Visa requirements for Japanese citizens

Visa requirements for Japanese citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Japan.

From 2018 to 2024 (with the exception of 2023), Japanese citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to the most countries and territories,^[1] making the Japanese passport rank first in the world in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.^[2][3] It ranked 2nd in 2023.^[1][4]

Visa requirements map

Visa requirements

Visa requirements for holders of normal passports travelling for tourist purposes:

Country / Region	Visa requirement	Allowed stay	Notes (excluding departure fees)
Afghanistan	Visa required[5]
Albania	Visa not required[6]	90 days
Algeria	Visa required[7]
Andorra	Visa not required[8]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period.
Angola	Visa not required[9][10]	30 days	30 days per trip, but no more than 90 days within any 1 calendar year for tourism purposes only.[11] Visitors must have a return/onward ticket and a hotel reservation confirmation.[12] An International Certificate of Vaccination is required.
Antigua and Barbuda	Visa not required[13]	6 months
Argentina	Visa not required[14]	90 days
Armenia	Visa not required[15]	180 days	180 days within a one-year period.
Australia	Electronic Travel Authority[16]	90 days	90 days on each visit in 12-month period if granted. May enter using SmartGate on arrival in Australia.[17]
Austria	Visa not required[18]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Azerbaijan	eVisa / Visa on arrival[19][20]	30 days	Upon arrival at the any international airport, you can obtain visa through a kiosk.
Bahamas	Visa not required[21]	3 months
Bahrain	eVisa / Visa on arrival[22]	14 days
Bangladesh	Visa on arrival[23]	30 days	Available at international airports in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet.
Barbados	Visa not required[24]	6 months
Belarus	Visa not required[25]	30 days	Must arrive and depart via Minsk International Airport.
Belgium	Visa not required[26]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Belize	Visa not required[27]	90 days
Benin	eVisa[28][29]	30 days	Must have an international vaccination certificate. Three types of electronic visa are offered: the e-Visa valid for 30 days for a single entry (€50), the e-Visa valid for 30 days for several (multiple) entries (€75), and the e-Visa valid for 90 days to make several (multiple) entries (€100). [30]
Bhutan	eVisa[31][32]
Bolivia	Visa not required[33]	90 days
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Visa not required[34]	90 days	90 days within any 6-month period.
Botswana	Visa not required[35]	90 days	90 days within year period.
Brazil	Visa not required[36]	90 days	Up to 90 days per visit, but no more than 180 days per year.
Brunei	Visa not required[37]	14 days
Bulgaria	Visa not required[38]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Burkina Faso	eVisa[39][40]
Burundi	Visa on arrival[41]	1 month	From December 2021, passengers of all countries that required visa, can now obtain visa on arrival at Bujumbura International Airport, and all land borders.[42]
Cambodia	eVisa / Visa on arrival[43][44]	30 days
Cameroon	eVisa[45][46]
Canada	Electronic Travel Authorization[47]	6 months	eTA required if arriving by air.[48] Also an eTA not required when arriving by car, bus, train or boat (including a cruise ship).
Cape Verde	Visa on arrival[49]	30 days	Available at Sal, Boa Vista, São Vicente, or Santiago international airports. Cost for a visa on arrival is around EUR 25.[50]
Central African Republic	Visa required[51]
Chad	Visa required[52]
Chile	Visa not required[53]	90 days
China	Visa required[54]		Currently, the 15-day visa-free system for Japanese citizens has been temporarily suspended since 28 March 2020.
Colombia	Visa not required[55]	180 days	90 days – extendable up to 180 days stay within a one-year period
Comoros	Visa on arrival[56]	45 days	Nationals of any country can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 45 days. Also, the cost is EUR 30 or USD 50.
Republic of the Congo	Visa required[57]
Democratic Republic of the Congo	eVisa[58][59]	7 days
Costa Rica	Visa not required[60]	180 days
Côte d'Ivoire	eVisa[61][62]	3 months	e-Visa holders must arrive via Port Bouet Airport.
Croatia	Visa not required[63]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Cuba	Tourist card required[64]	90 days	Can be extended up to 90 days with a fee.
Cyprus	Visa not required[65]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period.
Czech Republic	Visa not required[66]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Denmark	Visa not required[67]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period regardless of previous time spent in other Schengen countries (except the other Nordic countries).
Djibouti	eVisa[68][69]	90 days
Dominica	Visa not required[70]	6 months
Dominican Republic	Visa not required[71]	90 days
Ecuador	Visa not required[72]	90 days
