Japan Visa from India 2026: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

This walkthrough uses the rules as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Visa categories, multiple-entry options and long-stay routes are summarised on our Japan visa page for Indian citizens.

Do Indians need a visa for Japan, or is there an eVISA?

Yes, you need a visa. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) says visas are issued only at Japanese embassies and consulates abroad and cannot be obtained on arrival. India is not among the 74 countries and regions with which Japan has visa-exemption arrangements (MOFA list dated 1 September 2025).

Japan does issue eVISAs to Indians, with limits. Since 1 April 2024, Indian nationals and foreign residents of India can receive a single-entry tourism visa (stay up to 90 days) as an eVISA. You still submit the application at a VFS Japan centre. At the airport you must show the 'visa issuance notice' on a mobile device with internet access; a PDF, screenshot, photo or printout is not accepted. A fully online application on the JAPAN eVISA website is open only to residents of nine listed countries and regions, and India is not one of them.

Which Japanese office handles your state?

Each mission decides applications only from residents of its jurisdiction. If your passport was issued in another state, add address proof.

Indians living abroad apply to the Japanese embassy or consulate for their country of residence, not to a mission in India.

How do you apply for a Japan visa, step by step?

1. Choose the category. Most holidaymakers use 'Tourism (without guarantor)'. Other categories include visiting relatives or friends, short-term business, medical stay and seven MULTIPLE categories for frequent or well-documented travellers.
2. Confirm your jurisdiction. Use the table above. Residents of Karnataka, for example, cannot file in Delhi.
3. Download your centre's checklist. Arrange documents in checklist order, with all photocopies on A4 paper.
4. Book or walk in. Delhi-jurisdiction centres and Mysuru take walk-ins; the others need a prior appointment.
5. Submit within the window. The Embassy accepts short-term applications from 3 months before travel; the Chennai and Kolkata VFS pages say not earlier than 89 days. Pay INR 500 plus the INR 800 VFS charge.
6. Wait for the decision. The Embassy may ask for an interview or more documents.
7. Collect and travel. MOFA says a single-entry visa is basically valid for three months from issue, so enter Japan within that period.

What goes into a tourist visa file?

Every applicant needs a passport with more than two blank pages (plus old passports), a copy of the first and last pages, a signed application form and one photograph taken within 6 months. The Delhi tourism checklist adds a flight or cruise schedule, an itinerary in Japan with hotel and contact details, and your latest Income Tax Return (or a 6-month bank statement if no ITR is available).

Consulates differ on two points that trip up applicants: how much income proof they want, and whether bookings must be confirmed.

Employees in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru jurisdictions should also attach an NOC or leave approval from the employer. Mumbai additionally asks for your travel history in the last 2 years to Australia, Canada, Europe, the USA and Japan. Travel insurance is not on the checklists, but MOFA highly recommends international travel medical insurance. Our reservation and itinerary bundle covers the booking documents most centres ask for.

How much does it cost and how long does it take?

From 1 July 2026, the Embassy of Japan charges Indian nationals INR 500 for a single or multiple visa. VFS adds a service charge of INR 800 per application, inclusive of taxes and non-refundable. Optional courier return costs INR 550.

Indicative processing after submission, as published by the Embassy and VFS:

• Embassy of Japan, New Delhi: minimum 5 working days
• Mumbai: 10 processing days; Pune, Ahmedabad and Goa: 12 processing days
• Chennai: minimum 3 working days
• Kolkata: minimum 5 working days
• Bengaluru: minimum 6 working days

MOFA adds that extra documents, an interview or inquiries can stretch this to a couple of weeks or several months.

What changed for Japan visas in 2026?

• 20 April 2026: the Consulate-General of Japan in Mumbai stopped accepting applications directly; everything in its jurisdiction now goes through VFS Global.
• 1 July 2026: a new fee table took effect. Indians still pay INR 500, but the transit visa (previously INR 50) was abolished. Other nationals now pay INR 8,650 single and INR 17,350 multiple or double (Embassy of Japan notice).
• 19 October 2026: VFS Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Goa accept applications by prior appointment only, on the Consulate's instructions.

What if you are refused, or travel to Japan often?

MOFA does not give the specific reason for a refusal. 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.

Frequent travellers can apply for a multiple-entry visa at the same INR 500 fee. The Delhi categories include MULTIPLE 1 (two or more Japan trips in the last three years), MULTIPLE 3 (Japan and G7 travel records) and MULTIPLE 4 (sufficient financial capacity, with your latest ITR). The Embassy may still issue a single-entry visa after assessment.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, day-by-day itineraries and cover letters for Japan visa files. Packages range from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). Contact us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or via the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can Indians get a Japan visa on arrival?

No. MOFA says Japanese visas are issued only at embassies and consulates abroad and cannot be obtained on arrival. Indian passport holders must get a visa sticker or eVISA through a VFS Japan centre before travelling.

Can I show a printout of my Japan eVISA at the airport?

No. The visa issuance notice must be shown on a mobile device with an internet connection. MOFA states that a PDF, screenshot, photo or printout is not accepted.

Is travel insurance mandatory for a Japan tourist visa from India?

It is not listed as a required document on the VFS or Embassy checklists. MOFA highly recommends buying international travel medical insurance, and the Embassy and Mumbai Consulate advise preparing it.

Do I still need a Japan transit visa?

The Embassy of Japan's fee notice says the transit visa was abolished from 1 July 2026. VFS Delhi still shows a Transit visa type and checklist, so confirm with your centre before you travel.