VISA & Consular Services | Japanisches Generalkonsulat Düsseldorf

Immigration and customs
visa exemption, import regulations (medicines, animals etc.)

Visa application
types and procedures of visas,
application to our office, visa fees

Hotline for visa inquiries

Tourism and stay in japan
driving with a German driver's license in Japan

*Für Deutsch, hier klicken.

Immigration and customs

Visa Exemption

Nationals from other countries and regions can enter Japan without a visa for shortstays of up to 90 days (this includes: touristic travel, business trips, attending a conference, remote work for employer outside Japan, visiting relatives/ friends, attending language schools, unpaid internships, unpaid research work etc.).
Passports need to be valid at least during the duration of stay incl. day of departure (except when applying and entering with a long-term visa). Beyond this, there are no other regulations.
A visa is required for nationals without visa waiver, for long-term stays, for paid activities that earn money from the Japanese side.

Entry measures regarding Covid19

Since April 2023, vaccination cettificates or PCR-cettificates are no longer required.
Further information about entry measures see also Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Pre-registration for Visit Japan Web

Pre-registration for quarantine procedures on Visit Japan Web are no longer required, however, you can still use Visit Japan Web to pre-register for "Immigration", "Customs" and "Tax-free Shopping Service" (optional).

Customs and import regulations

If you have any questions regarding import regulations, please refer to the following pages and contact the responsible authorities listed on the pages.We are not an authority on the matter and cannot answer the questions.

Japan Customs:
Information about customs regulations and procedures for foreign visitors to Japan
Procedures of Passenger Clearance
Prohibited items
FAQ related to customs

medicines:
Importing or Bringing Medication into Japan for Personal Use (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare)

When you bring medicines into Japan for personal use, depending on your medicines and their amount, you may have to apply for so called "Yunyu Kakunin-sho," a kind of import certificate, and receive it before you leave home, and declare it to the officer at customs.
Import / Export medicine containing controlled substances by carrying (Narcotics Control Department)
In the case that your medication is narcotics, you are required to obtain an advance permission from the Narcotics Control Department at the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare closest to your airport of arrival in Japan.

animals:
Bring animals into Japan (Animal Quarantine Service, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare)
Animal quarantine information for travellers to Japan (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)
Notification System for the Importation of Animals / Flyer(PDF) (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare)
Certain animals must be registered with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare when imported into Japan. Dogs, cats and poultry are not subject to this notification system. However, they must be registered and quarantined at the animal quarantine stations of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

foods:
Bringing animal products into Japan from overseas (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) Flyer
It is prohibited to ship or import animal products such as sausage and meat or products containing these ingredients.
Plant Quarantine Information for Travellers To Japan (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) Flyer
Many fresh or processed fruits and vegetables are not allowed to be brought into Japan.

Visa requirements and application process

Types and procedures of visas

The type of visa may vary depending on the nationality of the traveler and the type of trip, such as a short-term stay, long-term stay or a work.

*Countries and regions with visa exemption (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)
*Requirements for Visa Application by Nationality and Type of trip (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan / About Visas)

	types of trip	Visa Requirements
German nationals and Countries and regions with visa exemption	Short-term stay (up to 90 days) for a trip, a business trip (except in the case of income from the Japanese side), conferences or studies	not required
	Long-term stay, work or CoE holders (Certificate of Eligibility)	required
Countries and regions without visa exemption	Short-term stay (up to 90 days)	required
	Long-term stay, work or CoE holders (Certificate of Eligibility)	required

Visa for a short-term stay

Visa for a long-term stay

Further Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Applying to our office

〇 Applications can be submitted at the earliest 3 months before departure, as the visa itself is valid for 3 months from the date of issue.
〇 The Japanese Consulate General Düsseldorf only accepts visa applications and visa requests from residents of North Rhine-Westphalia. For residents of other federal states, please refer to the list of embassies/consulates in Germany.
〇 Applications can only be submitted at our counter. We do NOT accept applications sent by mail.
〇 NO appointment is required to apply for a visa. Just come to our office during our opening hours.
〇 It takes 5-10 business days to issue a visa after we received the completed documents in original. In some cases the processing time can take longer. We do NOT have expedited services.
〇 An application via an authorized person is possible under certain circumstances with a signed power of attorney and ID of the representative.
〇 If you are unable to appear for collecting a visa:
- it is possible to send the passport with the visa only if there is no visa fee, e.g. for Russian nationals and US citizen. Please bring a sufficiently stamped envelope with you when you apply.
- collecting a visa via authorized person is possible under certain circumstances with a signed power of attorney (free form) and ID of the representative. Please ask us when you apply.

