Frequently Asked Questions

The FAQ below is a guide only. If you require further details, contact the Consulate General of Japan at Vancouver at 604-684-5868, ext. 393 during office hours.

1. I am a Canadian citizen holding a Canadian passport. Do I need a tourist visa to go to Japan?
2. My Canadian passport will expire within six months. Do I need to renew my passport?
3. I am a permanent resident of Canada. Do I need a tourist visa?
4. I am planning to go to Japan next year. Can I apply for a temporary visitor’s visa now? When should I apply?
5. I am a Chinese passport holder. My travel agent told me that I do not need a visa to stay in Japan for less than 72 hours. Is this correct?
6. I am planning to go back to China via Tokyo. I would like to stay in Tokyo for about one week. Can I apply for a transit visa?
7. Can I enter Japan as a visitor without a visa, and then apply for a working visa, or another visa type, while in Japan?
8. I received a visa to work in Japan for three years, but the “Date of Expiry” on the visa is only for three months from the date of issue. Is this an error?
9. I am currently working in Japan, but left the country without obtaining a re-entry permit. Can I obtain a permit from the Consulate or Embassy of Japan in Canada?
10. I will renew my Canadian passport, while I am temporarily in Canada. However, I need the re-entry permit, which is in my passport, to re-enter Japan. What should I do?
11. I am a Canadian citizen who would like to apply for a Working Holiday Visa, but I am over the age limit (30 years old). Can an exception be made to the age limit?
12. I went to Japan with a Working Holiday Visa, but came back to Canada within a few months. Can I re-apply for a Working Holiday Visa?
13. I am an Australian citizen currently living in Canada. Can I apply for a Working Holiday Visa for Australian citizens, while I am in Canada?
14. I was born in Canada and still have dual citizenship, Canadian and Japanese. When I go to Japan, which passport should I use? 
15. Can I drive a car in Japan using my BC Driver’s license?
16. What can I legally bring to Japan? Where can I find customs information?

1. Q: I am a Canadian citizen holding a Canadian passport. Do I need a tourist visa to go to Japan?
   A: No. A Canadian passport holder does not need a visa to enter Japan as a temporary visitor.
    
2. Q: My Canadian passport will expire within six months. Do I need to renew my passport?
   A: It is not necessary under Japanese immigration law. Your passport must be valid at the time of entry. Please note that airline company polices and restrictions may differ. It is best to confirm their policies directly with them. If you hold a Canadian travel document other than an ordinary passport, it must be valid for longer than six months.
    
3. Q: I am a permanent resident of Canada. Do I need a tourist visa?
   A: It depends on your nationality or the passport you hold. If you hold a passport of a country with a reciprocal visa exemption arrangement with Japan, you do not need a visa to enter Japan as a tourist. Otherwise, you need one. More on Short-term Visas.
    
4. Q: I am planning to travel to Japan, next year. When should I apply for a temporary visitor's visa?
   A: You can apply up to three months prior to the date you will enter Japan. Generally, a temporary visitor's visa is expires three months after the date of issue.
    
5. Q: I am a Chinese passport holder. My travel agent told me that I do not need a visa to stay in Japan for less than 72 hours. Is this correct?
   A: No, it is not correct. More details in Nationals of China who wish to come to Japan for a short-term stay (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
6.  
7. Q: I am planning to go back to China via Tokyo. I would like to stay in Tokyo for about one week. Can I apply for a transit visa?
   A: No. If you are planning to stay in Japan for 1 week, you need a temporary visitor’s visa. A transit visa is usually for stays that are less than three days.
    
8. Q: Can I enter Japan as a visitor without a visa, and then apply for a working visa, or another status of residence, while in Japan?
   A: No, a visa cannot be acquired after arriving in Japan. According to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, an application for the change of status from a temporary visitor to another status will only be accepted under special circumstances.
   * A visa is a recommendation, made by an embassy or consulate, that a foreigner should be allowed to enter Japan. When an immigration officer completes an examination for landing and grants landing permission at the port of entry, a stamp is issued. This stamp is the legal documentation of the foreigner's status in Japan. The visa becomes irrelevant at this time (except for multiple-entry visas).
    
9. Q: 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: The "Date of Expiry" indicates the final date the visa can be used for entry into Japan. The "Period of Stay" starts from the date you arrive in Japan.
    
10. Q: I am currently working in Japan, but left the country without obtaining a re-entry permit. Can I obtain a permit from the Consulate or Embassy of Japan in Canada?
    A: No. A re-entry permit is only issued by an immigration office in Japan. Before returning to Japan, you must re-apply for a visa.
     
11. Q: I will renew my Canadian passport, while I am temporarily in Canada. However, I need the re-entry permit, which is in my passport, to re-enter Japan. What should I do?
    A: Bring your old and new passport with you to Japan. You will need to show both to immigration at the port of entry. If you have a multiple re-entry permit, you can have it transferred to your new passport at the local immigration office in Japan.
     
12. Q: I am a Canadian citizen who would like to apply for a Working Holiday Visa, but I am over the age limit (30 years old). Can an exception be made to the age limit?
    A: No exceptions can be made to the required criteria. You could apply for a Working Visa.
     
13. Q: I went to Japan with a Working Holiday Visa, but came back to Canada within a few months. Can I re-apply for a Working Holiday Visa?
    A: A Working Holiday Visa is only issued once. There is no exception.
     
14. Q: I am an Australian citizen currently living in Canada. Can I apply for a Working Holiday Visa for Australian citizens, while in Canada?
    A: No. A Working Holiday Visa can only be issued by an Embassy or Consulate General of Japan in your home country.
     
15. Q: I was born in Canada and have dual citizenship, Canadian and Japanese. When I go to Japan, which passport should I use? 
    A: According to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Japanese citizens are required to use their Japanese passport to enter Japan.
    
    In some cases, such as with the JET Programme or a Japanese government scholarship program, the organization instructs you to enter Japan as a "foreigner” with your Canadian passport and to renounce your Japanese citizenship. Please inquire about the rules and regulations of the sponsor organization in Japan.
     
    Moreover, you have to choose one citizenship before you turn 22 years old. In renouncing your Japanese citizenship, you will have to give up your Japanese passport. More information: The Choice of Nationality.
     
16. Q: Can I drive a car in Japan using my BC Driver’s license?
    A: No. You must obtain an International Driver’s Permit or a Japanese Driver’s License to drive a car in Japan.
    • International Driver’s Permit
    • Japanese Driver’s License
       
17. Q: What can I legally bring to Japan? Where can I find customs information?
    A: Detailed information is available at Japan Customs.