entry permit is valid for two years from the departure date.
みなし再入国許可（入管法第26条の2）（出入国在留管理庁）みなし再入国許可（特別永住者） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person abroad on an ordinary re-entry permit who cannot return in time for good reason may be granted an extension of up to one year, with the total not exceeding six years from the permit's effective date.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第26条第5項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For COEs approved in August 2026 the average days from receipt to issue were 47.1 for Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, 26.9 for Professor, 45.6 for Researcher, 29.8 for Instructor, 34.8 for Intra-company Transferee, 50.4 for Nursing Care, 72.1 for Skilled Labor and 62.6 for Medical Services.
在留審査処理期間（令和8年8月許可分）（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付処分（交付）までの日数 · Checked on 2026-10-23
For COEs approved in August 2026 Business Manager took by far the longest at an average of 226.7 days, Specified Skilled Worker (i) took 62.7 days (food-service applications excluded from the figure), Specified Skilled Worker (ii) 58.3, Highly Skilled Professional (i)(a) 24.3 and (i)(c) 37.8.
在留審査処理期間（令和8年8月許可分）（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付処分（交付）までの日数 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For COEs approved in August 2026 the averages were 120.9 days for Spouse or Child of Japanese National, 105.8 for Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident, 93.9 for Long-term Resident, 74.1 for Dependent, 63.7 for Student and 31.6 for Cultural Activities.
在留審査処理期間（令和8年8月許可分）（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付処分（交付）までの日数 · Checked on 2026-10-23
ISA notes that Student processing tends to lengthen every year because applications rise ahead of the April and October language-school terms, and work statuses lengthen before the April hiring season, so published averages for those months can understate the wait.
在留審査処理期間（令和8年8月許可分）（出入国在留管理庁）注記 · Checked on 2026-10-22
MOFA says a Short-term Stay visa application takes about one week when documents are in order, may take longer if additional documents or consultation with the ministry in Tokyo are needed, and documents prepared in Japan may be accepted as copies although originals can be requested. (Checklist for all nationalities except China, Russia, the CIS countries, Ukraine, Georgia and the Philippines.)
Checklist for “Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa”（外務省） Checklist (April 2025) · Checked on 2026-10-22
Article 5(1) item 9 sets time-limited bars: one year for people refused under items 6 or 8, for those removed who left at their own expense with permission, and for departure-order leavers; five years after a first removal, and for short-stay seekers who left under a departure order after an investigation began; and ten years after a repeat removal.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第5条第1項第9号 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Crew landing permission under Article 16 allows crew members to land for ship changes, rest or shopping for up to 15 days, and regular-service crew of ships or airlines can obtain a one-year permission covering repeated landings.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第16条 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A Registered User Card is valid until the day three years after issue or the expiry date of the holder's passport, whichever is earlier, so a new card is needed after the passport is renewed or three years pass.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁） Q&A（特定登録者カードの有効期間） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The long-stay sightseeing and recreation status lets a person and an accompanying spouse stay in Japan for a period not exceeding one year; the ISA status page leaves the eligibility conditions to a Ministry of Justice notice and lists only filing documents, such as six months of bank-account history and private medical insurance.
在留資格「特定活動」（観光・保養等を目的とする長期滞在者及びその配偶者）（出入国在留管理庁）概要 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A tuberculosis non-disease certificate is valid 180 days from the chest X-ray date, but only 90 days when the applicant lives with, or recently shared an enclosed space with, someone diagnosed with infectious active pulmonary TB within the previous two months.
入国前結核スクリーニング（JPETS）Q&A（厚生労働省） Q8 · Checked on 2026-10-23
An eVISA is valid three months from the day after issue for one entry, cannot be extended, becomes invalid once used at landing, and must be shown at check-in as an on-screen visa issuance notice; decisions normally take five working days after a complete application and cannot be expedited.
JAPAN eVISA_FAQ（外務省） Q5, Q6, Q8 · Checked on 2026-10-23

Deadlines

For the Philippines and Nepal, screening appointments began on 24 March 2025 and submission of the certificate became mandatory on 23 June 2025.
入国前結核スクリーニングの実施について Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening（JPETS）（厚生労働省）対象国と開始時期 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2025-06-23
For Viet Nam, screening appointments began on 26 May 2025 and submission of the certificate became mandatory on 1 September 2025.
入国前結核スクリーニングの実施について Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening（JPETS）（厚生労働省）対象国と開始時期 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2025-09-01
The JESTA provisions take effect on a date to be set by Cabinet order no later than 31 March 2029 (Reiwa 11); the ISA page gives only that outer limit and no start date.
令和８年入管法等改正法について（出入国在留管理庁）施行日 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A certificate of eligibility is valid for three months from the day it is issued and loses effect if landing is not applied for within that time; this validity period is separate from the validity of the visa.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q6 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A person told by the special inquiry officer that the landing conditions are not met must file the objection within three days of the notice, as a written statement of the grounds submitted to the chief inspector, who passes the record to the Minister of Justice for a ruling.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第11条第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person who leaves on a deemed re-entry permit while a renewal or status change is pending must return by the earlier of two months after the old period of stay ended or one year after departure, and must collect the result at the bureau before that two-month point or become an overstayer.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q61 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For people the ministerial ordinance judges to pose little risk to fair immigration management, the entry ban and the authorization requirement do not apply for six months from the effective date, a grace period that has not yet been started because no effective date is set.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和8年法律第32号）附則第3条 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Whether the certificate is mandatory depends on the filing date of the COE or visa application: for Indonesians the planned obligation date is 4 January 2027, a COE applied for before then without a certificate needs no certificate at the later visa application, and a COE applied for on or after then needs one.
入国前結核スクリーニング（JPETS）Q&A（厚生労働省） Q21 · Checked on 2026-10-23

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When a disaster, illness or accident beyond the person's control makes it impossible to apply for renewal or change within the period of stay, ISA accepts the application without starting deportation proceedings, and the person should contact the nearest immigration office promptly once able.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q27 · Checked on 2026-10-22

