Do I need a visa for Japan?
Japan sets its own entry requirements and applies them by nationality. There is no shared North East Asian permission, so a Japanese entry does not cover South Korea or China.
Now pick the passport you travel on.
Entry rules by passport
Select your nationality for the full answer: stay length, passport validity, pre-registration and how to apply.
| Passport | What you need | Max stay |
|---|---|---|
| Lithuania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Germany | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United States | Visa-free | 90 days |
| France | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Poland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Spain | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Italy | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 90 days |
| India | 90 days | |
| China | 90 days | |
| Türkiye | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Nigeria | Visa requiredApply for a Nigeria passport | No stated limit |
| South Africa | 90 days | |
| Philippines | Visa requiredApply for a Philippines passport | No stated limit |
| Pakistan | Visa requiredApply for a Pakistan passport | No stated limit |
| Bangladesh | Visa requiredApply for a Bangladesh passport | No stated limit |
| Indonesia | Travel authorisationApply for a Indonesia passport | 15 days |
| Egypt | Visa requiredApply for a Egypt passport | No stated limit |
| Vietnam | 90 days |
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Need a visa for Japan?
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What to do next
The part most visa checkers leave out: what actually needs doing before you fly.
Confirm with the official source
Rules change without notice, and only the immigration authority of Japan can tell you where you stand. Search for its official site before you travel.
Check your passport
Passport validity required: valid on arrival. Renew first if you are close, because this is the most common reason travellers are turned away.
Customs declaration required
Separate from any visa: Japan requires this registration before or on arrival. Do it even if you need no visa.
Good to know about Japan
Short visits and longer stays are handled under different permissions, so check which one your trip actually falls under.
Common questions
Entry to Japan, answered from the same rules the table shows.
It depends on the passport you hold. Of the 21 most-checked passports listed above, 11 enter Japan without a visa, 10 have to apply for something before travelling. Find your nationality in the table for the exact rule, the stay it allows and what has to be applied for.
11 of the 21 most-checked passports listed above: Lithuania, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, France, Poland, Netherlands and Spain and 3 more. The rest have to apply in advance.
90 days on every visa-free rule in the table. The limit is per entry, and staying beyond it needs a different permission rather than an extension at the border.
Valid on arrival. Renew before you travel if you are close to that, because it is one of the most common reasons travellers are refused boarding — by the airline, before they ever reach the border.
Not for any of the 21 most-checked passports listed above. Nationalities outside that list may still be offered one, so check the rule for the passport you hold.
Yes, for India, China, South Africa and Vietnam. The application is completed online with no embassy appointment.
Yes. Japan requires Customs declaration, separately from any visa and regardless of whether you need one. Travellers who are told they need no visa miss this most often.
Once you are in Japan
Where trip1 travellers go, and what to read before you book.
Travelling somewhere else?
Check any passport against any destination
