Frequently Asked Questions

2025/1/6

BEFORE VISA APPLICATION

Q 1: I'm New Zealand citizen with New Zealand passport, do I need a tourist visa to go to Japan?

A 1: No, New Zealand passport holder who enter Japan as tourists may stay for up to 90 days as long as your passport remains valid during your stay and do not receive any income while in Japan.

Q 2: Do I need a visa to enter Japan?

A 2: Please check here to see if your country has a visa exemption agreement with Japan. If your country is not on this list you will need a visa to enter Japan.Please note that anyone intending paid activities in Japan will need a visa regardless of their nationality.

Q 3: I am planning to go to Japan next year. Can I apply for a temporary visitor's visa now? or how soon can I apply?

A 3: You can apply up to 2 to 2.5 months prior to the date you will leave NZ to Japan. Generally, a temporary visitor's visa is expiring three months after the date of issue.

Q 4: How long can I stay in Japan?

A 4: You may stay for up to 90 days as long as provide us with all correct documents.

Q 5: My travel agent told me that I don't need a visa to stay in Japan for less than 72 hours. Is this correct?

A 5: No, it is not correct. Please see "Question 2" for further detail.

Q 6: Can I apply for a visa at the Consulate-General of Japan in Auckland?

     A 6: Applicants must hold a valid long-term New Zealand visa (Resident, Work, Student, Guardian) and must be residing in the top half of the North Islandto be eligible to apply at the Consulate-General of Japan.

     *Applications from those in New Zealand on a any visitor's visa will not be accepted
     *If you live in Canterbury, please apply at the Consular Office in Christchurch otherwise please apply at the Embassy of Japan in Wellington

Q 7: How long is the validity of the visa?

A7-1: Visas are valid for three months from the date of issue, meaning you must enter Japan within three months of the visa being issued. The length of stay in Japan will be decided on a case-by-case basis based on your intended schedule.
A7-2: Working Holiday visas are valid for one year from the date of issue with a length of stay of one year from your first entry into Japan.

Q 8: Do you have priority visa processing service?

A 8: No, there is NO priority processing service.

Q 9: What kind of photo should I use?

A 9: Please use a professional service (photo can measure 35mm x 45mm or NZ passport-sized photo). Please use a proper quality photo and do not scan and print onto paper and do not use staples.

Q 10: The visa application form asks for my "I.D. No. issued to you by your government". What is this?

A 10: The governments of some countries give their citizens individual I.D. numbers. However, many countries (including New Zealand) do not. It is Okay to leave this section blank if your country does not have such I.D. numbers.

Q 11: The visa application form asks for a guarantor/reference and inviter in Japan. What should I do if I do not have one?

A 11: If you are not being invited to Japan, you may leave this section on the form blank. It is not necessary to have a guarantor in every case. Also you can leave a section blank if you are unsure or if it doesn't apply to you.

Q 12: Is it necessary to go to the office by myself to apply for a visa?

A 12: All applicants age 18 and over MUST appear in person when applying for application OR collection of visa (All CoE applicants must appear in person at once).

Q 13: How much does a visa cost?

A 13: Please see here for information about visa fees.

Q 14: How long is the processing time for a visa?

A 14: Please see here for the processing times for visas or it make take longer due to the nature of visa process.

Q 15: Can I apply for a visa by post?

A 15: All visa applicant must appear in person at once. However, you may send your application by courier post (must be trackable) if you are residing in outside of Auckland region but must be within in our jurisdiction. However, you MUST come in person to collect your own passport when a visa is ready for collection. Please see "How to apply" section for more information.

Q 16: Do I need to make an appointment to apply for a visa?

A 16: You do not have to make an appointment to apply. Simply bring in your application sometime during our visa hours --- Monday to Friday : 9:00-12:00 or 13:00-15:30 only except Public Holidays

PASSPORT

Q 16: How many unused visa pages do I need to have remaining in my passort when I apply for a visa

A 16: A Japanese visa needs one full visa page and the Japanese immigration authorities need at least half visa page for landing permission and departure confirmation stamp, therefore at least one and a half pages are essential at the time of visa application. Please note that we can't use any pages other than designated visa pages to issue a visa seal or immigration stamp.

Q 17: How long does my passport need to be valid in order to enter Japan?

A 17: Japan does not have any regulations relating to passport validity. If your passport is not expired when you depart from Japan there should be no problem with your entry into Japan.

Q 18: I lost my passport with my Japanese visa in. What should I do?

A 18: You should report the loss to the Embassy/Consulate-General of Japan where you obtained the Japanese visa immediately. Also, you are advised to report the loss to the nearest police station. If you need another visa, you will have to submit a whole new visa application along with the required documentation.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Q 19: I am Australian citizen curently living in New Zealand. Can I appy for a Working Holiday Visa for Australian citizens, while in New Zealand?

A 19: No. You can apply for a Working Holiday Visa only at an Embassy or Consulate General of Japan in your passoport issueing country.

Q 20: Since my passport with a valid Japanese visa has exired, I have obtained a new passport. Whould it be possible for me to use the Japanese visa which is in the expired passport when I undergo an immigration insepction at the airport?

A 20: You can show both the new and the old passports with the visa at the border control. Alternatively, a visa transfer service is also avialble at our office (may take around 5 working days).

Q 21: I received a visa to work in Japan for three years, but the “Date of Expiry” on the visa is only three months from the "Date of Issue" Is this an error?

A 21: The "Date of Expiry" indicates the final date the visa can be used for entry into Japan. The "Period of Stay" starts from the day after your arrival in Japan. Be aware, however, that the expiration date on a Certificate of Eligibility is 3 months from the date of issue not the "Date of Expiry" of a visa.

Q 22: If I have a criminal record, can I visit Japan?

A 22: Not all crimes will affect entry into Japan. Crime types that are deemed serious enough to prevent entry into Japan can be found here (Chapter II → Section 2 → Article5 iv & v). If your record includes these crimes, you can expect that your entry into Japan will likely be denied by Japanese Immigration.

Q 23: It is recommended to take out overseas travel insurance since:

A 23: It is recommended to take out overseas travel insurance since:

An overseas travel insurance makes you feel secure, even in emergencies and you can enjoy your trip.
Medical expenses can be very high in Japan. If the travel insurance you purchased offers sufficient coverage of treatment costs, you can receive treatment without concern.
It is recommended to have overseas travel insurance with travel support for hospital referrals, medical interpretation and cashless medical service (We recommend that you check your insurance details before travelling. For example, perinatal medical care is not covered by travel insurance and can be expensive