Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Japan has reciprocal visa exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions, and that people who need a short-term visa and reside in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom or the U.S.A. can apply online for a single-entry tourism visa. Registering on Visit Japan Web in advance and presenting its 2D code lets you go through immigration procedures smoothly, and Japan Customs recommends submitting declarations electronically through it.
Every fact on this page verified on or after: Oct 3, 2026· How this site works
Check requirements for your passport
Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.
Visas & entry authorisations
Japan eVisa — single entry, tourism
Fee
15,000 JPY
Processing
5 business days
Validity
90 days
Stay per entry
90 days
Entries
single
Paid online by credit card only. Open to people who are not nationals of visa-exemption countries, reside legally in the countries and region the eVISA site lists, and apply for a single-entry tourism visa. MOFA says a single-entry visa is valid for three months, and that a visa is issued 5 working days from the day after the application is received when there is no particular problem with it; otherwise the application goes to the Ministry in Tokyo and issuance may take more than a month.
Documents the application asks for
Passport
Facial photo (passport type) — Taken within the last six months against a plain, untextured background, with the face centred. A photo retaken from a passport, driving licence or group picture is not accepted.
Flight itinerary — Marked required for some combinations of nationality and residence and optional for others.
Proof of ability to pay for the trip
Schedule of stay — Residents of the United States are asked for a daily plan with accommodation, phone number and address.
Proof of relationship with the financial guarantor or account holder
Passport or ID card of the financial guarantor
Proof of legal residence — In the country where you live, such as VEVO in Australia. Residents of the United States also give proof of immigration status and of their current address.
Letter of authorization — When a proxy applies on your behalf.
Parental consent form — When a minor applies and travels alone.
Short-Term Stay Visa — Single Entry
Fee
15,000 JPY
Processing
5 business days
Validity
90 days
Stay per entry
90 days
Entries
single
As a general rule paid in the local currency of the country (region) where the Japanese embassy or consulate-general issuing the visa is located; depending on the purpose of the visit and nationality, fees may not be required or the amount may differ, and no fee is charged if a visa is not issued. MOFA says a single-entry visa is valid for three months. The Immigration Services Agency gives a Temporary Visitor a period of stay of 90, 30 or 15 days.
Short-Term Stay Visa — Multiple Entry
Fee
30,000 JPY
Processing
5 business days
Stay per entry
90 days
Entries
multiple
As a general rule paid in the local currency of the country (region) where the Japanese embassy or consulate-general issuing the visa is located. MOFA says multiple-entry visas can be issued to business travellers and others, are valid for one to five years and can be used any number of times during their validity. The Immigration Services Agency gives a Temporary Visitor a period of stay of 90, 30 or 15 days.
Work / Long-Term Visa (Certificate of Eligibility)
Fee
15,000 JPY
Processing
5 business days
Validity
90 days
Entries
single
MOFA recommends that an applicant whose purpose is work or a long-term stay obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the regional Immigration bureau in Japan before applying; without it, issuance will take a long time (typically one to three months). MOFA says a single-entry visa is valid for three months.
Entry requirements
Passport validity
The UK government tells British visitors their passport must be valid for the length of their stay, that no additional period of validity is required, and that they need a blank page for the visa stamp.
No official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.
Travel insurance
Not officially stated
No official source we could read states whether travel insurance is required to enter Japan. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is highly recommended to purchase international travel medical insurance for your trip to Japan.
No official source we could read states whether a return or onward ticket is required to enter Japan. The Government of Canada's travel advice says customs officials may ask you to show a return or onward ticket, confirmed accommodation arrangements and proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay.
No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for Japan. The Government of Canada’s travel advice says customs officials may ask you to show proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay, along with a return or onward ticket and confirmed accommodation arrangements.
Visit Japan Web — A Digital Agency web service for immigration procedures (immigration clearance, customs declaration): you register the information in advance and present its 2D code at the time of the procedures. Japan Customs recommends submitting declarations electronically through it. (any time before arrival) vjw-lp.digital.go.jp ↗(opens in a new tab)
A person who stays in Japan beyond the permitted period of stay without an extension or change is punishable by imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine of up to JPY 3 million, or both. The Immigration Services Agency says that, in principle, a person deported for illegal stay or similar reasons cannot land in Japan for 5 years from deportation, or 10 years if they had already been deported or left under a departure order before. A person who leaves under a departure order cannot land for 1 year from departure. In one case set out on the departure-order page, a person who seeks to enter with short-term stay status cannot enter for 5 years from departure, in principle.
International Tourist Tax — 3,000 JPY per person per trip. Included in the air ticket.