Fees

For visa applications accepted at a Japanese mission on or after 1 July 2026 the fee is about 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and about 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa, normally paid in the currency of the country where the mission is; some purposes and nationalities are exempt or pay a different amount.
査証手数料（外務省）査証手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-07-01
Before the July 2026 revision the general visa fee was about 3,000 yen for single entry, 6,000 yen for double or multiple entry and 700 yen for a transit visa; this amount applies only to applications accepted before 1 July 2026.
Visa Fees（外務省 English） Visa Fees · Checked on 2026-10-23
No visa fee is charged if the visa is not issued; if the application goes through an approved agency, an agency handling fee is charged on top of the visa fee when the visa is granted.
査証手数料（外務省）査証手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-22
There is no fee for a Certificate of Eligibility application.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁手続案内）手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The fee for issuing a Registered User Card for the automated gates under the Trusted Traveler Program has been 4,000 yen since 1 April 2025, excluding reissuance.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁）手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2025-04-01
A granted re-entry permit costs 4,000 yen for a single-use permit and 7,000 yen for a multiple-use permit, paid with revenue stamps; the ISA page gives 3,500 and 6,500 yen for online applications, and says online filing of a re-entry application is possible only together with a change, renewal or acquisition application.
再入国許可申請（出入国在留管理庁手続案内）手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2025-04-01
A fee set by Cabinet order will be charged both when a person asks for authorization and when authorization is granted (the latter for the visa-exempt and cruise groups); the amount has not been announced yet.
改正法の概要（JESTA（電子渡航認証制度）の創設、在留資格の変更許可等に係る手数料の額の上限額の引上げ等）（出入国在留管理庁） JESTA① その他 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Since the amendment of the Cabinet Order on Fees Collected by Consular Officers (Cabinet Order No. 204 of Reiwa 8, promulgated 24 June 2026, in force 1 July 2026) the general visa fee must fall between 14,900 and 15,100 yen and the multiple-entry visa fee between 29,900 and 30,100 yen, converted from the local-currency amount set by ministerial ordinance.
領事官の徴収する手数料に関する政令（e-Gov法令検索）第1条第1項第3号・第4号 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-07-01

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When a visa fee is paid in yen rather than the local currency, the fixed amounts are 15,000 yen for a general visa and 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa, and the fee is then paid to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
領事官の徴収する手数料に関する政令（e-Gov法令検索）第1条第5項・第6項 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-07-01
Article 1(4) of the Cabinet Order lets a consular officer waive the general or multiple-entry visa fee, or charge a different amount fixed by ministerial ordinance, when reciprocity with the country where the mission sits specially requires it.
領事官の徴収する手数料に関する政令（e-Gov法令検索）第1条第4項 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-07-01
The ministerial ordinance on fees sets the visa fee for each mission country in its local currency in Schedule 1, except that Indian nationals pay the separate reciprocal amounts in Schedule 2.
領事官の徴収する手数料の額を定める省令（e-Gov法令検索）本則・別表第二 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-07-01
MOFA's revised fee page, for applications accepted from 1 July 2026, gives a rate of about 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and about 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa, normally paid in the currency of the country where the embassy or consulate is located.
査証手数料（外務省）査証手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-07-01
MOFA's revised fee page states the visa fee only as a single-entry rate and a multiple-entry rate, and says that depending on the purpose of travel and nationality a fee may not be required or the amount may differ.
査証手数料（外務省）査証手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-07-01
The eVISA fee is the equivalent of 15,000 yen for the single-entry visa, nationals of some countries are exempt or reduced under reciprocal arrangements, and the fee is paid online by credit card only after the "Notification of visa fee" email arrives, with no cash option.
JAPAN eVISA FAQ（外務省） Q7, Q44 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The international tourist tax is 3,000 yen per departure from Japan by international ship or aircraft, under the Act as amended and in force from 1 July 2026; children under two and certain passengers who transit within 24 hours are exempt. A ticket contract concluded before 1 July 2026 that already fixed a departure date keeps the previous rate for a departure on or after that day, unless the contract charges the tax separately from the fare, in which case the new rate applies.
国際観光旅客税法（e-Gov法令検索）第15条 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-07-01
Trusted Traveler registration requires 4,000 yen worth of revenue stamps as the card issuance fee; the ISA pre-check page names no fee-free category.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁）プレチェック（手数料） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The Trusted Traveler card issuance fee cannot be paid by credit card and must be paid with revenue stamps; ISA says credit-card payment may be considered later.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁） Q&A（手数料の支払方法） · Checked on 2026-10-22
The consular fee for extending the validity of a re-entry permit abroad must be between 2,900 and 3,100 yen, set in local currency by the ministerial ordinance and not payable in yen under the yen-payment clause.
領事官の徴収する手数料に関する政令（e-Gov法令検索）第1条第1項第5号 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-07-01
The fee for JESTA is a Cabinet-order amount charged when a person submits information (cost-based) and, for visa-exempt travellers and cruise passengers, again when authorization is granted (cost plus the expense of fair immigration management); no amounts are in the law, and none has been announced.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和8年法律第32号）新入管法第67条の3 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The fee schedule in Article 1(1) of the Cabinet Order, as in force from 1 July 2026, sets a general entry visa at 14,900 to 15,100 yen and a multiple-entry visa at 29,900 to 30,100 yen and has no transit-visa fee item.
領事官の徴収する手数料に関する政令（e-Gov法令検索）第1条第1項第3号・第4号 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-07-01

