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Millions of foreign travelers choose Japan as their tourist destination every year. Most of these people need a visa before entering the country. We are going to describe the application process, the required documents, the processing time of documents, the validity, and how to extend a Japan tourist visa in the following.

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Japan Tourist Visa

What is the Japan tourist visa?

If you intend to travel to Japan for tourism purposes, you will need a Japan tourist visa. You must apply for another visa if you intend to engage in paid activities. However, citizens of some countries are allowed to travel to this country without a tourist visa. The list of these countries is:

Video description

The links and extra information covered in the video:

Japan tourist visa application form:

https://visalibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/application1.pdf

Daily Itinerary form

https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000262548.pdf

Invitation letter or letter of guarantee

https://visalibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/000137089.pdf Applying for Health Declaration https://www.ivisa.com/japan-health-declaration-form?utm_source=passenger_locator_form

AndorraArgentinaAustraliaAustriaBahamasBelgium
BruneiBulgariaCanadaChileCosta RicaCroatia
CyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDominican RepublicEl SalvadorEstonia
FinlandFranceGermanyGreeceGuatemalaHonduras
Hong KongHungaryIcelandIrelandIsraelItaly
LatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMalta
MauritiusMexicoMonacoNetherlandsNew ZealandNorth Macedonia
NorwayPolandPortugalRepublic of KoreaRomaniaSan Marino
SingaporeSlovakiaSpainSurinamSwedenSwitzerland
TaiwanTunisiaUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguay 

What are Japanese tourist visa requirements?

To obtain a tourist visa, you must first prepare the following documents:

  • Japan Tourist Visa Application Form: You can download this form from the website of the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this link. All fields must be filled. If one of them doesn’t apply to you, write N/A in the blank. This form must be signed.
  • A passport: it must be valid for at least the next six months and have two blank pages.
  • Applicant’s photo: it should be on white background with dimensions of 4.5 * 4.5 cm. The photograph must be taken during the last six months. The whole face of the person should be visible in the photo. The applicant’s name and birthdate must be written on the back of the photo.
  • Flight Itinerary: Prepare detailed information on the date of your entry and exit of Japan as well as your flight reservation number. You do not need to buy a plane ticket for this purpose.
  • Daily Itinerary: You need to provide a plan for your daily activities in Japan. You can find an example of this form on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
  • If you have a guarantor in this country, you must provide an invitation letter from him. Your guarantor must prove that he will cover your expenses during your stay in Japan. For this purpose, he must show his Income Certificate for the last three months.
  •  If you are financing your travel expenses, you must show a bank statement for the past three months.
  • You should provide the latest Income Tax Returns. If you do not have this document, you may be able to explain why by letter.
  • If you want to visit your family members in Japan, you must describe your relationship with documents, including birth certificates and marriage certificates. If you want to visit your friend in Japan, you must demonstrate your relationship via pictures together, phone call details, and a letter explaining your relationship.
  • In some cases, civil status documents such as birth certificates and marriage certificates are required.
infographic Japan tourist visa requirements

What is the Japan tourist visa application process?

You can apply for this visa through a credible travel agency as well as the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in your home country. The visa application process is as follows:

First, you must submit your application to the Japanese Embassy.

Some Japanese embassies do not accept individual applications, in which case you will have to use travel agencies. The travel agency will send your request to the embassy on your behalf.

You will have to wait about five working days for your documents to be processed. When the application is approved, the visa will be entered into your passport. The Japanese tourist visa validity is up to 3 months.

The Japanese visa application process is not done in an online manner. However, the Japanese government intended to define an online system for this purpose, due to the 2020 Olympics. Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, this decision has not yet been implemented.

How long does it take to assess the submitted documents and issue a visa?

It usually takes five working days from the time the Japanese immigration officer receives your documents to the issuance of the visa. But the processing time of documents may be longer for some reason. In some cases, more documents may be required, or your documents may be sent to Tokyo for further investigation.

How much does it cost to apply for this visa?

The Japan tourist visa fee is as follows:

  • For a single-entry visa, the applicant must pay 3,000 Yen.
  • For a double-entry or multiple-entry visa, 6,000 Yen must be paid.
  • The application fee for a transit visa is 700 Yen.

The visa application fee is paid when the visa application is approved. If travel agencies apply on your behalf of you, they will charge you a service fee.

How long can you stay in this country under this visa?

A Japan Tourist Visa validity is up to 90 days, usually for a single entry. You can spend up to 15 days in the country once you enter via the Tourist Visa.

How to do a Japan tourist visa extension?

In most cases, a Japanese tourist visa is not renewed. In cases such as illness or an accident, Japanese immigration will extend the visa’s validity.

In Japan, the visa extension is usually issued for long-term visas.

Is the holder of this visa allowed to work in Japan?

No. Short-term visa holders, including Japanese tourist visas, are not allowed to work under any circumstances. To do this, the applicant must apply for a Japanese work visa.

Let’s sum up…

In this article, we have reviewed the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Japanese tourist visas. On the Visa Library website, you can learn about other Japanese visas like transit visas as well as ways to immigrate to other countries. In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences in comments is a great help for applicants.

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2 Comments

  1. Kinan Ayache says:

    hello
    I am a syrian i am would like to apply for the Japanese visa for touriste

    • B Rajabali says:

      Dear Kinan Ayache
      You can apply through a travel agency in Syria and they take care of everything. If you wanna apply on your own, you need to submit your application and the required documents to the Japanese embassy in Syria. Determine if they are active after the Civil War or not. If not, visit a neighboring country like lebanon to submit the application.
      Good luck