Travelling to Japan
What you need for Japan, by passport.
- US passportNo visa needed for up to 90 daysCleared
- UK passportNo visa needed for up to 90 daysCleared
- Irish passportNo visa needed for up to 90 daysCleared
- Canadian passportNo visa needed for up to 90 daysCleared
- Australian passportNo visa needed for up to 90 daysCleared
- New Zealand passportNo visa needed for up to 90 daysCleared
Quick answers
Do I need a visa for Japan?
It depends on your passport. US passport: No visa needed for up to 90 days. UK passport: No visa needed for up to 90 days. Irish passport: No visa needed for up to 90 days. Canadian passport: No visa needed for up to 90 days. Australian passport: No visa needed for up to 90 days. New Zealand passport: No visa needed for up to 90 days.
Good to know
Departure tax is ¥3,000. Japan charges an International Tourist Tax of ¥3,000 each time you leave, up from ¥1,000. Your airline or cruise line collects it. The old ¥1,000 rate applies if your ticket was issued on or before 30 June 2026. Children under 2, and transit passengers who leave within 24 hours, don't pay.
Have an onward ticket. You can be refused entry if you can't show a return or onward ticket for a date within your permitted stay.
Carry your passport. You must carry your passport with you at all times in Japan. Police can ask to see it.
JESTA pre-travel check planned for 2028. Japan plans to bring in JESTA, an online pre-travel authorisation like the US ESTA, in its financial year 2028 (April 2028 to March 2029). There's no start date, fee or application site yet. You don't need anything now.
Checked 26 October 2026 against Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Embassy of Japan in the UK, Embassy of Japan in Ireland, Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle, Embassy of Japan in the USA, Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Japan Customs, Digital Agency, Government of Japan, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Narcotics Control Department, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and National Tax Agency of Japan.
See the 16 official sources
- Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay) (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)
- Visa: Temporary Visitor Visa (Embassy of Japan in the UK)
- Visiting Japan (Embassy of Japan in Ireland)
- Traveling to Japan Quick Facts (Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle)
- Frequently Asked Questions (visas) (Embassy of Japan in the USA)
- 入国審査時には「外国人入国記録」をご提出ください (Please submit the ED card at immigration) (Immigration Services Agency of Japan)
- Declaration of Accompanied Articles and Unaccompanied Articles (Japan Customs)
- Procedures of Passenger Clearance (Japan Customs)
- Visit Japan Web (Digital Agency, Government of Japan)
- Importing or Bringing Medication into Japan for Personal Use (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
- Q&A for those who are importing medicines into Japan (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
- Q&A for those who bring medicines into Japan (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Chugoku-Shikoku Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare))
- Application Guidance (carrying controlled medicines) (Narcotics Control Department, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
- Application for Import Confirmation (Yunyu Kakunin-sho) (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
- International Tourist Tax: Basic knowledge (National Tax Agency of Japan)
- Zero Illegal Foreign Residents Plan for the Safety and Security of People in Japan (Immigration Services Agency of Japan)