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Japan visa guide

Japan Tourist Visa

Japan's short-term tourist visa lets Indians holiday in Japan for up to 90 days; Punjab files go through VFS to the Embassy in New Delhi, and single-entry visas come as an eVISA.

Tourist Visa — Done For You

₹4,999all-in · GST included

Visa refused? Our consultancy fee is refunded under the Refund Policy. Embassy and VFS fees are never ours to refund. How the refund works

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What’s included

  • Complete filing — every form, every field
  • Custom cover letter (not a template)
  • Money-papers review + VFS booking
  • Refusal-trigger audit before we submit

Your file is ready to submit within 3 working days of us receiving your complete documents.

Government and VFS fees are paid to them at cost.

What you pay, line by line
Our fee
₹4,999
All-in, GST included. Paid to us.
Embassy visa fee
Set by the embassy
Paid to the embassy at cost.
VFS / appointment charge
Varies by centre
Paid to VFS (or the appointment partner) at cost.

Nothing is added to our fee. The number on the page is the number.

Licence No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC‑3/20245.0 · 113 Google reviewsPatiala office, Nabha Road

Processing
At least seven to ten working days from submission
Support
Your own consultant

How do I get a Japan tourist visa from India?

Indian citizens apply through VFS Global, which submits the file to the Embassy or Consulate of Japan for your area. Bring your passport, a signed application form, one 45 × 35 mm photo and the tourism checklist documents. The visa fee is INR 500 for single or multiple entry, plus INR 800 VFS charges, and processing takes at least 5 working days.

At a glance

Visa
Temporary visitor visa (tourism)
Official fee
INR 500 single or multiple entry + INR 800 VFS service charge vfsglobal.com
Typical processing
At least 5 working days after submission vfsglobal.com
Key documents
  • Passport
  • One signed visa application form
  • One photo, 45 × 35 mm, under 6 months old
  • Purpose checklist (tourism or short-term business) from VFS
vfsglobal.com

Official figures, last verified 24 Oct 2026. Government fees are paid to the government or its visa centre at cost and change without notice — the linked page is the authority.

Your journey with Lifeset

Japan visitor visa, from first message to passport back.

  1. 1Day 0Tell us your planWhatsApp or a call. A consultant asks the right questions and says plainly whether a Japan visitor visa is realistic for you.
  2. 2Same dayYour tailored checklistA document list for your case, not a generic one. You collect; we answer every "which one?" on WhatsApp.
  3. 3As documents arriveReview and refusal checkEvery paper is checked. Gaps in funds, ties or travel history are flagged and fixed before anything is submitted.
  4. 4Within 3 working daysFile ready, appointment bookedForms and cover letter done; your the visa centre appointment is booked, subject to the slots the centre has open.
  5. 5Appointment dayBiometrics and submissionYou attend the visa centre with a file assembled in the order the officer reads it.
  6. 6DecisionDecision receivedWe track the file to the decision. Approved: your passport comes back with the visa. Refused: our professional fee comes back under the Refund Policy and we plan the reapplication.

Side by side

Three ways to file your Japan tourist visa. Here is what each one includes.

  • Government licence you can verify

    Licence No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024, District Magistrate Patiala

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • One fixed, all-in fee quoted upfront

    GST included; embassy and centre fees at cost

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Professional fee back if refused

    Under the published Refund Policy

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Refusal-trigger check before filing

    Funds, ties and history checked against the refusal reasons we see most

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Cover letter written for your case

    Not a template

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Appointment or interview booked for you

    VFS, BLS or consulate, at your nearest centre

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Named consultant on WhatsApp till decision

    The person who reads your file is the one who answers

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • GST invoice from a registered Pvt Ltd

    Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd · GSTIN 03AAOCP3999C1Z5

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

“Varies” means it depends on the agent; ask for their licence number and refund terms in writing. The full, sourced comparison

Japan Tourist Visa — overview

Start here

The Japan tourist visa is a short-term stay visa for a holiday, sightseeing or recreation of up to 90 days. Indians apply at a VFS Global centre, and for Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi decides. Single-entry tourist visas have been issued as eVISAs since 1 April 2024, and multiple-entry visas are available to frequent or well-funded travellers.

