Last edit by: etgohomeok
UPDATE Sept. 22, 2022: JAPAN WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE VISAS AS OF OCTOBER 11, 2022. As of October 11, Japan will resume visa-free entry to nationals from qualifying countries. Individuals traveling to Japan after this date DO NOT need to obtain an ERFS and visa to enter the country for individual tourism. The information below is for posterity and/or people who wish to travel to Japan prior to this change going into effect.
UPDATE Sept. 12, 2022: News media is reporting rumors of an imminent announcement which may include the reinstatement of visa waivers. Such an announcement would make most of the information below obsolete. Travelers who do not need visas immediately are advised to wait until we know more.
Overview
Until further notice, a visa is required from all foreigners to enter Japan. The visa-waiver program which previously allowed visa-free entry to nationals from certain countries has been suspended. In order to obtain a visa, a receiving agency must sponsor your application by issuing you an ERFS (Entrants, Returnees Follow-up System) certificate. ERFS certificates may be issued for a variety of reasons, including tourism, in which case a licensed travel agency must sponsor your visa application.
Tourism
As of September 7, 2022, tourists may enter Japan on unguided, unaccompanied tours as long as they are sponsored by a travel agency who arranges their flights and accommodations and acts as a point of contact for the duration of their stay in the country in the event of issues including a COVID infection. Some official documents from the Japanese government have attempted to clarify this policy (and, most notably, what it means for a receiving agency to "arrange" flights and accommodations), however in practice it has been left up to the interpretation of the sponsoring agencies. Due to the lack of clarity, there is a range of interpretations with some agencies insisting on purchasing all airfare and hotel reservations on behalf of the traveler, with others allowing travelers to keep their existing reservations as long as they share the details with them. The exact offerings and pricing from specific agencies is changing rapidly, consult this thread for the latest information.
As of now there have been no reports of denied visas or entry into the country from anyone who had a valid ERFS from a legitimate travel agency. Individuals from Australia have reported difficulties booking visa appointments, so Aussies may want to contact their local consulate and ensure they can do so before paying for a tour package/ERFS.
Visa Application and Arrival Process
The following roughly outlines the steps for obtaining a visa and entering the country:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What other documents are required for the visa application? Do I need an itinerary document?
A: For an eVisa application you only need to submit your ERFS and passport. No other supporting documentation is necessary. In-person applications may ask for more documentation and you should verify what documents are required with your local consulate.
Q: What documents are required to board a plane and enter the country?
A: Travelers who have reported their experiences have said they were asked to show their MySOS "blue screen" and their visa/eVisa by both the airline (prior to boarding their flight) and by customs (after landing in Japan). If you have an eVisa, make sure you can load the digital version of the actual eVisa website on your phone (not just the PDF) in Japan over data or WiFi, because these have a rotating QR code.
Q: What if I don't want to stay at a hotel and want to stay at a friend's house/Airbnb/couch-surfing/etc.?
A: Current tourism guidelines suggest that a travel agency is supposed to "arrange accommodations" for your time in Japan. As such, you should contact your travel agency to ask them what types of accommodations in Japan they will allow. It is advisable to book a hotel in Japan for at least your first night in the country prior to applying for a visa since the visa application asks for this information. Note that hotels in Japan are currently very cheap, especially with the weakened Yen.
Q: What if I'm not traveling for (x) amount of time? When should I get an ERFS and apply for a visa?
A: Visas are only valid for 90 days after they are issued, so you should wait until your trip is at least within the next three months. There is also a good chance that the Japanese government will move to further relax entry requirements (including, possibly, re-instating the visa-waiver program which would make this entire process obsolete) in the coming months, so you should wait until your individual planning process requires you to have some assurance that you'll be able to enter the country. We may also see more competition among travel agencies offering bare-bones tour packages in the coming weeks, which could drive prices down.
UPDATE Sept. 12, 2022: News media is reporting rumors of an imminent announcement which may include the reinstatement of visa waivers. Such an announcement would make most of the information below obsolete. Travelers who do not need visas immediately are advised to wait until we know more.
Overview
Until further notice, a visa is required from all foreigners to enter Japan. The visa-waiver program which previously allowed visa-free entry to nationals from certain countries has been suspended. In order to obtain a visa, a receiving agency must sponsor your application by issuing you an ERFS (Entrants, Returnees Follow-up System) certificate. ERFS certificates may be issued for a variety of reasons, including tourism, in which case a licensed travel agency must sponsor your visa application.
