JAPAN

The Japanese Embassy outsource their consular services to VFS Global.

During the visa application process, including scheduling the mandatory appointment, you will therefore be required to liaise directly with VFS Global.

Please kindly note, that it is the Japanese Embassy that ultimately make the final decision as to whether or not to approve or deny any visa to Japan.

All steps have been outlined below for your reference:  

1. Schedule the mandatory visa appointment (Although a tourist visa, you will be required to schedule the appointment under the eVisa category)
2. Collect and collate all required paperwork
3. Attend the visa appointment in-person
4. On average, the visa process takes 8-10 working days
5. Collect/receive passport with attached visa
6. All set – we hope your child has a great trip!

There are 71 nationalities who do not require a visa to enter Japan. Please click here to learn if your child is a citizen of one of these countries.

All other nationalities will require a sticker short-term tourist visa to enter Japan. 

Please note, Japan does offer eVisas, however minors travelling without their parents on a school trip are unable to apply for this. 

The earliest you can apply is 90 days before departure.

If you are fortunate to receive a prompt appointment, please ensure you have enough time to request the supporting documents from both the school and trip provider.

Parent/Guardian to provide:

• Japan visa application checklist
• Japan visa application form 
• 1 x studio-quality passport photograph (<6 months old)
• Photocopy of child’s passport
• Photocopy of child’s UAE residency visa
• Photocopy of child’s Emirates ID
• Photocopy of all child’s previous visas
• Photocopy of child’s birth certificate (English)
• Parental no objection certificate (NOC)
• Photocopy of parent/guardian(s) passport
• Photocopy of parent/guardian(s) UAE residency visa
• Photocopy of parent/guardian(s) Emirates ID
• Salary certificate (From the child’s UAE sponsors employer)
• Trade licence (If child’s UAE sponsor is self-employed)
• Bank statements (Last 3 months, original, stamped by the bank, in the name of the child’s UAE sponsor). Foreign accounts will not be considered.
• Pay slips (Last 3 months, in the name of the child’s UAE sponsor)
• Divorce certificate (If applicable)

Parent/Guardian to request from school:

• School no objection certificate – the NOC should include the child’s full name as per their passport, along with the details of all other travelling students. In addition, the letter must state parent/guardian consent for the trip, who is paying for the trip, what the school is responsible for, the dates of travel and finally, the accompanying teacher(s) information.

Parent/Guardian to request from trip provider:

• Invitation letter
• Flight confirmation
• Proof of accommodation 
• Full day-to-day itinerary
• Travel insurance

Unless extenuating circumstances, it is mandatory for both parent/guardian(s) to attend the visa appointment with the travelling student. This requirement is of utmost importance.

On average, visa applications take 8-10 working days.

Yes, the Japanese Embassy/Consulate will keep your child’s passport whilst their application is being processed. 

If you cannot secure an appointment with VFS Global, you will need to contact the Embassy directly to request an appointment. This is not guaranteed, but on occasion they will manually release an appointment for students travelling with their school. 

Please note, VFS Global cannot simply facilitate an additional appointment, or ‘squeeze one more person in.’ All appointments are pre-approved and released by the relevant authority.