Japan Travel Visa
The Japanese government has yet to launch its new eVisa system.
Travel Document Type
eVisa
Government Fee
TBC
ByeVisa Processing Fee
TBC
Processing Time
TBC
All About the Japan eVisa
Please note that the Japan eVisa is not yet available. The Japanese government is set to launch this in the coming months. This is part of the country’s plans to increase tourism from 30 million visitors in 2018 up to 60 million by 2030. As such, this page will cover the available information about the eVisa, to be updated once it launches.
Japan intends to simplify its visa application process for visitors with its new Electronic system. With this, you’ll be able to apply for your travel authorisation online in just a few minutes. There’ll no longer be any need to visit the embassy, fill in long forms by hand, or wait in queues. So arranging your trip to the Land of the Rising Sun will be much easier.
It’s reported that China will be the first nationality eligible for the eVisa once it launches. This is because the Chinese currently make up 60% of international tourists to Japan. However, other nationalities will soon follow.
It’s thought that this will be a Single Entry visa, allowing travellers to enter Japan once for short visits. This is opposed to a Multiple Entry travel authorisation, with which visitors could enter and exit the country several times, for example if you’re on a multi-country tour.
Contents
Visa for Japan Application Process


The Japanese government has yet to announce what you’ll need to apply for an eVisa. Based on other countries’ similar systems, you’ll likely require the following:
- An email address, to receive your travel authorisation.
- A valid passport, although the minimum requirements are yet to be specified.
- Some personal details, like your name, date of birth, passport initial and expiry date.
- Details of your travel plans, such as your inbound and outbound flights.
- Your debit/credit card details, or PayPal account, to pay for your application.
Applying for your travel authorisation with Byevisa will be simple and straightforward. You’ll just:
- Select where you’re from and where you’re travelling to (Japan).
- Fill in our online application form, with some personal and passport details.
- Select how fast you want your visa, from Standard, Rapid and Highly Rapid.
- Make your payment.
You’ll receive your eVisa in your email inbox soon after, which we recommend you print and take with you. This is to show to your airline check-in crew and immigration authorities when you arrive. This is because, although Japan’s system will be electronically linked to your passport, it’s useful to take with you just in case. It’s a back-up to prove you’re authorised!
Once the eVisa system is online, the Japanese government intends to offer more types of travel passes, to make it increasingly simple to visit the Land of the Rising Sun. Japan’s authorities are also eager to increase the number of low-cost flights available too. So looking to the coming months and years, visiting this famous Far East country could be a breeze.
For Japan’s authorities, the advantage of the eVisa system is that visitors are pre-checked before they arrive. This reduces the workload both for staff at the embassies as well as airport immigration authorities. This may cut the odds of being in long queues for you too!
Please note that if you wish to enter Japan for reasons other than tourism, you’ll require an alternative authorisation. For example, this might include if you intend to study, work permanently or immigrate. Consult your nearest embassy or consulate for more information.
Japan Visa Requirements and Eligibility
The Japanese government is yet to announce which nationalities will be eligible for the eVisa. On the one hand, citizens of countries that currently require a pass to visit Japan might be eligible. In this case, obtaining authorisation to visit the land of sushi and sumo would be easier. On the other hand, nationalities that can currently enter visa-free might be required to obtain authorisation in future.
To find out if you can currently enter Japan without a visa, please consult our eligibility checker here.