How it works

Japanese visas are issued by Japanese embassies and consulates; they cannot be obtained at the port of entry in Japan, so anyone who needs a visa must hold it before arriving.
Visas and Landing Permission（外務省 English） Visas · Checked on 2026-10-23
A visa application cannot be filed from inside Japan; it is lodged abroad at the Japanese mission, an accredited agency, the visa application centre or online, as the mission specifies.
VISA（外務省 Consular Services, English） 1. Visa Application Procedures · Checked on 2026-10-22
A visa must be applied for at the Japanese mission in the applicant's own country or country of residence; applying at a third country where the person is merely travelling is not possible, except in unavoidable cases agreed beforehand with the mission.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa, English） 1. Prior to the Application, Q6 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The validity period of a visa cannot be extended; staying longer inside Japan is handled separately by the immigration authorities, not by the visa.
査証の有効回数、有効期間（外務省）査証の有効回数、有効期間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A new application for the same purpose of visit is not accepted within six months after a rejection, although the mission may make an exception if circumstances have changed greatly and travel is needed on humanitarian grounds.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa, English） 3. Issuance or Rejection, Q3 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Anyone who does not qualify for a short stay, for example to work for pay or to stay more than 90 days, should in principle first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Immigration Services Agency and then apply for a visa at the Japanese mission.
VISA（外務省 Consular Services, English） Work or Long-Term Stay · Checked on 2026-10-23
Nationals of the countries marked in note 8 (Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) may stay up to six months under their bilateral arrangements, but must apply to the immigration authorities for an extension before the permitted stay ends if they want to stay beyond 90 days.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）注8 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A visa-exempt national who holds a working holiday visa but is arriving for another purpose must tell the immigration officer at landing that the working holiday visa will not be used.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q8 (working holiday) · Checked on 2026-10-22

