⚠️ Sensitive information — always check the official source
Visa requirements, quotas, amounts and dates change often. Every fact in this guide was checked against the official source on 2026-09-23 and we re-check it periodically, but before starting any procedure confirm the details on the official links (embassy, consulate or ministry) shown on this page. viajacongus.com does not process visas and does not replace official information.
💵 How much it costs
IF YOU ENTER VISA-FREE: zero, there is no procedure and no fee. IF YOU NEED A VISA: the fee changed this year and the official page is dated 24 June 2026. Verbatim from MOFA: «The “Cabinet Order on Fees Collected by Consular Officers,” which sets forth visa fees, has been amended and comes into effect on July 1, 2026. For visa applications accepted at overseas diplomatic missions on or after that date, the fee, converted into Japanese yen, will be approximately 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and approximately 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa». How it is paid: «As a general rule, payment shall be made in the local currency of the country (region) where the Embassy or Consulate-General of Japan issuing the visa is located», and the method is cash: «In principle, fees must be paid in cash using the local currency. In case that you apply for eVISA through the JAPAN eVISA website, online payment by credit card is available for certain countries and regions». Two clarifications worth keeping at hand. First, and it is good news: «If a visa is not issued, no visa fee will be charged» — if they refuse you, you do not pay. Second: «if you apply through an agency approved by the Embassy or Consulate General of Japan, a separate handling fee charged by the agency will apply, in addition to the visa fee in the event a visa is issued». Third, and it is bad news: if they issue it and you then cancel the trip, «visa fees will not be refunded even if the visa is cancelled before being used». MOFA also notes that «Depending on the purpose of your visit and your nationality, fees may not be required or the amount may differ». All verified on 23/09/2026.
⏳ How long it takes
Published standard timeframe: «The time required from visa application to visa issuance is 5 working days from the day following the date of receipt of the application, provided that there is no particular problem with the content of application». The official checklist for the single-entry visa rounds it to a different figure: «It takes approximately one week to process the application». And there are two ways it can stretch. One, by volume: «it may take longer than usual if a large number of visa applications converge at a short-time period». The other, and this is the one that ruins trips: «If there is any problem with the content of the application, the Embassy/Consulate General transmits the application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo for further examination. In such cases issuance of a visa may take more than a month». The official FAQ is even blunter about the range: «please note that it may take more than 5 working days (ranging from a couple of weeks to several months) in such cases where additional confirmation is required». And there is no way to speed it up: «We cannot make a decision about whether to issue or reject the visa application until the necessary examination has been completed. We process the applications fairly in the order in which we received them».
📅 How long it's valid
Four things need to be kept separate. (1) DAYS OF STAY WHEN ENTERING VISA-FREE: «The period of stay granted upon landing permission will be “15 days” for Indonesia and Thailand, “30 days” for Brunei and Qatar, and “90 days” for other countries and regions». That is, 90 days for all our exempt nationalities. (2) DAYS OF STAY FOR THE NOTE 8 COUNTRIES (Mexico, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the United Kingdom): up to 6 months, but with a procedure in between: «those who wish to stay in Japan for more than 90 days are required to apply for an extension of the period of stay to the Ministry of Justice (Regional Immigration Bureau) before the period of permitted stay is to expire». (3) VALIDITY OF THE CONSULAR VISA, which MOFA DOES publish and almost nobody quotes: «Visas are only valid for entering Japan on one occasion. The period of validity of the single-entry visa is three months». Three months to use it, and it is used up on the first landing: «The visa will become invalid once he/she applied for landing or be expired by reaching expiry date which is earlier». It cannot be extended: «The extension of period of validity of visa is not possible». For multiple-entry visas: «Multiple-entry visas can be issued to business travelers, etc. The period of validity of these visas is from one to five years, and these visas can be used any number of times during their period of validity»; for nationals of Latin America and the Caribbean the official guide specifies «The period of stay is 90 days maximum. The visa validity is 1 year, 3 years or 5 years. It is decided depending on the qualification (such as nationality) of the applicant». (4) THE eVISA: «Single-entry short-term stay visa for the purpose of Tourism (for a period of up to 90 days)».
👤 Who needs it?
MOFA publishes a list of «74 countries and regions» with reciprocal visa-exemption arrangements, on a page updated on 1 September 2025, with a table by continent and eleven footnotes that change the outcome. We read the whole thing on 23/09/2026. Of our twenty-eight nationalities, these ENTER VISA-FREE FOR 90 DAYS, with no passport condition: Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Andorra, United States and Australia. These ENTER VISA-FREE BUT ONLY WITH AN ICAO-COMPLIANT ePASSPORT (note 2): BRAZIL (since 30/09/2023), PANAMA (since 01/04/2024), PARAGUAY (since 01/06/2025) and PERU (since 01/07/2025). This one ENTERS VISA-FREE WITH A LONGER STAY (note 8): MEXICO, which is in the group with exemptions of up to 6 months. This one HAS ITS OWN SERIOUS WARNING: URUGUAY (note 11; see the dedicated step). And these are NOT ON THE LIST, so they NEED A CONSULAR VISA: COLOMBIA, BOLIVIA, ECUADOR, CUBA, NICARAGUA and VENEZUELA. On Colombia there is a separate note, number 10, which survives even though Colombia no longer appears in the table: «Nationals of Colombia (since February 1, 2004) are advised to obtain a visa in advance, otherwise will be strictly examined and may be refused entry to Japan». The 74 include the 27 countries of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Canada, New Zealand, Israel, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Lesotho, Mauritius, Tunisia, Bahamas and Barbados.