Visa Fees

The visa fee depends on your nationality.
We only accept Euro in CASH. We DO NOT accept personal checks and credit cards. You will not be required to pay visa issuance fees if the visa is not issued.

Visa fees (status as of April 2023)
General visa fee *	20,00 Euro
Visa fee for Indian nationals	6,00 Euro
German, most EU and Russian nationals and US citizen	free of charge

*Examples of nationalities that are required to pay the general visa fee:
Examples for general visa fee: Nationals from China, Brasil, Indonesia, Vietnam, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Finland and all African countries.

Hotline for Visa inquiries

the Japan Visa Information Hotline

For general inquiries regarding Japanese visas, please contact the hotline below.

(a)Toll free call - WebRTC
https://comm.brdg.site/visa_japan.html
Available in English, Vietnamese, Russian and Ukrainian, 24 hours

(b)Telephone
+49 (0)800 180 8469
Available in English, 24 hours
*You will be charged a domestic call fee for your call.
*This hotline is designated for visa applicants living in Germany.
*If you have inquiries regarding an ongoing visa application, please contact us during our office hours.

Foreign Residents Information Center of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan

For general questions regarding the entry and residence procedure in Japan (visa extension, change of visa category, etc.), please contact the information center below:
Tel.:(from japan) 0570-013904, (from Overseas) +81-3-5796-7112
Email: info-tokyo@i.moj.go.jp
URL: https://www.moj.go.jp//isa/consultation/center/index.html

Our Office

If you have specific questions regarding the visa application process in our office in Düsseldorf, please contact us by
phone: 0211-1648-220 or
e-mail: konsul@ds.mofa.go.jp *

*Please write your full name and a telephone number so that we can contact you by phone if necessary.
*If you have a rush request or special inquiries, please contact us by phone.

Tourism and Stay in Japan

Tourism in Japan

Driving with a German driver's license in Japan
Driving in Japan with a German driver's license requires a Japanese translation.
The german international driving license is not accepted in Japan.
We do NOT issue a official translation but it is available at the following organisations:
▷ Japan Automobile Federation (JAF)
▷ ADAC Südbayern e.V.

Traffic rules and signs in Japan
[JAF] Traffic rules videos for beginners in 7 languages (also in German)
https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-safe-to-enjoy-your-stay-in-Japan
This video is easy to understand about Japanese traffic rules so that you can enjoy driving in Japan safely.

[IATSS] Be aware of traffic rules in Japan (English, Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, Thai and Malay)
https://www.iatss.or.jp/en/movie/list04.html
more videos (IATSS video archive)

○ Visit Japan Web
You can pre-register for Immigration, Customs, and Duty Free Shopping Services when entering Japan (Optional).

〇 Travel Japan - The Official Japan Travel Guide
The official website of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) is the ultimate guide to Japan with tourist information. Contact of JNTO Frankfurt can be found here.

External websites for medium to long-term residents in Japan

Living and working in Japan
Guidance page for new entrants
Daily life support portal for foreign nationals
Guidebook on living and working

Health
Guide for when you are feeling ill in Japan
Local Call Centers for foreign residents in Japan

(Reference) working visa
"new system" for accepting highly-skilled foreign professionals

If you have any questions about the entry and residence procedure in Japan (visa extension, change of visa category, etc.), please contact the information center below:
Foreign Residents Information Center of the Immigration Bureau of Japan
Tel.:(from japan) 0570-013904, (from Overseas) +81-3-5796-7112
Email: info-tokyo@i.moj.go.jp
URL: https://www.moj.go.jp//isa/consultation/center/index.html