Get your Japan e-Visa online

Before travelling to Japan, it is essential to determine your exact situation. The applicable regime depends on your nationality, the intended length of your stay and its purpose (tourism, business, studies, work). Three main scenarios apply.

The first concerns nationals of more than 74 nationalities — including Europeans — who are exempt from a visa for tourist or business stays of less than 90 days. These travellers do not need a visa, but must comply with certain entry formalities. The second scenario concerns nationalities that require a visa and can apply for an electronic e-Visa for tourism, subject to eligibility and residing in a country covered by the scheme (MOFA list in force as of 15 May 2026): the maximum stay granted is 90 days for the nine direct-access countries, but 15 or 30 days for China and 15 days for the Philippines and Viet Nam. Finally, for any stay exceeding 90 days or for work and study purposes, a long-stay visa with a paper file at the Consulate is mandatory — with the single exception of nationals of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, who can extend their exempt tourist stay to 6 months by applying to a Regional Immigration Bureau.

As a European national, you can travel to Japan for a tourist or business stay without any visa application, provided the total duration of your stay does not exceed 90 days. This exemption was reinstated by the Japanese government on 11 October 2022, after several years of suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even though no visa is required, certain formalities remain mandatory to be authorised to enter Japanese territory. These conditions apply whether your trip is tourist or business in nature.

For a temporary business trip, you must be able to present upon arrival in Japan: a valid passport — Japan applies no six-month validity rule: the passport must simply remain valid for the entire duration of the stay, proof of sufficient financial means to cover your stay, a confirmed round-trip flight, documents relating to your next destination if in transit, and any document justifying the professional purpose of your trip.

For a temporary tourist trip, the formalities are similar: a passport valid for the entire duration of the stay, proof of sufficient financial resources, a return or onward ticket, and, where applicable, accommodation confirmation. These documents are not always systematically requested, but it is strongly recommended to have them as Japanese immigration officers may require them on arrival.

Since 1 September 2025, Japan has extended its e-Visa system to nine direct-access countries, allowing their residents to submit their visa application online, without having to physically visit the Consulate. The eligibility list published by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is in force as of 15 May 2026. This is a genuine electronic visa — not simply an authorisation for visa-exempt travellers — intended for people who need a visa to enter Japan.

The Japanese e-Visa is a dematerialised visa: there is no physical sticker affixed to your passport. The document is linked to your identity and must be presented electronically or in printed form at boarding and on arrival in Japan. It authorises a tourist stay of a maximum of 90 days with single entry, and is valid for 3 months from the date of issue.

Countries whose residents can apply for the Japanese e-Visa via direct access (without an intermediary) are: Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Residents of Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Mongolia, South Korea (outside the jurisdiction of the Consulate-General of Japan in Jeju), Singapore and the United Arab Emirates must instead go through an accredited agency approved by the Japanese government, with a stay of up to 90 days.

Three countries fall under a distinct, more restrictive regime. Chinese nationals residing in China apply through an accredited agency and are granted a stay of only 15 or 30 days. Philippine and Vietnamese nationals residing in their own country are eligible only if they travel on a packaged tour organised by a designated travel agency, for a stay limited to 15 days. These durations, well below the 90 days granted to other nationalities, must be factored into the itinerary from the outset.

It is important to note that the Japanese e-Visa is only available to holders of an ordinary passport (not diplomatic, not official), and only for travellers entering Japan by air or via the international ferry routes connecting Japan to Busan (South Korea) and Shanghai (China).

The Japanese e-Visa application procedure is entirely online for nationalities with direct access. The application is reviewed by the competent Japanese authority based on your place of residence. Additional documents may be requested at any stage of the process. The normal processing time is 5 working days, but may be extended during periods of high demand or if clarifications are required.

If your planned stay in Japan exceeds three months, or if you are going there to carry out a professional activity, pursue studies or join a family member living abroad, you must apply for a long-stay visa. This visa is subject to strict regulations and requires a complete application file submitted in person at the Consulate of Japan.

For European nationals exempt from a visa for short stays, it is important to understand that this exemption does not apply to long-stay visits: if the purpose is to work, study or reside in Japan for more than three months, a long-stay visa application is mandatory regardless of nationality. One nuance: nationals of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom can extend an exempt tourist stay to 6 months by applying to a Regional Immigration Bureau — this extension authorises neither work nor study.

The procedure for obtaining a long-stay visa for Japan involves several steps: assembling the file with all required documents (valid passport, recent identity photo, Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Japanese immigration services — it is applied for in Japan by your employer, host institution or a relative acting as your proxy, then sent on to the applicant; it is valid for 3 months, proof of return, accommodation certificate provided by your hosts), then submitting the file in person at the Consulate of Japan in your country of residence, and finally paying and collecting the visa.

The indicative processing time for a Japan visa is 5 working days according to the Japanese authorities. To avoid any unexpected issues, it is strongly advised to submit your application two to three weeks before your actual departure.

Every traveller subject to the visa requirement — short-stay visa, tourist e-Visa or long-stay visa — pays consular fees set by the Japanese government. These fees depend on the number of authorised entries, not on the visa category. They were revised on 1 July 2026, for the first time since 1978: both the single-entry and the multiple-entry rates were multiplied by five. The new rates apply to any application submitted on or after 1 July 2026; applications filed before that date remained subject to the previous schedule.

These amounts represent the Japanese government tax fees and include no service charge. Exemptions or reductions may apply depending on the applicant's nationality, under bilateral agreements. Fees are due even if the visa is refused once they have been paid online, and are non-refundable. Always check the schedule in force with the Consulate of Japan responsible for your country of residence before starting your application.

The visa — or the exemption from it — only covers part of the formalities. On arrival in Japan, every foreign traveller must submit two mandatory documents: the disembarkation card (embarkation / disembarkation card) for the immigration services, and the customs declaration. Both can be prepared online in advance through Visit Japan Web, the free service operated by the Japanese Immigration Services Agency and Japan Customs.

Visit Japan Web is not legally mandatory: paper forms are still handed out on board and accepted at every Japanese airport. Using it is nevertheless strongly recommended. Since January 2024 the service generates a single 2D code valid for both immigration and customs, and the main airports (Narita Terminal 3, Haneda, Kansai, Fukuoka) have rolled out Joint Kiosks that read the code and the passport in a single step. The time saved at the border commonly reaches 20 to 40 minutes at peak times.

At immigration control, the Japanese authorities take the fingerprints and a facial photograph of every foreign national aged 16 or over — including visa-exempt travellers. These steps are compulsory: refusing them results in denial of entry.

Whatever your situation with regard to Japan's entry formalities — visa exemption, e-Visa or long-stay visa — thorough preparation before your departure is essential for a smooth trip. Beyond the mandatory documents, a few practical points deserve special attention.

Japanese immigration officers are known for their rigour during arrival checks. It is recommended to have all your entry documents easily accessible and to be able to justify the purpose of your stay, your accommodation and your financial resources. Having a return or onward ticket and accommodation confirmation is strongly advised, even when not formally required.