The visa fee for Indian nationals is INR 500, plus an INR 800 VFS service charge. VFS asks applicants to apply within 90 days of travel and to keep at least seven to ten working days between applying and flying.

Do Indians need a visa for Japan, and which one?

Yes. An ordinary Indian passport holder needs a short-term stay visa for tourism for a holiday in Japan, which allows a stay of up to 90 days. It is decided by the Japanese mission whose jurisdiction covers the state you live in. For Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and most of north India, that is the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi.

Since 1 April 2024, the single-entry tourist visa has been issued as an eVISA in India. That changes the result, not the route. You still hand in a paper file at a VFS Global centre, but instead of a sticker in your passport you receive a "visa issuance notice" that you show at the airport.

Several kinds of tourist visa exist for Indians:

  • Single entry for tourism, up to 90 days, issued as an eVISA.
  • Single entry for Indian university students and graduates, a simpler category for tourism stays of up to 30 days.
  • Multiple entry, for applicants with earlier trips to Japan, trips to Japan and G7 countries, or sufficient financial capacity, plus their spouses and children.

Japan tourist visa at a glance

VisaUp to 90 days per stay
Short-term stay, tourism
Decided byFor Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi
Embassy of Japan, New Delhi
Where you applyChandigarh, New Delhi, Gurugram and other centres
VFS Global
Visa feePlus INR 800 VFS service charge
INR 500 for Indian nationals
Single-entry resultShown on your phone at the airport
eVISA
ApplyAt least 7 to 10 working days before travel
Within 90 days of entry

VFS Global Japan India, Embassy of Japan New Delhi checklists, checked 14 Oct 2026

Where do applicants from Punjab apply?

At a VFS Global Japan Visa Application Centre. Under VFS's published jurisdiction list, the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi covers Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the north-eastern states. The consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru have their own regions, and a file in the wrong jurisdiction will not be accepted.

The centres that feed the New Delhi embassy:

  • Chandigarh, at Elante Offices in the Industrial & Business Park, Monday to Friday, with tokens for submission issued only until 1 pm.
  • New Delhi, at the Shivaji Stadium Metro Station concourse in Connaught Place.
  • Gurugram and Lucknow, which work like Chandigarh.
  • Jalandhar, listed by VFS as temporarily closed when we checked on 14 October 2026.

How you pay depends on the centre. In New Delhi, all charges are paid in rupees by cash or card. At the Chandigarh, Gurugram and Lucknow drop-off offices, you pay by separate demand drafts in favour of "VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd.": one for the visa fee, one for the service charge and, if you want courier return, one for that. Carry them ready-made; the centre cannot take cash for these.

On the day, bring the printed appointment email, your passport with at least two pages blank on both sides, the printed application form and your supporting documents, with all photocopies on A4. VFS sets separate submission hours for authorised representatives. For how dates are moving, see our Japan appointment availability page.

Which documents depend on your situation?

The New Delhi checklist for a tourist visa without a guarantor is short: passport (with more than two blank pages) and old passports, a copy of the bio-data pages, the signed application form, one photo, a covering letter if anything needs explaining, the flight or cruise schedule to and from Japan, an itinerary in Japan with hotel and contact details, and your latest income tax return. If you do not have an ITR, bank statements for the last 6 months take its place.

  • Salaried or self-employed

    What changes
    Latest ITR; a leave letter or business proof helps explain that you will return

  • No ITR

    What changes
    Bank statements for the last 6 months instead

  • Student or dependant

    What changes
    Consent from parents or spouse, and their latest ITR or 6 months of their bank statements

  • Travelling with spouse or children

    What changes
    Proof of relationship, such as passport copies, marriage certificate or birth certificates

  • Someone in Japan pays or invites

    What changes
    This becomes a visa with a guarantor; see our Japan family visit visa guide

  • Frequent or high-income traveller

    What changes
    One of the multiple-entry checklists (travel record, G7 travel, or financial capacity)

The photo has its own rules: passport size, 45 mm by 35 mm, not more than 6 months old, in colour on a plain white background, with the face filling 70 to 80% of the frame, printed on good-quality paper.

Checklists differ between missions. The Bengaluru consulate, for example, also asks for an original NOC or leave approval, a GST certificate for the self-employed and professional registration for doctors and lawyers. A Punjab applicant files to the New Delhi list, but a leave letter and proof of business are sensible additions anywhere.

