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Updated February 2024

Japan is a stunning destination that seamlessly blends ancient customs, vibrant culture, and breathtaking natural landscapes. The rich heritage and modern innovations of the country attract visitors from all corners of the world, making Japan a unique and enchanting place to explore.

Wego has noted down everything you need to know about the Japan tourist visa for Indians. If you’re an Indian resident looking to travel to Japan, keep reading to learn more!

Table of Contents

Do Indians need a tourist visa to Japan?

Yes, Indian citizens traveling to Japan for tourism purposes need to obtain a Japan tourist visa.

Indian residents can apply for a short-term visa, which allows them to stay in Japan for up to 90 days for tourism, business, attending conferences, and visiting friends and acquaintances. The visa is issued by the VFS Global visa application center.

It’s worth noting that the Consulate-General of Japan in Mumbai also issues Japan visas for residents of the jurisdiction in India, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Goa, and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

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Japan tourist visa for Indians

Indian residents can apply for a short-term visa to enter Japan for tourism, business, attending conferences, and visiting friends/acquaintances for a maximum period of 90 days.

The short-term visa is available in both single-entry and multiple-entry options. A single-entry visa, also known as a single-entry visa for temporary visitors, is valid for 3 months, whereas a multiple-entry visa is valid for 5 years. Please note that the validity of a short-term visa cannot be extended.

It’s important to remember that a short-term tourist visa to Japan cannot be used to engage in income-generating activities, such as operating a business or receiving remuneration.

Single-entry visa for temporary visitors

The single-entry short-term visa or the single-entry visa for temporary visitors allows Indians to enter Japan for tourism purposes for a period of not more than 90 days. The validity of this category of short-term visa is 3 months.

Documents required

The documents required to apply for a short-term visa to Japan for tourism purposes are:

valid passport
visa application form
a passport-size photograph
confirmation slip/certificate/other documents to prove reservation of air/ship boarding ticket or Information on the planned schedule of flight/cruise with entry/departure date to or from Japan
proof of sufficient funds to defray all the expenses while in Japan
- a certificate of income or tax payment issued by a public agency
- certificate of deposit balance
itinerary during the stay in Japan
- travel Itinerary, hotel booking, fliers, leaflets, etc.

Please note that the required documents must be valid and issued within the last three months of the date of submission. Furthermore, documents, except for a passport, submitted for application will not be returned.

Multiple-entry visa

Indian nationals who wish to apply for a short-term multiple entry visa as temporary visitors will be allowed to visit Japan for tourism purposes for a period of not more than 90 days. The validity of this category of short-term visa is five (5) years.

Eligibility

Nationals of India with ordinary MRP (Machine Readable Passport)/ e-passport in compliance with the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standard who wishes to apply for a multiple entry visa and are applicable to one of the following categories:

an individual who has travel records as a temporary visitor to Japan twice or more in the last three years
an individual who has a travel record as a temporary visitor to Japan in the last three years and has the financial capacity to pay the travel expense
an individual who has a travel record as a temporary visitor to Japan and travel records as a temporary visitor to G7 countries (except Japan) in the last three years
individuals with sufficient financial capacity
spouse or children of the individuals who are mentioned above

Documents required

Given below are the documents required to be submitted by the following categories:

Applicant with travel records to Japan twice or more in the last three years:

visa application form with a photograph
passport (MRP/e-passport in compliance with the ICAO standard only
a current or old passport that shows a Japanese temporary visitor visa and entry stamps in the last three years

Please note that applicants applying from outside of India must provide documents to prove that they legally reside in that country.

Applicants with travel record to Japan in the last three years

visa application form with a photograph
passport (MRP/e-passport in compliance with the ICAO standard only
a current or old passport that shows a temporary visitor visa and entry stamp of Japan in the last three years
applicant’s income tax return (certificate of deposit balance is also acceptable)

Please note that applicants applying from outside of India must provide documents to prove that they legally reside in that country.

