Every Japan visa at a glance
Not sure where to start? Here's every common Japan visa at a glance. Tap any row for the full rules and cost.
| Visa | Stay | Extend | Official fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa-free | 90 days (15 or 30 for a few) | Only the 6-month group | Free | Most vacationers |
| Digital nomad | 6 months | No | ~¥15,000 | Remote workers |
| Working holiday | 1 year | Generally no | Free | Under-31s, partner countries |
| Short-stay visa | Up to 90 days | No | ~¥15,000 | Non-exempt nationalities |
| Long stay / retirement | 6 months | Renews once | ~¥15,000 | Wealthy long-stayers & retirees |
| Work | 1 to 5 years | Yes (sponsor-driven) | ~¥15,000 | Employed in Japan |
| Student | Up to ~4 years | Yes (while enrolled) | ~¥15,000 | Studying in Japan |
Two 2026 changes affect nearly everyone. Visa fees rose about fivefold on 1 July 2026 (a single-entry visa went from ¥3,000 to about ¥15,000), and the international tourist "departure tax" tripled from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 on the same date, collected inside your airfare. Visa-exempt tourists still pay no visa fee at all.
Visa Exemption (Visa-Free Entry)
Most vacationers from the 74 visa-exempt countries, including the US, UK, EU, Australia and Canada
- Stay
- 90 days (15 or 30 for a few)
- Official cost
- Free
This is what almost every visitor uses. If your country is on Japan's visa-exemption list you get in free for tourism, with only the free Visit Japan Web registration to complete first, which speeds you through the one-stop kiosks at the big airports. On arrival, foreign nationals aged 16 and over give a fingerprint scan and a facial photo, and airlines and immigration can ask for proof of onward travel and funds, so keep a return ticket to hand.
For most nationalities the stay is a generous 90 days. The exceptions are worth knowing: Indonesia and Thailand get 15 days (and need an IC ePassport registered in advance), and Brunei and Qatar get 30. Your passport needs to be valid for the length of your stay; Japan doesn't impose the usual six-months-beyond rule on most visitors.
Who can enter visa-free 74 countries and regions, by stay length
Japan has reciprocal visa exemption with 74 countries and regions, granted as "Temporary Visitor" status for tourism or business, never paid work. The big 90-day group covers almost every Western passport (the US, UK, all of the EU, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and more). Indonesia and Thailand get 15 days and must hold an IC ePassport pre-registered with a Japanese mission; Brunei and Qatar get 30. A few passports have their own conditions: new Uruguayan passports issued after April 2025 aren't recognized, and Colombia isn't on the visa-free list at all, so those travelers should check with a Japanese embassy.
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tunisia
- Türkiye
- UAE
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Brunei
- Qatar
- Indonesia
- Thailand
- Visa-free means no local work. "Temporary Visitor" status is for tourism and business meetings only. Paid work for Japanese clients isn't allowed at all; remote work for an overseas employer while visiting is a legal gray area, which is exactly why Japan created the digital-nomad visa below. This catches people out.
- Only six countries plus the UK can extend. Nationals of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the UK can extend 90 days to a maximum of 180 in-country. For every other nationality the 90 days can't be extended, so don't plan around a renewal that isn't available to you.
- There's no visa run. Japan's immigration watches back-to-back visa-free entries, and using repeat tourist stays to live in Japan can get you refused at the border. For a longer or recurring stay, get the right visa.
Updated August 2026 · Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Digital Nomad Visa (Designated Activities)
Digital nomadRemote workers and freelancers earning from foreign employers or clients who want a longer base than 90 days
- Stay
- 6 months, non-renewable
- Official cost
- ~¥15,000
Launched in 2024, this is Japan's answer to the digital-nomad visa, run as a "Designated Activities" status. It lets remote workers and freelancers stay six months, longer than the 90-day visa-free window, while working for employers or clients outside Japan. It suits a longer workation rather than a move: it's non-renewable and non-extendable, and you have to spend six months out of the country before you can apply again.
You apply before you travel, showing proof of the ¥10 million income and the private health insurance. Because nomads on this status can't join Japan's National Health Insurance, that private cover is mandatory, not optional.
