How to fill in the Japan visa application form

The Visa Application Form to Enter Japan (査証申請書) is the 2-page form of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan that you complete to apply for a Japanese visa, for a short stay or, with a Certificate of Eligibility, for work, study or a long stay. Every applicant who needs a visa fills in and signs their own form and hands it in with a photo, a passport and supporting documents to the Japanese embassy or consulate for their place of residence, or to the agency it designates.

Last checked against the official form: October 26, 2026

Form: Japan visa
Edition: Visa Application Form to Enter Japan, English PDF of March 2023 (2 pages, with “Certificate of Eligibility No.”)
Issued by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Form language: English

Who receives it: The Japanese embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over where you live, or the accredited agency, visa centre or online system it designates
Who fills it in: Every applicant who needs a visa, each with their own form; a parent or legal representative signs for a minor
Processing time: 5 working days from the day after the application is accepted if there is no problem; longer if the embassy refers it to Tokyo
Validity: A single-entry visa must be used within 3 months; multiple-entry visas are valid for 1 to 5 years
Cost: The form is free; from 1 July 2026 the fee is about 15,000 yen for a single entry and 30,000 yen for multiple entries, it varies by nationality, and nothing is charged if the visa is not issued

What this form is

The form asks who you are, what your passport says, why and when you are going to Japan, where you will stay, where you live and work, who guarantees or invites you in Japan, and six “Have you ever” questions about your criminal and immigration history. The fields have no numbers; this guide follows the order of the English PDF.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) publishes the form in English, simplified and traditional Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish, with the same items; the simplified Chinese and Korean versions add a line for your name in Chinese characters. MOFA says to fill it in and print it with Adobe Acrobat Reader. Which documents go with it depends on your nationality and purpose, and the embassy where you apply has the final list.

A visa is one of the requirements for entering Japan, not a guarantee. By signing you declare that your answers are true and accept that the immigration officer at the port of entry decides your status of residence and period of stay. A visa cannot be obtained on arrival or inside Japan.

Who has to fill it in

You fill it in if:

Your nationality needs a visa for a short stay in Japan: up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting relatives or friends and similar purposes, without paid work.
You are going to work, study or live in Japan for longer than 90 days: in principle someone in Japan first gets you a Certificate of Eligibility, and you apply for the visa with it.
You are applying for a child: the form is filled in for the child, and a parent or legal representative signs it.

You do not need this form if:

Your country or region is visa-exempt and you stay 90 days or less without income-earning activities.
You apply through JAPAN eVISA: residents of some countries and regions apply online for a single-entry tourist visa instead.
You are already in Japan and want to extend or change your status of residence: that is done with the Immigration Services Agency, not with a visa.
You hold Japanese nationality: an embassy does not accept a visa application from a Japanese national.

Field-by-field instructions

Photo and personal details

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
(Paste photo here) 45mm ×35mm or 2in x 1.4in	Your photograph, in the box at the top of page 1.	Glue a recent photo of 45mm × 35mm in the box; do not staple it. Embassy samples ask for a clear photo with a plain background taken within the last 6 months.
Surname (as shown in passport)	Your family name, exactly as in your passport.	Copy it from the data page of your passport, in block letters if you write by hand.
Given and middle names (as shown in passport)	Your given name and any middle names, exactly as in your passport.	Write all of them in the order of the passport, without shortening or adding names.
Other names (including any other names you are or have been known by)	Any other name you use or have used, such as a name before marriage or an alias.	List every other name you are or have been known by. If there is none, write “N/A” or “None”.
Date of birth (Day)/(Month)/(Year)	The day you were born.	Write it in the order printed under the line: day, month, year.
Place of birth (City) (State or Province) (Country)	Where you were born.	Write the city, the state or province and the country, in the three parts the form gives.
Sex: Male / Female	Your sex as shown in your passport.	Tick Male or Female.
Marital status: Single / Married / Widowed / Divorced	Your marital status today.	Tick Single, Married, Widowed or Divorced.
Nationality or citizenship	The country whose passport you are using for this application.	Write the nationality shown in your passport, or pick it from the list in the PDF.
Former and/or other nationalities or citizenships	Any nationality you had before or hold besides the one above.	Write each former or other nationality. If there is none, write “N/A”.
ID No. issued to you by your government	The number of a national identity card or similar number your government gave you.	Write it if your country issues one. If it does not, write “N/A”, as embassy samples show.

Passport

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Passport type: Diplomatic / Official / Ordinary / Other	The kind of passport you hold.	Tick Ordinary for a normal passport. Tick Diplomatic, Official or Other only if that is what you hold.
Passport No.	The number of your passport.	Copy it exactly from the data page and check it twice.
Place of issue	Where the passport was issued.	Write the city or place shown on the data page.
Date of issue (Day)/(Month)/(Year)	The day the passport was issued.	Copy it from the data page in day, month, year order.
Issuing authority	The office or authority that issued the passport.	Copy the authority shown on the data page; if it was issued by an embassy or consulate of your country abroad, write its name.
Date of expiry (Day)/(Month)/(Year)	The day the passport expires.	Copy it in day, month, year order. An embassy may refuse to accept the application if the passport's validity or its space for the visa is not enough.

