Do Germans need a visa for Japan? 90 days visa-free

The rule for German passports

What the Japanese foreign ministry lists for Germany.

Short-stay visa: Not needed
Visa-free stay: 90 days
Working holiday: Since 2000
Japanese missions: 5

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

Embassy of Japan in GermanyGerman nationals and nationals of other countries and regions can enter Japan without a visa for short stays of up to 90 days … Short-term stays include for example: touristic travel, business trips, attending a conference, visiting relatives/ friends, attending language schools, unpaid internships, unpaid research work etc.Visa and Consular Service

Other passports from Europe

Short-stay visa rules for passports from Europe (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, exemption list revised 1 September 2025)
Passport	Short-stay visa	Visa-free stay
France	Not needed	90 days
Germany	Not needed	90 days
Italy	Not needed	90 days
Russia	Needed	No visa-free stay
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 Germany.

What the Embassy of Japan in Germany says

Embassy of Japan in GermanyPassports need to be valid at least during the duration of stay incl. day of departure (except when applying and entering with a long-term visa). Beyond this, there are no other regulations.Reise nach Japan / Travel information

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.

Under the bilateral arrangement with Germany, stays of up to 6 months are possible. To stay beyond 90 days, apply for an extension at a Regional Immigration Bureau in Japan before your permitted stay runs out.

MOFA: note 8 to the listFor nationals of those countries with visa exemptions permitting stays of up to 6 months under the bilateral visa exemption arrangements, those who wish to stay in Japan for more than 90 days are required to apply for an extension of the period of stay to the Ministry of Justice (Regional Immigration Bureau) before the period of permitted stay is to expire.Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)

Working holiday visa

Japan has run a working holiday programme with Germany since 2000. 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: 2000
Visas per year: No limit
Age: 18 to 30 when you apply
Second participation: Allowed

MOFAStarting from 1 January, 2025, the nationals of Germany, Ireland, and Slovakia are allowed to participate in the Working Holiday Programmes twice in lifetime (two inconsecutive one-year stays in total).The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan

Apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate in Germany.

Digital nomad status

Germany 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.

JESTA: what is decided so farDates, who it covers, what is not yet set

Living in Germany 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 Germany, so applications go to the embassy or consulate, or to the channel it names.

What the Embassy of Japan in Germany says

Embassy of Japan in GermanyThe following procedure applies to visa applications at the Embassy of Japan in Berlin … At the embassy: Any time without an appointment during opening hours … either in person or by proxy with letter of authority.Visa and Consular Service

Embassy of Japan in GermanyBy post: Address: Botschaft von Japan, Konsularabteilung, Hiroshimastr. 6, 10785 Berlin … Please do not send the original passport/ residence permit, but only copies. … By email: Not possible.Visa and Consular Service

Embassy of Japan in GermanyGermany is divided in consular areas. … Visa applications and all further questions should be directed at the respective consulate or embassy in charge.Konsularisches

Embassy of Japan in GermanyProcessing time: at least 5 working days, possibly longer.Visa and Consular Service

Embassy of Japan in GermanyApplications should be submitted not earlier than 2.5 months but at the latest 3 weeks before departure from Germany.Visa and Consular Service

Visa fees at the Embassy of Japan in Germany

Visa fees published by the Embassy of Japan in Germany (checked 5 October 2026)
Visa	Who	Fee	From
Single entry	General	90 EUR Source	1 July 2026
Multiple entry	General	181 EUR Source	1 July 2026

Germany and Japan in numbers

429,479 visitors from Germany came to Japan in 2025, 16th among the markets JNTO counts separately. That was up 31.8% on 2024.

Japanese embassy and consulates in Germany

The missions the foreign ministry lists for Germany. 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 Germans need a visa for Japan?

No. Germans do not need a visa for a short stay in Japan of up to 90 days. Germany 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 Germans stay in Japan without a visa?

Up to 90 days. That is the period of stay the foreign ministry lists for Germany on its visa exemption list, revised 1 September 2025. Under the bilateral arrangement a stay of up to 6 months is possible, but you must apply for an extension in Japan before the first 90 days run out.

Can Germans 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 German nationals who want to work while travelling.

Do Germans 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 German passport be valid for Japan?

The Embassy of Japan in Germany states: “Passports need to be valid at least during the duration of stay incl. day of departure (except when applying and entering with a long-term visa). Beyond this, there are no other regulations.”

Related items

Sources for this page

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)checked October 5, 2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan VISAchecked October 5, 2026
Embassy of Japan in Germany Visa and Consular Servicechecked October 5, 2026
Immigration Services Agency of Japan 外国人の入国の要件 (Japanese)checked October 5, 2026
Embassy of Japan in Germany Reise nach Japan / Travel informationchecked October 5, 2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan The Working Holiday Programmes in Japanchecked October 5, 2026
Immigration Services Agency of Japan Digital Nomad: eligible countries and regions (PDF)checked October 5, 2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Specified visa: Designated activities (Digital Nomad, Spouse or Child of Digital Nomad)checked October 5, 2026
Immigration Services Agency 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)checked October 5, 2026
Immigration Services Agency of Japan 外国人の上陸手続 (Japanese)checked October 5, 2026
Immigration Services Agency of Japan 令和8年入管法等改正法について (Japanese)checked October 5, 2026
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)checked October 5, 2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Frequently Asked Questionschecked October 5, 2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan The JAPAN eVISA system (electronic visa)checked October 5, 2026
Embassy of Japan in Germany Konsularischeschecked October 5, 2026
Embassy of Japan in Germany Visa informationchecked October 5, 2026
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Visitor arrivals by nationality and month: 2025 (finalised)checked October 5, 2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Websites of Japanese Embassies, Consulates and Permanent Missionschecked October 5, 2026
Immigration Services Agency of Japan 出入国審査・在留審査Q&A (Japanese)checked October 5, 2026