Who qualifies 51 nationalities (tax treaty + visa exemption)
Open to nationals of the 51 countries and regions that have both a tax treaty with Japan and visa-exempt status (the full list is below). You qualify on income and insurance, not a Japanese sponsor: ¥10 million a year in earnings from foreign employers or clients, plus private health cover of at least ¥10 million. Family members can join you.
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Türkiye
- UAE
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- It's six months, then out. Unlike some countries' multi-year nomad visas, this one can't be renewed or rolled over, and you must leave for six months before reapplying. Plan it as a single long stay, not a base to settle on.
- Foreign income only. The visa is for work for employers and clients abroad. Taking on Japanese clients or a local job needs a proper work visa instead.
- The ¥10 million income bar is high. That's roughly US$65,000 to US$70,000 a year, and you'll need to evidence it, which rules the visa out for a lot of would-be applicants.
Updated August 2026 · Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Working Holiday Visa
Young travelers (18 to 30) from a partner country wanting to live, travel and work casually in Japan for up to a year
- Stay
- 1 year
- Official cost
- Free
The working-holiday visa is the best-value way for a young traveler to spend a proper stretch in Japan. It grants a year, lets you travel freely, and permits casual work to fund the trip (hospitality, teaching, seasonal jobs), which the tourist and nomad routes don't. And Japan issues it for free.
You apply at a Japanese embassy or consulate before traveling, typically showing funds to support yourself at the start, a rough plan, and a return ticket or the means to buy one. It's designed as a one-off youth-mobility scheme, so it generally can't be extended or repeated.
Who qualifies Age 18 to 30, from a partner country
Japan has working-holiday agreements with 32 countries and regions (all listed below). You're usually eligible from 18 to 30, though Australia, Canada, South Korea and Ireland set a baseline of 18 to 25 that's commonly extended to 30. The United States and mainland China are not partners, so their nationals can't use this route (Hong Kong and Taiwan are separate partners). Most agreements let you take it up only once in your life.
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Canada
- Chile
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Age and nationality are strict. Miss the 18-to-30 window (or 18-to-25 on some agreements), or hold a non-partner passport like a US or Chinese one, and you can't use it. Check your own country's agreement.
- It's usually a one-time visa. Most partner agreements let you hold a Japanese working holiday only once, so time it well.
Updated August 2026 · Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Short-Stay Visa (non-exempt nationalities)
Tourists and business visitors from countries that don't have visa-free entry
- Stay
- Up to 90 days
- Official cost
- ~¥15,000
If your nationality isn't on the visa-free list, this is the standard route for a vacation or business trip: a short-stay visa for up to 90 days, applied for before you travel. Many nationalities can now apply online through the official Japan eVISA system rather than mailing a passport to an embassy, though eVISA eligibility depends on your nationality and where you live.
The single-entry version suits a one-off trip; a multiple-entry version exists for people who travel to Japan regularly. Either way you apply in advance, and the fee is only charged if the visa is issued.
Who it's for Nationalities without visa exemption (e.g. China, India, Vietnam)
Required for the many nationalities not on Japan's visa-exemption list, including China, India, the Philippines, Vietnam and Russia. You apply before travel, increasingly through Japan's official eVISA system, though whether you can use eVISA depends on your nationality and country of residence, so some applicants still go through a Japanese embassy. If your nationality is visa-exempt, you don't need this and shouldn't pay for it.
- Use the official eVISA, not a reseller. Agents and look-alike sites add a markup on top of the government fee. Japan's own eVISA portal is the real one.
- It's not extendable as a tourist. Like visa-free entry, a short-stay visa is for a short visit; staying longer needs a different status applied for from scratch.
Updated August 2026 · Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Long-Stay Visa (Designated Activities)
Well-off older visitors from visa-waiver countries who want to live in Japan long term without working
- Stay
- 6 months, renewable to ~1 year
- Official cost
- ~¥15,000
A point that surprises people: Japan has no dedicated retirement visa. The nearest thing is a "Designated Activities" long-stay for sightseeing and recreation, aimed at well-off older visitors from visa-waiver countries who want to spend an extended period in Japan without working. It runs six months and can be renewed once, to around a year in total.
