Japan is the country where the sun rises, this is how its name is translated from Japanese. And that is why the rising Sun glows red on the white national flag of the country.
From the point of view of the average domestic (and foreign) tourist, Japan, once closed to Europeans, is a real pearl of Far Eastern tourism. Even the most demanding and fastidious of those who have “already traveled half the world” have something to see here: the pronounced national flavor of ancient Shinto shrines and the most modern skyscrapers of Japanese cities, built according to the latest Western standards and technologies, the unique nature of countless nature reserves and parks and the gardens of this amazing country, the original bunraku puppet theater - all this, and much, much more, will not leave anyone indifferent... How and who can be left indifferent by the ancient samurai history of the country, beautiful geishas or cherry blossoms?
It is clear that in order to visit Japan and see firsthand how magnificent and unique this country is, you will need a tourist visa.
Do Russians need a visa to Japan?
Yes, Russians need a visa to visit the Land of the Rising Sun. But there is some good news: in obvious contrast to most foreign visas, a tourist visa to Japan for Russian citizens and its residents does not cost anything. Nothing. Absolutely. Not a penny. And getting it, friends, is no more difficult than “some kind of Schengen”.
True, there are also some nuances here: the Japanese Embassy is located in Moscow, and there are also four Japanese Consulates General in Russia - in St. Petersburg, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. That is, it turns out that residents of other Russian cities will have to come to one of these cities in order to obtain a free Japanese visa. Which, to put it mildly, is not very convenient...
However, here, as elsewhere, you cannot do without cunning intermediaries, and a Japanese visa can be obtained locally through accredited travel agencies. And this is by no means free of charge, and it takes much longer.
Entry rules
A single-entry visa is valid for only one entry/exit. A multiple-entry visa allows you to make as many entries and exits as necessary.
When entering Japan, it is recommended:
- There must be more than 6 months before the passport expires.
- Carry your return tickets and a printout of your hotel reservation with you when going through border control.
- If the purpose of the trip is tourism, it is not recommended to carry with you things that may seem suspicious to the border guard (for example, work boots, which can lead to suspicion of the purpose of illegal employment).
Despite some difficulty in obtaining a visa, Japan is a very hospitable country where tourists are welcome. The culture, cuisine, nature and architecture of the land of the rising sun will leave an unforgettable impression; you will not regret spending the time and effort to obtain a visa.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.
How to get a visa to Japan on your own: requirements
To obtain a tourist visa to Japan, as well as to any other country (of course, with the exception of countries that have visa-free relations with the Russian Federation), you will need a certain set of documents.
And finally, one more, no, two good news for potential guests of the country of the three “Cs” - samurai, sakura and sake: firstly , to obtain a Japanese visa you no longer need an invitation from the host party, which was a prerequisite for obtaining a Japanese tourist visa visas until January 1, 2017, and secondly , a health insurance policy is also no longer required to enter Japan. However, we strongly recommend that you get one, if only because treatment and medicine in general in Japan are extremely expensive. In any case, it will not be superfluous.
By the way, you can apply for a medical policy for a trip to Japan without leaving your home, online. The system will automatically collect offers from several insurance companies, and you can choose the most optimal one.
Transit through the country
a transit visa to Japan in the same way as a regular one . It is necessary to provide the Embassy with a basic package of documents, supplemented with travel documents to a third country and a confirmed visa to a third country (if necessary).
The transit pass is valid for 72 hours from the moment you enter the country. For Russians planning cruises with visits to Japanese ports, the entire package of documents is also required. Only with a visa will a Russian tourist be able to go ashore.
A transit visa is not required when a Russian citizen flies from one country to another with a transfer at a Japanese airport.
In case of emergency, a tourist can stay in the country for 72 hours without leaving the transit area of the airport. This is indicated in the passport with a special sticker.
How long does it take to get a visa to Japan?
So, the Japanese are very careful in selecting candidates to visit the country. The visa itself will be valid for 90 days from the date of receipt, but the number of days of stay allowed will depend on your travel program. As a rule, a visa is issued for a single entry for 15 or 30 days of stay.
To obtain a multiple-entry Japanese visa with a longer period of stay, you must justify such a need, in addition, the bank account statement must contain the required amount
Reasons for refusal
The Japanese side is attentive to the procedure for issuing travel documents, so getting a visa refusal on their part is quite easy.
Main reasons for refusal:
- lack of documents;
- errors in the questionnaire;
- false data;
- presence of offenses during previous visits to the country;
- deception of Embassy employees.
In case of refusal, the reason must be indicated in the document.
