Japan Visa for Visiting Friends and Distant Relatives

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 describing the applicant’s relationship with the inviter in detail.
Documents explaining the reason for invitation, such as information about a graduation, wedding, or medical matter. If the stay exceeds 30 days, include an explanation letter.
Itinerary in Japan using the Japan Embassy form.
Residence certificate (Jumin-hyo) of the inviter and guarantor listing all household members, except the Individual Number and Jumin-hyo Code.
If the inviter or guarantor is not Japanese, include copies of both sides of the residence card.

Proof of relationship

Friends: photos, emails, remittance or parcel receipts, passport pages showing visits, or similar evidence of the relationship.
Relatives beyond the third degree: relevant birth certificates, marriage certificates, or Koseki-tohon.

Who will pay for the trip

If the guarantor will pay: guarantee letter plus income, tax, or bank evidence showing ability to pay.
If the applicant will pay: employment or business documents, bank documents showing ADB, and the applicable BIR income tax return.

Official Embassy of Japan checklistOpen Embassy of Japan checklist