Show 60 more

The certificate of non-active tuberculosis issued by a designated clinic must be submitted with the Certificate of Eligibility application, or with the visa application when no Certificate of Eligibility is obtained.
入国前結核スクリーニングの実施について Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening（JPETS）（厚生労働省）スクリーニングの概要実施方法 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The application may be filed by the foreign national or by a proxy such as a staff member of the receiving organisation; if the principal is in Japan, a notified lawyer or administrative scrivener, a public-interest corporation staff member or a legal representative may submit it.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁手続案内）申請提出者 · Checked on 2026-10-22
When the foreign national applies in person the application goes to the regional immigration office covering the planned residence; when a proxy or authorised agent files it, it goes to the office covering the receiving organisation's location. Mailing it in is not accepted.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁手続案内）申請先・受付時間・相談窓口 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Under the enforcement regulation the applicant, or the proxy, files the prescribed form in person at a regional immigration bureau, with a photo taken within six months and the documents required for the planned activity, although the bureau director may allow a notified lawyer or administrative scrivener, a public-interest corporation staff member or a legal representative to file on their behalf without appearing.
出入国管理及び難民認定法施行規則（昭和56年法務省令第54号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第6条の2第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Presenting a Certificate of Eligibility at a Japanese mission makes visa screening quicker, and presenting it at the port of entry makes the landing examination simpler and faster.
入国・帰国手続＜査証・在留資格認定証明書＞（出入国在留管理庁）２在留資格認定証明書 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Since 17 March 2023 a Certificate of Eligibility can be received by email, and an applicant abroad can show the email on a smartphone for the visa application and the landing application.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁手続案内）在留資格認定証明書の電子メール受領について · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2023-03-17
A foreign national must apply for landing to an immigration inspector at the port of entry and undergo the landing examination before being allowed to land.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第6条第2項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Unless exempted by law, a foreign national applying for landing must give the immigration officer biometric identification information, meaning fingerprints and a facial photograph.
入国・帰国手続＜外国人の上陸手続（入管法第6・7・10・11条）＞（出入国在留管理庁）上陸の申請（入管法第6条） · Checked on 2026-10-22
When the officer finds the landing conditions satisfied, a landing permission stamp is put in the passport and the status of residence and period of stay are decided and shown there (re-entry permit and refugee travel document holders keep their existing status); people who registered beforehand under Article 9(8), meaning re-entry permit or refugee travel document holders and registered Trusted Travelers, may instead have an electronic landing record made without a stamp.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第9条第1項・第3項 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Every foreign national newly entering Japan is asked to submit a Foreign Arrival Record (ED card) at the landing examination, either electronically through Visit Japan Web (recommended) or on paper; re-entrants (including those on the deemed re-entry permit) and a few other groups such as special-landing cases and SOFA or UN-forces status holders are outside the electronic option.
入国審査時には「外国人入国記録」をご提出ください（出入国在留管理庁）外国人入国記録（EDカード） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person found not to meet the landing conditions goes to a special inquiry officer for an oral hearing, and may object to the Minister of Justice within three days of the finding.
入国・帰国手続＜外国人の上陸手続（入管法第6・7・10・11条）＞（出入国在留管理庁）口頭審理・異議の申出（入管法第10・11条） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Responsibility and cost for removing a person refused landing fall in principle on the captain of the ship or aircraft or the carrier that brought the person.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q12 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The validity of the special re-entry permit cannot be extended while abroad, so the person must return within one year of leaving or by the period-of-stay expiry if earlier.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q57 · Checked on 2026-10-23
The authorization is screened before travel and must be obtained for every new entry, with the aim of keeping out people who plan to overstay and speeding up landing examination.
改正法の概要（JESTA（電子渡航認証制度）の創設、在留資格の変更許可等に係る手数料の額の上限額の引上げ等）（出入国在留管理庁） JESTA① 趣旨 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A visa-exempt short-stay traveler who holds the authorization and meets the landing conditions will not have a landing permission stamp put in the passport, which is meant to smooth landing examination.
改正法の概要（JESTA（電子渡航認証制度）の創設、在留資格の変更許可等に係る手数料の額の上限額の引上げ等）（出入国在留管理庁） JESTA① 効果等 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Carriers must report the names of booked passengers to the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency when issuing tickets, and must not carry anyone the Commissioner notifies as not appropriate to enter Japan; violations are punishable by an administrative fine.
改正法の概要（JESTA（電子渡航認証制度）の創設、在留資格の変更許可等に係る手数料の額の上限額の引上げ等）（出入国在留管理庁） JESTA① 運送業者等の義務 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Certificates issued in Japan must be dated within three months of filing, foreign-language documents need a Japanese translation, submitted materials are generally not returned, and when the name on the COE application differs from the passport spelling a passport copy should be filed with it to avoid delays.
在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付申請（留意事項） · Checked on 2026-10-22
For a Student COE the school-side confirmation form depends on the school type and on whether it was notified as an appropriate school (Class I or II), so the applicant files the form that matches the school plus a cost-bearing statement and scholarship evidence where relevant.
在留資格「留学」（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付申請 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A refused Certificate of Eligibility application has no appeal route: the ISA procedure page lists the appeal method as none.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁）手続概要 · Checked on 2026-10-23
MOFA lists the documents for a working visa as the passport, one application form, one photo and the original or a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility (an electronic COE may be shown on screen or printed); some nationalities, such as Chinese applicants, must add other papers.
Working visa（外務省 Visa） Necessary documents · Checked on 2026-10-22
A working visa can be requested without a Certificate of Eligibility, but MOFA warns that the applicant must then supply a large amount of verification documents and processing may take several months.
Working visa（外務省 Visa） Necessary documents (Note) · Checked on 2026-10-22
When the Japanese spouse cannot file the COE inside Japan, for example because the couple already live abroad, MOFA tells the visa applicant to consult the embassy or consulate in advance, and a spouse visa application without a COE is allowed but slow and document-heavy.
Specified visa: Spouse or child of Japanese national（外務省 Visa） Necessary documents · Checked on 2026-10-22
Where a status is outside the COE system, a person who wants a medium- or long-term stay applies for a visa at a Japanese mission instead, and a COE issued while the person is in Japan on a short stay does not by itself count as the special circumstance needed to change out of Short-term Stay.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q55 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A COE application filed online lets the applicant choose to receive the certificate by email or by post; after the application is completed the choice cannot be changed in the system, only by contacting the immigration bureau that received it, and an emailed COE needs a receipt registration via the link in the email.
在留資格認定証明書の電子化について（出入国在留管理庁）利用案内（STEP1） · Checked on 2026-10-22
If the COE is received by email, no separate "examination completed" email is sent; the emailed certificate can be forwarded to the applicant abroad, who shows it on a phone at the embassy and at the airport, while a proxy filing the visa application must bring the paper original or copy or a printout of the email.
在留資格認定証明書の電子化について（出入国在留管理庁）よくある質問（Q&A） · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person who files the COE at the immigration bureau counter can still receive it by email if the user registered beforehand in the online system and hands in the counter-application email-delivery request form; the certificate cannot be issued until the bureau has received that form.
在留資格認定証明書の電子化について（出入国在留管理庁）利用案内（窓口申請） · Checked on 2026-10-22
If a paper Certificate of Eligibility holder cancels entry or uses only a copy at landing, the original should be returned to the bureau that issued it, together with a free-form document giving the application number, the returner's name and relationship to the applicant, and the reason.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁）手続概要 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Visa fees are in principle paid in cash in the local currency at the mission, nothing is charged if no visa is issued, and credit-card payment exists only for the online eVISA system in certain countries; fees are not refunded if an issued visa is cancelled before use.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa） 3. Issuance or Rejection Q4 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A lawyer or administrative scrivener registers a user ID with an email address (the registration link works for 24 hours), then applies for use with the certificate of notified agent status carrying a 12-digit number, and each person gets a personal ID, so use cannot be applied for separately for each client organisation.
在留申請のオンライン手続弁護士・行政書士の方（出入国在留管理庁）申請の流れ · Checked on 2026-10-23
Staff of a receiving organisation, a public-interest corporation or a registered support organisation must first register and then apply for approval to use the online system before filing, the organisation staff must have approved agent status or meet its conditions, and non-lawyers who enter applications for a fee risk violating the Lawyers Act or Administrative Scrivener Act.
在留申請のオンライン手続所属機関・公益法人・登録支援機関の職員の方（出入国在留管理庁）対象・申請の流れ · Checked on 2026-10-22
A COE application may be filed by the applicant, by a staff member of the receiving organisation or another proxy under the Ministry of Justice ordinance, or, while the principal is in Japan, by a public-interest corporation staff member, a notified lawyer or scrivener or a legal representative; mailing the form to the bureau is not accepted.
在留資格認定証明書交付申請（出入国在留管理庁）申請提出者・申請先 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For COE questions, the online system help desk (050-3786-3053, weekdays 9:00-17:00, closed on holidays and from 29 December to 3 January) answers questions about operating the system, while the MOFA Visa Information service (0570-011000, option 5) answers how a COE is handled in a visa application.
