PassportSouth Africa

Trip checklist: Japan

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

Visa requirement

South Africans need to apply online for an e-visa before travel to Japan.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 90 days per visit.

Before you go

  • Purpose of visit

    eVISA is for tourism only. Business, academic activities, visiting relatives/friends and other short-term purposes require a paper temporary visitor's visa from the Embassy or Consulate-General.

  • Passport validity

    Japan does not set a fixed extra validity period; passport must be valid for the whole stay with a blank page for the landing stamp. eVISA only available to ordinary passport holders; the Embassy does not accept temporary passports.

  • How to apply

    Tourism: apply online at the official JAPAN eVISA site evisa.mofa.go.jp (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). South African nationals and residents of South Africa can apply directly; no accredited agency required. Single entry, up to 90 days. At the airport the 'Visa issuance notice' must be displayed live online; PDF, screenshot or printout is not accepted. Other purposes: paper application at the Embassy (Pretoria) or Consulate-General (Cape Town); fee R360 single entry / R715 multiple entry (cash, paid at collection, per Cape Town consulate page); processing from 2 working days (Embassy) / minimum average 3 working days (Cape Town). eVISA fee and processing time not stated on the MOFA page.

  • Where South Africans apply

    Online (eVISA) for tourism. Paper visas: Embassy of Japan in Pretoria, or Consulate-General of Japan in Cape Town (no appointment needed in Cape Town; weekdays 9:00-12:30 and 14:00-16:00). Japan VISA Call Center 0800 060 109.

  • Accommodation or invitation

    Not required for tourism eVISA per pages checked; visiting relatives/business needs paper visa with supporting documents.

  • Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

    No vaccinations required for entry. Japan is not a yellow-fever-risk country, so no SA yellow fever certificate issue on return.

  • Arrival forms

    Visit Japan Web (official Digital Agency service, services.digital.go.jp/en/visit-japan-web/, app at vjw-lp.digital.go.jp) handles immigration and customs arrival procedures online and generates QR codes; recommended, paper forms still available on arrival. All foreigners are fingerprinted and photographed on arrival. Cash or equivalents of JPY 1,000,000 or more must be declared.

  • Extending your stay and overstaying

    Extensions possible at Immigration Services Agency regional offices in limited circumstances. Overstaying risks arrest, detention, fines and deportation.

  • Confirm with the embassy

    Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

Research sources

  1. 1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (visa exemption list, updated 2025-09-01) (Official, mofa.go.jp) https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html
  2. 2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (JAPAN eVISA) (Official, mofa.go.jp) https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/visaonline.html
  3. 3. Embassy of Japan in South Africa (Official, za.emb-japan.go.jp) https://www.za.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/temporary_visitors_visa.html
  4. 4. Consulate-General of Japan in Cape Town (via Embassy site) (Official, za.emb-japan.go.jp) https://www.za.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/japan_visa_CPT.html
  5. 5. Digital Agency of Japan (Official, services.digital.go.jp) https://services.digital.go.jp/en/visit-japan-web/
  6. 6. UK FCDO (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/japan/entry-requirements
  7. 7. US Department of State (Other government, travel.state.gov) https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Japan.html

From doineedavisa.co.za/japan. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.