Japan Tourist Visa for Indians

The application fee that is required to be paid by Indian nationals in order to avail a Japan tourist visa is Rs.550 for both single and multiple entries. However, if you apply through travel agencies, a service charge would also need to be paid. In case you apply through VFS Global, a service charge of Rs.650, which is inclusive of all  taxes, will be levied. If the visa application is filed through Cox and Kings Global Services, Rs.600 would be charged as service fees.

Japan Tourist Visa Requirements

To Apply for a Japan Tourist Visa, an applicant needs to submit the following documents if it is a self-arranged visit:

1. A valid Indian Passport: An applicant should have a valid Indian passport for over three months longer than the period of stay in Japan. 
2. Visa application form: An applicant should submit the duly filled, signed, and dated visa application form. 
3. Proof of Sufficient Funds: An applicant should present proof which shows that he or she has sufficient funds to cover their stay in Japan. The amount of funds needed is based on the duration of the stay. 
4.  Return or onwards Journey Tickets: A return ticket is needed to be presented which acts as a proof that an applicant will leave Japan within a given date. 
5. Itinerary: A letter from the employer of the applicant stating the reason and length of stay and a copy of the detailed travel itinerary of applicants in Japan. 
6. Flight Itinerary: You also need to show your return travel ticket. 

In some circumstances, extra supporting documentation might also be required. These would be required at the time of application by the Japanese embassy or consulate.

Photo Requirements for Japan Tourist Visa

The photo that is affixed on the visa application form must fulfil the points mentioned below:

1. The size of the photograph must be 45mm x 45mm (2 inches x 2 inches) with white background.
2. The photo should be in colour
3. The photograph should be easily identifiable.
4. The photo must be clicked within six months before filing the application.
5. The photo should be clear and the applicant must not be wearing any headgear.

1. Do not wear eyeglasses 
2. You should have a neutral facial expression 
3. The photograph should be of high quality, non under or over exposure, no editing, no blurriness, and no glare

How to Apply for Japan Tourist Visa

In order to apply for a Japan tourist visa, the applicant is required to visit the Japan Embassy or the Consulate-Generals. After visiting the Embassy or the Consulate-General, he/she is required to follow the steps mentioned below:

Check Your Eligibility 

An applicant should be an Indian citizen who holds a valid Indian passport in order to apply for a Japanese visa. 

Gather All the Documents Required 

You must gather all the necessary paperwork relevant to your intended purpose of trip before applying for a visa. Depending on the type of visa and your purpose for travel, other documents could be needed. 

Book Your Visa Appointment 

You cannot for visa directly through the Japanese embassy. The embassy only issues official and diplomatic visas. This means you should apply for visa by visiting visa application centre like VFS. 

If you are applying through VFS global, you need to book for your visa submission. The visa appointment can be booked on the VFS website. 

You will be informed of the precise time and date for application submission. You will get an email confirming your appointment, which you should print off and bring with you to your visa appointment. 

Ensure that you follow the steps mentioned the website of VFS to start your application process. You will get a proper guidance on how to submit your documents. 

Pay the Visa Fee 

Once you have the required documents and booked the visa appointment, you need to make the payment of the visa fee. Once the payment is done, your visa application will be finalized. Make sure to take the print out of the visa fee payment receipt for future reference. 

Submit Your Application 

Next, you have to visit the visa application center on the given date with all the required documents. You need to carry your printed appointment confirmation letter issues by VFS and visa fee payment receipt. 

Collect Your Passport with Visa Stamp 

Once the visa application submission is done, it will take around five to seven working days for processing. Finally, according to the method you used, you can either pick up your passport at the Consulate or VFS, or you will get it mailed to you.

Once the steps mentioned above are successfully completed, the visa application will be processed by the authorities.

Japan Tourist Visa Application Form

The visa application form that applicants need to fill up and submit to the authorities can be downloaded from www.in.emb-japan.go.jp. The detailed process that needs to be followed to download the application form from the website is mentioned below:

1. Visit www.in.emb-japan.go.jp
2. Next, click on the 'Visa' tab.
3. Following that click on the link that read 'Japanese Visa'.
4. In doing so, you are redirected to a new page.
5. There, you need to click on 'Visa Application Form' to download the form.

Arrival Procedure in Japan for Tourist Visa Holders

Once you arrive at the immigration check points, the officers will go through all your documents for verification and validate your visa. Apart from this, they will also check your passport and question you about the reason and duration of your stay in Japan. Given below are the documents which you need to show at the check points: 

1. Japan visa 
2. Passport 
3. Itinerary 
4. Return Flight Ticket 
5. Proof of financial stability 

Once you get approval at the checkpoints, you can proceed to the next checkpoints.

Validity of the Japan Visa 

The Japanese tourist visa for Indians is mainly valid for three months from date of issuance which allow the applicant to stay up to 90 days. A multiple-entry visa is valid for five years while a single-entry visa is only eligible for three months. 

Japan Tourist Visa Processing Time

As per the Japan Embassy, the time taken for processing a Japan tourist visa application is one day, which is excluding the date of submission of the application form to the authorities. 

In case, the visa application is submitted to travel agencies like VFS Global or Cox and Kings Global Services, the time taken to process the application varies between three to seven days. 

List of Japanese Embassies and Consulates in India

Here are the Embassy and Consulate-General of Japan offices through which Indian nationals can apply for the Japan Tourist visa. The list contains the addresses, jurisdiction, contact numbers, email IDs and timings.