Tourism
As of September 7, 2022, tourists may enter Japan on unguided, unaccompanied tours as long as they are sponsored by a travel agency who arranges their flights and accommodations and acts as a point of contact for the duration of their stay in the country in the event of issues including a COVID infection. Some official documents from the Japanese government have attempted to clarify this policy (and, most notably, what it means for a receiving agency to "arrange" flights and accommodations), however in practice it has been left up to the interpretation of the sponsoring agencies. Due to the lack of clarity, there is a range of interpretations with some agencies insisting on purchasing all airfare and hotel reservations on behalf of the traveler, with others allowing travelers to keep their existing reservations as long as they share the details with them. The exact offerings and pricing from specific agencies is changing rapidly, consult this thread for the latest information.
As of now there have been no reports of denied visas or entry into the country from anyone who had a valid ERFS from a legitimate travel agency. Individuals from Australia have reported difficulties booking visa appointments, so Aussies may want to contact their local consulate and ensure they can do so before paying for a tour package/ERFS.
Visa Application and Arrival Process
The following roughly outlines the steps for obtaining a visa and entering the country:
- First, the traveler must obtain an ERFS certificate from their sponsoring agency. Who issues the ERFS depends on the reason for entering the country (business travelers should obtain it from the company they are visiting, tourists should obtain it from a travel agency who is arranging their visit, etc.). The ERFS certificate is a one-page document summarizing key information about the traveler and their sponsor. An example of an ERFS certificate is provided here.
- Once the ERFS is obtained, travelers must apply for a visa from their local Japanese consulate. Travelers from some countries (currently only the USA and Canada) may apply for an eVisa online. This process is faster and easier than physically visiting a consulate so it is recommended for anyone who has access to it.
- Visitors who are fully vaccinated with three doses of approved vaccine do not need to obtain a COVID test prior to traveling to Japan. A primary series consisting of one dose of J&J/Janssen is treated as two doses for the purpose of meeting these criteria (see here). Vaccination information should be submitted using the MySOS app and travelers should ensure they have a "blue screen" in the app prior to boarding their flight. Information available here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What other documents are required for the visa application? Do I need an itinerary document?
A: For an eVisa application you only need to submit your ERFS and passport. No other supporting documentation is necessary. In-person applications may ask for more documentation and you should verify what documents are required with your local consulate.
Q: What documents are required to board a plane and enter the country?
A: Travelers who have reported their experiences have said they were asked to show their MySOS "blue screen" and their visa/eVisa by both the airline (prior to boarding their flight) and by customs (after landing in Japan). If you have an eVisa, make sure you can load the digital version of the actual eVisa website on your phone (not just the PDF) in Japan over data or WiFi, because these have a rotating QR code.
Q: What if I don't want to stay at a hotel and want to stay at a friend's house/Airbnb/couch-surfing/etc.?
A: Current tourism guidelines suggest that a travel agency is supposed to "arrange accommodations" for your time in Japan. As such, you should contact your travel agency to ask them what types of accommodations in Japan they will allow. It is advisable to book a hotel in Japan for at least your first night in the country prior to applying for a visa since the visa application asks for this information. Note that hotels in Japan are currently very cheap, especially with the weakened Yen.
Q: What if I'm not traveling for (x) amount of time? When should I get an ERFS and apply for a visa?
A: Visas are only valid for 90 days after they are issued, so you should wait until your trip is at least within the next three months. There is also a good chance that the Japanese government will move to further relax entry requirements (including, possibly, re-instating the visa-waiver program which would make this entire process obsolete) in the coming months, so you should wait until your individual planning process requires you to have some assurance that you'll be able to enter the country. We may also see more competition among travel agencies offering bare-bones tour packages in the coming weeks, which could drive prices down.
Entrants, Returnees Follow-up System (EFRS) Discussion (was: Japan opening up)
#406
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 22
#407
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: JMB Sapphire
Posts: 28
#408
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 43
Great that some people seem to have successfully got their visa using JGA or other agencies' ERFS-only services.
However some concerns still remain. Such as if when checking in your flight, the ground staff will be checking your itinerary is booked by an agency. Or worse at the customs after you have landed.
Also, when you are checking into hotels, if they see your booking is not from an agency, will they reject you due to government guidelines etc.
I think some of you guys working for airlines flying to Japan will soon find out more details..I will definitely wait until the first wave of unguided tourists have entered Japan to see what hurdles there might be by not going exactly as the government guidelines ask .. aka booking flights and hotels via agents.
However some concerns still remain. Such as if when checking in your flight, the ground staff will be checking your itinerary is booked by an agency. Or worse at the customs after you have landed.
Also, when you are checking into hotels, if they see your booking is not from an agency, will they reject you due to government guidelines etc.
I think some of you guys working for airlines flying to Japan will soon find out more details..I will definitely wait until the first wave of unguided tourists have entered Japan to see what hurdles there might be by not going exactly as the government guidelines ask .. aka booking flights and hotels via agents.