Egypt	eVisa / Visa on arrival[73][74]	30 days
El Salvador	Visa not required[75]	3 months
Equatorial Guinea	eVisa[76][77]
Eritrea	Visa required[78]
Estonia	Visa not required[79]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Eswatini	Visa not required[80]	30 days
Ethiopia	eVisa / Visa on arrival[81]	90 days	Visa on arrival is obtainable only at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.[82] e-Visa holders must arrive via Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. e-Visa is available for 30 or 90 days.[83]
Fiji	Visa not required[84]	4 months
Finland	Visa not required[85]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
France	Visa not required[86]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Gabon	eVisa[87][88]	90 days	e-Visa holders must arrive via Libreville International Airport.
Gambia	Visa required[89]		An entry clearance must be obtained from the Gambian Immigration prior to travel.
Georgia	Visa not required[90]	1 year
Germany	Visa not required[91]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Ghana	Visa required[92]
Greece	Visa not required[93]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Grenada	Visa not required[94]	3 months
Guatemala	Visa not required[95]	90 days
Guinea	eVisa[96][97]	90 days	International Certificate of Vaccination required.
Guinea-Bissau	Visa on arrival[98]	90 days	Holders of passports issued by all countries can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 90 days.
Guyana	Visa not required[99]	3 months
Haiti	Visa not required[100]	3 months
Honduras	Visa not required[101]	3 months
Hungary	Visa not required[102]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Iceland	Visa not required[103]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
India	eVisa / Visa on arrival[104][105]	60 days	Visa on Arrival is only granted at Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai airport. Japanese citizens can also apply for e-Visa online for 30 days. e-Visa holders must arrive via 26 designated airports[Note 1] or 3 designated seaports.[Note 2][106] An Indian e-Tourist Visa may only be obtained twice within 1 calendar year.[citation needed] Foreigners of Pakistani origin or who hold a Pakistani Passport are not eligible for an e-Visa. Foreigners who are not Pakistani nationals, but whose parents or grandparents (either paternal or maternal) were born in, or were permanent residents in Pakistan, are also not eligible for an e-Visa.[107]
Indonesia	e-VOA / Visa on arrival[108]	30 days[109]
Iran	Visa not required[110]	15 days	15 days within any 6-month period.
Iraq	Visa on arrival[111]	60 days	Japanese citizens can now obtain a visa on arrival at Iraq's airports, land and sea crossings for 60 days, for a fee of USD 75.[112]
Ireland	Visa not required[113]	3 months
Israel	Visa not required[114]	3 months
Italy	Visa not required[115]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Jamaica	Visa not required[116]	30 days
Jordan	eVisa / Visa on arrival[117][118]	30 days	Visa can be obtained upon arrival, it will cost a total of 40 JOD, obtainable at most international ports of entry and land border crossings (except King Hussein/Allenby Bridge).
Kazakhstan	Visa not required[119]	30 days
Kenya	Electronic Travel Authorisation[120][121]	90 days	Applications can be submitted up to 90 days prior to travel and must be submitted at least 3 days in advance. eTA fee is USD 32.50. Proof of reservation at the hotel where visitors plan to stay is required (if staying with friends, an invitation letter is also acceptable). Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if coming from endemic countries. Can also be entered on an East Africa tourist visa issued by Rwanda or Uganda.[122]
Kiribati	Visa not required[123]	90 days
North Korea	Visa required[124]
South Korea	Electronic Travel Authorization[125]	90 days	Japanese citizens can enter South Korea as a short term visit (e.g., tours, visiting relatives or friends, attending simple meetings) up to 90 days without a visa, though you should remain aware of the quarantine requirements. You must also have an onward or return ticket. It's illegal to work on a tourist visa, whether as a teacher or in any other capacity.[126] All visitors are fingerprinted. From September 2021, travelers require the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA). The validity period is 3 years from the date of approval. The government of the Republic of Korea announced that from April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024, a K-ETA is not required for 27 countries' citizens visiting Korea for 90 days or less for business or tourism.
Kuwait	eVisa / Visa on arrival[127][128]	3 months
Kyrgyzstan	Visa not required[129]	60 days
Laos	Visa not required[130]	15 days
Latvia	Visa not required[131]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Lebanon	Free visa on arrival[132]	1 month	Extendable for 2 additional months. Granted free of charge at Beirut International Airport or any other port of entry if there is no Israeli visa or seal, holding a telephone number, an address in Lebanon, and a non refundable return or circle trip ticket.
