Japan Visa When Invited by Military Personnel Based in Japan

Check current official requirements before submission.Documents and procedures may change. TaraVel can help you organize the applicable checklist.

Passport

Original valid passport with the applicant’s signature, including any old passport with a previous Japan visa. The passport should be valid for at least six months and contain at least two blank pages. Remove passport covers.
Provide a colored scanned copy of the full passport biographical page.

Application form

Computer-completed Japan visa application form printed on A4 paper and originally signed. Complete every item; enter N/A where a question does not apply.

Photographs

Two recent color photographs, 45 mm x 35 mm, with a white background, taken within the last three months. Do not wear a white top, eyeglasses, or jewelry. Eyebrows and ears should be visible and teeth should not show.
Write the applicant’s name and birth date on the back. Digitally processed or modified photographs are not accepted.

Civil registry documents

Original PSA birth certificate and, for a married female applicant, marriage certificate issued within one year. An exemption may apply to an applicant with a previously used Japan visa who has no guarantor.
Attach the PSA receipt when available, especially for certificates issued from April 2025 onward.
If unreadable, also submit the corresponding Local Civil Registrar certificate. For late-registered births, include a baptismal certificate and school record (Form 137). If PSA has no record, provide the LCR certificate and PSA Certificate of No Record.

Agency and identity documents

Original authorization for Embassy verification of PSA documents.
Original agency letters of authorization for representatives.
Copy of another valid ID bearing the applicant’s original signature.
Japan visa notice or waiver using the agency form.
Signatures on the passport, application form, authorization letters, and ID copy should match.

Inviter documents

Invitation letter using the Japan Embassy form.
Documents explaining the reason for invitation. If the stay exceeds 30 days, include an explanation letter.
Itinerary in Japan using the Japan Embassy form.
Statement of Service, preferably including the attestant’s email address.
Copies of the inviter’s passport identity page and Japan entry or status stamps.

Proof of relationship

Relatives: PSA birth or marriage certificate issued within one year.
Friends: photos, emails, remittance or parcel receipts, or similar evidence.

Who will pay for the trip

If the applicant will pay: bank certificate showing ADB, with statements if ADB is omitted, plus the applicable BIR income tax return.
If US military personnel will pay: Japan Embassy guarantee letter and the inviter’s US individual income tax documents, including IRS Form 1040 and W-2.

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