# Japan Visa Application Form for Indians: How to Fill It

> How Indians should fill in, sign and submit the Japan visa application form: photo sizes by centre, checklist order, the eVISA catch and the mistakes that cost time.

_Published: 2026-11-01 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1085_

## TL;DR

Japan's visa form is still lodged on paper at a VFS Japan centre in India, even for the tourist eVISA. Fill it in completely, sign it as in your passport, attach the photo size your centre asks for and file it on top of a checklist-ordered set of A4 copies. The fee is INR 500 plus INR 800 to VFS.

## Key takeaways

- Indian residents cannot file the Japan visa form fully online; even the tourist eVISA is submitted at VFS.
- Sign the form as in your passport and leave no part incomplete.
- Photo size depends on the centre: 45mm x 35mm in Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata; 2 x 2 inch in Mumbai and Chennai.
- Arrange documents in checklist order with A4 photocopies only; papers other than the passport are not returned.
- Visa fee INR 500 (single or multiple) plus the INR 800 VFS service fee from 1 July 2026.

**According to VFS Global and the Embassy of Japan, Indians must fill in the Japan visa application form completely, sign it as in their passport and attach one photo taken within 6 months on a white background. The form is lodged at a VFS Japan centre, even for the tourist eVISA, with an INR 500 visa fee.**

## Article

The Embassy and consulates do not publish a box-by-box guide to the form, but their checklists set firm rules on completeness, signature, photo and order. Those rules differ slightly between the Embassy in New Delhi and the four Consulates General, so the first job is to know which office decides your visa. Everything here is as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For the wider process, see our Japan visa guide for Indians.

### Can Indians fill in the Japan visa form online?
Not end to end. Since 1 April 2024, Indian nationals and foreign residents of India can receive a single-entry tourism visa, for stays of up to 90 days, as an eVISA. The application is still submitted at a VFS Japan Visa Application Centre. On arrival you must show the 'visa issuance notice' on a mobile device with internet; a PDF, screenshot, photo or printout is not accepted.

Japan's Foreign Ministry (MOFA) limits fully online applications on the JAPAN eVISA website to residents of Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the UK and the USA. If you live in India, plan for a printed, signed form.

### Which office and checklist does your form go to?
VFS passes each form to the mission covering your state. Applicants whose passport was issued elsewhere must show address proof for the state where they now live.

Deciding officeStates coveredVFS centresPhoto size statedEmbassy of Japan, New DelhiDelhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh, the north-eastern states, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar, LakshadweepNew Delhi; drop-off at Gurugram, Chandigarh, Lucknow45mm x 35mmConsulate-General, MumbaiMaharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & DiuMumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa2 x 2 inchConsulate-General, ChennaiTamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, PuducherryChennai, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Cochin2 x 2 inchConsulate-General, KolkataWest Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, OdishaKolkata, Bhubaneswar45mm x 35mmConsulate-General, BengaluruKarnatakaBengaluru, Mysuru45mm x 35mm
### How should you fill in and sign the form?
Every VFS checklist asks for a 'completely filled and signed' form. In practice that means:

- Complete every part. The checklists ask for a completely filled form, so leave no section blank.
- Sign as in your passport. The Kolkata checklist spells this out; use the same signature everywhere.
- Match your other papers. Your travel dates and stay details should agree with the flight schedule, the day-by-day itinerary and the hotel information the checklist asks for.
- Pick the right visa type. 'Tourism without guarantor', a guarantor-backed visit and the MULTIPLE categories each have their own checklist. For a multiple-entry request, the Mumbai checklists want a covering letter explaining why.
- Guarantor or inviter in Japan? Their invitation letter, letter of guarantee and residence certificate ('Jyuminhyo') come from them, so collect these before you submit.
Family members or friends travelling together must apply together, according to the Bengaluru checklist. Students and dependants add consent from a parent or spouse along with that person's ITR or bank statement.

### What photo goes on the Japan form?
- Taken within the last 6 months, in colour, on a plain white background.
- Face filling 70% to 80% of the frame, looking straight ahead.
- Printed on good quality paper.
- Size as your centre states: 45mm x 35mm (Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata) or 2 x 2 inch (Mumbai, Chennai).
- Kolkata adds three rules: the photo must not have been used in any previous visa, hair must be tied and no spectacles.

