Travel guide
Japan visa-free entry: rules for US, UK, Canadian, Australian and EU travellers
If you hold a US, Canadian, UK, Australian or most European passports, you can visit Japan as a tourist for up to 90 days without a visa. The rules are simple, but a few details catch people out: what you may and may not do on a visa-free stay, the arrival forms, the customs allowances, and some everyday medicines that are banned in Japan. This guide walks you through all of it, from booking to the arrivals hall.
In short
- US, Canadian, UK, Australian and most European passport holders get up to 90 days visa-free for tourism.
- Visa-free means no paid work. Sightseeing, visiting friends and attending meetings are fine.
- Your passport only needs to be valid for your whole stay; Japan has no six-month rule for these visitors.
- Cold and allergy medicines with pseudoephedrine (such as Sudafed) are banned. Check your wash bag before you pack.
- Buying a JR Pass? Ask for the Temporary Visitor stamp at immigration, even if you use an automated gate.
In this guide
Do you need a visa for Japan?
Probably not. Japan has visa exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions, and for almost all of them a tourist can stay up to 90 days (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (opens in a new tab)). That list includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and most of Europe. You do not fill in an online application before you fly: you show your passport at immigration on arrival and are given permission to land.
| Passport | Visa-free stay | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| United States, Canada | Up to 90 days | Tourism and other non-paid visits |
| United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Mexico | 90 days on arrival | You can apply in Japan to extend by a further 90 days |
| Most other European countries (France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and others) | Up to 90 days | Check your country on the official list |
| Australia, New Zealand | Up to 90 days | Tourism and other non-paid visits |
The list changes from time to time, so check your own nationality on the official exemption list (opens in a new tab) before you book. If you hold a second passport, travel on the one that gives you visa-free entry and use it for both your flight booking and immigration.
What you can and cannot do on a visa-free stay
Visa-free entry is for short, unpaid visits. The Embassy of Japan in the US puts it simply: a visa is not needed for stays of up to 90 days as long as you do not earn money in Japan (Embassy of Japan in the USA (opens in a new tab)).
- Fine: sightseeing, visiting friends or family, a honeymoon, attending a conference or business meeting, a short course with no pay.
- Not fine: any paid work for a Japanese company or client while you are in Japan, including a short paid gig.
- Not fine: long study or a working holiday. These need the right visa before you travel.
Passport and documents to have ready
Japan does not ask visitors with an ordinary passport for six months of validity left: your passport needs to be valid for the whole of your stay (Embassy of Japan in the USA, visa FAQ (opens in a new tab)). Leave at least one blank page for the landing sticker.
- Passport, valid until the day you leave Japan.
- Return or onward ticket. Immigration officers may ask to see it, so keep the booking on your phone (Embassy of Japan in the USA (opens in a new tab)).
- Your first hotel address and phone number, for the arrival form.
- Visit Japan Web QR codes, if you filled it in (see below).
- A credit card and some yen. Not checked at the border, but you will want cash for the train or bus into town.
Visit Japan Web: do it before you fly
Every visitor has to give immigration and customs details on arrival. You can do this in advance on Visit Japan Web (opens in a new tab), the government's free online service: enter your passport, flight and address once and you get QR codes to show at immigration and customs. It is not compulsory, and paper forms are still available on the plane or at the airport, but the QR codes usually make arrival quicker.
Arrival, step by step
Most long-haul flights from North America and Europe land at Narita in Chiba or Haneda in Tokyo, and many also fly to Kansai Airport near Osaka. The process is the same everywhere:
- Immigration. Foreign visitors aged 16 and over give fingerprints of both index fingers and a face photo at the counter or machine (Immigration Services Agency of Japan (opens in a new tab)).
- Landing permission. You get a sticker or stamp showing your status, Temporary Visitor, and the date your stay ends.
- Baggage claim.
- Customs. Show your Visit Japan Web QR code at a customs e-gate, or hand in the paper declaration.
- Into town. Pick up an IC card for trains and buses, or exchange your rail pass.
The stamp JR Pass holders must not miss
A Japan Rail Pass can only be picked up or exchanged by someone with a Temporary Visitor stamp or sticker in their passport. Some airports now let visitors use automated gates, which do not add one (Japan Rail Pass official site (opens in a new tab)).
When you use an automated gate at the airport, no stamp/sticker will be stamped or put on your passport.
