Visa: Frequently Asked Questions

Prior to the Visa Application

1. Do I need a visa to enter Japan?

Please click here to determine whether a visa is required.

2. I have a long-term permission of stay in Italy. Do I still need a visa to enter Japan?

Japan visa is required depending on your nationality, on the length of stay and on the activity that you will perform in Japan (See Question No. 1).
Having a permission of stay in Italy simply allows you to apply for a Japan visa in Italy.

3. Can I apply for a visa at the Consulate-General of Japan in Milan?

The Consulate-General of Japan in Milan only accepts visa applications and visa inquiries from residents of the following regions: Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Lombardia, Piemonte, Trentino-Alto Adige, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto.

4. When should I apply for a visa?

All visa, regardless of category, are valid for 3 months from the day of issue. You must enter Japan within this time frame (you will be able to enter Japan from the date of issue to the date of expire of your visa).
We will NOT accept any visa applications more than 3 months before your departure date. We recommend applying for a visa approximately 40 days before your departure date.

5. Do I need to make an appointment to apply for a visa?

Appointment is not required for visa applications.
However, if you live in a remote area, please be sure to contact us (EMAIL: visa@ml.mofa.go.jp/ TEL: (+39) 02-6241141) prior to your visit. We will provide you with detailed information on procedures and required documents in advance so that you can minimize your number of visits to our office.

6. How many unused visa pages do I need to have remained in my passport when I apply for a visa?

In order to be able to apply for a visa, your passport must have at least 2 blank pages left.

7. How long does my passport need to be valid in order to enter Japan?

Japan does not have any regulations relating to passport validity, so long as your passport will be valid until after you leave Japan.

8. What are the required documents for a visa application?

Please click here for more information on the required documents for a visa application.

9. The visa application form asks for my “I.D. No. Issued to you by your government”. What is this?

The governments of some countries give their citizens individual I.D. numbers. However, many countries do not. It is okay to leave this section blank if your country does not have such I.D. numbers.

10. The visa application form asks for a guarantor/reference and inviter in Japan. What should I do if I do not have one?

If you are not being invited to Japan, you may leave this section on the form blank. It is not necessary to have a guarantor in every case.

11. What is a“Certificate of Eligibility”?

The Certificate of Eligibility is a required document for visa application in case of long-term stays or paid activities in Japan. Your employer, school, or the party/individual inviting you to come to Japan should apply for the Certificate of Eligibility in Japan through the Ministry of Justice, Immigration Services Agency of Japan.

12. Can I apply for a visa online?

Currently, in Italy it is not possible to apply for a visa online. You must apply in person.

Visa Application Examination

13. How long is the processing time for a visa?

The time required from visa application to visa issuance is at least 5 working days from the day following the date of receipt of the application. There are NO expedited services. It is your responsibility to make sure you have enough time to apply for a visa.

14. Why was I asked to provide additional documents?

Sometimes additional information will be required for the examination process, and sometimes you will be asked in the process to submit extra documents in addition to the documents indicated as the necessary documents. Each applicant has different conditions and circumstances, therefore there are some documents that we do not ask everyone to submit from the beginning. If you do not submit the additional documents, the examination cannot be processed any further, and you will not be able to get the visa issued.

15. Why did you reject my visa application?

The reason for the rejection is that your application did not meet the criteria of visa issuance. We do not give you the specific reason of the rejection because if we do so, the information would eventually become known to the public. Once that happened, there is a danger that some people might misappropriate such information to get around the visa examination process and try to enter Japan for illegal purposes. It would impede the proper visa examination process in the future and have negative effects on Japanese society. The Administrative Procedure Act, Article 3, Paragraph 1, Item 10 excludes "dispositions concerning departure and immigration of foreign nationals" from application of the obligation to show the examination criteria or the reasons for the rejection of the application.

After the Visa Issuance

16. Do I have to come and collect my passport in person when the visa is issued?

Your passport must be collected by someone during opening hours. It may be collected by the applicant, or by a proxy provided with an authorization letter signed by the applicant and a copy of the applicant's ID.
Passports will not be returned by post.

17. When should I come to collect my passport?

The date of visa collection will be agreed upon when the visa application is accepted.

