Before You Go · Immigration
Visas & entry, without the queue.
Most visitors don't need a visa. What they do need — and often forget — is Visit Japan Web, the pre-arrival portal that replaces three paper forms and gets you through the airport in minutes rather than an hour.
Watch first — the three mistakes that add an hour
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09:12Don't Arrive in Japan Without Checking This: Visit Japan Web + 3 Common Mistakes
The pre-arrival forms that used to be paper are now digital. Do them on the plane and you skip the entry lines completely.
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Do this before you board.
Who needs a visa
Passport-holders from most Western countries (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, NZ, and 60+ others) don't need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days as a tourist. Check the official list for your passport, but the short story is: if you already fly to Europe or the US without a visa, you almost certainly don't need one for Japan.
What you always do need: Visit Japan Web
Visit Japan Web is the government portal that consolidates:
- Immigration disembarkation card
- Customs declaration
- Tax-free purchase link (opt-in, useful later)
Fill it out on the plane if the airport gives you Wi-Fi, or before you board. On arrival you get one QR code per person that immigration and customs both scan. That's it.
The three mistakes that slow you down
- Registering too late. You need a Japan address (your first hotel is fine). Have that ready.
- Filling out for the group with one email. Each person needs their own account — kids too.
- Screenshotting the QR at home. Screenshots have expired for us before; open the portal fresh at the gate.
What immigration will actually ask
Purpose (tourism), length of stay, first hotel. All matches what's in Visit Japan Web. Fingerprints and photo are automatic at the gate. Total time at the officer: under two minutes if the queue moves.
Customs and what you can bring in
- Cash equivalent under ¥1,000,000 — no declaration.
- Alcohol: 3 bottles (760 ml each) tax-free.
- Cigarettes: 200 tax-free.
- Certain medications require an import certificate (yakkan shoumei) — check your prescription before you fly. Common cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine are banned.
The essentials.
- Tourist stay (visa-free)
- 90 days
- Passport validity
- 6 months +
- Cash declaration
- Over ¥1M
- Visit Japan Web
- Required
FACTS CHECKED 2026.07 — always verify with your consulate
Common questions.
Do I have to bring a printed itinerary?
No. Immigration accepts the Visit Japan Web entry. Bring a hotel confirmation on your phone as backup — very rarely asked.
Can I extend a 90-day tourist stay?
Extensions are rarely approved for tourism. If you need more than 90 days, plan to leave and re-enter after some months — or apply for a proper visa in advance.
Which medications are restricted?
Anything with pseudoephedrine, and certain painkillers with codeine. Check your prescription list against the Ministry of Health guide before you fly — an import certificate ("yakkan shoumei") solves it for most cases.
PAGE AUDITED 2026.07