If you plan to buy a JR Pass, use a staffed counter or ask an officer for the stamp before you leave immigration.
Customs allowances
Adults can bring in the following without paying duty (Japan Customs (opens in a new tab)). Anything above these amounts has to be declared.
| Item | Duty-free allowance |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | 3 bottles of about 760 ml each (none for under-20s) |
| Cigarettes | 200 cigarettes |
| Perfume | 2 oz, about 56 ml |
| Other goods | Total overseas value up to ¥200,000; a single item over ¥200,000 is taxed on its full value |
Meat products, including jerky and sausages, and fresh fruit are strictly controlled, so leave them at home. For the full rules, see the Japan Customs guide for passengers (opens in a new tab).
Bringing medicines into Japan
This is the part that surprises many visitors. Japan's rules on medicines are stricter than in the US or most of Europe (Embassy of Japan in the UK (opens in a new tab); Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (opens in a new tab)).
- You can bring up to one month's supply of prescription medicine for your own use without paperwork. More than that needs an import certificate (Yunyu Kakunin-sho) before you travel.
- Products containing pseudoephedrine, such as Sudafed and some Vicks inhalers, are banned, even though they are sold over the counter at home.
- Medicines with narcotics, such as codeine, need permission in advance whatever the amount.
- Some ADHD medicines with stimulants are prohibited outright. If you take one, contact the Japanese embassy well before your trip.
- Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor, and keep medicines in their original packs.
Staying longer than 90 days
Nationals of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Mexico are given 90 days on arrival and can apply at a regional immigration office in Japan to extend their stay by a further 90 days, before the first 90 days run out (Embassy of Japan in the UK (opens in a new tab)). For other nationalities, plan as if 90 days is the limit: if you want to stay longer, or to work or study, apply for the right visa before you travel.
If your passport is not on the list
Travellers from countries without visa exemption apply for a short-term visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate. Some nationalities living in certain countries can apply online through JAPAN eVISA (opens in a new tab). Apply well ahead of your trip.
Check before you book
Visa rules are reviewed from time to time, so check the official exemption list (opens in a new tab) or your local Japanese embassy before you pay for flights. Then plan the fun part: the weather in Tokyo when you go, how to get around Kanto and Kansai with an IC card, and whether a JR Pass is worth it for your route.
Questions travellers ask
Do US citizens need a visa for Japan?
Not for tourism or other unpaid visits of up to 90 days. You need a passport valid for your whole stay, and you may be asked for a return or onward ticket.
Do UK citizens need a visa for Japan?
No. UK citizens get 90 days on arrival for tourism and can apply in Japan to extend by a further 90 days.
Does my passport need six months' validity for Japan?
No. For ordinary passports, it only needs to be valid for the length of your stay. Check your airline's rules if you connect through another country.
Is Visit Japan Web mandatory?
No. It lets you complete the immigration and customs forms online and get QR codes, which is usually quicker. Paper forms are still available.
Can I bring Sudafed to Japan?
No. Medicines containing pseudoephedrine are banned in Japan. Bring an alternative without it.
Can I work remotely for my home employer on a visa-free stay?
Visa-free entry is for short visits without paid activity in Japan. If you plan to work during a long stay, check with the Japanese embassy which visa you need.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan外務省Visa exemption list and stay lengths (opens in a new tab)
- Embassy of Japan in the United States在米国日本国大使館Visa and travel information for US citizens (opens in a new tab)
- Embassy of Japan in the United States在米国日本国大使館Visa FAQ: passport validity (opens in a new tab)
- Embassy of Japan in the UK在英国日本国大使館Temporary Visitor rules for UK citizens (opens in a new tab)
- Visit Japan Web (Digital Agency)デジタル庁Visit Japan Web (opens in a new tab)
- www.moj.go.jpImmigration Control report: biometrics on arrival, PDF (opens in a new tab)
- Japan Customs税関Duty-free allowances for travellers (opens in a new tab)
- Japan Customs税関Customs procedures for passengers (opens in a new tab)
- Embassy of Japan in the UK在英国日本国大使館Bringing medicines to Japan (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare厚生労働省Q&A on importing medicines, PDF (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan外務省JAPAN eVISA online application (opens in a new tab)
- Japan Rail Pass official siteJR Pass eligibility and the Temporary Visitor stamp (opens in a new tab)
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