Lesotho	Visa not required[133]	90 days
Liberia	Visa required[134]
Libya	eVisa[135][136]
Liechtenstein	Visa not required[137]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Lithuania	Visa not required[138]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Luxembourg	Visa not required[139]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Madagascar	Visa on arrival[140]	60 days
Malawi	eVisa / Visa on arrival[141][142]	90 days
Malaysia	Visa not required[143]	90 days
Maldives	Free visa on arrival[144]	30 days
Mali	Visa required[145]
Malta	Visa not required[146]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Marshall Islands	Visa on arrival[147]	90 days	Visitors wishing to travel to Kwajalein are required to hold an Entry Authorization issued by the United States Military.
Mauritania	Visa on arrival[148]	30 days	Available at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport. Only Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport offers a Mauritania visa on arrival. Any other entry point necessitates a ride to the embassy.[149] A Mauritania visa costs about EUR 30 and lasts for 30 days.[150]
Mauritius	Visa not required[151]	90 days
Mexico	Visa not required[152]	180 days
Micronesia	Visa not required[153]	30 days
Moldova	Visa not required[154]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period.
Monaco	Visa not required[155]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period.
Mongolia	Visa not required[156]	30 days
Montenegro	Visa not required[157]	90 days
Morocco	Visa not required[158]	3 months
Mozambique	Visa not required[159][160]	30 days	Travelers must pay a fee of 650 MT upon entry.
Myanmar	eVisa[161][162]	28 days	Must arrive via Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw or Mandalay airports or via land border crossings with Thailand — Tachileik, Myawaddy and Kawthaung. Must arrive via Yangon airports (COVID-19 restriction).
Namibia	Visa not required[163]	3 months
Nauru	Visa required[164]
Nepal	Online Visa / Visa on arrival[165]	90 days[166]
Netherlands	Visa not required[167]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
New Zealand	Electronic Travel Authority[168]	3 months	International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy must be paid upon requesting an Electronic Travel Authority.[169] May enter using eGate. Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure.[170] Such travellers are not required to pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy.[169]
Nicaragua	Visa not required[171]	90 days
Niger	Visa required[172]
Nigeria	eVisa[173][174]	90 days
North Macedonia	Visa not required[175]	90 days
Norway	Visa not required[176]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Oman	Visa not required / eVisa[177][178]	14 days / 30 days	Japanese citizens are also eligible for e-Visas valid for 30 days.
Pakistan	ETA / Online Visa[179][180]	30 days	Electronic Travel Authorization to obtain a visa on arrival for tourism purposes.[181] Electronic Travel Authorization to obtain a visa on arrival for business purposes.[182] Online Visa eligible.[183]
Palau	Free visa on arrival[184]	30 days
Panama	Visa not required[185]	90 days
Papua New Guinea	eVisa[186][187]	60 days	Available at Gurney Airport (Alotau), Mount Hagen Airport, Port Moresby Airport and Tokua Airport (Rabaul).
Paraguay	Visa not required[188]	90 days
Peru	Visa not required[189]	180 days
Philippines	Visa not required[190]	30 days
Poland	Visa not required[191]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Portugal	Visa not required[192]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Qatar	Visa not required[193]	30 days
Romania	Visa not required[194]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Russia	eVisa[195][196]	16 days	Regular visa free of charge for Japanese passport holders.[197]
Rwanda	eVisa / Visa on arrival[198][199]	30 days	Can also be entered on an East Africa Tourist Visa issued by Kenya or Uganda.[122]
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Visa not required[200]	3 months
Saint Lucia	Visa not required[201]	6 weeks
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Visa not required[202]	3 month
Samoa	Visa not required[203]	90 days
San Marino	Visa not required[204]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period.
São Tomé and Príncipe	Visa not required[205]	15 days[206]
Saudi Arabia	eVisa / Visa on arrival[207][208]	90 days
Senegal	Visa not required[209]	90 days
Serbia	Visa not required[210]	90 days	90 days within any 6-month period.
Seychelles	Electronic Border System[211][212]	3 months	Application can be submitted up to 30 days before travel. Visitors must upload a reservation confirmation(s) for each visitor's location of stay in Seychelles. Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if coming from endemic countries. Payment of the fee (EUR 10) by credit or debit card. Valid for one journey only and it expires once exit the country.
Singapore	Visa not required[213]	30 days
Sierra Leone	eVisa / Visa on arrival[214][215]	3 months / 30 days
Slovakia	Visa not required[216]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Slovenia	Visa not required[217]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Solomon Islands	Free Visitor's Permit on arrival[218]	3 months	Citizens of Japan and 41 other countries may obtain a free permit valid for 3 months within any year period on arrival.
Somalia	Visa on arrival[219]	30 days	Available at Berbera, Borama, Burao, Erigavo and Hargeisa airports.[citation needed] 30 days, available at Bosaso Airport, Galcaio Airport and Mogadishu Airport.[citation needed]
South Africa	Visa not required[220]	90 days
South Sudan	eVisa[221][222]		Obtainable online, 90 days for USD 200 and 180 days for USD 350. Printed visa authorization must be presented at the time of travel.
Spain	Visa not required[223]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Sri Lanka	eVisa / Free Visa on arrival[224][225]	60 days / 30 days	Japanese citizens are exempt from paying a fee for visas until 30 April 2024.[226] The standard visitor visa allows a stay of 60 days within any 6 month period.[227] Visa fees (for Standard visitor visa): SAARC - USD 35 Non SAARC - USD 75 e-Visa categories will be charged an additional USD 18.50 service fee. If transiting from any of the Sri Lankan airports, An e-Visa is exempted (2 day transit period).
Sudan	Visa required[228]
Suriname	Visa not required[229][230]	90 days	An entrance fee of USD 25 or EUR 25 must be paid online prior to arrival.[231] Multiple entry e-Visa is also available.[232]
Sweden	Visa not required[233]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Switzerland	Visa not required[234]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Syria	Visa required[235]
Taiwan	Visa not required[236]	90 days
Tajikistan	Visa not required / eVisa[237]	30 days / 60 days	Japanese nationals can obtain a single or multiple entry e-Visa online for USD 30 prior to arrival for a maximum stay of 60 days within 90 days. Along with e-Visa, visitors can apply for a permit to visit Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province for USD 20.[238]
Tanzania	eVisa / Visa on arrival[239][240]	90 days
Thailand	Visa not required[241]	30 days	Maximum 2 visits annually if not arriving by air.
Timor-Leste	Visa on arrival[242]	30 days	Not available at all entry points but obtainable at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport or at Dili Sea Port. Fee : transit USD 20; tourist USD 30; business USD 50.
Togo	eVisa[243][244]	15 days
Tonga	Free visa on arrival[245]	31 days
Trinidad and Tobago	Visa not required[246]	90 days
Tunisia	Visa not required[247]	90 days
Turkey	Visa not required[248]	3 months
Turkmenistan	Visa required[249]
Tuvalu	Visa on arrival[250]	1 month
Uganda	eVisa[251][252]	3 months	Determined at the port of entry. Must apply online at least 2 business days prior to travel. As of March 2017, airlines may deny passengers permission to board flights to Uganda without proof that they had successfully applied for an e-Visa. Ugandan immigration authorities may require additional documentation, including proof of a return plane ticket and detailed tour itinerary in Uganda. Can also be entered on an East Africa Tourist Visa issued by Kenya or Rwanda.[122] International Certificate of Vaccination required.
Ukraine	Visa not required[253]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period.
United Arab Emirates	Visa not required[254]	30 days
United Kingdom	Visa not required[255]	6 months
United States	Visa Waiver Program[256][257]	90 days	ESTA is valid for 2 years from the date of issuance.[258] ESTA is also required when entering the country by cruise ship or land.[259] Visa required if Nationals of VWP countries who have travelled or been present in Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, or Yemen at any time on or after 1 March 2011 (with limited exceptions), or those who have travelled or being present in Cuba at any time on or after 12 January 2021, or nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of Iraq, Syria, Iran, North Korea or Sudan. ESTA is not required for Guam and Northern Mariana Islands.[260]
Uruguay	Visa not required[261]	90 days
Uzbekistan	Visa not required[262]	30 days
Vanuatu	Visa not required[263]	30 days
Vatican City	Visa not required[264]	90 days	90 days within any 180-day period.
Venezuela	Visa not required[265]	90 days
Vietnam	Visa not required[266]	45 days	A single entry e-Visa valid for 90 days is also available.[267]
Yemen	Visa required[268]
Zambia	Visa not required[269]	30 days	Also eligible for a universal visa allowing access to Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe	Visa on arrival[270]	30 days	Also eligible for a universal visa allowing access to Zambia.

