Whether you want to stay in Japan short- or long-term, this guide is here to show you your Japan visa options in 2022.
Follow along to learn how you can enter Japan.
List of Visa-Exempt Countries for Japan
If you’re from the areas in the table below, you’re visa-exempt, meaning you won’t need a visa to visit Japan for tourism, business, or to visit family. All you need is a valid passport, and they’ll let you stay between 15 to 90 consecutive days.
| ASIA | |||
| Brunei (15 days) | Hong Kong | Indonesia | Macao |
| Malaysia | South Korea | Singapore | Taiwan |
| Thailand (15 days) | Macau | ||
| AFRICA | |||
| Lesotho | Mauritius | Tunisia | |
| EUROPE | |||
| Andorra | Austria | Belgium | Croatia |
| Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia |
| Finland | FYR Macedonia | France | Germany |
| Greece | Hungary | Ireland | Italy |
| Latvia | Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Malta | Monaco | Netherlands | Norway |
| Poland | Serbia | Slovakia | Slovenia |
| Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
| LATIN AMERICA | AND THE CARIBBEAN | ||
| Argentina | Bahamas | Barbados | Chile |
| Costa Rica | Dominican Republic | El Salvador | Guatemala |
| Honduras | Mexico | Surinam | Uruguay |
| OCEANIC | |||
| Australia | New Zealand | ||
| MIDDLE EAST | |||
| Israel | United Arab Emirates (30 days) | Turkey | |
| N.A. | |||
| Canada | United States of America |
Japan Tourist Visa
Japan’s tourist visa is for those who aren’t a part of countries that fall under the visa exemption yet want to visit Japan for sightseeing. Japan’s Tourist Visa single-entry visits are valid for 30 consecutive days. However, you could get extensions for up to 90 days if you qualify.
If you’re a citizen from the following countries, you’ll need a tourist visa to enter Japan:
- China
- Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries and Georgia
- Philippines
- Russia
- Vietnam
You’ll need the following documents and items to apply for Japan’s tourist visa:
- A bank statement to show you can support yourself while in Japan.
- A passport that doesn’t expire for at least 6 months. Also, make sure that your passport has two blank pages.
- Recent passport photo
- Completed visa application
- Copy of your birth certificate
- An itinerary for your trip
- If you’re married, you’ll need a marriage certificate
- Income tax return
The Japan Tourist Visa cost is around 3,000 yen for a single-entry visit—6,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa.
Japan Business Visa
If you’re from a visa-exempt country, you won’t need a business visa to visit Japan for up to 90 days.
Required documents to obtain a Business Visa for Japan mirror the tourist visas except:
- A letter from your employer is written along with the business’s letterhead. The letter’s contents must cover the purpose of your trip in addition to your position.
- An Invitation Letter addressed to a Japanese Embassy with your company’s seal. The letter has to go over the purpose of them inviting you to Japan.
- Furthermore, your company has to provide a Letter of Guarantee that’s also stamped with their seal in addition to their Registration Certificate.
Japan Transit Visa
Japan’s Transit Visa is meant for individuals who are on their way to a third country and is only valid for a few days. You could also use this visa for sightseeing or exploring a bit of Japan before leaving for your third country. If you’re from one of the visa-exempt countries, you won’t need a Transit Visa when experiencing a layover in Japan.
A Transit Visa to Japan will cost you 700 yen. Otherwise, the required documents are identical to the tourist visa, except a marriage license and birth certificate.
Japan Working Visa
If you want to stay in Japan longer than 90 days and intend to work, you’ll need to apply for a working visa. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) provides a list of eligible professionals for the Work Visa.
You’ll need all the same documents as the Tourist Visa except for the following:
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Documents stating details of your position—pay, job description, etc.—also those stating your employment and education history
- Information about your company; for instance, its registration statement.
- Artistic achievements if you’re applying under an artistic field
- Other documents required by the Embassy or Consulate that are related to your profession.
Highly Skilled Professional Visa
If you’re a highly-skilled person and want to enter Japan on a special visa, here’s your chance. MOFA uses a point-based system to determine whether foreigners are eligible for the Highly Skilled Professional Visa. The three main categories that the visa is issued are; advanced- business management, academic research, and specialized activities.
Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa is an excellent route if you want a Permanent Residency in Japan—you can apply after three years of staying in the country. If you scored 80 points, it’s only a year of staying in Japan. Moreover, you can bring family members to Japan and stay in Japan for a maximum of five years without having to renew.
Moreover, to qualify for any of these fields, you can only work for your sponsoring company and obtain a minimum of 70 points. Speaking of the point system, they’re garnered through the following categories: age, annual salary, academic background, and career.
You’ll get a bonus of 15 points if you pass Level N1 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). You could also score 15–20 extra points if you have previous research experience. Moreover, you could receive 10 bonus points if you; work for an institution receiving getting financial support, Level N2 of the JLPT, or have a degree from a higher education institution in Japan.
Here’s a table covering Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa point system:
| ACADEMIC | |||
| Academic research | Business management | Specialized or technical | |
| Doctorate Degree | 30 points | 20 points | 30 points |
| Masters Degree | 20 points | 20 points | 20 points |
| Bachelor’s degree | 10 points | 10 points | 10 points |
| AGE | |||
| If you are | 29 or younger | 30–34 | 35–39 |
| 15 points | 10 points | 5 points | |
| CAREER | |||
| Years of experience | 10+ | 7+ | 5+ |
| 3+ years = 5 points | 20 points | 15 points | 10 points |
| SALARY | |||
| Minimum annual salary | 10 mil ¥ | 9 mil ¥ | 8 mil ¥ |
| 40 points | 35 points | 30 points | |
| Unless you’re 40+ years old | 7 mil ¥ = 25 points | 6 mil ¥ = 20 points | |
| Unless you’re 35+ years old | 5 mil ¥ = 15 points | ||
| Unless you’re 30+ years old | 4 mil ¥ = 10 points |
To apply for Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional Visa, you’ll need all the tourist visa documents in addition to paperwork to prove your education, achievements, and whatever else the Japan Embassy or Consulate requests.