You qualify on money rather than age: substantial savings (commonly cited around ¥30 million, more for a couple) or a strong passive income, plus private health insurance. It grants no work rights, so it's for living off savings or a pension. Anyone wanting to settle permanently instead builds toward permanent residency through a work or family status over several years.
Requirements From a visa-waiver country, large savings or pension
Open to nationals of the same visa-waiver countries listed under Visa Exemption above, typically aged 18 or over, who can show substantial funds (often quoted as roughly ¥30 million in savings, or ¥60 million for a couple) or a solid passive or pension income, plus private health cover. It grants no right to work. It's a niche route, and requirements are applied case by case, so confirm the current thresholds with a Japanese embassy.
- There is no straightforward retirement visa. If a site advertises a simple "Japan retirement visa", be sceptical; the real route is this savings-based long-stay, and it's discretionary.
- No work, at all. The long-stay status is strictly for living off your own funds, so you can't take any paid activity in Japan on it.
Updated August 2026 · Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Work Visa (Engineer / Specialist in Humanities and others)
People taking a job with a Japanese employer, from office professionals to skilled workers
- Stay
- 1 to 5 years, renewable
- Official cost
- ~¥15,000
Japan doesn't have a single "work visa" but around twenty employment statuses, each tied to a profession. To work for a Japanese employer you need the status matched to the job, most often the broad Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services category. The employer sponsors you and gets a Certificate of Eligibility from immigration, which you then turn into a visa at a Japanese embassy before traveling.
Work statuses typically run one to five years and renew while the job continues. There are more specialized routes too: the Specified Skilled Worker visa for sector-based labor, and the points-based Highly Skilled Professional visa, where a high score buys a faster path to permanent residency.
Who qualifies Needs a Japanese employer + a Certificate of Eligibility
Any nationality can hold a work visa, but only with a sponsoring Japanese employer who gets a Certificate of Eligibility first. The most common category is "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" (office and technical roles). Others cover instructors, intra-company transfers, business managers, the sector-based Specified Skilled Worker route, and a points-based Highly Skilled Professional visa with faster permanent residency.
Updated August 2026 · Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Student Visa
People enrolling at a Japanese university, college or accredited language school
- Stay
- Up to ~4 years
- Official cost
- ~¥15,000
To study in Japan for more than 90 days, an accredited school, university or language institute sponsors a student visa via a Certificate of Eligibility, which you convert to a visa before you travel. It covers the length of your course, up to around four years for a degree.
Students can take part-time work of up to 28 hours a week in term time, but only after applying for separate permission to engage in non-qualifying activity. The visa renews while you stay enrolled.
Who can apply Needs an accredited Japanese school
Any nationality can hold a student visa, but only with an accredited Japanese university, college or language school sponsoring the Certificate of Eligibility. It permits study, and part-time work only with separate permission (capped at 28 hours a week in term time).
Updated August 2026 · Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Overstaying and fines
Whatever visa you're on, don't overstay it. Japan treats overstaying as a criminal offense, not a fine-on-the-way-out formality like some of its neighbors, and the penalties and re-entry bans are heavy.
- Overstaying is a crime. Illegal stay can bring up to 3 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to ¥3,000,000, though in practice a straightforward overstay usually ends in detention and deportation rather than prison.
- Deportation carries a re-entry ban. Being deported bars you from re-entering Japan for 5 years, rising to 10 years for repeat offenders or anyone deported before.
- Report yourself and the ban is shorter. If you come forward before you're caught, a "departure order" lets you leave without detention and generally cuts the re-entry ban to 1 year, so it's far better to fix a looming overstay than to hide it.
- Most tourists can't extend, so count the days. Only the six-month reciprocal group (and specific exceptional cases) can extend a visa-free stay, so for everyone else the 15, 30 or 90 days on your landing stamp is a hard deadline. Leave, or sort the right visa, before it runs out.
Heading to Japan?
Get our travel tips before you go: the visa rules that keep changing, the money traps, and the scams to sidestep.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I need a visa for Japan?
Probably not for a vacation. Japan grants visa-free entry to 74 countries and regions, and for almost all of them, including the US, UK, EU, Australia and Canada, that's 90 days for tourism or business, with nothing to apply for in advance. You'd need a visa only if your nationality isn't on the list, or if you want to stay longer, work or study. A few nationalities get a shorter visa-free window: 15 days for Thai and Indonesian passport holders, 30 for Brunei and Qatar.