How much is the Japan visa fee for Indians?

The visa fee for Indian nationals is INR 500 for a single-entry or a multiple-entry visa, under the fee table in force since 1 July 2026, and VFS adds a service charge of INR 800 per application, taxes included. Courier return is optional at INR 550. The visa fee is refunded only if the Embassy does not approve the visa; the service charge and courier charge are not refunded. Our filing fee is shown at the top of this page.

How long does it take, and when should you apply?

VFS, on behalf of the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi, tells applicants to keep a minimum gap of seven to ten working days between applying and the planned travel date, and says processing time can rise or fall at the Embassy's discretion because of the high number of travellers. You can usually apply within 90 days before your intended date of entry.

Use that window well:

  • Apply early in the 90 days, especially for popular seasons such as cherry-blossom time.
  • Allow for questions. The Embassy's checklists say it may call you for an interview or ask for more documents.
  • Keep flight and hotel bookings flexible; the checklists ask for schedules and itineraries, not paid tickets.

Why do Japan visas get refused for Indian applicants?

The Embassy's checklists do not list refusal grounds; they say the list is a guide, and that the Embassy can ask for an interview or more documents depending on your circumstances. Files from India tend to fail on the same few points, each of which the checklist itself addresses.

A trip that is not explained

The New Delhi list asks for an itinerary in Japan with hotel and contact details, and the Kolkata list warns that hiding the real reason for travel can lead to rejection. A one-line plan, or a "tourist" file for what is really a family or business visit, is the classic failure. Write a day-by-day plan and file under the right category.

Income that cannot be seen

The checklist wants your latest ITR, or 6 months of bank statements if you have none. A file with neither, or with a balance that appeared last month, gives the Embassy nothing to judge the trip against. Students and homemakers need the parent's or spouse's consent and their income papers.

The wrong mission or the wrong moment

Each consulate takes only its own region, and Bengaluru even asks out-of-state passport holders to prove local residence. File through a centre that serves the New Delhi embassy, and leave at least seven to ten working days before travel.

Family members filed apart

Dependants travelling with you need proof of relationship in the file, and students or dependants need consent from a parent or spouse. File family applications together, with the same dates and itinerary; Bengaluru makes that compulsory.

A photo or form that does not meet the rules

A photo older than 6 months, the wrong size, or a heavily amended form can hold up the file at the counter. VFS accepts only small manual corrections to the printed form.

If you are refused, read the outcome carefully before applying again, and make sure the new file answers what was missing. Our visa reapplication guide explains how to judge whether something has really changed.

Tips for a stronger file

  • Write the itinerary like a booking clerk. Each day: city, hotel name, address and phone. Use the format VFS and the consulates publish.
  • Covering letter. Name everyone travelling, the dates and who pays, even where the New Delhi list makes it optional.
  • Latest ITR first. If your income is seasonal or agricultural, add 6 months of statements and a short explanation.
  • Copies on A4. Every photocopy, including the bio-data pages, on A4 paper; documents other than the passport are not returned.
  • Demand drafts ready. At Chandigarh, prepare separate drafts for the fee, the service charge and any courier.
  • Third-country travel. If you continue to another country, add that country's visa copy.

Is the Japan visa an e-visa now?

Partly. Since 1 April 2024, Japan has issued single-entry short-term tourism visas for residents of India as eVISAs, both for Indian nationals and for foreign nationals living in India. You still apply through a VFS centre exactly as before. The difference is the result: no sticker in the passport, and a "visa issuance notice" instead.

That notice must be shown on a mobile device at the airport, with internet access. VFS states that a PDF, photo, screenshot or printed copy will not be accepted. Before you leave home, make sure your phone has data or Wi-Fi at the airport and that you can open the notice. Multiple-entry and other visa types follow their own instructions.

Can you get a multiple-entry Japan visa?

Possibly. The New Delhi embassy accepts multiple-entry tourist applications under four headings: applicants with two or more earlier trips to Japan, applicants with a trip to Japan in the last three years, applicants with travel records to Japan and G7 countries in the last three years, and applicants with sufficient financial capacity, whose spouse and children can apply on the same basis. Each has its own checklist on the VFS New Delhi page. The fee for Indian nationals is the same INR 500. For other Japanese routes, see the Japan country page, and for work trips, the Japan business visa guide.

