Japan Visa for Chinese Citizens
Chinese citizens need a visa for every trip to Japan — tourism included. Here's how long a visa lets you stay, and how to apply in five steps.
Visa required
No visa-free entry and no visa on arrival. Apply before you travel, through an agency designated by the Japanese embassy or consulate for where you live.
- How long
- Up to 90 days per trip
- Visa fee
- RMB 715 single / 1,430 multiple
- Processing
- 5 working days (tourist), 4 (other)
Last checked 25 September 2026 against the Embassy of Japan in China.
How long can you stay?
| Visa | Stay per visit | Use it within |
|---|---|---|
| Single entry — tourism, visits, business | Individual tourism: 15 or 30 days; group tours: up to 15 days; other purposes: up to 90 days | 3 months from issue |
| Multiple entry — for those who qualify | Tourist: 30 days (3-year visas) or 90 days (5-year visa) | 3 or 5 years |
| Work, study, family | More than 90 days — needs a Certificate of Eligibility first | — |
Choose your visa
Short visits use a Temporary Visitor (short-term stay) visa. Which documents you need depends on why you're going and who pays:
Tourism
A holiday you pay for yourself
See documents →
Visiting relatives or friends
Someone in Japan invites you — they or you pay
See documents →
Short-term business
Meetings, negotiations, market research, conferences, cultural or sport exchange
See documents →
Multiple entry
For frequent business travellers and others who qualify
Who qualifies →
Tourist visas can only be applied for through the embassy’s designated travel agencies, which act as your guarantor and normally book your flights and hotels. Visits to relatives or friends and business trips go through designated visa agencies.
Prepare the documents
Chinese nationals applying in China follow the embassy’s own checklists — one for each purpose and visa type; your designated agency tells you what to submit. Documents must be issued within the last 3 months and are not returned, except originals such as your passport and residence permit. Embassy of Japan in China — visa types and documents
Submit and pay
In mainland China the embassy and consulates do not accept applications directly: apply through their designated travel agencies (tourist visas) or visa agencies (other purposes). Which office handles you depends on where you live — if your hukou is elsewhere, you need a local residence or temporary residence permit:
| Japanese office | Covers |
|---|---|
| Embassy, Beijing | Beijing, Tianjin, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Gansu, Henan, Hebei, Hubei, Hunan, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Ningxia, Tibet, Inner Mongolia |
| Consulate-General, Shanghai | Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi |
| Consulate-General, Guangzhou | Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian, Guangxi |
| Consulate-General, Shenyang | Liaoning (except Dalian), Jilin, Heilongjiang |
| Consular Office, Dalian | Dalian |
| Consulate-General, Chongqing | Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou |
| Consulate-General, Qingdao | Shandong |
| Consulate-General, Hong Kong | Hong Kong, Macao |
Fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single entry | RMB 715 | From 1 Jul 2026; charged when the visa is issued |
| Double or multiple entry | RMB 1,430 | From 1 Jul 2026; charged when the visa is issued |
| Agency service fee | — | Charged separately by the designated agency |
Wait for the decision
- The embassy gives its decision on the 5th working day (tourist visas) or the 4th (other visas) after the day it accepts the agency’s application — plus the time the agency needs to return your passport.
- Results are not given early, except for humanitarian reasons such as a family member in Japan dying or being seriously ill. The embassy does not answer questions about an application’s status — ask your agency.
- Don’t apply too early: a single-entry visa is valid for 3 months from issue.
- Visa hotline: 400 032 7369 (from within China; Chinese and English, 24 hours).
Receive your visa
Visa sticker in your passport
A single-entry visa must be used within 3 months of issue. How long you may stay is decided by the immigration officer when you land — check the landing permission in your passport.
eVISA — single-entry tourism
Single-entry tourist visas of up to 30 days can be issued as an eVISA — ask your designated travel agency. If you renew your passport after getting an eVISA, apply again with the new passport.
eVISA holders: show it live on your phone
A visa doesn't guarantee entry — the immigration officer at the airport makes the final decision.