Your trip to Japan

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Certificate of Eligibility No.	The number of your Certificate of Eligibility, if you have one.	Write the number from the certificate if you are going to work, study or live in Japan with one. For a short stay without it, write “N/A”.
Purpose of visit to Japan/Status of residence	Why you are going to Japan; for a long stay, the status of residence you will hold.	Write a short purpose such as Tourism, Visiting friends or Attending a conference. With a Certificate of Eligibility, write the status of residence it was issued for.
Intended length of stay in Japan	How long you plan to stay in Japan.	Write it in days or months, for example 12 days. It should match your itinerary and return ticket.
Date of arrival in Japan	The day you plan to arrive in Japan.	Write it in day, month, year order, as in your itinerary.
Port of entry into Japan	The airport or seaport where you will first enter Japan.	Write the airport's name, for example Narita Airport or Kansai Airport.
Name of ship or airline	How you are travelling to Japan.	Write the airline or ship and, if you know it, the flight number of the flight that lands in Japan.
Names and addresses of hotels or persons with whom applicant intends to stay: Name / Tel. / Address	Where you will stay: a hotel, or the person you will stay with.	Write the hotel's name, telephone number and address, or the host's name, telephone number and full address. MOFA says reservations are not required when you apply; the itinerary in Japan lists every place you stay.
Dates and duration of previous stays in Japan	Your earlier visits to Japan.	List the dates and the length of each stay, for example “4 February ~ 4 March 2019; 1 month”. If it is your first visit, write “N/A”; if they do not fit, add a separate sheet.

Address, contact and work

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Your current residential address (if you have more than one address, please list them all)	Where you live now.	Write your full home address with the postcode. If you have more than one address, the form asks you to list them all.
Tel. / Mobile No. / E-Mail	How the embassy can reach you.	Write a telephone number, a mobile number and an email address you check. Write “N/A” for a line you do not have.
Current profession or occupation and position	Your job and position today.	Write your job title, or your situation such as Student, Retired, Homemaker or Unemployed. It should match your certificate of employment or other documents.
Name and address of employer: Name / Tel. / Address	Who you work for, or the school you attend.	Write the name, telephone number and address of your employer. Students write their school; if you have no employer, write “N/A”.
(Note)Partner's profession/occupation (or that of parents, if applicant is a minor)	The job of your spouse or partner, or of your parents if you are a minor.	The form marks this line as not mandatory. Fill it in if it applies; otherwise write “N/A” or leave it.

Guarantor and inviter in Japan

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Guarantor or reference in Japan (Please provide details of the guarantor or the person to be visited in Japan): Name / Tel. / Address	The person in Japan who guarantees your stay, or the person you will visit.	Write their name, telephone number and address in Japan. If nobody in Japan guarantees, invites or receives you, for example on a self-paid holiday, follow your embassy's instructions: many ask for “N/A”.
Date of birth / Sex / Relationship to applicant / Profession or occupation and position / Nationality and immigration status	More about that person.	Write their date of birth, tick their sex, and write how they are related to you, their job and position, and their nationality with, if they are not Japanese, their status of residence.
Inviter in Japan (Please write 'same as above' if the inviting person and the guarantor are the same): Name / Tel. / Address	The person or organisation in Japan that invites you.	Write “same as above” if it is the same as the guarantor, as the form says. Otherwise write their name, telephone number and address.
Date of birth / Sex / Relationship to applicant / Profession or occupation and position / Nationality and immigration status	More about the inviting person.	Fill it in as for the guarantor, unless you wrote “same as above”.

Remarks and the “Have you ever” questions

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
(Note)Remarks/Special circumstances, if any	Space for anything the embassy should know.	The form marks this line as not mandatory. Use it for a short explanation, for example of a change of name or an unusual travel plan; otherwise leave it or write “N/A”.
Have you ever: been convicted of a crime or offence in any country?	Whether you have ever been convicted of a crime or offence in any country.	Tick Yes or No. Answer every one of the six questions: embassy instructions say not to leave this section blank.
been sentenced to imprisonment for 1 year or more in any country?(Note 2)	Whether you have ever been sentenced to imprisonment for 1 year or more in any country.	Tick Yes or No. Note 2 says to tick Yes even if the sentence was suspended.
been deported or removed from Japan or any country for overstaying your visa or violating any law or regulation?	Whether you have ever been deported or removed from Japan or another country for overstaying or breaking a law.	Tick Yes or No.
been convicted and sentenced for a drug offence in any country in violation of law concerning narcotics, marijuana, opium, stimulants or psychotropic substances?(Note 2)	Whether you have ever been convicted and sentenced for a drug offence in any country.	Tick Yes or No. Note 2 applies here too: a suspended sentence counts as Yes.
engaged in prostitution, or in the intermediation or solicitation of a prostitute for other persons, or in the provision of a place for prostitution, or any other activity directly connected to prostitution?	Whether you have ever been involved in prostitution or activities directly connected to it.	Tick Yes or No.
committed trafficking in persons or incited or aided another to commit such an offence?	Whether you have ever committed trafficking in persons or helped someone else do so.	Tick Yes or No.
If you answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, please provide relevant details.	An explanation of any Yes answer.	If you ticked Yes anywhere, write what happened, where, when and the sentence. If every answer is No, write “N/A”.