#410
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 67
Out of interest, the people who have got their ERSF and have applied/ received their Visa - when you due to fly?
I have not started this process yet and am due to fly out end of October, but to be frank - wonder when the folks here who have bit the bullet, will arrive in Japan and we will ..... see if they have any issues on arrival.
Who goes first????
BTW - am wishing them all the luck and they get in without issue!!!!!!!!!
I have not started this process yet and am due to fly out end of October, but to be frank - wonder when the folks here who have bit the bullet, will arrive in Japan and we will ..... see if they have any issues on arrival.
Who goes first????
BTW - am wishing them all the luck and they get in without issue!!!!!!!!!
#411
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Kanto
Posts: 151
Out of interest, the people who have got their ERSF and have applied/ received their Visa - when you due to fly?
I have not started this process yet and am due to fly out end of October, but to be frank - wonder when the folks here who have bit the bullet, will arrive in Japan and we will ..... see if they have any issues on arrival.
Who goes first????
BTW - am wishing them all the luck and they get in without issue!!!!!!!!!
I have not started this process yet and am due to fly out end of October, but to be frank - wonder when the folks here who have bit the bullet, will arrive in Japan and we will ..... see if they have any issues on arrival.
Who goes first????
BTW - am wishing them all the luck and they get in without issue!!!!!!!!!
The big question is, what happens if while in country someone actually catches Covid?
#412
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 6
I received my ESRF this morning and my name is listed as <first middle last suffix> and I expect it to need to be <last suffix first middle> so I emailed them for a correction and for info on how to get my itinerary on their letterhead. I replied to the email with my ESRF and also cc’d their Contact Us email.
awaiting a response but I also never got a response to my original email sent on Tuesday so idk how overwhelmed they are right now
awaiting a response but I also never got a response to my original email sent on Tuesday so idk how overwhelmed they are right now
Last edited by jmestre; Sep 4, 2022 at 8:09 am
#413
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: TXL
Programs: US, LH, HH
Posts: 724
However some concerns still remain. Such as if when checking in your flight, the ground staff will be checking your itinerary is booked by an agency. Or worse at the customs after you have landed.
Also, when you are checking into hotels, if they see your booking is not from an agency, will they reject you due to government guidelines etc.
Also, when you are checking into hotels, if they see your booking is not from an agency, will they reject you due to government guidelines etc.
Same as with Japanese citizen? If you don't have a place to isolate, they'll put you in some facility.
Last edited by freakazoid; Sep 4, 2022 at 8:48 am
#414
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 21
Out of interest, the people who have got their ERSF and have applied/ received their Visa - when you due to fly?
I have not started this process yet and am due to fly out end of October, but to be frank - wonder when the folks here who have bit the bullet, will arrive in Japan and we will ..... see if they have any issues on arrival.
Who goes first????
BTW - am wishing them all the luck and they get in without issue!!!!!!!!!
I have not started this process yet and am due to fly out end of October, but to be frank - wonder when the folks here who have bit the bullet, will arrive in Japan and we will ..... see if they have any issues on arrival.
Who goes first????
BTW - am wishing them all the luck and they get in without issue!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by Fluffypancakesenjoyer; Sep 7, 2022 at 1:13 pm
#415
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: All around the world
Programs: Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 607
Unless you need to be hospitalized, don't get an official test (do an antigen test at home instead). This way you won't run into any issues and can comfortably self-isolate at your hotel.
#416
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 76
Great that some people seem to have successfully got their visa using JGA or other agencies' ERFS-only services.
However some concerns still remain. Such as if when checking in your flight, the ground staff will be checking your itinerary is booked by an agency. Or worse at the customs after you have landed.
Also, when you are checking into hotels, if they see your booking is not from an agency, will they reject you due to government guidelines etc.
I think some of you guys working for airlines flying to Japan will soon find out more details..I will definitely wait until the first wave of unguided tourists have entered Japan to see what hurdles there might be by not going exactly as the government guidelines ask .. aka booking flights and hotels via agents.
However some concerns still remain. Such as if when checking in your flight, the ground staff will be checking your itinerary is booked by an agency. Or worse at the customs after you have landed.
Also, when you are checking into hotels, if they see your booking is not from an agency, will they reject you due to government guidelines etc.
I think some of you guys working for airlines flying to Japan will soon find out more details..I will definitely wait until the first wave of unguided tourists have entered Japan to see what hurdles there might be by not going exactly as the government guidelines ask .. aka booking flights and hotels via agents.
#417
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 813
yah. Was going to say bring some of your own antigen tests with you. Seem to be hard to find in japan.
#419
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TYO
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,744
#420
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TYO
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,744
Not true, both airline and hotel could both easily see TA information on your booking, but I highly doubt they will care about it in practice.