Necessary Materials to Apply for Japanese Visa

A visa is NOT necessary for US passport holders visiting Japan for a short-term stay of less than 90 days with the purpose of tourism and business.

*Please note that the visa waiver arrangement with the United States does NOT apply to U.S. individuals wishing to travel to Japan for news media related activities, attending depositions taken by U.S. Consul, or for U.S. Federal Government employees on official business or transit to/from official mission.
1. List of Nationals and Citizens of Countries and Regions with Reciprocal Visa Exemption Arrangements with Japan.
2. Please note that in principle we do not accept an application from B-1 and B-2 U.S. visa status holders.
3. You must be a resident of DC, VA, or MD in order to apply for a visa through the Embassy in DC.
4. To check the location of the Embassy/Consulate-General with jurisdiction over your place of residence, please click here.
5. As a general rule, the visa applicant should come in person with exception of applications for diplomatic/official visas and applications through formal application agencies.

Visa Validity

In general, a visa is only valid for one entry. A visa is valid for 3 months from the day of issuance. Therefore, entry into Japan should occur within this time frame. A Multiple entry visa is valid for 1 to 5 years.
Multiple entry visas can be issued to citizens of countries that Japan has bilateral agreements with and to visitors with business purposes. A Double-Entry Transit visa is valid for 4 months and can be used twice (once on the way to your destination and once on the return trip) to complete a round trip.
For the detailed information, please check with local embassy in your country or visit http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/index.html.