Official sources

Documents you need

13 items

  • Passport

    Valid passport with at least two pages blank on both sides, plus any old passports.

  • Copies of the bio-data pages

    First and last page of the current passport, photocopied on A4 paper.

  • Visa application form

    Completely filled in and signed. VFS accepts only small manual amendments.

  • Photograph

    One photo, 45 mm by 35 mm, not older than 6 months, white background, face filling 70 to 80% of the frame.

  • Flight or cruise schedule

    A document showing your travel to and from Japan.

  • Itinerary in Japan

    Day-by-day plan with hotel names and contact details while in Japan.

  • Latest income tax return

    Or, if you have no ITR, bank statements for the last 6 months.

  • Covering letter

    Where anything needs explaining: who is travelling, the dates and who pays.

  • Consent for students and dependants

    Consent from parents or spouse, with their latest ITR or 6 months of bank statements.

  • Proof of relationship

    For dependants travelling with you: passport copies, marriage or birth certificates.

  • Appointment confirmation

    A printout of the VFS appointment email.

  • Demand drafts at Chandigarh

    Separate drafts in favour of VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd. for the visa fee, service charge and any courier.

  • Third-country visa

    A copy of the visa for any country you visit before or after Japan.

What it costs

All-in
Our fee
₹4,999
All-in, GST included. Paid to us.
Embassy visa fee
Set by the embassy
Paid to the embassy at cost.
VFS / appointment charge
Varies by centre
Paid to VFS (or the appointment partner) at cost.

Nothing is added to our fee. The number on the page is the number.

Item

Amount

Visa fee, Indian nationals (single or multiple entry)

Fee table effective 1 July 2026. Refunded only if the visa is not approved.

INR 500 (checked 14 Oct 2026)

VFS service charge

Per application, taxes included, not refundable. By demand draft at Chandigarh.

INR 800 (checked 14 Oct 2026)

Courier return (optional)

Per application, taxes included, not refundable.

INR 550 (checked 14 Oct 2026)

Government and third-party fees change often — we confirm the exact current amounts for your case before you pay anything.

How long it takes

Timing
  • The embassy’s decision: At least seven to ten working days from submission, as VFS advises for the New Delhi embassy, and longer in busy periods This is the visa post’s timeline, not ours.
  • Our part: Your file is ready to submit within 3 working days of us receiving your complete documents.

How the process works

7 steps

Typical processing: At least seven to ten working days from submission, as VFS advises for the New Delhi embassy, and longer in busy periods

  1. Step 1

    Check jurisdiction and category

    Punjab files go to the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi. Choose tourist, student, multiple-entry or visiting-relatives category.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the New Delhi checklist

    Passport, form, photo, flight schedule, itinerary, latest ITR or 6 months of statements, all copies on A4.

  3. Step 3

    Book a VFS appointment

    Choose Chandigarh, New Delhi, Gurugram or Lucknow, and print the confirmation email.

  4. Step 4

    Arrange payment

    Cash or card in New Delhi; separate demand drafts at Chandigarh, Gurugram and Lucknow.

  5. Step 5

    Submit at VFS

    Arrive early: submission tokens are issued only until 1 pm. Documents other than the passport are kept.

  6. Step 6

    Wait for the Embassy's decision

    Allow at least seven to ten working days; the Embassy may ask for an interview or more documents.

  7. Step 7

    Collect your passport and eVISA notice

    Check the visa details, and for an eVISA make sure the notice opens on your phone.

Official sourcesLast verified

Frequently asked questions

14 answers

  • The New Delhi checklist sets no fixed balance. It asks for your latest income tax return, or bank statements for the last 6 months if you have no ITR, so the Embassy can see that the trip in your itinerary fits your income. Statements that show steady income and normal spending work better than one large recent deposit. Students and dependants give a parent's or spouse's papers instead.

  • The Embassy of Japan in New Delhi asks for your latest income tax return, but accepts bank statements for the last 6 months if you do not have one. Students and dependants add consent from a parent or spouse, plus that person's latest ITR or 6 months of statements. Other consulates ask for more; Bengaluru, for instance, also wants an NOC and a GST certificate for the self-employed.