在留資格認定証明書の電子化について（出入国在留管理庁）概要 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A visit to relatives or friends needs an invitation letter, proof of kinship or friendship (family register, birth or marriage certificate for relatives; photos, emails or call history for friends), an itinerary in Japan, and a list of applicants where several people apply; the invitation letter must describe concrete activities and cannot just say tourism or visiting. (Checklist for all nationalities except China, Russia, the CIS countries, Ukraine, Georgia and the Philippines.)
Checklist for “Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa”（外務省） Checklist (April 2025) · Checked on 2026-10-22
The itinerary in Japan must give arrival and departure dates and flight details if known, accommodation (the relative's full address or the hotel name, address and phone number) and a day-by-day plan, but bookings and payments for flights and hotels are not required at the time of the visa application. (Checklist for all nationalities except China, Russia, the CIS countries, Ukraine, Georgia and the Philippines.)
Checklist for “Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa”（外務省） Checklist (April 2025) · Checked on 2026-10-22
Where a guarantor in Japan covers the costs, MOFA asks for a letter of guarantee, a household resident record showing relationships to all family members, and proof of the guarantor's funds such as an income or tax certificate, with a withholding tax slip not accepted; supporting papers must be issued within the last three months. (Checklist for all nationalities except China, Russia, the CIS countries, Ukraine, Georgia and the Philippines.)
Checklist for “Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa”（外務省） Checklist (April 2025) · Checked on 2026-10-22
A visa can be requested in four ways: in person at the mission, through a proxy with a letter of proxy, via an accredited travel agency, or online through JAPAN eVISA; in some countries the documents may be accepted only in person or through an accredited agency, so the specific mission's rules must be checked.
Frequently Asked Questions（外務省 Visa） 1. Prior to the Application Q5 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Article 5-2 allows the Minister of Justice, where appropriate and in line with ministerial ordinance, to decide not to refuse landing on the sole basis of a specific cause under items 4, 5, 7, 9 or 9-2, for example when the person has been granted a re-entry permit.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第5条の2 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Whether a person falls under Article 5(1) item 1 (listed infectious diseases) or item 2 (a mental disorder leaving the person unable to judge matters, without a qualified companion) may only be decided after a diagnosis by a doctor designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare or the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第9条第2項 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Biometric identification information (fingerprints and photograph) is not required of special permanent residents, children under 16, people entering as diplomatic or official-status holders, people invited by the head of a national agency, or others the ministerial ordinance treats the same way.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第6条第3項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Landing examination has three layers: the immigration inspector checks the five landing conditions, a person who fails is handed to a special inquiry officer for an oral hearing, and a person the officer finds ineligible may either accept the finding and be ordered to leave or object to the Minister of Justice, who may still grant special landing permission.
入国・帰国手続＜外国人の上陸手続（入管法第6・7・10・11条）＞（出入国在留管理庁）口頭審理・異議の申出 · Checked on 2026-10-23
At the oral hearing the person or an appointed agent may present evidence and question witnesses, may have one relative or acquaintance attend with the special inquiry officer's permission, and the officer must make a record of the hearing.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第10条 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Even when the Minister of Justice finds an objection groundless, the Minister may grant special landing permission if the person holds a re-entry permit, was brought to Japan under the control of human traffickers, or there are other circumstances warranting it, and such a permission is treated as an upheld objection.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第12条 · Checked on 2026-10-22
While landing procedures are under way the chief inspector may grant temporary landing (karijoriku) with a permit, conditions on residence, movement and reporting, and a security deposit in an amount set by ministerial order not exceeding 2,000,000 yen, and may issue a detention order if there are reasonable grounds to suspect the person will flee.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第13条 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A person ordered to leave after being refused landing may be allowed under Article 13-2 to wait at a hotel or similar facility near the port for a set period when no flight is available, but because landing was not permitted, leaving that facility without permission is unlawful entry or landing.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q12 · Checked on 2026-10-22
At landing permission the immigration officer decides the status of residence and period of stay and records them in the passport; a holder of a re-entry permit or refugee travel document is the exception, because the earlier status simply continues.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第9条第3項・第14条〜第18条の2 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Visit Japan Web does not replace the landing examination; it is a recommended way to submit the arrival record electronically, available only to new entrants, and ISA warns that errors in the stay days are common, so short-stay visitors must enter 90 days or fewer.
入国審査時には「外国人入国記録」をご提出ください（出入国在留管理庁）外国人入国記録（EDカード）・留意事項 · Checked on 2026-10-23
In principle, Trusted Traveler registration has two stages: an online first screening through the registered-user information system before travel, followed by a second screening at a designated registration counter at a Japanese airport after the ordinary landing examination, where fingerprints and a photo are given and the originals of the uploaded documents are handed in.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁）概要４手続 · Checked on 2026-10-23
An ordinary re-entry permit must be applied for before departure at the immigration office for the applicant's place of residence on weekdays, by the applicant or an approved agent (employer or school staff, a supervising body, a public-interest corporation, a travel agency or a notified lawyer or scrivener), or by a relative or cohabitant if the applicant is under 16 or cannot attend through illness.
再入国許可申請（出入国在留管理庁）申請者・申請先・受付時間 · Checked on 2026-10-22
To use the deemed re-entry permit a resident must carry a valid passport (and the residence card if a mid- to long-term resident), tick the box on the re-entry departure record to show the departure is temporary, and tell the immigration officer at departure that the deemed permit is wanted.
みなし再入国許可（入管法第26条の2）（出入国在留管理庁）みなし再入国許可の手続 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A resident who will be away for more than one year cannot rely on the deemed re-entry permit and must apply for an ordinary re-entry permit at the bureau for their residence before leaving, and a deemed permit holder must be back before the period of stay expires even if that is within the year.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q57 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A person abroad on an ordinary re-entry permit who has a good reason for not returning in time can have its validity extended by up to one year, with the total never exceeding six years from the effective date, and the extension is written in the passport or permit by a Japanese consular officer to whom the task is delegated.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第26条第6項・第7項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A status of residence cannot be renewed at a Japanese embassy: a resident whose period of stay will expire while abroad must re-enter within the period and apply at the bureau for their residence, while only the validity of an ordinary re-entry permit can be extended abroad.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q64 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The deemed re-entry permit has no limit on the number of times it can be used.
出入国審査・在留審査Q&A（出入国在留管理庁） Q58 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Under the new Article 7-2 a visa-exempt person who plans a short stay obtains JESTA authorization by providing, in electronic form, the items set by ministerial ordinance showing four things: a valid passport, a genuine planned activity, a stay within the permitted period, and no Article 5(1) landing-denial ground; the application channel and processing time are not yet fixed.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和8年法律第32号）新入管法第7条の2 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Under Supplementary Article 2 of the 2026 act, travellers who will arrive on or after the JESTA start date may supply the authorization information, and be authorised, before that date; such an authorization counts as a regular authorization once the provisions take effect, and the fee is payable the same way.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和8年法律第32号）附則第2条 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Working holiday participants may take work only as an incidental activity to fund travel, are strictly barred from bars, cabarets, nightclubs and gambling premises on pain of deportation, and must report their address at the municipal office within 14 days of settling.
The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan（外務省） 4. Work Conditions / 5. Procedure · Checked on 2026-10-22
Only a certificate from a clinic designated by the Japanese government is accepted, a result from another clinic is not, and MHLW says it has stopped designating new clinics in the Philippines, Nepal and Viet Nam because capacity is adequate, while the clinic list is published as a PDF.
入国前結核スクリーニング（JPETS）Q&A（厚生労働省） Q9, Q22 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A COE application without the tuberculosis certificate is in principle refused, with a narrow exception where the certificate cannot be submitted for unavoidable reasons but is expected at the visa stage, in which case the COE is marked as certificate not submitted and the certificate is demanded at the embassy.
入国前結核スクリーニング（JPETS）Q&A（厚生労働省） Q18 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The applicant pays the screening cost, which varies by clinic, a scan or copy of the certificate can be submitted instead of the original, a person previously diagnosed can obtain a certificate after finishing treatment and passing a new screening, and a positive result must be treated first and then re-screened with a treatment completion report.
入国前結核スクリーニング（JPETS）Q&A（厚生労働省） Q3, Q10, Q11, Q12, Q19 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Questions about how to fill in an application and which documents are needed go to the ISA Foreign Residents General Information Center on 0570-013904, or 03-5796-7112 from IP phones and from abroad.
在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（出入国在留管理庁）申請に当たっての留意事項 · Checked on 2026-10-23

