How to obtain a tourist visa for Japan?

Today I would like to talk about the visa for Japan and the experience I had when obtaining it. In this article, I will specifically talk about the tourist visa! Details of all other types of visas can be found on the official websites of the consulate in each region of Brazil; I will leave the links at the end of the article. I hope the tips in this article help you obtain your tourist visa for Japan.

The tourist visa in Japan is known as a short stay. It can be used to enter the country for leisure travel, visiting relatives, conferences, business, or transit. The main things you need to know are that the visa for Japan is not difficult to obtain; it takes only 2 days, costs approximately 79.00R$, and can have a duration of 15, 30, 45, and 90 days depending on your travel itinerary.

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Documents required for the Japan visa

Copy of your ID (authenticated if not present);
Valid passport and previous passports with Japanese visa;
One recent 4.5 x 4.5 cm photo (some places accept 3×4);
Round-trip reservation or ticket;
Reservation of the hotels where you will stay;
Pay stubs and documents proving your occupation and income;
Income tax with receipt;
Bank statement from the last 3 months;
Completed visa application form;
Detailed travel itinerary;

We recommend checking all the details and documents that need to be filled out on the official website of the embassy or consulate in your region, as they may differ from one another. The visa fee is paid on the day of collection, and with the visa in hand, you have 3 months to enter Japan.

If you are staying at someone’s house, we recommend checking the details on the website, but several other documents and proofs are required to stay at a relative’s or friend’s house.

Tips about the Japan tourist visa

The visa can be requested through travel agencies registered with the consulate or embassy. I believe it is money poorly spent, as it is quite easy to go to the nearest embassy or consulate.

If you want to visit Okinawa, your consular fee is waived. You need to prove your ticket to Okinawa and a hotel reservation. If you decide to visit Okinawa, it is possible to find cheap plane tickets for around 500 reais.

It is said that it is good to have around 100$ per day that you will be in Japan. The consulate does not require or specify the necessary amount of money in the account to approve the visa, but it is good to have a good amount. Even if you are exempt, declare your income tax!

The type of visa varies according to the purpose of the trip. There are different types of visas for short and long stays. For students, employees, athletes, artists, religious activities, multiple entries, and others.

More tips I will mention below when sharing my experience at the embassy. The tip is not to worry too much when trying to obtain the tourist visa for Japan. Also remember that the visa can be extended while you are in Japan.

Multiple entry visa

If you are someone who wishes to travel to Japan several times or every year, there is a multiple entry visa. This visa is valid for 3 years and allows you to stay a maximum of 90 days each time you enter the country.

With the multiple entry visa, you can travel to Japan without needing to go to the consulate every time you want to travel. The requirements are not easy, but if you have a good financial condition, you can try. See the requirements below:

Have visited Japan for a short stay in the last three years (Proof with the passport);
Engage in paid activity and have sufficient income or be dependent on someone with sufficient income;

Just like the tourist visa, the maximum travel time will depend on the requirements you meet.

My experience with the tourist visa

I was not very lucky when obtaining my visa for the first time; I went on a Monday to the Japanese embassy on July 18, but it was closed because it was a holiday in Japan, Ocean Day. xD So make sure it is not a holiday in Japan.

Be prepared to alter your itinerary; sometimes it may be necessary to shorten the trip due to lack of money; they will check this before you submit your visa application, so prepare different reservations to avoid unnecessary trips.

I made an itinerary for 15 days but received a visa for 30. I don’t know if this always happens, nor do I recommend making changes to your itinerary when you have the visa in hand. If you want a month in Japan, make an itinerary for 17 days to facilitate approval.

When you arrive in Japan, you will have to go through the counters, and the guard will ask you questions and look at your passport! So be careful, as they might send you back if your itinerary is completely different from the one sent to the consulate.

My visa was requested in the morning, and it was approved and issued on the same day. You should pick it up after 2 days and can try calling the consulate or embassy beforehand to know details and not miss the trip.

And if you go to the embassy, be careful! It didn’t happen at the Japanese embassy, but just because my friend took a photo of a bird in front of the Israeli embassy, the guard came to argue with him.

It is strictly forbidden to photograph the wall outside the embassies, at least the one in Israel. You can forget about bringing a cell phone or camera into the embassies; in some consulates, you can bring a cell phone, but not use it.

Stay calm and don’t be anxious! I hope these tips have helped you who are planning your trip to Japan and need to obtain the visa.

Links to the Japan embassy websites

Tips for your trip to Japan

To conclude, let’s leave some articles that can help you on your trip to Japan:

How much does it cost to travel to Japan?
How to take the train in Japan
Trip to Japan 2016 – What did I eat?
How to live in Japan without being a descendant of Japanese?
My trip to Japan – 2016

I hope you enjoyed this article. We appreciate the comments and shares. Good luck in trying to obtain your tourist visa for Japan!

Kevin Henrique

Asian culture expert with over 10 years of experience, focusing on Japan, Korea, anime, and gaming. A self-taught writer and traveler dedicated to teaching Japanese, sharing travel tips, and exploring deep, fascinating trivia.