Short-Term / Temporary Visitor Visa

2026/5/6

*U.S. citizens do not require a visa to enter Japan if their stay is less than 90 days*

A temporary visitor/short-term stay visa is for those who intend to stay in Japan for less than 90 days with non-paid/not-for-profit activities as the purpose of the trip such as:

Sightseeing; recreation; sports
Visiting relatives, friends, or acquaintances; visiting a sick person; attending a wedding or funeral ceremony
Participating in athletic tournaments; contests etc. as an amateur
Business purposes (such as market research, business liaison, business consultation, signing a contract, or providing after-sale service for imported machinery)
Inspecting or visiting plants, trade fairs etc.
Attending lectures, explanatory meetings etc.; academic surveys or research presentations
Religious pilgrimages or visits
Friendship visits to sister cities, sister schools etc.
or other similar activities during a short period of stay in Japan.

Depending on your nationality, you may not need a visa if your stay in Japan is less than 90 days. Please check the list of countries with visa exemptions on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website to determine if you need a short-term visa.

Persons planning to travel to Japan for a different purpose, such as students, workers, journalists, entertainers, attorneys, etc., must apply for a different visa in the appropriate category.

If you are traveling through Japan on the way to another country as your final destination, you may need a transit visa. This includes passengers who have overnight flight connections in Japan and passengers arriving at one airport in Japan and departing from another airport in Japan.

Required Documentation

A person applying for a short-term visa to travel to Japan must submit the following documentation:

1. Valid Passport

Must have at least one complete blank visa page.

2. Proof of U.S. Immigration Status

・Valid U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green card) and any proof of extension if expired (ex: I-797, Advance Parole or stamp in passport, etc.)
・ Valid F1 Visa and I-20 with valid travel endorsement signature. Please provide ALL pages of the I-20.
The signature is only valid for one year.
・ Valid J1 Visa and DS-2019 form with valid travel endorsement signature

Please note that in principle we do not accept an application from B-1 (Temporary Business Visitor) and B-2 (Temporary Visitor for Tourism/Leisure) U.S. visa holders. If you hold a B-1 or B-2 U.S. visa, you should return to your country of origin and apply for a Japan visa from there.

3. One visa application form (Visa application form)

The applicant must complete the visa application form in black pen or typed. Signature must be original. On the application form, if there is a field not applicable, please write “N/A” or “None”.
For children younger than school-age (6 yrs old and younger): A parent can print the child's name and write “signed by mother/father"

4. One Passport Size Photograph

Must be taken within 6 months of application date with front-face view of applicant and plain background.
US passport size photo is also acceptable.

5. A flight itinerary or reservation confirming arrival and departure in Japan

An e-ticket or print-out from a travel agency, airline or travel website is acceptable. The print-out should include:

Passenger's name.
Confirmation number/record locator.
Airline names, flight number and all departure/destination cities.
Complete round-trip flight itinerary, starting/ending in the US. This should include all of the countries you are visiting other than Japan, if applicable.

Please note: We do not require the purchase of tickets, but we require a confirmed reservation. The Consular Office of Japan is not responsible for tickets which may be unusable due to the delay or denial of a visa.

6. Daily Schedule (Template)

Describe your DETAILED daily activity plan in Japan. Please refrain from writing just city names but be specific.
Your flight, schedule and hotel dates must match.

7. Hotel Confirmation

Please include the hotel confirmation(s) (if not booked, on the Daily Schedule, clearly state the name, address, and phone number for every night with intended accommodation).

8. Proof of residency

e.g.: Driver's license, State ID, or Utility bill

9. Most recent bank statement

Must be issued by a bank in the U.S. under your name.
* If the bank statement is in your spouse’s name, submit a copy of the Marriage Certificate, English translation, and their passport copy.
* If the bank statement is in your parent’s name, submit a copy of the Birth Certificate, English translation, and parent’s passport copy.

10. Visa fees (if applicable)

Visa fees vary by country. There is no visa fee for U.S. citizens.

The consular office only accepts exact payments in cash. Checks and cards will not be accepted.

For visiting friends or relatives:

A foreign citizen traveling to Japan for visiting relatives/acquaintances must submit the following:

・Invitaion Letter　Invitation Letter (English)　 Invitation Letter (Japanese)
The person who resides in Japan must fill this form out in detail.

・Proof of Residency From Person Living in Japan
The proof of residency can be either their Residence Card (在留カード) OR Juminhyo (住民票) issued within 3 months by the local city hall.
Information from the Juminhyo (住民票) must NOT be omitted.

・Hotel confirmation (if applicable)

PLEASE NOTE: Additional documents may be required if deemed necessary.