Japan visa for Kenyans: requirements, fees and how to apply

What the Japanese foreign ministry publishes for nationals of Kenya.

Short-stay visa

Needed

Standard processing

5 working days

Japanese missions

1

Visa for a short stay

Required before travel

Visa on arrival

Not available

Standard processing

5 working days after the application is received

Single-entry visa

Valid for 3 months, for one entry

Visa fee from 1 July 2026

About 15,000 yen single entry, about 30,000 yen multiple entry, paid in local currency

JAPAN eVISA

Not offered for residents of Kenya

List last revised

1 September 2025

Other passports from Africa

The steps the foreign ministry sets out, with what the mission in Kenya adds.

Step 1

Prepare the documents. If someone in Japan invites or guarantees you, they send their documents to you, not to the embassy.

Step 2

Apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate for the place you live, at an accredited agency, at a Japan Visa Application Centre or online, whichever that mission specifies.

Step 3

Wait for the examination. The standard time is 5 working days from the day after the application is received. It can take more than a month if the case is referred to Tokyo.

Step 4

Collect the result. The visa fee is paid only if a visa is issued.

Step 5

Enter Japan within 3 months. A single-entry visa is valid for three months and for one entry.

What the Embassy of Japan in Kenya says

Embassy of Japan in Kenya

WORKING HOURS … Walk-in without appointment Submission of Application

VISA GUIDELINE

Embassy of Japan in Kenya

PROCESSING TIME : 5 working days … some visa applications require consultation with our headquarters in Tokyo and may take more than one month to issue.

VISA GUIDELINE

Embassy of Japan in Kenya

payable in cash only at the time of collection

VISA GUIDELINE

Embassy of Japan in Kenya

Monday － Friday … 8:00 a.m. － 12:00 p. m. … 1:30 p.m. － 4:00 p. m. (Collection only) … Saturdays / Sundays / Public Holidays : Closed

VISA GUIDELINE

Embassy of Japan in Kenya

The validity of a visa is three months. The period of validity cannot be extended.

VISA GUIDELINE

MOFA

Once all the documents are ready, you may apply for a visa at the consular section of the Diplomatic Mission of Japan with jurisdiction over your place of residence, at an accredited agency, the Japan Visa Application Centre, or online, by the method specified by the Diplomatic Mission of Japan where you will submit your application

VISA

If an application is refused, the same purpose cannot be applied for again within six months.

From the foreign ministry's checklist for a single-entry short-term visa (April 2025).

• Valid passport
• Visa application form, 1 copy
• Photo, 1 (the ministry's form marks the photo space as 45 mm × 35 mm)
• Flight itinerary with the flight or ship number and the dates of arrival and departure
• Proof you can pay for the trip: an income certificate or tax return from a public agency, or a bank statement or balance certificate
• Itinerary in Japan

Documents must have been issued within the last three months. The mission can ask for more on a case-by-case basis.

What the Embassy of Japan in Kenya says

Embassy of Japan in Kenya

One recent photograph, a visa form duly completed. … Valid passport with at least two blank visa pages … Flight booking print-out or air-ticket copy. … Officially certified bank statement for the past six months.

VISA GUIDELINE

• Checklist for a single-entry short-term visa (PDF)Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
• Short-term stay: Short-term stay: other nationalitiesMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
• Visa application form (PDF)Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
• Tourist visa documents: the full checklistDocuments, form and photo

Fees changed on 1 July 2026.

For applications accepted on or after 1 July 2026, the fee is about 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and about 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa, converted and paid in the local currency. Depending on purpose and nationality, the fee can be waived or different. No fee is charged if the visa is not issued. An agency adds its own handling fee.

MOFA

For visa applications accepted at overseas diplomatic missions on or after that date, the fee, converted into Japanese yen, will be approximately 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and approximately 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa.

Visa Fees

MOFA

Depending on the purpose of your visit and your nationality, fees may not be required or the amount may differ.

Visa Fees

Embassy of Japan in Kenya

The above fee does not apply to citizens of countries with which Japan has bilateral agreements.

VISA GUIDELINE

• Japan visa fees by countryWhat each embassy charges

The foreign ministry's eVISA list (as of 15 May 2026) does not include Kenya. Apply on paper at the embassy or consulate, or through the channel it names.

The short-term visa 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.

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.

• Visit Japan Web: QR codes for immigration and customsStep by step
• What you cannot bring into JapanMeat, fruit, medicine and more
• Tax-free shopping in JapanThe refund system from 1 November 2026

JESTA is the electronic travel authorisation Japan is creating for visa-exempt visitors, starting no later than 31 March 2029. The law bars entry to foreign nationals who have neither a JESTA authorisation nor a visa; Kenyans need a visa in any case.

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

The missions the foreign ministry lists for Kenya. The rules on this page can change, so confirm with the mission before you book.

• Embassy of Japan in KenyaOfficial website

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.