If your visa is refused
- No visa fee is charged when a visa isn't issued; agency or visa-centre fees are not refunded.
- The embassy does not tell you why — Japan does not give reasons for visa refusals.
- You can't reapply for the same purpose within 6 months. The exception: your circumstances have changed significantly and the trip is needed for humanitarian reasons — ask the embassy first.
Beware of visa scams
Next time: a multiple-entry visa
Chinese nationals can get multiple-entry tourist visas — always through a designated travel agency, applied for by you directly:
- Okinawa or Tohoku multiple-entry visa — valid 3 years, 30 days per stay; the first trip must include a night in Okinawa, or in one of the six Tohoku prefectures.
- Multiple-entry visa for people with sufficient financial capacity (and their families) — valid 3 years, 30 days per stay, any destination.
- Multiple-entry visa for people with a considerably high income (and their families) — valid 5 years, 90 days per stay; from the first trip it can also be used for other short visits, and you arrange flights and hotels yourself.
On the 3-year visas, the first trip must follow the itinerary you submitted (changes only within 3 months of issue, reported through the agency); from the second trip they can also be used for other short visits. Business travellers have separate multiple-entry visas. Embassy of Japan in China — tourist visas
Staying longer than 90 days
Work, study and family stays need a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) first. Your employer, school or family in Japan applies for it; you then take it to the embassy for the visa.
Work visas
Engineer / Humanities, Highly Skilled Professional and more
See details →
Specified Skilled Worker (Type 1 & 2)
Skills test plus a Japanese-language test
See details →
Student
Language schools, vocational schools and universities
See details →
Spouse / Child of Japanese National
Marriage to a Japanese national
See details →
Frequently asked questions
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Japan?
Yes, for every visit — tourism included. China is not on Japan's visa-exemption list, and Japan has no visa on arrival.
How long can I stay in Japan on a tourist visa?
Up to 90 days per visit on a single-entry visa — the officer grants 15, 30 or 90 days depending on your plan. Use the visa within 3 months of issue.
How much does a Japan visa cost?
RMB 715 for a single entry and RMB 1,430 for double or multiple entry (from 1 July 2026), charged when the visa is issued, plus the agency’s service fee.
How long does processing take?
5 working days for tourist visas and 4 for other visas, counted from the day after the embassy accepts the agency’s application — plus the time to get your passport back. There is no express service except for humanitarian emergencies.
Can I apply online?
Chinese nationals living in China can get a single-entry tourist eVISA (15 or 30 days' stay) through an accredited agency. Other trips need a visa sticker.
Can I reapply if my visa is refused?
Not for the same purpose within 6 months, unless your circumstances have changed significantly and the trip is needed for humanitarian reasons. The embassy won't tell you the reason for a refusal.
Can I apply at the embassy or a consulate myself?
No. In mainland China the missions do not accept applications directly: tourist visas go through designated travel agencies, other visas through designated visa agencies. The mission is decided by where you live, not your hukou.
I have a US green card or another country’s visa — do I still need a Japanese visa?
Yes. Permanent residence or a visa of another country does not exempt a Chinese passport from Japan’s visa — and if you pass through immigration while changing planes, you need a short-term visa for that too.
Sources
- Embassy of Japan in China — visa Q&A (jurisdictions, fees, processing, refusals)
- Embassy of Japan in China — tourist visas (group and individual, multiple entry)
- Embassy of Japan in China — visa fees from 1 Jul 2026 (notice of 24 Jun 2026)
- Embassy of Japan in China — Japan visas: procedures and designated agencies
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Visa fees (from 1 Jul 2026)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Visa processing time
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Validity of a visa
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Visa FAQ (refusals, re-applications)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — short-term stay rules for Chinese nationals
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — JAPAN eVISA (eligible residences, 15 May 2026)
Nearby countries
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