  • Yes. VFS Global runs a Japan visa centre at Elante Offices in Chandigarh, open Monday to Friday, with submission tokens issued only until 1 pm. Files go to the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi. At Chandigarh you pay by separate demand drafts in favour of VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd. for the visa fee, the INR 800 service charge and any courier return.

  • Usually not. You hand in the file at VFS and the Embassy decides on the papers. The New Delhi checklists note that the Embassy may request an interview or additional documents depending on your personal circumstances, so keep your phone and email active after you apply and respond quickly if contacted.

  • Within 90 days before your intended date of entry. VFS also asks for a minimum gap of seven to ten working days between applying and your travel date, and warns that processing can rise or fall at the Embassy's discretion because of high demand. Apply well inside the 90 days for busy seasons.

  • For single-entry tourism, yes. Since 1 April 2024, Japan has issued single-entry short-term tourist visas as eVISAs to Indian nationals and other residents of India. You still apply through a VFS centre as before; the difference is that you receive a visa issuance notice instead of a sticker in your passport.

  • No. VFS states that the visa issuance notice must be shown on a mobile device at the airport, which needs internet access, and that a PDF, photo, screenshot or printed copy will not be accepted. Check before you leave home that you can open the notice and that your phone will have data or Wi-Fi at the airport.

  • No paid tickets are listed. The New Delhi checklist asks for a document showing your flight or cruise schedule to and from Japan, and an itinerary in Japan with hotel and contact details. The Kolkata consulate's list says bookings, not confirmed tickets. Keep reservations flexible until the visa is issued.

  • Possibly. The New Delhi embassy has multiple-entry checklists for applicants with earlier trips to Japan, applicants with travel records to Japan and G7 countries in the last three years, and applicants with sufficient financial capacity, whose spouse and children can apply too. The visa fee for Indian nationals stays INR 500.

  • There is a separate category. The Embassy of Japan in New Delhi offers a single-entry tourism visa for Indian university students and graduates, for stays of up to 30 days, with its own checklist on the VFS New Delhi page. Students applying under the ordinary tourist visa need consent from a parent and the parent's latest ITR or 6 months of bank statements.

  • The Embassy of Japan in New Delhi. Its jurisdiction, as listed by VFS, includes Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the north-eastern states. Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru consulates serve their own regions.

  • The visa fee is, the other charges are not. VFS's New Delhi fee note says the visa fee is refunded only if the visa is not approved by the Embassy. The INR 800 service charge and the optional INR 550 courier charge are non-refundable.

  • Up to 90 days per stay on a short-term tourist visa. The student and graduate tourism category allows stays of up to 30 days. Multiple-entry visas let you make several trips during their validity, each within the stay the visa allows.

  • Passport size, 45 mm by 35 mm, in colour on a plain white background, taken within the last 6 months, looking straight at the camera, with the face filling 70 to 80% of the frame and printed on good-quality paper. One photo goes with the application.

Going it alone vs filing with us

Why it matters

On your own

  • Guessing the document list — one missing or wrongly formatted paper triggers a refusal.
  • Generic cover letters copied from the internet that officers recognise and flag.
  • No read on peak rejection windows or what this visa post is strict about.
  • Government and VFS fees are non-refundable — money lost if you are refused.
  • A refusal stamp follows you and weakens every future visa application.

With Lifeset Overseas

  • An honest case assessment before you spend a rupee on government fees.
  • A file built to the embassy's exact checklist and in the exact order.
  • Weak finances, ties or purpose identified and fixed before submission.
  • Previously refused? We can rescue and rebuild the file.
  • Every case handled by one consultant, end to end.

A refusal isn't the end

Refused before?

A refusal is not a permanent bar — but it only improves if the actual reason is found and answered, and nobody can tell you a second application will succeed. If a Japan visa has been refused, we:

  • Read the actual refusal letter and pinpoint the real gaps.
  • Advise whether to pull the officer's notes (CAIPS / GCMS) for the true reason.
  • Identify which part was weak — funds, employment, purpose or ties.
  • Tell you honestly whether to reapply now or strengthen the file first.

Visa refused? Our consultancy fee is refunded under the Refund Policy. Embassy and VFS fees are never ours to refund. Read the refund policy

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