### How do you arrange the form with your documents?
Put the signed form on top and follow the checklist order exactly. All photocopies go on A4 only. Documents you hand in are not returned, except the passport. Include your current passport with more than two blank pages, any old passports, and a copy of the first and last pages. For a tourist file in Delhi that typically means a flight or cruise schedule, an itinerary with hotel and contact details in Japan, and your latest ITR or, failing that, six months of bank statements.

### Where do you submit, and what does it cost?
From 1 July 2026, Indian nationals pay INR 500 for a single or multiple visa, and the transit visa is abolished. VFS adds an INR 800 service fee per application, non-refundable. Courier return costs INR 550.

The Embassy accepts applications from 3 months before travel; the Chennai and Kolkata VFS pages say not earlier than 89 days. Delhi-jurisdiction centres need no appointment. Chennai, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Cochin, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Bengaluru need one, and from 19 October 2026 so do Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Goa. Indicative processing is a minimum of 5 working days in Delhi and Kolkata, 3 in Chennai, 6 in Bengaluru and 10 processing days in Mumbai (12 in Pune, Ahmedabad and Goa).

### Form mistakes that cost Indian applicants time
- A signature that differs from the passport.
- The wrong photo size for your centre, or in Kolkata a photo reused from an earlier visa.
- Papers out of checklist order, or copies on paper other than A4.
- Filing in the wrong jurisdiction without address proof.
Accuracy matters because MOFA does not give the specific reason for a refusal, and a new application for the same purpose is not accepted within six months of the refusal unless circumstances have changed significantly and travel is needed on humanitarian grounds.

Japan's checklists ask for a flight schedule and itinerary. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares travel itineraries, flight reservations, hotel bookings and cover letters, with packages from INR 1,000 to INR 3,000. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

### Frequently asked questions

#### Can a relative or agent submit my Japan visa form?
Yes, with paperwork. The Kolkata checklist asks for an authorisation letter if an agent, relative or representative submits or collects the application.

#### Is travel insurance required with the Japan visa form?
No. Travel insurance is not listed as a required document on the VFS or Embassy checklists. MOFA says it is highly recommended, and the Embassy and Mumbai Consulate advise preparing it.

#### How long do I have to use a single-entry Japan visa?
MOFA says an issued single-entry visa is basically valid for three months. Enter Japan within three months of issue, or apply again.

#### My passport was issued in another state. Which address proof works?
The Bengaluru checklist accepts a rental or lease agreement, sale deed, gas or electricity bill, or Aadhaar. Kolkata accepts Aadhaar, voter card, driving licence or a rent agreement.

## Steps

1. **Confirm your deciding office** — Check which Japanese mission covers the state you live in and which VFS centres serve it.
2. **Choose the visa type and checklist** — Pick the exact category, such as Tourism without guarantor or a MULTIPLE category, and download its checklist from the VFS page for your centre.
3. **Fill in every part of the form** — Complete the form fully and keep dates and stay details consistent with your flight schedule, itinerary and hotel information.
4. **Attach the right photo** — Use a colour photo under 6 months old on a white background, in the size your centre states (45mm x 35mm or 2 x 2 inch).
5. **Sign as in your passport** — Sign the form with the same signature that appears in your passport.
6. **Arrange and submit** — Stack the documents in checklist order with A4 copies, then submit at VFS and pay the INR 500 visa fee and INR 800 service fee.

## FAQ

### Can a relative or agent submit my Japan visa form?

Yes, with paperwork. The Kolkata checklist asks for an authorisation letter if an agent, relative or representative submits or collects the application.

### Is travel insurance required with the Japan visa form?

No. Travel insurance is not listed as a required document on the VFS or Embassy checklists. MOFA says it is highly recommended, and the Embassy and Mumbai Consulate advise preparing it.

### How long do I have to use a single-entry Japan visa?

MOFA says an issued single-entry visa is basically valid for three months. Enter Japan within three months of issue, or apply again.

### My passport was issued in another state. Which address proof works?

The Bengaluru checklist accepts a rental or lease agreement, sale deed, gas or electricity bill, or Aadhaar. Kolkata accepts Aadhaar, voter card, driving licence or a rent agreement.

## Sources

1. [Embassy of Japan in India - Visa (fees from 1 July 2026, eVISA, submission through VFS)](https://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/Visa.html) — Embassy of Japan in India
2. [VFS Global — Apply for Visa to Japan in Delhi](https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/japan/india/delhi/index.html) — VFS Global
3. [VFS Japan Kolkata - document checklist](https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/japan/india/kolkata/pdf/japan-checklist.pdf) — VFS Global
4. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan - Visa FAQ](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/faq.html) — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan