Indian citizens need a visa to visit Japan as tourists. You apply through a Japan Visa Application Centre run by VFS Global, which passes your file to the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi or the consulate that covers your state. The visa fee for Indian nationals is INR 500, and VFS adds a service charge of INR 800. Since April 2024, single entry tourist visas for people living in India are issued as a JAPAN eVISA, which you show on your phone at the airport.
Know before you go
- Visa needed? Yes, for Indian passport holders visiting Japan as tourists.
- Where to apply: a VFS Global Japan Visa Application Centre in your jurisdiction (New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and other cities).
- Visa fee: INR 500 for single or multiple entry, for Indian nationals. Refunded only if the visa is not approved.
- Service charge: INR 800 per application, paid to VFS. Optional courier return: INR 550.
- Processing time: at least 5 working days from submission to the Embassy, per the VFS New Delhi page.
- Stay: up to 90 days on a tourist visa.
- eVISA: single entry short term tourist visas for residents of India are issued electronically. Show the visa issuance notice on your phone, online, at the airport.
- Last checked: 27 October 2026 on the Embassy of Japan in India eVISA notice and the VFS Japan India pages (links under Official resources below).
In this Article
- Do Indians need a visa for Japan?
- How the JAPAN eVISA works for Indians
- Documents required for a Japan tourist visa
- Japan visa fees for Indians
- Japan visa processing time
- Where to apply: VFS centres and jurisdiction
- Multiple entry visas
- Tourist visa for Indian students
- Planning your Japan trip
- Japan visa for Indians FAQs
Do Indians need a visa for Japan?
Yes. India is not on Japan’s list of visa exemption countries for short stays, so Indian passport holders need a visa even for a short holiday. The tourist visa is called a temporary visitor visa for tourism, and it allows a stay of up to 90 days.
If you live in India, you apply in India through VFS Global. You cannot get a Japanese tourist visa on arrival.
How the JAPAN eVISA works for Indians
The Embassy of Japan in India started the JAPAN eVISA on 1 April 2024. The key points from its notice:
- It covers single entry short term visas for tourism, for stays of up to 90 days.
- It is open to Indian nationals and foreign nationals who live in India.
- You still submit your application at a VFS Japan Visa Application Centre, as before.
- The visa is issued electronically, instead of as a sticker in your passport.
At the airport, you must show the “visa issuance notice” on a mobile device with internet access. The Embassy says a PDF, photo, screenshot or printed copy will not be accepted. Make sure your phone has data or Wi-Fi at the check-in counter and on arrival, and keep it charged.
If you need a multiple entry visa, or are travelling for business or to visit family, the regular visa process applies.
Documents required for a Japan tourist visa
The VFS checklist for a tourist visa without a guarantor in Japan lists:
- A valid passport with more than two blank pages, plus any old passports.
- A photocopy of the bio data page of the current passport (first and last page).
- A completely filled and signed visa application form.
- One photograph taken within the last 6 months, passport size (45 x 35 mm) with a white background, printed on good quality paper.
- A covering letter, if your case needs a special explanation.
- A document showing your flight or cruise schedule to and from Japan.
- Your itinerary in Japan, with hotel details and contact information while in Japan.
- Your latest Income Tax Return. If you do not have one, a bank statement for the last 6 months.
Students and dependents also need consent from a parent or spouse and that person’s latest ITR or 6 months of bank statements. If a dependent travels with you, add proof of relationship, such as a passport copy, marriage certificate or birth certificate.
All photocopies should be on A4 paper. VFS notes that the Embassy may ask for an interview or extra documents, and that documents are not returned, except your passport.
Tips for the itinerary
The itinerary does not need to be fancy. A simple table with dates, cities, hotels and their phone numbers works. Make sure the dates match your flight booking and that the hotel names are real bookings you can show if asked.
Japan visa fees for Indians
| Charge | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee, single entry | INR 500 | Indian nationals |
| Visa fee, multiple entry | INR 500 | Indian nationals |
| Transit visa | INR 50 | Indian nationals |
| VFS service charge | INR 800 | per application, incl. taxes |
| Courier return (optional) | INR 550 | per application |
VFS lists these fees as effective from 1 April 2025. The visa fee is refunded only if the visa is not approved. The service charge is not refunded and is also charged to applicants who are exempt from the visa fee. Payment methods vary by centre: cash, card, POS or UPI at some, and demand drafts at drop off offices such as Gurugram, Chandigarh and Lucknow. Check the page for your centre before you go.
Other nationals living in India pay more: INR 1,750 for single entry and INR 3,450 for multiple entry.
Japan visa processing time
The VFS New Delhi page says the Embassy takes a minimum of 5 working days from the day the application reaches it. VFS warns that it can take longer when volumes are high, especially for group submissions, and that the time is only indicative.
Apply at least three to four weeks before your trip to leave room for extra document requests.
Where to apply: VFS centres and jurisdiction
You apply at the VFS Japan Visa Application Centre that serves the state you live in. VFS runs Japan centres for the jurisdictions of the Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru, with extra drop off points in some cities. The VFS India site lets you pick your city and shows that centre’s fee payment rules and checklist.
Check the VFS page for your city first, since checklists and payment rules differ slightly between centres.
Multiple entry visas
Japan offers multiple entry visas for Indian nationals who meet certain conditions. The VFS pages list categories such as:
- applicants with travel records to Japan twice or more in the last three years
- applicants with a travel record to Japan and to G7 countries in the last three years
- applicants with sufficient financial capacity, and their spouse or children
- business travellers and cultural or intellectual figures who meet the listed conditions
Each category has its own checklist. The fee for Indians is the same INR 500.
Tourist visa for Indian students
VFS also lists a single entry tourism visa for Indian university students and graduates, for a stay of up to 30 days, with its own document checklist. If you are a student planning a short trip, compare this checklist with the regular tourist one.
Planning your Japan trip
Once you have the visa, a common first route covers Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Tokyo has two main airports, Narita and Haneda, and the Shinkansen links Tokyo with Kyoto and Osaka.
In Kyoto, Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkaku-ji are two of the best known sights. Osaka’s Dotonbori canal is known for its neon signs and street food.
If you are planning other trips in Asia, see our guides to the Thailand visa for Indians, the Vietnam e-visa and the Singapore visa.
Japan visa for Indians FAQs
What is the Japan visa fee for Indians?
INR 500 for single or multiple entry, plus the VFS service charge of INR 800. Courier return costs INR 550 if you choose it.
Can Indians get a Japan visa on arrival?
No. Indians must get a visa before travelling, through a VFS Japan centre in India.
How long does a Japan visa take for Indians?
At least 5 working days from when the Embassy receives the file, per VFS New Delhi. It can take longer in busy periods.
Is the Japan eVISA available to Indians?
Yes. Since April 2024, single entry tourist visas for residents of India are issued as an eVISA. You still apply at VFS, and you must show the visa issuance notice on your phone at the airport.
Do I need an ITR for a Japan visa?
The VFS checklist asks for your latest Income Tax Return. If you do not have one, a bank statement for the last 6 months is accepted.
How long can I stay in Japan on a tourist visa?
Up to 90 days on a regular tourist visa. The student tourism visa allows up to 30 days.
Official resources: Embassy of Japan in India: the JAPAN eVISA system; Embassy of Japan in India: visa; VFS Global Japan, New Delhi: visa types, fees and processing time; VFS: tourism visa documents checklist (PDF).
Photo credits
Featured image: Stjepko Krehula / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0; Do Indians need a visa for Japan?: Calistemon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Documents required for a Japan tourist visa: Wpcpey / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Where to apply: VFS centres and jurisdiction: tansaisuketti / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; Planning your Japan trip: Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0; Planning your Japan trip: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Planning your Japan trip: Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Planning your Japan trip: Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Planning your Japan trip: Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0; Planning your Japan trip: Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
