How Japan's entry regime is decided (74 visa-free countries, JAPAN eVISA, classic visas), the Visit Japan Web unified QR code everyone should generate 24–48 h before departure, duty-free limits, and the practical pitfalls: individual accounts per adult, per-person QR codes and fake paid apps.
- 74 countries and regions, most of Europe included, have a visa waiver for short tourist stays.
- The waiver is not 90 days for everyone. It is 90 days for most, but 15 days for Indonesia and Thailand and 30 days for Brunei and Qatar.
- Some waiver countries have extra conditions: Malaysia, Indonesia and Qatar need ICAO biometric passports, and Indonesia and Qatar also need the passport registered at a Japanese mission first. Missing this means refusal at the airport.
- Visa-required nationalities (India, China, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia) should check the JAPAN eVISA, granted for a single tourist entry.
- Everyone must show proof of onward travel out of Japan within the permitted stay, both at check-in and at immigration.
- Fill in Visit Japan Web at vjw.digital.go.jp before you fly - 24 to 48 hours ahead is enough. It is free and browser-only.
- Since 25 January 2024 immigration and customs share a single 2D code, scanned at the kiosk with your fingerprints and a facial photo.
- Every adult needs their own account and their own QR code. Grouping a family under one account has not been possible since 2 June 2025, except for children.
- Passport scanning by camera often fails on the laminated page - shoot it in direct light without shadows, or type the data in by hand.
- Visit Japan Web has no app. Anything in an app store charging a fee, such as "Visit Japan Web Info", is a scam.
- Duty-free: 3 bottles of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, 2 oz of perfume, and goods to JPY 200,000 - with anything under JPY 10,000 not counted towards that total. Cash over JPY 1,000,000 must be declared. Smuggling meat can cost JPY 3,000,000 or 3 years.
Decision flow
Entry depends on your nationality, your travel document and your purpose of stay. Work down this hierarchy:
- Check visa-free status. Japan has visa-exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions. Check the length as well as the eligibility: the permission granted on landing is 90 days for most, but 15 days for Indonesia and Thailand and 30 days for Brunei and Qatar.
- Check the biometric and technical passport conditions. Some visa-free countries have extra requirements: Malaysia, Indonesia and Qatar need ICAO-standard biometric passports, and Indonesia and Qatar also require prior passport registration at a Japanese diplomatic mission. Failing this means refusal of entry at the airport.
- Check e-Visa eligibility. Travelers from visa-required countries - India, China, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia - should check the JAPAN eVISA portal. It covers a single tourist entry up to 90 days (15 or 30 days for some nationalities), filed either directly online for residents of selected countries or through accredited agencies such as VFS Global.
- Otherwise, a classic visa. With neither visa-free access nor e-Visa support - Russia, for instance - apply in person at the relevant embassy with an invitation letter, proof of funds and a detailed itinerary.
- Carry proof of onward travel. Every visa-free traveler and tourist visa holder must show a return ticket or a ticket to a third country within the permitted stay, both at check-in and at immigration.
Entry formalities applicable to everyone
Everything runs through Visit Japan Web - the free, official, web-only interface at vjw.digital.go.jp, run by Japan's Digital Agency.
- There is no legal deadline in hours, but you must finish registration and generate the QR codes before immigration processing begins after landing. Register 24 to 48 hours before departure.
- Skip the system and you fill in paper cards handed out on board.
- One code, not two. Since 25 January 2024 the separate immigration and customs QR codes are unified into a single 2D code, scanned at self-service kiosks along with your passport, fingerprints and a facial photo.
Duty-free limits and financial restrictions valid as of 15 May 2026:
| Category | Duty-free limit per adult (20+) | Details and penalties |
|---|---|---|
| Alcoholic beverages | 3 bottles (about 760 ml each, max 2.28 litres total). | Does not apply to persons under 20. Excess is subject to duty by alcohol type. |
| Tobacco products | 200 standard cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 250 g of loose tobacco. | Does not apply to persons under 20. Includes heated tobacco. |
| Perfume | 2 ounces (about 56 ml). | Personal use only. |
| Other goods and gifts | Total market value up to 200,000 JPY. | Anything worth under 10,000 JPY is duty-free and does not count towards the total. If a single item exceeds 200,000 JPY, duty is assessed on its full value, not just the excess. |
| Cash | Declare 1,000,000 JPY or more | Includes foreign currency, cheques, traveller's cheques and securities. Gold over 1 kg at 90 % purity is also declarable. |
| Cash and valuables | Total value under 1,000,000 JPY. | Amounts at or above 1,000,000 JPY must be declared. Failure to declare can lead to seizure and investigation. |
| Prohibited items | Strict import ban (meat, fruit, stimulants). | Smuggling meat products carries fines up to 3,000,000 JPY or up to 3 years imprisonment. |
What matters in practice
Traveler experience and immigration-office reports point to four things that cause delays or refusal:
- Substitute entry is gone. The Digital Agency removed it from Visit Japan Web on 2 June 2025. Every adult needs their own registered account; grouping is allowed only for children or people needing assistance.
- Families need individual QR codes. Per r/JapanTravelTips (May 2026), the common mistake is assuming one shared account produces one code for the family. Each person passes the immigration counter and the customs scanner with their own code - screenshots on a single phone are fine, but the codes must differ.
- Passport scanning glitches are usually reflections on the laminated page. Photograph it under direct light without shadows, or type the data in manually, which is fully equivalent.
- Beware fake apps. Travelers report app-store scams such as "Visit Japan Web Info". Visit Japan Web is a browser service at vjw.digital.go.jp and it is free - any demand for a registration fee means a fraudulent site.
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