Japan Student Visa Fees for Indians (2026, in Rupees)

That makes Japan one of the cheapest student visas an Indian can apply for, at least on government charges. The figures here are as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For entry rules, jurisdiction and other visa types, see our Japan visa guide for Indians.

What is the full official cost of a Japan student visa from India?

A Japanese student visa is a long-term visa issued on the strength of a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). You pay at two stages: nothing for the COE in Japan, then the visa fee and service charge at VFS in India.

So the compulsory spend at VFS is the INR 500 visa fee and the INR 800 service charge. Courier is extra only if you choose it or apply through a Blue Dart collection centre.

Why do Indian students pay only INR 500?

Japan sets its visa fee by nationality and type of entry, not by the purpose of your stay. The VFS fee table for 'Long Term Stay with Certificate of Eligibility (COE)', which covers students, researchers and engineers, shows INR 500 for Indian nationals. The Embassy of Japan lists the same INR 500 for a single or multiple visa for Indian nationals under the fee table applying from 1 July 2026. The Consulate-General in Mumbai lists INR 500 for the period 1 July 2026 to 31 March 2027.

If you are not an Indian national but are studying from India, the fee is very different. From 1 July 2026, other nationals pay INR 8,650 for a single-entry visa and INR 17,350 for a multiple or double-entry visa. The same fee change abolished the transit visa, which used to cost Indians INR 50.

How and where do you pay?

You pay when you submit the visa application at a VFS Japan Visa Application Centre that serves your state. Payment rules differ by centre:

• New Delhi: cash and card, in INR.
• Gurugram, Chandigarh and Lucknow drop-off offices: separate demand drafts in favour of 'VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd.'
• Blue Dart collection centres (Agra, Amritsar, Jaipur, Dehradun, Ludhiana, Guwahati): a courier demand draft of INR 1050.

The INR 800 service charge is levied on every application, including applicants who are exempt from visa fees. Apply at the office that covers the state where you live. The Embassy in New Delhi covers north and north-east India; the Consulates-General in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru cover their own states. If your passport was issued elsewhere, carry address proof.

Do you get the money back if the visa is refused?

Only partly. VFS states that the visa fee is refunded only if the visa is not approved. The INR 800 service charge is non-refundable in every case.

A refusal has a bigger cost than the fee: under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rules, a new application for the same purpose is not accepted within six months of a refusal, except where circumstances have changed significantly and travel is needed on humanitarian grounds. MOFA does not give the specific reason for a refusal. A COE does not guarantee that the visa will be issued, so treat the VFS file with care.

What will the visa fee not cover?

The INR 500 fee buys the visa only. Before you budget, account for these:

• Tuition and living costs. These are set by your university or language school, not by the Embassy. Language-school students must show parent or sponsor financial documents in the Delhi VFS COE checklist.
• COE time. The COE takes a standard 1 to 3 months in Japan. A proxy in Japan, usually your school, files it for you.
• Visa-stage time. After the COE, the Embassy in New Delhi takes a minimum of 5 working days; Mumbai 10 processing days (Pune, Ahmedabad and Goa 12); Chennai a minimum of 3 working days; Kolkata a minimum of 5; Bengaluru a minimum of 6. These are indicative.
• Insurance. It is not on the VFS or Embassy checklists, but MOFA highly recommends international travel medical insurance.

A student visa can carry a period of stay of up to 4 years and 3 months, as designated by the Minister of Justice.

Fee-saving checks before you submit

• Get the COE first. Applying without a COE is possible, but MOFA says a large amount of verification documents is needed and processing can take several months.
• Book where required. From 19 October 2026, VFS takes Japan applications at Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Goa only by prior appointment. Chennai, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Cochin, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Bengaluru also need appointments.
• Use A4 copies in checklist order. Photocopies must be on A4 only, and documents are not returned except the passport.
• Match the photo rule of your centre. Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata ask for 45mm x 35mm; Mumbai and Chennai pages state 2 x 2 inch.

You can check the current fee notice on the Embassy of Japan visa page before you go.

If you need supporting paperwork for a visit to Japan before your course, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Is a multiple-entry Japan visa more expensive for Indians?

No. The Embassy of Japan lists the same INR 500 for a single or multiple visa for Indian nationals from 1 July 2026. The VFS service charge of INR 800 applies either way.

Does the Certificate of Eligibility cost anything?

No. Japan's Immigration Services Agency charges no fee for the COE. It is applied for in Japan, usually by your school as a proxy, with a standard processing period of 1 to 3 months.

Do J-Find or work visa applicants pay a different fee?

No. Work visas on a COE, including J-Find, carry the same INR 500 visa fee for Indian nationals plus the INR 800 VFS service charge. The fee depends on nationality and entry type, not purpose.

Can my parents pay the Japan student visa fee on my behalf?

The fee is paid at the VFS centre when the application is submitted, in the form that centre accepts, such as cash or card at New Delhi or a demand draft at drop-off offices. Who funds it is not restricted on the official pages, but the applicant's file must still show the required financial documents.