Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to use Japan shore pass and transit landing permission
Japan shore pass and transit landing permission both turn on the same step: landing permission, which an immigration officer at the Japanese port of entry grants when a foreigner meets the requirements for entry, with the status of residence written on that permission setting out the activities the traveller may carry out. [1] A visa is only one of the requirements for entering Japan and does not guarantee entry. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Landing permission is granted by an immigration officer at the port of entry when the requirements for entry into Japan are met, and the status of residence on it shows what the traveller may do. [1]
- A visa is one of the requirements for entering Japan as defined by the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, and it does not guarantee entry. [1]
- Visas are issued at Japanese embassies, consulates-general and consular offices abroad, and cannot be obtained when you arrive in Japan or while you are staying there. [1]
- Japan's visa exemption table, dated 1 September 2025, covers 74 countries and regions, with stays of 15, 30 or 90 days granted upon landing permission depending on nationality. [4]
What is the difference between a visa and landing permission?
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes a visa as one of the requirements for entering Japan under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, and states plainly that a visa does not guarantee entry. [1]
Landing permission is the separate act at the border: an immigration officer at the port of entry grants it when a foreigner meets the requirement for entry into Japan. [1] The status of residence is mentioned on the landing permission and indicates the activities the traveller is permitted to perform in Japan. [1]
Because the words are often used loosely, the ministry notes that when people say "visa" they may actually mean the status of residence, giving the example of "changing visa" for a renewal or change of the status of residence. [1] Questions about a status of residence belong with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. [1]
For someone hoping to leave the terminal or the port during a stop, the practical consequence is that the decision is made at the border rather than at the booking stage: entry depends on the officer's grant of landing permission, and a visa on its own does not secure it. [1]
Do you need a visa for a short-term stay in Japan?
A short-term stay is defined as a stay of up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting friends or relatives and similar purposes that does not include remunerative activities. [1]
Nationals of the countries and regions listed on the ministry's visa pages must obtain a visa to enter Japan; that list includes the Philippines, Viet Nam, China, Russia, the CIS countries, Ukraine and Georgia, alongside other nationalities. [1]
In the other direction, Japan has reciprocal visa exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions, published in a table dated 1 September 2025. [4] The Japan visa exemption and entry requirements guide covers how those arrangements are read in practice.
Applications are submitted to the Japanese diplomatic mission with jurisdiction over the applicant's place of residence, at an accredited agency, at a Japan Visa Application Centre, or online where the mission permits it, and cannot be made inside Japan. [1] Processing takes approximately one week where all requirements are met, additional documents may be requested case by case, and the examination can take longer if the mission consults the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo. [1] A single-entry tourism eVISA is available online to people who need a short-term visa and live in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan Region of China, the United Kingdom or the United States. [1]
How long does landing permission last on a short-term visit?
Where a visa exemption applies, the period of stay granted upon landing permission is set by nationality, as of 1 September 2025: [4]
| Country or region | Period of stay |
|---|---|
| Indonesia, Thailand | 15 days |
| Brunei, Qatar | 30 days |
| Other countries and regions in the exemption table | 90 days |
Where a bilateral arrangement allows a stay of up to six months, a traveller who wants to remain beyond 90 days must apply to the Ministry of Justice (Regional Immigration Bureau) for an extension of the period of stay before the permitted stay expires. [4]
What conditions, passport rules and limits apply?
- Passport format can decide the exemption. For nationals of Montenegro (since 1 September 2025), Peru (since 1 July 2025), Paraguay (since 1 June 2025), Panama (since 1 April 2024), Brazil (since 30 September 2023), the United Arab Emirates (since 1 November 2022), Thailand (since 1 July 2013) and Serbia (since 1 May 2011), a visa is not required only for holders of an ICAO-compliant ePassport; others are asked to obtain a visa in advance and will otherwise be refused entry. [4]
- Registration-based exemptions. Indonesian and Qatari nationals qualify only if they have registered an ICAO-compliant ePassport with a Japanese embassy, consulate-general or consulate, valid for three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. [4]
- Malaysia, Barbados, Türkiye and Lesotho. Malaysian nationals need an ICAO-compliant ePassport and are advised to obtain a visa in advance otherwise, in which case they are strictly examined and may be refused entry; Barbadian, Turkish and Lesotho nationals need an ICAO-compliant machine-readable passport. [4]
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Macao Special Administrative Region of China and Taiwan Region of China. The arrangement for the Taiwan Region of China is limited to passport holders with a personal ID number; citizens of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China qualify only with a passport of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China or a British National Overseas passport carrying the right of residence in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China; citizens of the Macao Special Administrative Region of China qualify only with a passport of the Macao Special Administrative Region of China. [4]
- Uruguay. The new Uruguayan ordinary passport issued after 16 April 2025, which omits place of birth from the personal data page, is not recognised as valid by the Japanese government, so the exemption applies only to holders of the older version. [4] Passport validity and entry check explains why document format matters this much.
- Colombia. Colombian nationals are advised to obtain a visa in advance, otherwise they are strictly examined and may be refused entry to Japan. [4]
- Work and longer stays. Anyone intending to work in Japan for remuneration, or to stay more than 90 days, should in principle obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan before applying for a visa. [1]
- Screening and insurance. Pre-entry tuberculosis screening applies to nationals of the Philippines, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar and China, and international travel medical insurance is highly recommended for a trip to Japan. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Does a Japanese visa guarantee that I can enter Japan?
No. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes a visa as one of the requirements for entering Japan and says it does not guarantee entry; landing permission is granted at the port of entry by an immigration officer. [1]
Can I get a visa after arriving in Japan?
No. Visas are issued at Japanese embassies, consulates-general and consular offices abroad and cannot be obtained when you arrive in Japan or while you are staying there. [1]
How long can I stay in Japan without a visa?
It depends on nationality. As of 1 September 2025 the exemption table grants 15 days to Indonesian and Thai nationals, 30 days to Brunei and Qatar nationals, and 90 days to the other listed countries and regions. [4]
What is written on a landing permission?
The status of residence, which indicates the activities the traveller is permitted to perform in Japan. [1]
Is a 90-day tourist trip treated as a short-term stay?
Yes, a short-term stay covers up to 90 days for tourism, business or visiting friends and relatives, provided it does not include remunerative activities. [1]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers Japan's entry framework only; the visa rules of other countries and airline-specific transit procedures are outside its scope.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Visa, checked 18 October 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), checked 18 October 2026