Territories, disputed areas or restricted zones

Visa requirements for Japanese citizens for visits to various territories, disputed areas, partially recognized countries and restricted zones:

Visitor to	Visa requirement	Notes (excluding departure fees)
Europe
Abkhazia	Visa required	Tourists from all countries (except Georgia) can visit Abkhazia for a period not exceeding 24 hours as part of an organized tourist group.[271]
Artsakh	Visa on arrival	Travellers can obtain the visa on arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Stepanakert upon arrival, with different prices for Visa 21 days/1 month/2 months/3 months.[272][273] Holders of a passport containing an Artsakh visa (expired or valid) or any evidence of travel to Artsakh (stamps) will be permanently denied entry to Azerbaijan.[274]
Mount Athos	Special permit required	Special permit required (4 days: EUR 25 for Orthodox visitors, EUR 35 for non-Orthodox visitors, EUR 18 for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[275][276]
Brest and  Grodno	Visa not required	Visa-free for 10 days[277]
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus	Visa not required	3 months[278]
UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus	Access Permit required	Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas.[279]
Faroe Islands	Visa not required	90 days.[280]
Åland	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period
Büsingen am Hochrhein and  Heligoland	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period
Livigno and  Campione d'Italia	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period
Gibraltar	Visa not required	Up to 6 months.[281]
Guernsey	Visa not required	90 days within a 12-month period.[282]
Isle of Man	Visa not required	Up to 6 months.[283]
Jersey	Visa not required	Up to 6 months.[284]
Jan Mayen	Permit required	Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[285] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[286][287]
Svalbard	Visa not required	Unlimited period under Svalbard Treaty.[288]
Kosovo	Visa not required	90 days[289]
Azores and  Madeira	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period
Russia	Special authorization required	Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.[290]
Samnaun	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period
South Ossetia	Visa not required	Multiple entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[291][292]
Transnistria	Visa not required	Registration required after 24h.[293][294]
Africa
Eritrea outside Asmara	Travel permit required	To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).[295]
Mayotte	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period.[296]
Réunion	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period.[296]
Ascension Island	eVisa	3 months within any year period.[297][298]
Saint Helena	Visitor's Pass required	Visitor's Pass granted on arrival valid for 4/10/21/60/90 days for 12/14/16/20/25 pound sterling.[299]
Tristan da Cunha	Permission required	Permission to land required for 15/30 pounds sterling (yacht/ship passenger) for Tristan da Cunha Island or 20 pounds sterling for Gough Island, Inaccessible Island or Nightingale Islands.[300]
Canary Islands,  Ceuta and  Melilla	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	Undefined	Undefined visa regime in the Western Sahara, same entry requirements with Morocco, controlled territory.
Somaliland	Visa on arrival	30 days for USD 30, payable on arrival.[301][302]
Sudan outside Khartoum	Travel permit required	All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit.
Darfur	Travel permit required	Separate travel permit is required.[303]
Asia
British Indian Ocean Territory	Special permit required	Special permit required.[304]
India PAP/RAP	PAP/RAP required	Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for whole states of Nagaland and Sikkim, and some parts of states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh.[305][306][307] Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.[308][309]
Iraqi Kurdistan	eVisa	30 days.[310]
Baikonur and Priozersk	Special permission required	Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near  Almaty.[311]
Kish Island	Visa not required	Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.[312]
Sabah and Sarawak	Visa not required	These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies.[313]
Maldives outside Malé	Permission required	Tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[314]
North Korea outside Pyongyang	Special permit required	People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent movement)
Palestine	Permit Required	Arrival by sea to the Gaza Strip not allowed.[315][316]
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province	OIVR permit required	OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[317][318][319]
Hong Kong	Visa not required	3 months[320][321]
Macau	Visa not required	90 days.[322]
Tibet Autonomous Region	TTP required	Tibet Travel Permit required (USD 10).[323][324]
Turkmenistan	Special permit required	A special permit, issued prior to arrival by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Atamurat, Cheleken, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat.[325]
Korean Demilitarized Zone	Restricted area
UNDOF Zone and Ghajar	Restricted area
Yemen outside Sana’a or Aden	Special permission required	Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.[326]
Americas
Anguilla	Visa not required	3 months.[327]
Bermuda	Visa not required	Up to 6 months, decided on arrival.[328]
