Do Danish citizens need a visa for Japan?
No. Danish citizens do not need a visa for a short stay in Japan of up to 90 days.
Denmark is on the Japanese foreign ministry's list of 74 visa-exempt countries and regions, revised 1 September 2025. The stay cannot include paid work.
The rule for Danish passports
What the Japanese foreign ministry lists for Denmark.
- Short-stay visa
- Not needed
- Visa-free stay
- 90 days
- Working holiday
- Since 2007
- Japanese missions
- 1
- Visa for a short stay
- Not required
- Longest stay granted
- 90 days
- Passport
- Valid ordinary passport
- What a short stay covers
- Tourism, business, visiting friends or relatives. No paid work.
- Group on the ministry's list
- Europe
- List last revised
- 1 September 2025
The official wording
MOFA: visa exemption listThe period of stay granted upon landing permission will be "15 days" for Indonesia and Thailand, “30 days” for Brunei and Qatar, and "90 days" for other countries and regions.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA(A stay of up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting friends or relatives, etc. that does not include remunerative activities)
VISA
Other passports from Europe
| Passport | Short-stay visa | Visa-free stay |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Not needed | 90 days |
| France | Not needed | 90 days |
| Germany | Not needed | 90 days |
| Italy | Not needed | 90 days |
| Spain | Not needed | 90 days |
| United Kingdom | Not needed | 90 days |
Passport conditions
A valid passport is the starting point for every traveller.
You must hold a valid passport to enter Japan (Immigration Control Act, Article 3).
The foreign ministry's list attaches no extra passport condition to Denmark.
What the Embassy of Japan in Denmark says
Embassy of Japan in DenmarkDoes Japan have any specific requirements concerning the validity of Danish passports upon entering Japan? … The passport must be valid upon entering Japan. However, it is recommended that the passport holder renews his passport if it will expire during his stay in Japan.
Consular Affairs & Visa
Working, studying or staying longer
Visa-free entry covers short stays only.
Paid work is outside a short stay. To work for pay, or to stay more than 90 days, you need a visa. The foreign ministry says to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Immigration Services Agency first, in principle.
Working holiday visa
Japan has run a working holiday programme with Denmark since 2007. Visas issued per year: no limit. It is for young people whose main purpose is a holiday, with work allowed to top up travel funds.
- Programme since
- 2007
- Visas per year
- No limit
- Age
- 18 to 30 when you apply
- Second participation
- Allowed
MOFAStarting from 1 December, 2024, the nationals of Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark, and Austria are allowed to participate in the Working Holiday Programmes twice in lifetime ((1) two consecutive years of stay/two inconsecutive one-year stays in total for nationals of Canada and the United Kingdom, or (2) two inconsecutive one-year stays in total for nationals of New Zealand, Denmark and Austria).
The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan
Apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate in Denmark.
Digital nomad status
Denmark is on the Immigration Services Agency's list for Japan's digital nomad status: remote work from Japan for up to 6 months, with no extension.
At the airport in Japan
The same steps apply to every foreign visitor.
On arrival you complete the Disembarkation Card for Foreigner (online through Visit Japan Web, or on paper), give your fingerprints and a facial photograph, and an immigration officer decides whether you can land.
JESTA, Japan's travel authorisation
Not yet. JESTA is the electronic travel authorisation Japan is creating for visa-exempt visitors. The Immigration Services Agency gives its start only as a date set by Cabinet Order, no later than 31 March 2029.
Living in Denmark with another passport
Visa applications go by where you live, not only by nationality.
You can apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate in your own country or in the country where you live. You cannot apply while travelling in a third country.
The foreign ministry's eVISA list does not include residents of Denmark, so applications go to the embassy or consulate, or to the channel it names.
What the Embassy of Japan in Denmark says
Embassy of Japan in DenmarkIn order to obtain a visa for Japan, the applicant must apply in person to an embassy or consulate. … In Denmark the application procedures may be carried out at the Japanese Embassy in Copenhagen.
Consular Affairs & Visa
Embassy of Japan in DenmarkThe applicant should apply at the earliest 3 months before planned departure (except for “Working Holiday” applicant who can apply 1 year before).
Consular Affairs & Visa
Visa fees at the Embassy of Japan in Denmark
Denmark and Japan in numbers
50,641 visitors from Denmark came to Japan in 2025, 34th among the markets JNTO counts separately. That was up 23.7% on 2024.
Japanese embassy for Denmark
The missions the foreign ministry lists for Denmark. The rules on this page can change, so confirm with the mission before you book.
This page is compiled from the official pages below and was last checked on 5 October 2026. It is not legal advice. The embassy or consulate has the final word on your case.
Frequently asked questions
Do Danish citizens need a visa for Japan?
No. Danish citizens do not need a visa for a short stay in Japan of up to 90 days. Denmark is on the Japanese foreign ministry's list of 74 visa-exempt countries and regions, revised 1 September 2025. The stay cannot include paid work.
How long can Danish citizens stay in Japan without a visa?
Up to 90 days. That is the period of stay the foreign ministry lists for Denmark on its visa exemption list, revised 1 September 2025.
Can Danish citizens work in Japan on a visa-free stay?
No. A short stay does not include paid work. The Immigration Services Agency says Temporary Visitors cannot work in Japan in principle, apart from short business trips. A working holiday visa is the route for young Danish nationals who want to work while travelling.
Do Danish citizens need JESTA to enter Japan?
Not yet. The law creating JESTA passed on 29 May 2026. It starts on a date to be set by Cabinet Order, no later than 31 March 2029.
How long must a Danish passport be valid for Japan?
The Embassy of Japan in Denmark states: “Does Japan have any specific requirements concerning the validity of Danish passports upon entering Japan? … The passport must be valid upon entering Japan. However, it is recommended that the passport holder renews his passport if it will expire during his stay in Japan.”
Read more
Sources for this page
Show all 18
- Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- VISAMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- 外国人の入国の要件 (Japanese)Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Consular Affairs & VisaEmbassy of Japan in Denmark
- The Working Holiday Programmes in JapanMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- Digital Nomad: eligible countries and regions (PDF)Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Specified visa: Designated activities (Digital Nomad, Spouse or Child of Digital Nomad)Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- 入国審査時には「外国人入国記録」をご提出ください (Japanese)Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- 外国人の上陸手続 (Japanese)Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- 令和8年入管法等改正法について (Japanese)Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- 改正法の概要：JESTA（電子渡航認証制度）の創設 (Japanese, PDF)Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Frequently Asked QuestionsMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- The JAPAN eVISA system (electronic visa)Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- Consular Affairs & VisaEmbassy of Japan in Denmark
- Consular Affairs & VisaEmbassy of Japan in Denmark
- Visitor arrivals by nationality and month: 2025 (finalised)Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)
- Websites of Japanese Embassies, Consulates and Permanent MissionsMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- 出入国審査・在留審査Q&A (Japanese)Immigration Services Agency of Japan