Penalties

Entering in violation of Article 3 or landing without landing permission is punishable by up to three years of imprisonment or a fine of up to 3,000,000 yen, or both.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（昭和26年政令第319号）e-Gov法令検索 API（2026-10-01施行版）第70条第1項 · Checked on 2026-10-22
A resident who leaves without any re-entry permit, including the deemed permit, loses the status of residence and period of stay held, and must obtain a new visa and landing permission to come back.
再入国許可（入管法第26条）（出入国在留管理庁）再入国許可（入管法第26条） · Checked on 2026-10-23

Lists and tables

A visa is issued only if, in the mission's judgement, issuance is appropriate and the applicant holds a valid passport with right of return to the home or residence country, submits authentic and complete documents, meets the status and stay-period requirements of the immigration act, and does not fall under any Article 5(1) landing-denial ground.
Criteria of Visa Issuance（外務省 English） Criteria of Visa Issuance · Checked on 2026-10-23
MOFA groups long-stay visas into highly skilled professional, working visas, general visas (cultural activities, student, training, dependent), specified visas (family-based statuses, designated activities including working holiday, long-stay sightseeing, future creation and digital nomad), start-up, diplomatic and official visas.
Work or Long-term stay（外務省 English） Work or Long-term stay · Checked on 2026-10-22
As of the page dated 1 September 2025, Japan applies visa-exemption measures for short stays to 74 countries and regions, listed by MOFA by region.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-22
To be allowed to land, a foreigner needs a valid passport and visa, a genuine planned activity, an activity matching a status of residence (and the landing standards where they exist), a planned stay that fits the regulation, and no landing-denial ground.
入国・帰国手続＜外国人の上陸手続（入管法第6・7・10・11条）＞（出入国在留管理庁）入国審査官の審査（入管法第7条） · Checked on 2026-10-22
Landing denial grounds fall into five types: health and sanitation risks, strongly antisocial persons, those previously removed from Japan, those who may harm Japan's interests or public security, and persons refused on reciprocity.
入国・帰国手続＜上陸拒否事由（入管法第5条）＞（出入国在留管理庁）入管法第5条 · Checked on 2026-10-23
The visa-exemption table lists nine Asian entries: Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao; Thailand is limited to 15 days and Brunei to 30 days, and Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao carry passport conditions.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The visa-exemption table lists thirty-eight European countries (Iceland, Ireland, Andorra, Italy, Estonia, Austria, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, San Marino, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Finland, France, Bulgaria, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Romania, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom); all get 90 days.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-23
North and Latin America contribute eighteen visa-exempt entries: the United States and Canada, plus Argentina, Uruguay, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Suriname, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Panama, the Bahamas, Paraguay, Barbados, Brazil, Peru, Honduras and Mexico; Panama, Paraguay, Brazil and Peru need an ePassport and Barbados needs a machine-readable passport.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-22