British Virgin Islands	Visa not required	30 days, extensions possible.[329]
Cayman Islands	Visa not required	6 months.[330]
Montserrat	Visa not required	6 months.[331]
Turks and Caicos Islands	Visa not required	90 days.[332]
Aruba,  Curaçao and  Sint Maarten	Visa not required	3 months.[333][334]
Bonaire,  Sint Eustatius and  Saba	Visa not required	3 months.[335][336]
French Guiana＆ Saint Pierre and Miquelon	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period.[337][296]
French West Indies	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period. French West Indies refers to Martinique,  Guadeloupe,  Saint Martin and  Saint Barthélemy.[338]
Greenland	Visa not required	90 days.[280]
Puerto Rico	Visa not required	Visa not required under the Visa Waiver Program, for 90 days on arrival from overseas for 2 years. ESTA required.[339]
U.S. Virgin Islands	Visa not required	Visa not required under the Visa Waiver Program, for 90 days on arrival from overseas for 2 years. ESTA required.[340]
Margarita Island	Visa not required	All visitors are fingerprinted.[341]
San Andrés and Leticia	Tourist Card on arrival	Visitors arriving at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport and Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport must buy tourist cards on arrival.[342]
Galápagos	Pre-registration required	Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.[343]
Oceania
Ashmore and Cartier Islands	Special authorisation required	Special authorisation required.[344]
Macquarie Island	Special authorisation permit	A written authorisation of the Director of National Parks and Wildlife is required.
Cook Islands	Visa not required	31 days.[345]
Niue	Visa not required	30 days.[346][347]
Tokelau	Entry permit required	10 days/3 months/1 year. Visitors permits/Residence permits/Work permits/Special permits granted, allow the permit holder to be in Tokelau, for up to 10 days/3 months/1 year, unless otherwise specified. Apply for a travel permit at the Tokelau office in Apia, Samoa, at least 2 weeks prior to travel. Visitors are required to hold proof of sufficient funds to cover their stay.[348] The amount of funds needed is NZD 1,000 - per person per month of stay or NZD 400 - if accommodation. Tokelau can only be reached by boat from Samoa, and a permit from the Samoan Immigration Authorities is required to leave and re-enter Samoa.[349]
Norfolk Island	Electronic Travel Authority	120 days. Visa is issued upon arrival for a visit of up to max stay of 120 days, for holders of a multiple entry Electronic Travel authority (ETA) issued by Australia, valid 30 days beyond the period of intended stay in Norfolk Island. From 1 July 2016 all movement between Norfolk Island and Australian mainland are considered as domestic movement, however all passenger are still required to carry passports or, for Australian citizens, some type of photographic identification and pass Customs and Immigration. Normal Australian Customs and Immigration procedures apply when entry is made from outside Australia. Passenger not carrying their passports aren't eligible to purchase duty-free goods on Norfolk Island.[350]
Christmas Island	Visa not required	90 days. Passports and visas are not required when travelling from the Australian mainland. However, photographic identification must be produced for clearance through Customs and Immigration. Normal Australian Customs and Immigration procedures apply when entry is made from outside Australia.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Visa not required	90 days. Passports and visas are not required when travelling from the Australian mainland. However, photographic identification must be produced for clearance through Customs and Immigration. Normal Australian Customs and Immigration procedures apply when entry is made from outside Australia.
Lau Province	Special permission required	Special permission required.[351]
Clipperton Island	Special permit required	Special permit required.[352]
French Polynesia	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period.[353]
New Caledonia	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period.[296]
Wallis and Futuna	Visa not required	90 days within any 180-day period.[296]
Pitcairn Islands	Visa not required	14 days visa free and landing fee USD 35 or tax of USD 5 if not going ashore.[354][355][356]
American Samoa	Electronic authorization	30 days.[357]
Guam	Visa not required	45 days.[358]
Northern Mariana Islands	Visa not required	45 days.[359]
United States Minor Outlying Islands	Special permits required	Special permits required for Midway Atoll, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Howland Island, Baker Island, Jarvis Island, and Navassa Island.[360][361][362][363][364][365][366]
South Atlantic and Antarctica
Falkland Islands	Visa not required	A visitor permit is normally issued as a stamp in the passport on arrival, The maximum validity period is 1 month.[367]
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	Permit required	Pre-arrival permit from the Commissioner required (72 hours/1 month for 110/160 pounds sterling).[368][369]
Antarctica	Special permits required	Special permits required for  British Antarctic Territory,  French Southern and Antarctic Lands,  Argentine Antarctica, Australian Antarctic Territory, Bouvet Island, Chilean Antarctic Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Peter I Island, Queen Maud Land, Ross Dependency.[370][371][372][373][374][375][376][377][378][379][380][381]

