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Do French citizens need a visa for Japan?

No. French citizens do not need a visa for a short stay in Japan of up to 90 days. France 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.

Updated

90days visa-free
Since 2000working holiday programme
457,566visitors to Japan in 2025

No visa for short stays

The rule for French passports

What the Japanese foreign ministry lists for France.

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

Other passports from Europe

Short-stay visa rules for passports from Europe (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, exemption list revised 1 September 2025)
PassportShort-stay visaVisa-free stay
FranceNot needed90 days
GermanyNot needed90 days
ItalyNot needed90 days
RussiaNeededNo visa-free stay
SpainNot needed90 days
United KingdomNot needed90 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 France.

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 France since 2000. Visas issued per year: 1,800. 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
1,800
Age
18 to 30 when you apply
Second participation
Once in a lifetime

The programme with France was provisionally initiated in December 1999.

Apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate in France.

Digital nomad status

France 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 France 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 France, so applications go to the embassy or consulate, or to the channel it names.

What the Embassy of Japan in France says

  • Applications are submitted at the mission's consular section. An appointment is required. Source
  • Applications are submitted at the consulate-general for the area where you live. Source

Visa fees at the Embassy of Japan in France

Visa fees published by the Embassy of Japan in France (checked 5 October 2026)
VisaWhoFeeFrom
Single entryFrench nationals and foreign nationals from countries not on the fee-exemption list90 EUR Source1 July 2026
Single entryIndian passport holders5 EUR Source1 July 2026
Multiple entryFrench nationals and foreign nationals from countries not on the fee-exemption list181 EUR Source1 July 2026
Multiple entryIndian passport holders5 EUR Source1 July 2026

France and Japan in numbers

457,566 visitors from France came to Japan in 2025, 15th among the markets JNTO counts separately. That was up 18.8% on 2024.

Japanese embassy and consulates in France

The missions the foreign ministry lists for France. 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 French citizens need a visa for Japan?

No. French citizens do not need a visa for a short stay in Japan of up to 90 days. France 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 French citizens stay in Japan without a visa?

Up to 90 days. That is the period of stay the foreign ministry lists for France on its visa exemption list, revised 1 September 2025.

Can French 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 French nationals who want to work while travelling.

Do French 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.

Related items

Sources for this page

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Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 5, 2026