Good news for Indian travellers planning a trip to Japan. Earlier this month, Japan confirmed a global visa fee hike applicable from July 1, 2026. However, Indian passport holders will continue to pay just ₹500 for both single-entry and multiple-entry visas, as per the Embassy of Japan in India. The move preserves a long-standing concessional arrangement for Indian citizens and keeps Japan among the most affordable Asian countries for visa applications from India.The confusion happened because of Japan’s announcement of revised visa fees worldwide. Under the new global fee structure, most foreign nationals now have to pay significantly higher visa charges. But the Embassy has now cleared the confusion.The new visa fee Under the revised fee schedule applicable in India:Indian passport holdersSingle-entry visa: ₹500Multiple-entry visa: ₹500Transit visa: DiscontinuedVFS service charges continue to apply.Other foreign nationals applying in IndiaSingle-entry visa: ₹8,650Multiple-entry or double-entry visa: ₹17,350Transit visa: DiscontinuedVFS service charges continue to apply.For those who don’t know, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently revised its standard global visa fees for the first time in years. Good news for Indian travellers
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But the good news for Indian passport holders is that for them the visa fees remain unchanged. They need to pay ₹500 visa fee which is a great advantage for Indian tourists, especially as outbound travel to Japan continues to grow. How Indians can apply for a Japan visaIndian citizens planning a trip to Japan must submit their visa applications through the authorised VFS centres. The Embassy advises:1) Apply up to three months before the intended date of travel. 2) Applications are generally not accepted earlier than three months before departure.3) Japan also introduced its eVISA system in India in April 2024 for eligible short-term travellers, although eligibility depends on the visa category and purpose of travel.Eligibility
Japan Embassy
Different categories of Japanese visas include:TourismBusiness tripsVisiting friends/relativesConferencesStudent visasFor tourism, travellers need to show the purpose of travel. There should be sufficient funds to support the stay. (Exact documentation may differ depending on the visa category)Japan also offers multiple-entry visas to eligible Indian nationals Documents generally requiredA valid Indian passportCompleted visa application formRecent passport-size photographFlight ticketsAccommodation detailsFinancial documentsItineraryTransit visas abolishedAnother important change under the revised rules is that Japan has abolished the separate transit visa category for all nationalities. It means that those who need to enter Japan during transit may now have to apply for an appropriate short-term stay visa.As Japan raises visa charges for most foreign nationals, Indian citizens continue to enjoy one of the lowest visa costs making a Japanese holiday even more attractive in 2026.
