Japan is popular with foreign visitors for both tourism and business purposes. Citizens of the Philippines who wish to travel to Japan for a short-term stay require a visa.
The most common visa is the temporary visitor visa which grants permission to stay in Japan for up to 90 days. This Japan tourist visa can be used for short-term business trips, visiting friends and family, or for general tourism in Japan.
The Japanese government has introduced a new electronic visa (eVisa). Currently it is only available to citizens of the US and Canada but will eventually be made available for visits to Japan from the Philippines.
The Japan eVisa for Philippine citizens will requires a valid passport, completion of the online application form, as well as other official documents. Since the process is entirely online, applicants no longer have to visit the Japanese Embassy to obtain a Japan visa.
The Japan eVisa application asks for personal details, exactly as they appear on the passport. The applicant needs to provide the purpose of the trip, the dates of travel, port of entry, and the name of the transport carrier. The traveler must also provide the contact details for where they will be staying in Japan.
In addition to providing these details, the applicant has to answer a set of legal questions related to any past criminal history or legal violations.
Applicants are responsible for gathering all necessary documents and meeting all requirements for the Japan tourist visa from the Philippines. Please take time to review the list of Japan visa requirements and documents for a visa application.
Applicants need to prepare the following items:
If someone else will be funding the trip, the application need to include:
If the applicant has been invited to Japan for business or for a family event, the application should include a formal invitation letter.
It will soon be possible to apply for a Japanese visa from the Philippines only. Currently, the eVisa system is open US and Canadian citizens only.
Once available, eligible travelers will be able to apply for a Japan tourist visa from the Philippines online in 3 steps:
Complete the Japan visa application form online Provide supporting documents Pay Japan visa processing fees
Travelers receive their approved eVisa by email, ready to travel from the Philippines to Japan.
Until the eVisa is rolled out, travelers from the Philippines can apply for a visa at the Japanese Embassy in Manila or at the consulate offices in Cebu or Davao.
It is important to apply for the correct visa depending on the purpose of the trip. The most common visa types issued by Japan are for short-term tourism and short-term business travel. However, review the different visa types carefully to determine which situation fits most closely with the purpose of visiting Japan.
In addition to the tourist visas outlined above, Filipino nationals may apply for the following short-term visas:
The Japanese government grants long-term visas for Philippine citizens in special cases: