Most Western passport holders can enter Japan visa-free for 90 days, while travellers from India, China and Vietnam still need a visa — and fees quintupled in July 2026. Here is the full breakdown by passport, plus what Visit Japan Web and JESTA actually are.
Cover image: The five-storey Chureito Pagoda overlooking snow-capped Mount Fuji in Fujiyoshida, Japan. — photo by Stjepko Krehula, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
For most travellers the short answer is no — you do not need a visa for Japan. Holders of passports from 74 countries and territories — including the United States, the United Kingdom, every EU member state, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea — can enter Japan visa-free, in most cases for up to 90 days, for tourism or business meetings. There is no fee, no advance application and, as of 2026, no electronic travel authorisation either: Japan's planned JESTA system is not yet in force.
If you hold a passport from India, China, Vietnam, the Philippines or most of Africa and South Asia, you do need a visa before you fly — and it became sharply more expensive when Japan's visa fees roughly quintupled on 1 July 2026. Demand, meanwhile, keeps climbing: Japan logged a record 3.44 million visitors in July 2026, so whichever category you fall into, sorting paperwork early is wise.
Which passports can enter Japan without a visa?
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) maintains reciprocal visa-exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions. The standard permitted stay is 90 days, granted as a "Temporary Visitor" stamp on arrival. A handful of countries get shorter windows: Thailand and Indonesia are limited to 15 days, while Brunei and Qatar get 30 days.
The exempt list covers, among others:
- 90 days: US, UK, all EU states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Israel, Türkiye and the UAE
- 30 days: Brunei, Qatar
- 15 days: Thailand, Indonesia
Some exemptions carry passport-type conditions (for example, certain countries' arrangements apply only to biometric e-passports), so check MOFA's list for your specific nationality before booking.
| Passport group | Visa-free stay | What you need in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, NZ, Singapore, South Korea + most of the 74-country list | 90 days | Valid passport only; Visit Japan Web optional |
| Brunei, Qatar | 30 days | Valid passport only |
| Thailand, Indonesia | 15 days | Valid passport (e-passport conditions may apply) |
| India, China, Vietnam, Philippines, most of Africa and South Asia | None — visa required | Tourist visa from a Japanese embassy: 15,000 yen single-entry, 30,000 yen multiple-entry |
What are the conditions of visa-free entry?
Visa-free entry is for tourism, visiting friends and family, and unpaid business activities such as meetings, conferences and contract negotiations. You cannot take paid work, enrol in long-term study or apply for residency on a Temporary Visitor stamp.
Japan's passport rule is unusually lenient: your passport must simply be valid for the duration of your stay — Japan has no six-month passport-validity rule. Airlines and immigration officers may still ask for evidence of an onward or return ticket and sufficient funds, so carry both.
What if my country is not visa-exempt?
Travellers from more than 100 countries — including India, China, Vietnam and the Philippines — must obtain a visa from a Japanese embassy or consulate (or an outsourced visa centre) before travelling. The standard single-entry tourist visa is typically issued for stays of up to 90 days.
Costs jumped on 1 July 2026, the first increase since 1978: a single-entry visa now costs 15,000 yen (roughly USD 93, up from 3,000 yen) and a multiple-entry visa 30,000 yen (about USD 186, up from 6,000 yen). Processing routes, documents and timelines vary by nationality; Chinese nationals, for instance, generally apply through designated travel agencies. If you are comparing regional trips, our Vietnam visa guide covers a very different — and far cheaper — e-visa system.
What is Visit Japan Web — and is it a visa?
Visit Japan Web is not a visa and it is not mandatory. It is a free online service run by Japan's Digital Agency that lets you pre-register your passport details, immigration disembarkation card and customs declaration before you fly, generating QR codes to scan on arrival at major airports.
Registration is optional — you can still complete paper forms on the plane — but the QR codes speed up immigration and customs and make tax-free shopping registration easier. It confers no right of entry and does not replace a visa for nationalities that need one.
When will Japan's JESTA launch?
JESTA — the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization — is a planned pre-travel screening for visa-exempt nationals, modelled on systems like the one covered in our US ESTA guide. Originally pencilled in for 2030, the government has brought the target forward to fiscal 2028 (April 2028 – March 2029), with a developer selected in 2026 and a multi-year build and testing schedule confirmed in parliament.
To be clear: JESTA is not in force in 2026. No visa-exempt traveller needs any pre-authorisation to enter Japan today. Ignore third-party sites selling "JESTA applications" — nothing exists to apply for yet.
Frequently asked questions
Do US, UK or EU citizens need a visa for Japan?
No. All are on Japan's 74-country visa-exemption list and receive 90 days on arrival as Temporary Visitors, for tourism or unpaid business activities. No fee, form or pre-authorisation is required in 2026.
How long can I stay in Japan without a visa?
Most exempt nationalities get 90 days. Brunei and Qatar passport holders get 30 days, and Thai and Indonesian passport holders get 15 days.
Does my passport need six months' validity for Japan?
No. Japan only requires your passport to be valid for the duration of your stay — there is no six-month rule.
Is Visit Japan Web mandatory?
No. It is an optional pre-registration service for immigration and customs QR codes. It is not a visa and paper arrival forms remain available.
How much does a Japan tourist visa cost in 2026?
For applications lodged from 1 July 2026, a single-entry visa costs 15,000 yen (about USD 93) and a multiple-entry visa 30,000 yen (about USD 186).
Sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
- JNTO — Japan Visa Requirements and Travel Visa Information
- Euronews — Japan to increase visa fees by more than five times starting on 1 July
- CNBC — Japan is raising visa fees by up to 400% for the first time in nearly 50 years
- Fragomen — Japan: Visa Issuance Fees to Increase Effective July 2026
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