Sep 10, 2022, 7:22 pm
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)
Sep 4, 2022, 10:46 pm
#451
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 43
Guilty as charged. TBH if we were talking about Australia or China, India, I'd believe no one will check anything beyond the customs/immigration point. But I've been to Japan many times and experienced so many of these strict rules or just norms, where people are rule stickers and won't budge or look the other way. For example, when you buy tax-free goods, the shops need to staple the receipt to your passport. I didn't want to ruin all my visa pages so I always ask them to staple on the same pages where there are already receipts. I'd say 30% of the shops wouldn't even do that and one got upset with me for asking. Or small things like being refused of a four-seat table with just two of us when the whole place is empty.
I just worry that even if one hotel of your entire trip is a rule sticker and see that you book your own accommodation via booking.com, they say no and you lose your room and your money. Not a pleasant thing to deal with even if no disastrous
I just worry that even if one hotel of your entire trip is a rule sticker and see that you book your own accommodation via booking.com, they say no and you lose your room and your money. Not a pleasant thing to deal with even if no disastrous
Sep 4, 2022, 11:36 pm
#452
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
How would the hotel even know you came in on the ERFS scheme? It was reported upthread that ERFS travelers will be admitted with Temporary Visitor landing permission, so that's what the sticker in your passport will say. Temporary Visitor is also used for business travelers, as well as people in family visits, and several other situations. There's no way for anyone to know based on your passport which of those categories you fall into.
Sep 4, 2022, 11:41 pm
#453
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 76
Actually, a business traveler to Japan on FT described his quarantine in Yokohama a couple months ago. Not really 'gruesome" but certainly not fun. Had to change his flights and arrange the quarantine via his company sponsor.
Fortunately the government paid for his quarantine, food, transport, etc but with tourists the government is pretty clear they won't cover any such bills. Hence the need for insurance... and hence the issue of wondering if insurance will actually cover such a claim if one is not traveling "by the book".
Fortunately the government paid for his quarantine, food, transport, etc but with tourists the government is pretty clear they won't cover any such bills. Hence the need for insurance... and hence the issue of wondering if insurance will actually cover such a claim if one is not traveling "by the book".
How would the hotel even know you came in on the ERFS scheme? It was reported upthread that ERFS travelers will be admitted with Temporary Visitor landing permission, so that's what the sticker in your passport will say. Temporary Visitor is also used for business travelers, as well as people in family visits, and several other situations. There's no way for anyone to know based on your passport which of those categories you fall into.
Sep 4, 2022, 11:42 pm
#454
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 43
How would the hotel even know you came in on the ERFS scheme? It was reported upthread that ERFS travelers will be admitted with Temporary Visitor landing permission, so that's what the sticker in your passport will say. Temporary Visitor is also used for business travelers, as well as people in family visits, and several other situations. There's no way for anyone to know based on your passport which of those categories you fall into.
Sep 4, 2022, 11:49 pm
#455
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
Do they? I know they ask for and photocopy your passport, since that's required by law, but I don't remember anyone ever looking at my visa sticker. My last passport had 10 such stickers, and I probably would have noticed if they thumbed through it trying to locate the one for the current visit.
Sep 5, 2022, 12:06 am
#456
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 134
I have an interesting wrinkle with my name on the plane ticket. Ticket is booked with ANA and it’s too long to match my passport(ANA has a character limit, incredibly). Think “Roger Bolton Brown Mortimer Smith”. Doesn’t fit in an ANA ticket. But the visa has to match the passport, so I used the full name for ERFS. Think that will make waves at check-in/immigration and possibly derail things? Or perhaps cause unnecessary scrutiny?
Sep 5, 2022, 12:08 am
#457
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 43
Do they? I know they ask for and photocopy your passport, since that's required by law, but I don't remember anyone ever looking at my visa sticker. My last passport had 10 such stickers, and I probably would have noticed if they thumbed through it trying to locate the one for the current visit.
Sep 5, 2022, 12:12 am
#458
Join Date: Aug 2020
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 182
I'm due in two weeks or so, so I think I'll be among the first here to guinea-pig this process. I have an appointment with my consulate this week, so hopefully if I receive my Visa, things will go smoothly. I am similarly worried if immigration will check my bookings etc, or if my hotel will deny me entry or so on- even though it doesn't seem very likely, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities for Japan. Still, I'm a bit too far in to stop now, so I'll go ahead as a testing subject.
Sep 5, 2022, 1:46 am
#460
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 2
I was kinda curious whether there were any other companies that could help get an ERFS if you have pre-existing flight tickets & booked hotels. I then stumbled upon 'Japan Adventure Club' (but their website is called japanexpotours for some reason). Anyone know this company? I'm not sure how I feel about their legit-ness, but they offered some interesting ways to get the ERFS. This is what they sent me:OPTION 1:
We will book the first night hotel for you. You can tell us which hotel we should book and what type of room you will need. Yes, we only need to book you for one night. You can book the rest of your stay. Then there is a USD199/person ERFS filing fee. The hotel will appear on the ERFS and proves that we have booked for you. If you have booked your first night, you may change your reservation to the second night.
OPTION 2:
You can book a round-trip airport transfer plus a one-day city tour transfer (any day tour, for example, a day tour to Mt Fuji). You book the hotels and everything yourself. We will only take the $49/person ERFS filing fee. If you book multiple transfer services in the cities or between the cities (for example, from Osaka to Kyoto), we will waive the ERFS fee.
Option one seems like a way to circumvent the possible problem where they immigration officers might check whether the hotel was booked by the agency or not (if they were to only check for the first night of course). This might be an interesting extra safety step for those just wanting the ERFS but are afraid of the process at immigration. Not sure if they'll provide a stamped itinerary though, like JGA does. Just wanted to throw this out there as a possible alternative to JGA, although as I said myself, I'm not sure about their legitimacy and I don't feel confident booking with them ATM.
We will book the first night hotel for you. You can tell us which hotel we should book and what type of room you will need. Yes, we only need to book you for one night. You can book the rest of your stay. Then there is a USD199/person ERFS filing fee. The hotel will appear on the ERFS and proves that we have booked for you. If you have booked your first night, you may change your reservation to the second night.
OPTION 2:
You can book a round-trip airport transfer plus a one-day city tour transfer (any day tour, for example, a day tour to Mt Fuji). You book the hotels and everything yourself. We will only take the $49/person ERFS filing fee. If you book multiple transfer services in the cities or between the cities (for example, from Osaka to Kyoto), we will waive the ERFS fee.
Option one seems like a way to circumvent the possible problem where they immigration officers might check whether the hotel was booked by the agency or not (if they were to only check for the first night of course). This might be an interesting extra safety step for those just wanting the ERFS but are afraid of the process at immigration. Not sure if they'll provide a stamped itinerary though, like JGA does. Just wanted to throw this out there as a possible alternative to JGA, although as I said myself, I'm not sure about their legitimacy and I don't feel confident booking with them ATM.
Sep 5, 2022, 2:05 am
#461
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: SFO
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Titanium, AA Exec Plat, OZ Diamond Plus
Posts: 358
Not gonna lie, I'm surprised people are willing to go through this many hoops and pay extra money to go to Japan. It's not like Japan's going anywhere and we know it's going to open EVENTUALLY... is it really worth all this additional risk? There's plenty of other fantastic destinations in the world 
Sep 5, 2022, 2:08 am
#462
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 76
Not gonna lie, I'm surprised people are willing to go through this many hoops and pay extra money to go to Japan. It's not like Japan's going anywhere and we know it's going to open EVENTUALLY... is it really worth all this additional risk? There's plenty of other fantastic destinations in the world
Sep 5, 2022, 2:09 am
#463
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 21
Well, I had my appointment at the consulate today and at least in my specific case, they did not ask for any extra info about the hotel or plane tickets besides the documents from JGA. They didn't issue my visa immediately, but from my understanding as soon as I re-submit the corrected ERFS, it's basically as good as approved. The person handling my documents also advised me to bring two different types of vaccination certificates ( I'm not sure how ones from the US are, but she mentioned it may be safer to have a certificate that shows each dose, with the type specified as well as the date next to each one, rather than having a document that just says "vaccinated 3 times").
I will ask JGA about the hotel booking guidelines and whether their documents will be enough for immigration after I receive my visa. My hotel already appears on the ERFS, and I have the "ticket" that I'm sure some of you also received from JGA, showing flight number and accommodation. Those were the same things submitted to the embassy that seemed to have been accepted.
I wouldn't personally jump through this many hoops for a normal trip either, but I haven't been able to meet my partner for 2 years. At this point I'm a bit spiteful about that.
I will ask JGA about the hotel booking guidelines and whether their documents will be enough for immigration after I receive my visa. My hotel already appears on the ERFS, and I have the "ticket" that I'm sure some of you also received from JGA, showing flight number and accommodation. Those were the same things submitted to the embassy that seemed to have been accepted.
I wouldn't personally jump through this many hoops for a normal trip either, but I haven't been able to meet my partner for 2 years. At this point I'm a bit spiteful about that.
Last edited by Fluffypancakesenjoyer; Sep 7, 2022 at 1:14 pm
Sep 5, 2022, 2:19 am
#464
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 76
Well, I had my appointment at the consulate today and at least in my specific case, they did not ask for any extra info about the hotel or plane tickets besides the documents from JGA. They didn't issue my visa immediately, since it seems there's a name issue on my ERFS as well, but from my understanding as soon as I re-submit the corrected ERFS, it's basically as good as approved. The person handling my documents also advised me to bring two different types of vaccination certificates ( I'm not sure how ones from the US are, but she mentioned it may be safer to have a certificate that shows each dose, with the type specified as well as the date next to each one, rather than having a document that just says "vaccinated 3 times").
I will ask JGA about the hotel booking guidelines and whether their documents will be enough for immigration after I receive my visa. My hotel already appears on the ERFS, and I have the "ticket" that I'm sure some of you also received from JGA, showing flight number and accommodation. Those were the same things submitted to the embassy that seemed to have been accepted.
I wouldn't personally jump through this many hoops for a normal trip either, but I haven't been able to meet my partner for 2 years. At this point I'm a bit spiteful about that.
I will ask JGA about the hotel booking guidelines and whether their documents will be enough for immigration after I receive my visa. My hotel already appears on the ERFS, and I have the "ticket" that I'm sure some of you also received from JGA, showing flight number and accommodation. Those were the same things submitted to the embassy that seemed to have been accepted.
I wouldn't personally jump through this many hoops for a normal trip either, but I haven't been able to meet my partner for 2 years. At this point I'm a bit spiteful about that.
Sep 5, 2022, 2:22 am
#465
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 21
We have two different certificates - the one released right after your final dose, which shows each dose with the type of vaccine and the date taken; and we have a QR one which just shows amount of doses and types ( no specific dates for each one). The QR one is more heavily used within the EU. She advised me to bring both, and show the one with more information first. So I assume if your vaccination cards have the information written in a " Dose- type- date" format, then there should be no problem.