Date and signature

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Date of application (Day)/(Month)/(Year)	The day you hand in the application.	Write it in day, month, year order.
Signature of applicant	Your signature under the declarations printed above it.	Sign by hand in ink, matching the signature in your passport; embassy checklists say digital signatures are not accepted. For a minor, a parent or legal representative signs and writes the relationship, for example “signed by mother”.

Key terms

Term on the form	What it means
Certificate of Eligibility	A certificate issued in Japan by the Immigration Services Agency, usually applied for by your employer, school or family there, that is needed in principle for a work or long-stay visa.
Status of residence	The category of activities you may do in Japan, written on the landing permission the immigration officer gives you when you arrive; people often call it a “visa”.
Period of stay	How long you may stay in Japan, decided by the immigration officer when you arrive.
Guarantor	A person in Japan who promises the embassy that your stay, return trip and conduct are covered; MOFA says the responsibility is moral, not legal.
Inviter	The person or organisation in Japan that invites you and explains the reason for the visit.
Port of entry	The airport or seaport where you go through immigration when you arrive in Japan.
Inadmissible	Not allowed to enter Japan at the border, even with a visa, for example because entry conditions are not met.
Sentence was suspended	A sentence that was imposed but not carried out on condition of good behaviour; the form still counts it.
Japanese embassy/consulate-general	The Japanese diplomatic mission abroad that examines your application and issues the visa.
Accredited travel agent	A travel agent the Japanese embassy or consulate has approved to submit applications for applicants.
Visa fee	The fee for issuing the visa, paid in principle in local currency and only when the visa is issued.
Retained Personal Information	The personal data in your application, which MOFA handles under Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information.

Common mistakes

1
Leaving fields blank
Embassy instructions ask you to complete every field and write “N/A” or “None” where something does not apply. Only the two lines marked (Note) are optional.
2
Writing a name that differs from the passport
Copy the surname and given names exactly from the data page. The details on your documents must match your passport.
3
Signing digitally or not at all
Print the form and sign it by hand in ink. For a child, a parent or legal representative signs and writes the relationship.
4
Stapling or reusing an old photo
Glue a 45mm × 35mm photo taken within the last 6 months; do not staple or tape it.
5
Ticking No for a suspended sentence
Note 2 says to tick Yes even if the sentence was suspended. Explain any Yes answer in the details box.
6
Writing dates in the wrong order
Every date on the form is day, month, year. A date in another order can make your trip or passport look wrong.
7
Applying at the wrong embassy
Apply to the Japanese embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over where you live, not where you happen to be travelling.
8
Answers that do not match the itinerary
Your length of stay, arrival date, port of entry, flight and hotel must match your itinerary and other documents.
9
Reapplying too soon after a refusal
MOFA does not accept a new application for the same purpose within 6 months of a refusal, unless your circumstances changed significantly; ask the embassy first.

Questions and answers

Do I need a visa to visit Japan?

It depends on your nationality. Nationals of visa-exempt countries and regions can stay up to 90 days without a visa if they do no income-earning activities; everyone else needs a visa. Check MOFA's list of visa-exempt countries and the page of the embassy for where you live.

Can I apply for a Japan visa online?

For a single-entry tourist visa, yes, if you live where JAPAN eVISA is available. As of 15 May 2026 MOFA lists residents of 9 countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, and in some others accredited agencies apply through it. Other visas use this form.

How much does a Japan visa cost?

From 1 July 2026 MOFA gives about 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and about 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa, paid in principle in local currency. Some nationalities and purposes pay less or nothing, an accredited agency adds its own handling fee, and nothing is charged if the visa is not issued.

How long does it take to get a Japanese visa?

5 working days from the day after the application is accepted, if there is no problem. It can take longer in busy periods, when more documents are needed, and more than a month if the embassy refers the application to Tokyo.

What do I write in a field that does not apply to me?

Write “N/A” or “None” rather than leaving it blank, as embassy instructions say. The partner's occupation and remarks lines are marked (Note) and are not mandatory.

Do I need a guarantor in Japan?

Only if someone in Japan invites you or pays for your trip; then they give you documents such as an invitation letter or a letter of guarantee to send with your application. If you travel as a tourist and pay yourself, follow your embassy's instructions for these lines.

Can I fill in the form on a computer?

Yes. MOFA says to fill it in and print it with Adobe Acrobat Reader. Print it on paper, glue the photo, and sign it by hand.

Why was my visa refused, and can I apply again?

MOFA does not give the reason for a refusal. It does not accept a new application for the same purpose within 6 months, except when circumstances have changed significantly; ask the embassy before you reapply.

Does a visa guarantee that I can enter Japan?

No. The declaration you sign says that a visa does not entitle you to enter if you are found inadmissible, and the immigration officer decides your status of residence and period of stay on arrival.

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