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)
#826
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA LT Plat, IHG Platinum, HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President’s Circle, National EE
Posts: 29
I cannot verify the status of my application which was submitted Friday a week ago. The data does not display completely in limited-width columns on my iPad and I am becoming worried.
Entry Check: OK
Status: Applicat…
Reception Number: [blank, no entry]
What does this mean?
Entry Check: OK
Status: Applicat…
Reception Number: [blank, no entry]
What does this mean?
#828
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,968
I cannot verify the status of my application which was submitted Friday a week ago. The data does not display completely in limited-width columns on my iPad and I am becoming worried.
Entry Check: OK
Status: Applicat…
Reception Number: [blank, no entry]
What does this mean?
Entry Check: OK
Status: Applicat…
Reception Number: [blank, no entry]
What does this mean?
#829
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 422
That's interesting. We applied 9/6 at 10am local time and our Seattle applications are still in "Accepted" state. Maybe someone accidentally set it to sort in reverse order and so earlier applications will never got processed
#830
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 68
I cannot verify the status of my application which was submitted Friday a week ago. The data does not display completely in limited-width columns on my iPad and I am becoming worried.
Entry Check: OK
Status: Applicat…
Reception Number: [blank, no entry]
What does this mean?
Entry Check: OK
Status: Applicat…
Reception Number: [blank, no entry]
What does this mean?
Just bad UI imo.
#831
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 3
Another Seattle here, submitted around 8 am local time on 9/7, mine has been at "temporarily received" since. You might be onto something there with the reverse order.
#832
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA LT Plat, IHG Platinum, HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President’s Circle, National EE
Posts: 29
Thank you, seigex. The full text is: Application not made. What does this mean?
Thank you, westsai. I will remedy this and submit.
Update: done and many thanks. I now have a Reception Number and the ball is rolling!
Thank you, westsai. I will remedy this and submit.
Update: done and many thanks. I now have a Reception Number and the ball is rolling!
Last edited by engel001; Sep 8, 2022 at 2:41 pm Reason: Additional update
#833
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,968
#834
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: UA, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 7
btw, my two applications were accepted by SF on 09/03. No updates since.
#836
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 422
Someone got both of theirs accepted on a single account, but I believe someone else had a rejection. Just for the sake of not throwing more wrenches in the process, I'd withdraw one of the applications and submit it on a different account.
#837
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 134
Mine just switched to examined and passed, LA consulate 97xx.
cc: Heliface dyrtydave
also missed this
Yeah it was on Monday, I'm assuming it's a batch process as it switched around the same time both times. Pretty sure accepted just means it was accepted in to a queue that will be reviewed by a live person.
cc: Heliface dyrtydave
also missed this
Yeah it was on Monday, I'm assuming it's a batch process as it switched around the same time both times. Pretty sure accepted just means it was accepted in to a queue that will be reviewed by a live person.
Mine is still at "Accepted" but i'm much later in the queue. 110XX.
#838
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 6
There is a doc that lays them out, but it appears to be out of date, from this thread it's pretty much this:
- Temporarily Received -> You've successfully submitted it, there will be an OK next to it saying the basic check has been completed
- Accepted -> It's been accepted and moved in to the queue for someone to verify it, this took me about 12 hours to see the change, i would suspect yours will change in a few hours.
- Examined and Passed -> It's pending issue
- Ready for Issuance -> should be quick (thanks sensei )
- Issued -> You have an eVisa, and you should have an expiration date showing up as well. Soon after this you should be able to download the eVisa, though I've heard you need to be able to pull it up on your phone at the Japanese airport as it has a rotating QR code that needs to be refreshed.
- Withdrawal Requested -> You requested it to be withdrawn to fix an issue they alerted you about, like no middle name.
- Withdrawn -> The withdrawal has been completed, this takes about 12 to 24 hours in my experience.
-Entry Check "OK"
-Status = "application in process"
-Reception # XXXXX
This is what I see in my eVisa portal. I recall someone saying they had to click something else or it may actually not get submitted. Thanks.
Also sorry for asking again, but how do you know which Consulate it goes to?
#839
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 16
Yeah I did the exact same thing. Both were still in Temporary Received stage. I withdrew one and made a new account for it, and now 2 hours later the first evisa is in accepted, while the new one is in temp again.
#840
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,968
Does this look right? and means its been submitted?
-Entry Check "OK"
-Status = "application in process"
-Reception # XXXXX
This is what I see in my eVisa portal. I recall someone saying they had to click something else or it may actually not get submitted. Thanks.
Also sorry for asking again, but how do you know which Consulate it goes to?
-Entry Check "OK"
-Status = "application in process"
-Reception # XXXXX
This is what I see in my eVisa portal. I recall someone saying they had to click something else or it may actually not get submitted. Thanks.
Also sorry for asking again, but how do you know which Consulate it goes to?