Applicants with travel records to Japan and G7 in the last three years

visa application form with a photograph
passport (MRP/e-passport in compliance with the ICAO standard only
a current or old passport that shows a temporary visitor visa and entry stamps of Japan and G7 countries (except Japan) in the last three years
applicant’s income tax return (certificate of deposit balance is also acceptable)

Please note that applicants applying from outside of India must provide documents to prove that they legally reside in that country.

Applicants with sufficient financial capacity

visa application form with a photograph
passport (MRP/ e-passport in compliance with the ICAO standard only
applicant’s income tax return to prove sufficient financial capacity:
- if necessary, documents such as certificate of deposit balance, stock dividend, pension, retirement allowance, inheritance, lease agreement, real estate register, deed of the property, etc., are also acceptable

Please note that applicants applying from outside of India must provide documents to prove that they legally reside in that country.

Spouse or children of the individuals who are mentioned above

visa application form with a photograph
passport (MRP/ e-passport in compliance with the ICAO standard only
- if the spouse or parent already has the multiple entry visa as an applicant with sufficient financial capacity, a copy of his/her passport (pages of identification and the visa) must be submitted.
documents to prove kinship
applicants applying from outside of India must provide documents to prove that they legally reside in that country.

Please note that the Embassy/Consulate General of Japan in India might request additional documents apart from the documents mentioned above. Moreover, the authorities might also issue a single entry visa after the visa examination.

Japan tourist visa application

The Japan tourist visa or the short-term visa is issued either by the VFS Global visa application centre or the Consulate-General of Japan in Mumbai by the residents of the jurisdiction in India, that is, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Goa, U.T of Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

VFS Global visa application center

To apply for the Japan tourist visa at your nearest VFS Global visa application center, follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Begin your visa application procedure

Once you are ready to apply for the Japan visa, download the visa application form, fill it out and complete it, print the completed form and bring it with you to the visa application center, along with with the documents required for the short-term visa (single entry or multiple entry) for submission.

Step 2: Book a visa appointment at the visa application center

After filling out and printing your visa application form, you need to book an appointment to submit your application at the visa application center. Once you’ve booked your appointment, you will receive an appointment confirmation email along with the letter of appointment.

Please note that if you are part of a family or group, you will have to book individual appointments for each member of the family or group.

Step 3: Pay your visa fees

After booking your appointment at the visa application center, you will be required to pay your visa application fee. In case you download the form to print and bring it to the visa application center, payment can be made at the time of your appointment.

Please note that you will have to pay the visa fee at the visa application center in cash.

Step 4: Visit the visa application center

You will have to submit your complete visa application form at the visa application center. You can find out your nearest VFS Global visa application center here.

On the day of your appointment, you must:

aim to arrive 15 minutes before your appointment.
attend the appointment for your visa application. Bring your visa application, passport bio page (2 copies), as well as a valid passport or travel document with at least 2 pages that are blank on both sides.
bring all supporting documentation (originals and copies)
children under 18 years old need to be accompanied by an adult, and this cannot be a member of VFS Global staff.
in case you miss your appointment on the scheduled day, you will need to book a new appointment after 24 hours from your original appointment date.

Step 4: Check the status of your visa application

After submitting your visa application form, you will receive an email update when your decision has been returned to the visa application center.

Furthermore, you can also track your visa application status online from the VFS Global website. Just use your reference number present on the invoice/receipt issued by the visa application center, along with your date of birth.

Step 5: Collect your passport from the visa application center

Once a visa application decision has been made, you can pick up your passport from the visa application center or have your passport returned to you by courier for an additional fee.

Make sure to bring the receipt issued by the visa application center and a form of Government identification if collecting your passport in person. If permitted, you may be able to send a representative to collect your passport; they will need to present a letter of authorization signed by you and bring the receipt issued to you by the visa application center and their Government identification.

Please make sure to check with the visa application center about the opening time for the options available to collect your documents.

Japan tourist visa processing time and fees

According to the Consulate-General of Japan in Mumbai, the processing time for a Japan tourist visa is a minimum of 4 working days once the visa application is accepted at the visa counter.

However, it’s always best to confirm the processing time with the Consulate-General or the VFS Global visa application centre to get accurate information.

The fees for a Japan tourist visa are as follows: