Frequently Asked Questions 102: Japan Tourist Visa for Filipinos

1. Do I need a visa to go to Japan?

Yes, Filipinos are required to have a visa when visiting Japan.

2. What are the requirements?

1. Passport valid for at least six months
2. Visa Application Form (download)
3. Photo (4.5 cm x 4.5 cm) with white background
4. Birth Certificate issued by NSO within 1 year
5. Marriage Contract (if applicable) issued by NSO within 1 year
6. Tour Itinerary (download sample)
7. Bank Certificate (original)
8. Philippine Income Tax Return (BIR Form 2316)

    Note. All documents should be valid within 3 months upon the date of issue (unless otherwise stated)

3. How much should I have in my Bank account?

The embassy does not tell specifically how much is the amount required. You need to show to the embassy that you have an adequate amount of funds to finance your travel especially Japan is one of the most expensive countries in the world. To increase the chance of your approval, one should have at least P 70,000.

4. Can I submit my documents directly to Japan embassy?

No, application should be filed through Japan embassy's accredited agencies. 

5.  What are the accredited agencies and their corresponding fees?

Here are the list of accredited agencies you need to submit your documents and its related fees f as of writing for single entry visa. I also embedded the link of their websites for fast reference.

UHI

Discovery Tour Inc - P800

Rajah Travel Corporation - P1,800

Reli Tours & Travel Agency -P2,000

Attic Tours Phils., Inc. - P1,680

Friendship Tours and Resorts Corporation - P1,200

Pan Pacific Travel Corporation - P1,000

Processing Time : at least 1 working day depending from the Agency you applied.

Releasing Time : Your agency will advise you.

7. How long can I stay?

For single-entry visa, you are only allowed to stay in Japan for up to fifteen (15) days valid three (3) months from the issued date. Example, you received your visa September 1, 2015, you can visit Japan anytime from September 1 until November 30, 2015. If you decided to go on November 25, you must leave Japan before November 30 since your visa has already expired.

If you are lucky, you can get a multiple entry visa valid up to 5 years!

8. What are the other things I should keep in mind?

·    When filling out your application, answer all the requirements truthfully. When it is not applicable, please put N/A and don't leave it blank.

·    Applicants who have passports (old or valid) with used Japanese Visa will be exempted from submitting NSO Birth Certificate and Marriage Contract

·    In some cases, applicants are given three (3) months to submit additional requirements. Otherwise application will be terminated. 

·    Documents submitted for application will not be returned. 

·    The applicant will be scheduled for an interview （if required）

·    When visa is not granted, the reasons of denial will not be disclosed. Applicants may apply again after six (6) month with the same purpose,unless there are emergency / humanitarian reasons, or application for different purpose. 

Leave a comment below in case you have questions but I can only share my personal experiences when I applied my visa last February 2015. To know more about Japan visa, please visit their website HERE.