If the reason lies in filling out the documents incorrectly, the Visa Center consultants will tell you how to get to Japan, pointing out the errors. However, resubmission of papers is available only 6 months after an unsuccessful attempt.
When the refusal was due to falsification of data and deception of Embassy employees, the delay in re-accepting documents may be increased or completely prohibited.
Documentation
So, to obtain a tourist visa to Japan, citizens and residents of the Russian Federation will need to provide the following portfolio of documents to the embassy or consulate general - their, so to speak, basic set:
- visa application form - signed by the applicant in two copies, filled out in English or Japanese, indicating all the required dates and the obligatory attachment of photographs of 45x45 mm format (they must be pasted in independently);
- a foreign passport or a copy thereof - the latter in case the applicant needs the original while his application is being considered;
- a copy of the general civil (internal) passport - pages with personal data and indicating the place of permanent residence (registration);
- a certificate from the employer indicating the current salary, a bank statement (as evidence of the financial solvency of the applicant). The minimum amount recommended by the consulate is $100 per person per day;
- air tickets or any document confirming their booking;
- a detailed program of stay in Japan (also in one of two languages - English or Japanese) - deadline dates are indicated (day of arrival - day of departure), proposed routes of movement around the country, numbers of “incoming” and “outgoing” flights and other “appearance passwords” » such as addresses and phone numbers of hotels in Japan where the applicant plans to stay.
Let us repeat, this list is “basic” and may vary from case to case, and therefore it must be clarified each time on the above-mentioned official Internet portal of the Japanese Embassy, since if for some reason this briefcase does not contain the necessary documents (for example, powers of attorney from minors persons, marriage certificates for married couples, etc.), the visa application will not be accepted for consideration.
By the way, the list of documents may also vary depending on the place of their submission. For example, at the Japanese Consulate General in the Far East, the applicant will not be required to print out a hotel reservation.
Application form: sample filling and form
The visa application form for a visa to Japan is filled out strictly in English or Japanese, printed on two sheets in two copies (one copy - two pages). A photo of the applicant is pasted into the application form in the space provided. And don’t forget to sign on the 2nd sheet. Application forms can be found at the link. You can see a sample of the completed application form below:
Photo: requirements 2021
Photos to obtain a visa must be in color or black and white. The size of the photograph for a visa to Japan is 4.5x4.5 cm. They must be taken no later than 6 months before applying to the consulate. It is not acceptable to submit two different photographs. The photo must be attached to the application form.
Japan Visa Program
So, the list of required documents for a Japanese visa includes a stay program. This document, in fact, is not anything complicated. There is a sample on the consulate website with an example of what needs to be entered. You need to fill out in English or Japanese; in the sample, the information is indicated in Russian purely for understanding.
As a result, you should end up with something like this:
Where to contact
A Japanese tourist visa can be obtained from the Japanese Embassy in Moscow or from any of the four aforementioned Consulates General of Japan in St. Petersburg, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Vladivostok or Khabarovsk. The official websites of the representative offices indicate the territories and zones covered by the consular responsibility of a particular Japanese Consulate General in Russia.
How much does a visa to Japan cost for Russians?
As mentioned above, for citizens of the Russian Federation a Japanese visa is free, and in terms of indirect financial costs the situation with obtaining it is as follows: 150 rubles for two photographs on the application form and a certificate from the bank (if it is not issued free of charge) - more 200 rubles. This is if we are talking about independently applying for a visa at the Japanese Embassy or Japanese Consulates General. Intermediary services (that is, the services of travel agencies and postal services) are not taken into account in this case; their cost should be clarified with the specific service.
Consular fee
Japan, despite being closed from the rest of the world and having difficulties obtaining a visa, does not charge Russians a consular fee. In fact, the cost of a visa to Japan for Russians in 2021 is zero, but you have to pay for sending documents - about 10 dollars.
When applying for an urgent visa, the consular fee depends on the urgency:
- 10,000 yen – application less than 4 days before departure;
- 4,000 yen – apply 4 – 5 days before the trip.
The costs of paperwork, in particular the transfer of papers from the Japanese side, are paid by the tourist . Additionally, payment for intermediary services is taken into account. The price is set independently by the travel agency or visa center. The cost of a visa can reach $100 or more.
Visa violations and sanctions
When going to Japan, you should remember that violation of the local visa regime (for example, working on a tourist visa) leads to administrative arrest for an indefinite period, a fine and subsequent forced deportation from the country and restrictions on visiting it in the future for a period of several years. The administrative arrest of a violator of the Japanese visa regime is the subject of consular proceedings, and the consul of the Russian Federation in Japan will have to represent the interests of the arrested person in the future, taking measures for his legal protection.
