Japan Entry Requirements - Required Travel Documents for Travel to Japan

All foreign nationals entering Japan, with the exception of certain categories listed below, are required to provide fingerprint scans and be photographed at the port of entry. This requirement does not replace any existing visa or passport requirements. Foreign nationals exempt from this requirement include special permanent residents, persons under 16 years of age, holders of diplomatic or official visas, and persons invited by the head of a national administrative organization. U.S. travelers on official business must have a diplomatic or official visa specifying the nature of travel as "As Diplomat," "As Official," or "In Transit" to be exempt from biometric collection. All other visa holders, including those with diplomatic and official visas stating "As Temporary Visitor," are subject to this requirement. SOFA personnel are exempt from the new biometrics entry requirements under SOFA Article IX.2.

U.S. citizens entering or transiting Japan should ensure that their passports and visas are up to date before leaving the United States. Occasionally airlines mistakenly board U.S. citizens coming to Japan, even though their passports have already expired. The U.S. Embassy or our consulates cannot "vouch for" a U.S. citizen without a valid passport, and passport services are not available at the airport. In some prior instances, travelers have been returned immediately to the U.S., while in other cases, they have been issued 24-hour "shore passes" and were required to return the next day to Japanese Immigration for lengthy processing.

Many Asian countries require that travelers hold passports valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of entry into the country. Airlines in Japan will deny boarding to Americans who seek to transit Japan without the required travel documents for their final destinations in Asia. For the entry requirements of the country you wish to visit, see the State Department’s Country Specific information. It is not usually possible to obtain a new U.S. passport and foreign visa during a brief stopover while transiting Japan, as tourist passport processing in Japan can take approximately two weeks.

Airlines in Japan will deny boarding to Americans for onward flights to China if the U.S. passport holder does not have a Chinese visa. Without having pre-planned the entire trip, the traveler is faced with having to obtain a Chinese visa in Japan, which can be a lengthy and complex process. The U.S. Embassy and consulates cannot assist in obtaining Chinese visas. More information is available in the Country Specific information for China. Entry requirements for Hong Kong are available on our web site as well.

Military/SOFA Travelers: While active-duty U.S. military personnel may enter Japan under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with proper Department of Defense (DOD) identification and travel orders, all SOFA family members, civilian employees and contractors must have a valid passport and, in some cases, a SOFA visa to enter Japan. Active-duty military personnel should obtain a tourist passport prior to leaving the United States to accommodate off-duty travel elsewhere in Asia as obtaining one while in Japan can take several weeks. Personnel whose duties will include official travel should also obtain an Official Passport before coming to Japan to avoid delays of up to two months, as these overseas applications must be referred to a special office in Washington, adding to processing times. DOD travelers should consult the DOD Foreign Clearance Guide, DOD 4500.54 before leaving the United States.

Long-Term Residency Requirements: Japan modified its Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act in 2006. Now, when renewing their resident cards, certain long-term residents who obtained their resident status by being of Japanese descent (Nikkei or sansei, etc) must provide satisfactory evidence that they do not have a criminal record in their home country. However, because Japanese requirements do not appear to be clear-cut, the Embassy recommends that residents consult with their local immigration office before starting the process of obtaining their U.S. criminal record. For more details about Japanese residency requirements, check with the nearest immigration office in Japan. U.S. citizens with long-term resident status in Japan who are required to provide evidence that they do not have criminal records should request such service at http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm.

Also, it is important to remember that "Long-Term Resident" (Teijusha) and "Permanent Resident" (Eijusha) are different and are subject to different requirements.

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