Japan visa for Indians: requirements, fees and how to apply
Yes. Indians need a visa to enter Japan, including for tourism. India is not on the Japanese foreign ministry's list of 74 visa-exempt countries and regions, revised 1 September 2025, and Japan does not issue visas on arrival. Applications in India go through VFS. No appointment is needed. The visa fee for Indian nationals is 500 INR (Embassy of Japan in India).
Visa required
The rule for Indian passports
What the Japanese foreign ministry publishes for nationals of India.
- Short-stay visa
- Needed
- Standard processing
- 5 working days
- Visa fee
- 500 INR
- eVISA where you live
- Through an agency
- Japanese missions
- 5
- 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
- 500 INR for Indian nationals (Embassy of Japan in India)
- JAPAN eVISA
- Through an accredited agency
- List last revised
- 1 September 2025
The official wording
Other passports from Asia
| Passport | Short-stay visa | Visa-free stay |
|---|---|---|
| China | Needed | No visa-free stay |
| Hong Kong | Not needed | 90 days |
| India | Needed | No visa-free stay |
| South Korea | Not needed | 90 days |
| Taiwan | Not needed | 90 days |
| Thailand | Not needed | 15 days |
How to apply in India
The steps the foreign ministry sets out, with what the mission in India 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 India says
If an application is refused, the same purpose cannot be applied for again within six months.
Documents for a tourist visa
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.
- 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
Visa fee
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.
| Visa | Who | Fee | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single entry | Indian nationals | 500 INR Source | 1 July 2026 |
| Single entry | Other nationals | 8,650 INR Source | 1 July 2026 |
| Multiple entry | Indian nationals | 500 INR Source | 1 July 2026 |
| Multiple entry | Other nationals | 17,350 INR Source | 1 July 2026 |
JAPAN eVISA in India
In India the JAPAN eVISA is applied for through an accredited agency, not directly on the website. It covers a single-entry short-term visa for tourism, up to 90 days.
- At check-in you show the visa issuance notice live on your phone. A PDF, a screenshot or a printout is not accepted.
- Visiting relatives or friends, business and transit are not covered: those applications are made on paper.
Working, studying or staying longer
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.
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
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; Indians need a visa in any case.
India and Japan in numbers
315,062 visitors from India came to Japan in 2025, 17th among the markets JNTO counts separately. That was up 35.2% on 2024.
Japan issued 265,882 visas to Indian nationals in 2025, 3% of all visas issued and number 4 by nationality.
Japanese embassy and consulates in India
The missions the foreign ministry lists for India. The rules on this page can change, so confirm with the mission before you book.
- Embassy of Japan in IndiaOfficial website
- Consulate-General in BengaluruOfficial website
- Consulate-General in ChennaiOfficial website
- Consulate-General in KolkataOfficial website
- Consulate-General in MumbaiOfficial 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.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Japan?
Yes. Indians need a visa to enter Japan, including for tourism. India is not on the Japanese foreign ministry's list of 74 visa-exempt countries and regions, revised 1 September 2025, and Japan does not issue visas on arrival. Applications in India go through VFS. No appointment is needed. The visa fee for Indian nationals is 500 INR (Embassy of Japan in India).
Can Indians get a visa on arrival in Japan?
No. The foreign ministry states that visas cannot be obtained at the port of entry in Japan. Apply before you travel.
How much is a Japan visa for Indians?
500 INR for Indian nationals, according to the Embassy of Japan in India. This fee applies from 1 July 2026. An agency, where one is used, charges its own handling fee.
How long does a Japan visa take in India?
The foreign ministry's standard 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. The Embassy of Japan in India adds: “Due to increase volume of applications, processing times of Japanese visa can vary significantly. … Visa process cannot be expedited or prioritized according to the schedule of applicants.”
Can Indians apply for a Japan eVISA?
In India the JAPAN eVISA is applied for through an accredited agency, not directly on the website. It covers a single-entry short-term visa for tourism, up to 90 days.
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 Visas and Landing Permissionchecked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan VISAchecked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Visa Processing Timechecked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Validity of a Visachecked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Visa Feeschecked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Frequently Asked Questionschecked October 5, 2026
- Embassy of Japan in India Visachecked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Short-term stay: other nationalitieschecked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Checklist for Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa (PDF)checked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Visa Application Form to Enter Japan (PDF)checked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan The JAPAN eVISA system (electronic visa)checked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan FAQ about JAPAN eVISAchecked 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
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Visitor arrivals by nationality and month: 2025 (finalised)checked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Statistics for the number of visas issued in 2025 (PDF)checked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Number of Japanese Visas Issued in 2025checked October 5, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Websites of Japanese Embassies, Consulates and Permanent Missionschecked October 5, 2026
Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 5, 2026