18. The “Date of expiry” on my visa sticker is 3 JAN. I will arrive in Japan on 1 JAN and leave on 10 JAN. Can I use this visa for my proposed trip?

Yes. In the top right corner of the visa vignette there is a period of validity (“Date of Issue” and “Date of expiry”), usually 3 months for same purpose. The visa holder can enter Japan at any time during this period. Once the holder has arrived in Japan, they will be granted a Landing Permission for the length of stay noted in “For stay(s) of”. For temporary visitors this is 15, 30 or 90 days. As long as the holder arrives in Japan on or before the “Date of expiry”, they will be able to remain in Japan for the full period of stay.

19. I had to postpone my travel to Japan after the date of expiry of my visa. Can you extend the validity of the visa?

No, the validity of a visa cannot be extended. The period of validity of a single-entry visa (that becomes invalid as soon as once you enter Japan) is basically three months. Enter Japan within three months of the issuance of the visa. If you wish to postpone your travel for longer than three months, you will be required to make another visa application.

20. I received a visa for study reasons for a period of stay of 1 year, but the "No. of entries" on my visa sticker is "Single". Does it mean that I cannot re-enter Japan if I leave the country for a few days?

Visa is a document required to enter Japan and it immediately becomes invalid once the foreign national applied for landing in Japan. After obtaining a landing permission, long-term stay visa holders will receive a residence card valid for the whole duration of the stay.
In case the foreign national residing in Japan intends to leave Japan with the intention of re-entering Japan before the expiration date of their period of stay, they must hold a valid residence card and a valid re-entry permit.

21. Since my passport with a valid Japanese visa has expired, I have obtained a new passport. Would it be possible for me to use the Japanese visa which is in the expired passport when I undergo an immigration inspection at the airport?

You can show both the new passport and the old passport with the visa at border control.

22. I have lost my passport with the visa in it. What should I do?

Contact the Japanese Embassy / Consulate General that issued the visa to inform what happened. Also, it is recommended that you submit a lost property form to the local police station. If you need a new visa, you must apply again.

Prior to Entering Japan

23. Do I need to show my return flight ticket to the immigration officer at border control when I wish to enter Japan as a tourist?

We do not have the authority to answer questions regarding the necessary documentation for immigration inspection because it remains at the discretion of the Japanese Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice. We strongly advise, however, that you carry documentation proving your intention to leave Japan when you finish your stay, such as a return flight ticket, as well as documents proving your planned activities and funds for your stay to ensure that the immigration inspection proceeds as smoothly as possible.

24. Do I need any vaccinations to go to Japan?

There are no vaccination requirements to enter Japan.

25. I need to bring some medicines into Japan. What should I do?

Please visit the following pages for more information on bringing medicines into Japan:

• Information for those who are bringing medicines for personal use into Japan
• Q＆A for those who are importing medicines into Japan

26. I want to bring some products from my country into Japan. Are there any restrictions?

Please click here for more information on bringing products into Japan.

27. How can I bring my pet?

Please click here for more information on bringing your pet into Japan.

28. Is it mandatory to have a travel medical insurance to visit Japan?

Getting international travel medical insurance is not mandatory but highly recommended as medical treatment in Japan can be very expensive. Additionally, foreign visitors who fail to pay their medical expenses may be denied entering Japan in the future.

29. Can I change my entry status once I am in Japan? For example, can I change from a tourist to a work visa?

In principle, "short term stay" status cannot be changed into any other types of status. If you want to work in Japan, you must obtain a working visa from a Japanese diplomatic mission in Italy or a third country before entering Japan.
Be aware that you may have problems on arrival and you may not be permitted to enter Japan if you undergo immigration inspection as a temporary visitor despite your real intention being to stay for a long period to work or settle.

30. Why was my application to enter Japan rejected even though I had a valid visa?

A visa is no more than one of the requirements for the application to land in Japan and it does not guarantee that you will be able to enter Japan. (There is a warning on the visa application form and your signature on the application form means you have accepted this fact.) Even if you have a valid visa, sometimes you will not be given permission to enter Japan, for example in cases where the person who makes the landing application is different from the person whose name is recorded in the visa, and also in cases where you cannot properly explain to the immigration officer the activities you plan to engage in after entering Japan.