Alternatively, here’s a list of the countries that can currently enter without first applying for authorisation:
Andorra | Argentina | Australia |
Austria | Bahamas | Barbados*** |
Belgium | Brunei (14 days) | Bulgaria |
Canada | Chile | Costa Rica |
Croatia | Cyprus | Czech Republic |
Denmark | Dominican Republic | El Salvador |
Estonia | Finland | France |
Germany | Greece | Guatemala |
Honduras | Hong Kong**** | Hungary |
Iceland | Indonesia* (15 days) | Ireland |
Israel | Italy | Latvia |
Lesotho*** | Liechtenstein | Lithuania |
Luxembourg | Macao**** | Malaysia** |
Malta | Mauritius | Mexico |
Monaco | Netherlands | New Zealand |
North Macedonia | Norway | Poland |
Portugal | Republic of Korea | Romania |
San Marino | Serbia** | Singapore |
Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain |
Surinam | Sweden | Switzerland |
Taiwan | Thailand** (15 days) | Tunisia |
Turkey*** | United Arab Emirates* (30 days) | United Kingdom |
United States | Uruguay |
Unless otherwise stated, citizens of these countries and regions can visit visa-free for 90 days
*Must first register your ICAO-compliant ePassport to the embassy, consulates-general, or the consulate of Japan in Indonesia or UAE
**Must have an ePassport in compliance with ICAO standards
***Must have a Machine-Readable Passport (MRP) or ePassport in compliance with ICAO standards
****Must have a Special Administrative Region (SAR) passport issued by Hong Kong or Macao
To apply for the e-visa, it’s also likely that you’ll require the following:
- A valid passport, although the minimum requirements are yet to be specified.
- Details of your travel plans, such as your inbound and outbound flights.
Visa for Japan Forms and Documents
1. When this pass becomes available, just follow these simple instructions to apply with Byevisa:
- Consult Byevisa’s eligibility checker above, and enter your nationality as it appears on your passport and your destination (Japan). You’ll see if you can apply for this authorisation.
- You’ll also see Japan’s visa fee.
- In addition, you’ll see Byevisa’s processing fee, to handle your visa paperwork for you and obtain your pass. This saves you time to plan to see the cherry blossoms or Mount Fuji!
- Lastly, you’ll see how long Byevisa takes to obtain your travel authorisation. We offer 3 options: Standard, Rapid and Highly Rapid. So if you’re in a hurry to obtain your travel pass, you’re in luck! We can get it for you very soon.
2. Click ‘Apply Now’ to go to the personal and passport details form. Here you’ll enter details that will likely include the following, and it will only take you a few minutes:
- An email address, to obtain your validated travel pass.
- Your entering and leaving dates from the country of Kyoto, Osaka and Yokohama.
- A phone number, so we can contact you if need be.
- Your forename and surname, plus your middle name if you’ve got one.
- Your gender (male/female).
- Your nationality.
- Your date of birth.
- What country you were born in.
- What country you live in.
- Your passport number.
- The issue and expiry dates of your passport.
3. Select which Byevisa service you need. We offer 3 processing speeds, depending on how quickly you’d like to obtain your travel authorisation ahead of your journey. These are:
- Standard.
- Rapid.
- Highly Rapid.
4. You then pay for your application. Here are the details you’ll need to enter.
- Your name, as it’s stated on your debit/credit card.
- The number of your debit/credit card.
- The expiry month and year of your debit/credit card.
- Your card’s 3-digit CVC security code on the back.
Once you’ve entered these, click the ‘payment’ button. Alternatively, you can pay by PayPal. Simply click the ‘PayPal’ button to log into your account, and follow the instructions as normal.
That’s all there is to it! You’ll receive your authorisation in your email inbox in the timeframe you’ve selected. So you can get on with planning which sushi delicacies you want to eat.
Visa for Japan Status Check
With Byevisa, you can check the status of your travel authorisation in 2 simple ways:
1. In the menu at the top of this page, first click the ‘Log In’ button. Enter your details and your query, and you can find out:
- If your travel pass has been accepted.
- If it was rejected, and the reason why if we know.
- When it becomes or became valid, and how long it’s got left.
- Your travel authorisation’s exact expiry date.
2. Alternatively, you can contact us. Just fill in your name, phone number, email address, and the form with what you’d like to know. A member of our customer support team will get back to you as fast as they can. However, please only contact us once your selected period to process your eVisa has expired!
How Much Is a Japan Visa?
The Land of the Rising Sun is yet to announce how much its travel pass will cost. For Byevisa to handle your application on your behalf, you’ll also pay our processing fee. This will depend on which service you opt for: Standard, Rapid, Highly Rapid.
More Japan Visa Questions & Information
Please find below more information about Japan’s forthcoming eVisa, in case you have more questions. If there’s anything you’d like to know that we’ve not answered here, just contact us!
