Visit Japan Web is Japan’s official online system for completing immigration and customs procedures before you land.
It’s free, optional, and gives you a QR code that speeds up arrival at Japan’s major airports.
What Visit Japan Web Covers
Run by Japan’s Digital Agency, it’s a web service you open in a browser — there’s no app to download. You enter your details in advance, and it generates QR codes to show on arrival.
It handles three arrival procedures:
- Immigration — your arrival (disembarkation) card
- Customs declaration — the form every traveller must submit
- Tax-free shopping — registration for duty-free purchases
Using it is entirely optional. Paper arrival and customs cards are still handed out on flights and accepted at every airport. The web service simply lets you skip the writing at the counter. It also ties into Japan’s tax-free shopping rules for eligible purchases.
What You Need Before You Start
Have these ready before you register:
- A valid passport
- Your flight details (flight number and arrival date)
- Your accommodation address in Japan
- An email address to create the account
- Your visa, if your nationality needs one to enter Japan
Visit Japan Web is not a visa. If you need one, apply separately first — see our guide to the Japan visa for UAE residents.
You can register any time after booking. Complete it at least six hours before landing so your QR code is active. Most travellers do it a week or two before departure.
How to Register: Step by Step
The whole process takes about 15 minutes. Go to the official site at vjw.digital.go.jp and work through these steps:
- Create an account using your email address and a password.
- Add your passport and personal details exactly as they appear in your passport.
- Register your trip — flight number, arrival date, and where you’re staying.
- Fill in the immigration details for your arrival card.
- Complete the customs declaration for your baggage.
- Generate your QR codes for use at the airport.
Travelling as a family? You can register up to 10 people under one account. Each traveller still gets their own QR code, including children.
Using Your QR Codes on Arrival
How you use the codes depends on which airport you land at.
Major Airports
At Tokyo‘s Haneda and Narita, and Osaka‘s Kansai, a Joint Kiosk now scans your QR code and passport in a single step.
This replaces the older flow of stopping at two separate counters, so it moves faster during busy arrival times.
Regional Airports
Smaller airports — including Sapporo‘s New Chitose, Fukuoka, Nagoya‘s Chubu Centrair and Naha — still use the two-step flow.
You present your immigration QR code at one counter, then your customs QR code at another. Both codes still work the same way.
What It Doesn’t Replace
Visit Japan Web speeds up arrival paperwork — but it isn’t a substitute for two other things.
It’s not a visa. Travellers whose nationality requires a visa must still obtain one before flying. Registering on the web service does not grant entry.
It’s not JESTA. Japan plans a separate pre-travel authorisation for visa-free visitors, but it isn’t live yet. Read our explainer on Japan’s planned JESTA system for the timeline.
For now, Visit Japan Web is purely an arrival-procedure tool. Plan your trip and book flights to Japan and hotels in Tokyo on Wego.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Visit Japan Web mandatory?
No. It’s an optional digital alternative. Paper arrival and customs cards are still distributed on flights and accepted at every airport, so you can skip the web service if you prefer.
Does it cost anything?
No. Visit Japan Web is a free government service. Any site that charges a fee to register on your behalf is unofficial.
Can I register my whole family on one account?
Yes. You can add up to 10 travellers, including children, under a single account. Each person gets their own QR code to present on arrival.
Do I need internet at the airport to show my QR code?
Not if you prepare. Take a screenshot or download your QR codes before landing so you can display them even without a connection.
Sources
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