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Oceania, the Middle East and Africa add nine visa-exempt entries: Australia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates (ePassport only), Israel, Qatar (30 days, pre-registered ePassport), Turkey (machine-readable passport), Tunisia, Mauritius and Lesotho (machine-readable passport).
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Partly confirmed: At the latest re-read the MOFA exemption page was still dated 1 September 2025 and still counted 74 countries and regions, and no suspension or reinstatement notice for any exempt country was found on it, so the table in this ledger is the latest published one.
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-23
For a Certificate of Eligibility application, Categories 3 and 4 must also submit a document showing the work terms (a labour conditions notice, officer pay resolution or transfer letter), proof of education or career history, the company registry certificate, a document describing the business, and the latest financial statements or a business plan for a new business.
在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付申請（カテゴリー３・４の提出書類） · Checked on 2026-10-23
ISA treats CEFR B2 Japanese as met by JLPT N2 or higher, 400 points on the BJT, 200 on the Japanese-language portion of EJU, 525 on the JPT, 20 or more years as a mid- to long-term resident, graduating from a Japanese university or completing a specialised course at a Japanese technical college or vocational school, or completion of compulsory education and high school in Japan.
在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（出入国在留管理庁）お知らせ（注１ CEFR B2相当とみなす場合） · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-04-15
A Certificate of Eligibility for the spouse of a Japanese national needs the form, a photo, the Japanese spouse's family register, the marriage certificate from the applicant's country, proof of living costs (tax certificates or a bank record), a letter of guarantee, a household resident record, a questionnaire, 2-3 couple photos and communication records, and a return envelope.
在留資格「日本人の配偶者等」（外国人（申請人）の方が日本人の配偶者である場合）在留資格認定証明書交付申請 · Checked on 2026-10-23
A Dependent COE needs the form, a photo, a return envelope, a document proving the relationship to the supporter, a copy of the supporter's residence card or passport, and proof of the supporter's occupation and income such as an employment certificate and resident-tax and tax-payment certificates.
在留資格「家族滞在」（出入国在留管理庁）在留資格認定証明書交付申請 · Checked on 2026-10-22
For a tourist paying their own way MOFA's checklist asks for a valid passport, one application form, one photo, a flight itinerary with dates of arrival and departure, and proof of ability to pay such as an income certificate, tax return or bank statement; business visitors add a travel order or employer letter and an invitation letter or transaction agreement. (Checklist for all nationalities except China, Russia, the CIS countries, Ukraine, Georgia and the Philippines.)
Checklist for “Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa”（外務省） Checklist (April 2025) · Checked on 2026-10-22
Article 5(1) items 1 to 3 bar entry to patients of Class 1 and 2 infectious diseases, new influenza-type and designated infectious diseases (or those showing signs of a new infectious disease), to people with a severe mental disorder travelling without an escort set by ministerial ordinance, and to paupers or vagrants likely to burden the state or a local government.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第5条第1項第1号〜第3号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Article 5(1) item 4 bars anyone ever sentenced in Japan or abroad to imprisonment of one year or more or an equivalent penalty (political offences excepted), item 5 bars anyone ever punished for narcotics, cannabis, opium, stimulant or psychotropic drug laws regardless of sentence length, and item 5-2 covers people previously punished or removed for violence tied to major international sports events or conferences who are likely to cause such violence at one held in Japan.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第5条第1項第4号〜第5号の2 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Item 6 bars unlawful holders of narcotics, opium, stimulants or opium-smoking tools, item 7 bars anyone who has worked in prostitution or its brokering or premises (except trafficking victims), item 7-2 bars people who carried out or assisted human trafficking, and item 8 bars unlawful holders of firearms, crossbows, swords or explosives.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第5条第1項第6号〜第8号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Item 9-2 bars a person sentenced to imprisonment for specified crimes committed while resident under a Table I status if the judgment became final after leaving Japan, until five years after it became final, and item 10 bars, with no time limit, anyone deported under Article 24(4)(o) to (yo), the serious crimes, terrorism and similar grounds.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第5条第1項第9号の2〜第10号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Item 11 bars people who plan or advocate overthrowing the Constitution or government by force or who form or join groups doing so; item 12 bars people who form or join, or are closely tied to, groups urging violence against public officials, unlawful damage to public facilities, or labour action that disrupts workplace safety facilities; item 13 bars people who plan to produce or distribute printed matter or films to further those groups' aims; and item 14 lets the Minister of Justice bar anyone with reasonable grounds to think they would harm Japan's interests or public security.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第5条第1項第11号〜第14号 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Under Article 14-2 a passenger (not crew) on a designated cruise ship can be permitted a cruise-sightseeing landing for up to 30 days (7 days on a route with only one Japanese port of call), returning to the ship each time, or repeated landings within 30 days; a permit document is issued, limits on period and area can be attached, and anyone falling under the Article 5(1) grounds is excluded.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第14条の2 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Article 15 transit landing covers two cases: a ship passenger making an excursion to a different port of the same ship while it is in Japan, and a traveller passing through Japan who will leave by another vessel from a nearby port within three days of landing.
出入国管理及び難民認定法（e-Gov法令検索）第15条 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Passports eligible for the Trusted Traveler Program are those of countries and regions designated by ISA notice that are on the visa-exempt list, including the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, South Korea and most European states, although some passports of those places are excluded.
トラスティド・トラベラー・プログラム（出入国在留管理庁）概要３（２）エ旅券発行国・地域 · Checked on 2026-10-22
The documents for a re-entry permit are the application form, the residence card or special permanent resident certificate, and the passport (or a written reason if there is none), plus an identity document for a proxy; the standard processing period is the same day, and the permit is refused only for someone under a detention order or otherwise judged unsuitable.
再入国許可申請（出入国在留管理庁）申請書・必要書類等・標準処理期間・審査基準 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Five groups cannot use the deemed re-entry permit and need an ordinary one: people whose status revocation procedure is under way, people subject to a hold on departure confirmation, people under a detention order, people with a designated-activities status who have a refugee application pending, and people the Minister of Justice certifies as a risk to Japan's interests or public security.
みなし再入国許可（入管法第26条の2）（出入国在留管理庁）みなし再入国許可の対象外 · Checked on 2026-10-22
As of 1 April 2026 Japan runs working holiday programmes with 32 countries and regions, the newest being Malta and Italy (both 2026); annual visa caps run from none (Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden) down to 30 for Iceland, with 10,000 each for South Korea and Taiwan, 6,283 for Canada and 6,000 for the United Kingdom.
The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan（外務省） 1. Outline · Checked on 2026-10-22
The digital nomad status is open only to nationals of listed countries and regions, 51 for the nomad himself or herself (including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil and most European states) and a wider list of 73 for a supported spouse or child.
デジタルノマド向け在留資格対象国・地域一覧（出入国在留管理庁）対象国・地域一覧 · Checked on 2026-10-22
Nationals of the target countries (Philippines, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar, China) in these groups are exempt from pre-entry TB screening for now: JET participants, JICA trainees and JDS students, Japan Foundation invitees, embassy-recommended scholarship students, commissioned-training students, EPA nurse and care-worker candidates, specified skilled workers, Notice No. 55 driver-preparation status and the household-support talent programme; short-stay visitors fall outside the mid- to long-term residents targeted.
入国前結核スクリーニングの実施に関するガイドライン（出入国在留管理庁・外務省・厚生労働省）３対象者 · Checked on 2026-10-22
As of 15 May 2026 JAPAN eVISA is available directly to residents of nine countries and, through accredited agencies, to Chinese nationals residing in China, to Filipino and Vietnamese nationals residing there who join designated package tours, and to residents of Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macao, Mongolia, South Korea (not the Jeju jurisdiction), Singapore and the UAE; eVISA is for travel by air or sea only.
The JAPAN eVISA system (electronic visa)（外務省） Eligibility · Checked on 2026-10-22
The eVISA document list is generated on the JAPAN eVISA site (Step 1) and depends on the mission with jurisdiction, which may request specific extra documents, and the photo must have been taken within the last six months against a plain background with the face centred.
JAPAN eVISA_FAQ（外務省） Q29, Q30 · Checked on 2026-10-22

Recent changes

Indonesia is scheduled to start screening on 2 November 2026, with mandatory submission of the certificate planned from 4 January 2027, while Myanmar and China are still being coordinated with no start date set.
入国前結核スクリーニングの実施について Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening（JPETS）（厚生労働省）対象国と開始時期 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2027-01-04
The COVID-era extensions ended: certificates created from 1 August 2022 onward are valid for the normal three months from creation.
新型コロナウイルス感染症の感染拡大の影響に伴う在留資格認定証明書の取扱い等について（出入国在留管理庁） Q1 A1 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2022-08-01
The Zero Illegal Foreign Residents Plan names the electronic travel authorization system JESTA and aims to introduce it within fiscal 2028, earlier than the originally planned 2030.
国民の安全・安心のための不法滞在者ゼロプラン（出入国在留管理庁） (1)電子渡航認証制度(JESTA)の早期導入 · Checked on 2026-10-23
The amending act that creates JESTA was passed by the 221st special Diet session on 29 May 2026 and promulgated on 5 June 2026 as Act No. 32 of Reiwa 8.
令和８年入管法等改正法について（出入国在留管理庁）令和８年入管法等改正法 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-06-05
The most recent additions to the visa-exempt list were Paraguay (1 June 2025), Peru (1 July 2025) and Montenegro (1 September 2025), all ePassport-only; earlier ePassport-only additions were Panama (1 April 2024), Brazil (30 September 2023) and the UAE (1 November 2022).
査証免除国・地域（短期滞在）（外務省）査証免除措置国・地域一覧表 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2025-09-01
For applications from 15 April 2026, Category 3 and 4 organisations must add a declaration about their representative, and for jobs that mainly use language skills with people (such as interpreting or hotel front desk) evidence of CEFR B2-level ability in the working language.
在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（出入国在留管理庁）お知らせ（令和８年４月１５日以降の申請） · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-04-15
COE issuance for Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food-service sector has been suspended since 13 April 2026: applications received on or after that date are in principle not issued, and earlier ones are issued in order of receipt only as monthly capacity allows, with those received up to 6 February 2026 being handled as of 19 October 2026.
特定技能１号（外食業分野）の在留諸申請の審査状況（出入国在留管理庁）１在留資格認定証明書交付申請 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-04-13
The new rates apply by the date a mission accepts the application: applications accepted through 30 June 2026 pay the old fee, those accepted on or after 1 July 2026 pay the new one, and MOFA keeps a separate page for the old amounts.
査証手数料（外務省）査証手数料 · Checked on 2026-10-22 · In force from 2026-07-01

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ISA publishes average processing days for residence applications every month for approvals from October 2024 onward, measured from receipt of the application to notification of the approval and excluding refusals and withdrawals; the latest table read was for August 2026 approvals.
在留審査処理期間（出入国在留管理庁）説明 · Checked on 2026-10-23
The ISA overview of the 2026 amending act says that Registered User Cards will no longer be issued, listed among the JESTA changes that take effect with the JESTA provisions.
改正法の概要（JESTA創設等）（出入国在留管理庁） JESTA① 5 その他 · Checked on 2026-10-23
The act has three separate commencement clauses: the fee-ceiling amendments for residence permits (Article 67 and Supplementary Article 5) by a Cabinet-order date no later than 31 March 2027, the main JESTA provisions by a date no later than 31 March 2029, and the preparatory provisions on authorization (Supplementary Article 2) by a date no later than 31 October 2028.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和8年法律第32号）附則第1条 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Partly confirmed: As of the latest re-read, the ISA page on the 2026 amending act still gives JESTA's effective date only as a Cabinet-order date by 31 March 2029, and no Cabinet order, fee amount, application site, authorization validity or processing time had been published there, so none can be assumed by a calculator.
令和８年入管法等改正法について（出入国在留管理庁）施行日 · Checked on 2026-10-23
Repeat participation is now allowed for some nationalities: from 1 December 2024 for Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark and Austria, from 1 January 2025 for Germany, Ireland and Slovakia, from 1 October 2025 for South Korea and from 1 February 2026 for Taiwan, each for two stays in a lifetime.
The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan（外務省） 2. Eligibility [NB2] · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-02-01
The MHLW page gives the planned dates for Indonesia as screening acceptance from 2 November 2026 and mandatory submission of the TB-free certificate from 4 January 2027 (both marked as planned), while the start for Myanmar and China is still being arranged.
入国前結核スクリーニング Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening（厚生労働省）入国前結核スクリーニングの対象国と開始時期 · Checked on 2026-10-23
The 2026 amending act repeals Article 9-2 (Registered User Cards) but keeps the Article 9(8) registration for repeat short-stay visitors: once the change takes effect, a person authorized under Article 7-2 or registered under that registration is told the status and period of stay by notification instead of having it written on a card.
出入国管理及び難民認定法及び出入国管理及び難民認定法第二条第五号ロの旅券を所持する外国人の上陸申請の特例に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和８年法律第３２号）第1条（入管法第9条第4項・第5項・第8項、第9条の2の改正） · Checked on 2026-10-23
The Embassy of Japan in Mongolia lists the abolition of the transit visa among the main changes of the consular fee revision of 1 July 2026, together with higher fees for general and multiple-entry visas, so no transit-visa fee should be shown for applications accepted from that date.
領事手数料改定（令和8（2026）年7月1日）（在モンゴル日本国大使館）主な変更点 · Checked on 2026-10-23 · In force from 2026-07-01

Information only. Not legal advice and not an official service. Check the official source and consult the Immigration Services Agency or a licensed administrative scrivener (行政書士) before you decide.