Pre-approved visas pick-up

Pre-approved visas can be picked up on arrival in the following countries instead in embassy or consulate.

Pre-approved visas pick-up on arrival	Conditions
Bhutan[382]	For a maximum stay of 15 days if the application was submitted at least 2+1⁄2 months before arrival and if the clearance was obtained.
Cameroon[383]	Must hold approval from the General Delegate of Security.
Eritrea[384]	Must have a sponsor who must submit an application at least 48 hours before arrival.
Liberia[385]	Available only if arriving from a country without a diplomatic mission of Liberia and if a sponsor obtained an approval.
Nigeria[386]	Holders of a visa application who have a Nigerian company taking responsibility for them.
Sudan[387]	Holders of an entry permit issued by the Ministry of Interior.
Turkmenistan[388]	Holders of an invitation letter of the local company that was approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

APEC Business Travel Card

Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) travelling on business do not require a visa to the following countries:^[389]

Australia2  Brunei2  Chile2  China4  Hong Kong4  Indonesia4  Malaysia2  Mexico1  New Zealand2

Papua New Guinea4  Peru2  Philippines4  Russia3  Singapore4  South Korea2  Taiwan2  Thailand2  Vietnam4

_{1 - Up to 180 days
2 - Up to 90 days
3 - Up to 90 days in a period of 180 days
4 - Up to 60 days}

The card must be used in conjunction with a passport and has the following advantages:^[390]

• No need to apply for a visa or entry permit to APEC countries, as the card is treated as such (except by Canada and United States)
• Undertake legitimate business in participating economies
• Expedited border crossing in all member economies, including transitional members

Consular protection of Japanese citizens abroad

Non-visa restrictions

Blank passport pages

Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.^[391] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.

Vaccination

Many African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year^[392] to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, as does the South American territory of French Guiana.^[393]

Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.^[394][395]

Passport validity length

Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.

However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens^[396][397] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).^[398]

Some countries, such as Japan,^[399] Ireland and the United Kingdom,^[400] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.

In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,^[401] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,^[402] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,^[403] Philippines,^[404] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.^[405]

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.

Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.

Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.

Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives^[406] and South Africa.

Criminal record

Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,^[407] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.

Persona non grata

The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning entry into that country. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.^[408]

Israeli stamps

Kuwait,^[409] Lebanon,^[410] Libya,^[411] Syria,^[412] and Yemen^[413] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.

To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017^[update]) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.^{[citation needed]}

Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.

Biometrics

Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.^[414]

Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,^[415][416] Argentina,^[417] Brunei, Cambodia,^[418] China,^[419] Ethiopia,^[420] Ghana, Guinea,^[421] India, Japan,^[422][423] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),^[424] Malaysia upon entry and departure,^[425] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,^[426] Singapore, South Korea,^[427] Taiwan, Thailand,^[428] Uganda,^[429] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by domestic legislation),^{[430][431][432]} intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.^[433]

Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports^[434] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.^[435][436] The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to greatly increase the biometric data it collects at US borders.^[437] In 2018, Singapore began trials of iris scanning at three land and maritime immigration checkpoints.^[438][439]

See also

• Visa policy of Japan
• Japanese passport
• Visa requirements for United States citizens

References and Notes

References

Notes