International tourists departing Japan by aircraft or ship, regardless of purpose or nationality, pay the International Tourist Tax of JPY 3,000 per departure. The rate rose from JPY 1,000 to JPY 3,000 on 1 July 2026. The previous rate of JPY 1,000 applies to departures on eligible tickets issued on or before 30 June 2026. Airlines and cruise lines collect the tax from their passengers. Passengers under 2, and transit passengers who leave within 24 hours after entry, are exempt.
Exemptions: Passengers under the age of 2; transit passengers who leave Japan within 24 hours after entry.
Japan Customs says that when entering or departing Japan with means of payment — cash, checks, promissory notes or securities — exceeding ¥1,000,000 in total or its equivalent (¥100,000 if you are bound for North Korea), you must submit a declaration to Customs.
Japan Customs gives an adult duty-free allowance of 3 bottles of alcoholic beverages (approximately 760cc each), 200 cigarettes, 2 ounces of perfume, and other articles whose total overseas market value is under ¥200,000.
Canada's travel advice says certain medications are banned in Japan, including Adderall, amphetamines, codeine, methamphetamines and pseudoephedrine. It says you may bring a one-month supply of prescription medication or a two-month supply of non-prescription medication, as long as the medication does not contain narcotics (including codeine).
The UK government says Japan is still a predominantly cash-based society where you may have difficulty using cards issued outside Japan, and that Japanese post offices, 7-Eleven stores and JP Post Bank have cash machines that will accept some foreign cards during business hours. Canada says credit cards are accepted in most major hotels and restaurants, and that ATMs are widely available but many don't accept foreign debit cards.
Safety — Generally safe
Canada's travel advice says crimes against foreigners are low but increasing and that petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, occurs from time to time. It says Japan is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding and volcanic eruptions, and that typhoons usually occur between June and October.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Aug 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Aug 12, 2026
Power plugs
A, B · 100V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
Police: 110 · Ambulance: 119 · Fire: 119
Languages
Japanese
Time zone
UTC+9
Driving side
left
International Driving Permit
Japan is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department says only International Driving Permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention are recognised as valid for driving in Japan, that an IDP under other conventions or treaties, including the Vienna Convention, is invalid, and that you may drive with an IDP for one year from the date of your entry into Japan. It says holders of a valid licence issued by Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Monaco, Slovenia, Switzerland or Taiwan can drive if they carry with it a Japanese translation prepared by the issuing country's embassy (or the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association for Taiwan) or the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF).
Canada's travel advice says typhoons usually occur between June and October, that southern areas, including Okinawa and surrounding islands, are more vulnerable, and that snowstorms occur in western Honshu and Hokkaido from December to March.
Tips & warnings
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns of fraud websites that look like the JAPAN eVISA website.
The Digital Agency says that by registering the information needed for immigration procedures on Visit Japan Web in advance and presenting its 2D code at the time of the procedures, you can go through them smoothly; Japan Customs recommends submitting declarations electronically through it.
Canada's travel advice says certain medications are banned in Japan, including Adderall, amphetamines, codeine, methamphetamines and pseudoephedrine, and that you cannot bring banned substances with you, even with a prescription.
The UK government says Japan is still a predominantly cash-based society where you may have difficulty using credit and debit cards issued outside Japan, and that Japanese post offices, 7-Eleven stores and JP Post Bank have cash machines that will accept some foreign cards during business hours.
Visa requirements by nationality
Visa requirements by nationality. Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
No. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the United States among the 74 countries and regions with which Japan has reciprocal visa exemption arrangements, and says the period of stay granted upon landing permission is 90 days for countries and regions other than Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei and Qatar.
Who can use the Japan eVisa and what does it cost?
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says all foreign nationals who need a short-term visa and currently reside in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom or the U.S.A. can apply online for a visa to visit Japan for tourism (single-entry), through the JAPAN eVISA website. The eVISA site says that, effective July 1, 2026, the visa fee has been revised to 15,000 JPY.
What is Visit Japan Web and is it mandatory?
Visit Japan Web is the Digital Agency's web service for immigration procedures (immigration clearance, customs declaration): by registering the information in advance and presenting the 2D code at the time of the procedures, you can go through them smoothly. Japan Customs recommends submitting declarations electronically through it. No official source we could read says it is mandatory.
Can Chinese citizens visit Japan without a visa?
No. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists China among the countries and regions whose nationals all require a visa to enter Japan for a short-term stay. It says nationals of China who reside in China apply for the JAPAN eVISA through an accredited agency.
Can I extend a 90-day visa-free stay in Japan?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says nationals of countries whose visa exemption arrangements permit stays of up to 6 months — the countries marked Note 8: Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom — must apply to the Regional Immigration Bureau for an extension before their permitted stay expires if they wish to stay more than 90 days. No official source we could read states an extension route for other visa-exempt visitors.
Sources & verification
Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:
Japan visa and entry requirements
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