 |
| Nationals of Countries with
Reciprocal Visa Exemption Arrangements with Japan |
| As of June 2002, Japan had concluded general
visa exemption arrangements with 63 countries, as shown in the accompanying
table. Nationals of these countries holding valid passports can apply for
landing permission for short-term stays for such purposes as sightseeing and
business trips without acquiring a visa. However, cases involving paid
activities in Japan are excluded. Also, visa exemption arrangements are not
applicable in the case of stays exceeding the period of time stipulated in each
arrangement. In such cases, it is necessary for foreigners to acquire a visa. |
|
| Those Having Obtained Re-entry
Permission |
| If foreigners who already reside in Japan,
having acquired a status of residence for a long-term stay, such as for work,
wish to leave the country temporarily during the period for which they have
received permission to stay in Japan, they can obtain a re-entry permit before
departing Japan. This permit enables them to re-enter Japan without having to
obtain a new visa, as long as their re-entry is within the valid period of the
permit. For such foreigners, the procedures for entering Japan are much
simpler than the usual landing procedures. |
|
| Applications for re-entry permits can be made at the nearest immigration
authority under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. When re-entry
permission is granted, the permit is stamped on the foreigner's passport.
In principle, re-entry permission is valid for only one time. However,
foreigners who have to leave Japan frequently can apply for multiple re-entry
permits. It is not possible to obtain re-entry permission at an embassy or
consulate after departure from Japan. However, if a foreigner who has departed
Japan after acquiring re-entry permission is unable to return to Japan before
expiration of the permit for unavoidable reasons, such as illness, the foreigner
can apply at an embassy or consulate for an extension of the re-entry permit's
period of validity. |
|
| List of Countries That Have Visa
Exemption Arrangements with Japan |
|
COUNTRY |
DURATION OF STAY |
Asia |
| Singapore |
3 months or less |
| Brunei |
14 days or less |
| Malaysia |
Visa Recommended |
| Bangladesh |
Temporarily suspneded |
| Pakistan |
Temporarily suspneded |
North
America |
| Canada |
3 months or less |
| U.S.A. |
90 days or less |
Latin
America & Caribbean |
| Mexico |
6 months or less |
| Argentina |
3 months or less |
| Bahamas |
3 months or less |
| Chile |
3 months or less |
| Colombia |
3 months or less |
| Costa Rica |
3 months or less |
| Dominican Rep. |
3 months or less |
| El salvador |
3 months or less |
| Guatemala |
3 months or less |
| Honduras |
3 months or less |
| Suriname |
3 months or less |
| Uruguay |
3 months or less |
| Barados |
90 days or less |
| Peru |
Visa Recommended |
Middle East |
| Israel |
3 months or less |
| Turkey |
3 months or less |
| Iran |
Temporarily suspended |
Oceania |
| Australia* |
90 days or less |
| New Zealand |
90 days or less |
Africa |
| Lesotho |
3 months or less |
| Mauritius |
3 months or less |
| Tunisia |
3 months or less |
|
|
COUNTRY |
DURATION OF STAY |
Europe |
| Austria |
6 months or less |
| Germany |
6 months or less |
| Ireland |
6 months or less |
| Liechtenstein |
6 months or less |
| Switzerland |
6 months or less |
| United Kingdom |
6 months or less |
| Belgium |
3 months or less |
| Croatia |
3 months or less |
| Cyprus |
3 months or less |
| Denmark |
3 months or less |
| Finland |
3 months or less |
| France |
3 months or less |
| Greece |
3 months or less |
| Iceland |
3 months or less |
| Italy |
3 months or less |
| Luxembourg |
3 months or less |
| Macedonia |
3 months or less |
| Malta |
3 months or less |
| Netherlands |
3 months or less |
| Norway |
3 months or less |
| Portugal |
3 months or less |
| San Marino |
3 months or less |
| Slovenia |
3 months or less |
| Spain |
3 months or less |
| Sweden |
3 months or less |
| Andorra |
90 days or less |
| Czech Rep. |
90 days or less |
| Estonia |
90 days or less |
| Hungary |
90 days or less |
| Latvia |
90 days or less |
| Lithuania |
90 days or less |
| Monaco |
90 days or less |
| Poland |
90 days or less |
| Slovakia |
90 days or less |
*In the case of Australia, Japan adopts a
unilateral measure, not a bilateral visa exemption arrangement.
|
|
|
| Duration of Stay |
| In the case of visa exemption
arrangements of up to three months or 90 days, foreigners are granted upon
landing a temporary visitor status for a period of 90 days (15 days for Brunei).
Nationals of countries that have concluded visa exemption arrangements with
Japan for stays of up to six months in principle are granted permission to stay
in Japan for 90 days at the time of landing. Nationals of these countries who
wish to stay in Japan for more than 90 days must apply at their nearest
immigration authority in Japan for an extension of their period of stay. |
|
| Special Cases of Landing |
| If the passengers of an airplane or ship that
lands at an airport or seaport in Japan wish to enter Japan temporarily for
shopping or rest, they can receive special landing permission from the
immigration authority at the port of arrival even if they do not possess a visa.
In principle, applications for such special landing permission are made not by
the foreigners wishing to enter Japan themselves but by the captain of their
airplane or ship or by the carrier (transportation company) operating the flight
or voyage. When special landing permission is granted, the foreigners concerned
are not given any status of residence or period of stay, but restrictions on
landing time and scope of movement are stipulated as conditions for permission.
Also, special landing permission is not granted if the applicant will be
returning to his or her place of departure (for example, coming from Hawaii and
then returning to Hawaii). |
|
Please note that these permits are for very short stays, they cannot be
extended, and the route to be followed in transit, etc. is subject to
restrictions. If foreigners wish to travel in Japan, they are recommended to
acquire a transit visa or a short-term visa before coming to Japan.
For more details concerning special landing permission, please inquire at the
nearest immigration authority. |
|
| Permission for landing at Port of Call: |
| Special dispensation, called a shore pass, may be granted to foreign passengers
aboard an airplane or ship that is proceeding to another destination via Japan
who wish to enter Japan temporarily for shopping or rest. A shore pass permits
such foreigners to enter Japan as long as they remain in the vicinity of their
port of call (in principle, the municipality in which the port of call is
located) and for a period of less than 72 hours. |
|
| Permission for landing in transit: |
| This dispensation is called a transit pass. There are two types: permission for
landing in transit for sightseeing and permission for landing in transit for
departure at a neighboring port. |
|
| Permission
for landing in transit for sightseeing: Permission is granted
to the foreign passengers of a ship arriving at a Japanese port of
entry who
wish to travel in Japan for sightseeing purposes and then
rejoin the same ship at another port of entry in Japan. This permission
is valid for up to 15 days. |
|
| Permission
for landing in transit for departure at a
neighboring port: Permission is granted to
foreign passengers of an airplane or ship proceeding to another country
via Japan who wish to enter Japan from their first port of call and then
move to another port of call in a nearby area for departure. This
permission is granted when a foreign passenger wishes to depart Japan
within three days. In principle, another port of call in a nearby area
is regarded as a port that is under the jurisdiction of the same regional immigration
bureau, or the immigration bureau of a neighboring region. (For example,
Narita Airport to Haneda Airport or Narita to Nagoya Airport are
acceptable, but Narita Airport to Kansai Airport is not allowed.) |