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How long can I stay in Japan without a visa?
For most nationalities, 90 days, granted as "Temporary Visitor" status for tourism or business. Thai and Indonesian passport holders get 15 days (with a registered IC ePassport), and Brunei and Qatar get 30. The 90 days generally can't be extended, except for nationals of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the UK, who can extend to a maximum of 180 days in-country.
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Do US citizens need a visa for Japan?
No, not for a vacation. US passport holders enter visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism or business, with nothing to arrange in advance. You can't work on that status, and you can't extend the 90 days, so a longer stay needs the right visa. Americans aren't eligible for Japan's working-holiday visa, as the US isn't a partner country.
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Do I need JESTA or a travel authorization for Japan?
Not yet. Japan has announced a JESTA (Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization), its version of the US ESTA, but it isn't in force, with reports pointing to around 2028. As of 2026 there is no ETA to buy for visa-free entry, so any site selling a "Japan travel authorization" now is a scam. There's simply nothing to buy before you fly.
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Is Visit Japan Web free and mandatory?
It's free, and strongly recommended rather than strictly mandatory. Visit Japan Web is the official government portal that bundles your immigration and customs details into one QR code so you can use the fast one-stop kiosks at major airports. It costs nothing on the official site (services.digital.go.jp), and Japan's Digital Agency has warned about look-alike apps that charge a fee, so use the government page and don't pay anyone.
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What is the Japan digital nomad visa?
It's a "Designated Activities" status Japan launched in 2024 that lets remote workers stay six months, longer than the 90-day visa-free window, while working for employers or clients outside Japan. You need income of ¥10 million a year and private health insurance covering at least ¥10 million, and it's open to the 51 nationalities that have both a tax treaty and visa exemption with Japan. It can't be renewed or extended, and you must leave for six months before reapplying.
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Can I work remotely in Japan on a tourist visa?
The safe answer is to use the digital-nomad visa. Paid work for Japanese clients is clearly not allowed on visa-free "Temporary Visitor" status. Remote work for an overseas employer while you're visiting sits in a legal gray area Japan has never fully spelled out, which is exactly why it created the six-month digital-nomad visa, provided you meet the ¥10 million income bar.
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Can I extend my 90-day stay in Japan?
Usually not. For most nationalities the 90-day visa-free stay is a hard limit with no tourist extension. The exception is nationals of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the UK, who can apply at a Regional Immigration Bureau, before the initial permit expires, to extend to a maximum of 180 days. The extension fee is around ¥6,000 in person (¥5,500 online) and it's discretionary, not automatic.
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Does Japan have a retirement visa?
No dedicated one. Japan doesn't offer a simple retirement visa, so be wary of sites advertising one. The nearest route is a "Designated Activities" long-stay for sightseeing and recreation, open to well-off visitors from visa-waiver countries who can show large savings (often cited around ¥30 million, more for a couple) or a strong pension income, plus private health insurance. It runs six months, renewable once, and permits no work.
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How much is the Japan departure tax?
¥3,000 per person, as of 1 July 2026, when the international tourist tax tripled from ¥1,000. It's collected automatically inside your air or ferry ticket price, so there's nothing to pay separately at the airport. Children under two and passengers transiting within 24 hours are exempt.
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How much does a Japan visa cost?
If you're visa-exempt, nothing. If you do need a visa, fees rose about fivefold on 1 July 2026, the first increase since 1978: a single-entry visa is now around ¥15,000 (roughly US$95) and a multiple-entry one around ¥30,000, paid in local currency at the mission, with no charge if the visa is refused. That's still cheaper than a visa agent's markup, and the working-holiday visa is issued free.
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What happens if I overstay my visa in Japan?
Japan treats it as a criminal offense, not a pay-and-go fine. Overstaying can bring up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to ¥3 million, though in practice it usually means detention and deportation, with a 5-year ban on returning (10 years for repeat offenders). If you report yourself before being caught, a departure order lets you leave with a shorter, typically one-year, ban. Most tourists can't extend, so treat your landing stamp's date as final.