Japan visas: prepare for your nationality and purpose of travel

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WOWVISA · Japan Visa Guide

Living in South Korea and planning a trip or business visit to Japan?
Have you received a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for work or study?

Your visa requirements depend on your passport nationality, residence status in South Korea and planned activities in Japan. Start by checking the application route and requirements that apply to you.

Contact WOWVISA about your Japan visa →

Travelling on a South Korean passport

South Korean ordinary passport holders are, in principle, exempt from visas for stays of up to 90 days for permitted short-term activities such as tourism, meetings and business liaison. Employment and paid activities require separate checks. MOFA visa exemptions · Embassy guidance

What is the purpose of your visit?

Tourism and family holidays

If you are a foreign national living in South Korea, first check whether your passport nationality requires a visa. If it does, confirm that your residence status allows you to apply in South Korea, then prepare your itinerary and evidence of travel funds.

Please tell us: passport nationality, South Korean residence status, travel dates and accompanying family members.

Meetings and business visits

For meetings, client visits or exhibitions, describe your host company, schedule and actual activities in Japan. If your trip includes on-site work or other tasks, explain those duties in detail during your consultation.

Please tell us: nationality, employer, host company, planned duties and business travel dates.

Work, study or a long-term family stay

Employment, intra-company transfers, school enrolment and long-term stays with family require the appropriate status of residence and visa procedures. Summarise arrangements with your company, school or family in Japan and check whether your COE has been issued. Work and long-term stays

Please tell us: purpose of stay, planned entry date, company or school in Japan and COE status.

For visits to relatives or friends, or any other purpose, explain the actual reason for your visit.

Three checks for foreign residents of South Korea

1. Passport nationality and type

Living in South Korea does not give you the visa exemption available to South Korean citizens. Tell us your exact nationality, such as Chinese, Vietnamese or Russian, and your passport type. Exemptions and conditions differ by country and region. Visa-exempt countries and regions

2. Residence status in South Korea

The Embassy of Japan in South Korea states that it accepts applications from foreign nationals with lawful long-term residence status. Short-term visitors to South Korea generally cannot apply there. Contact the relevant mission directly if you have exceptional circumstances. Who can apply

3. Your registered address

Your address on your foreign resident registration determines whether the Embassy in Seoul or the Consulate-General in Busan or Jeju has jurisdiction. Tell us where you live in South Korea. Consular jurisdiction

Consultation tip: Have your South Korean residence expiry date and planned return date from Japan ready.

Prepare documents for your purpose of travel

The following is a preparation guide. Your final document list depends on nationality, purpose, who pays the expenses and the responsible mission.

Tourism: passport, application form, photo, proof of residence in South Korea, transport and accommodation itinerary, and evidence of funds.
Business: identity and residence documents, employment and business-trip documents, planned activities and itinerary, and invitation documents.
Visiting relatives or friends: identity and residence documents, evidence of the relationship, reason for invitation, itinerary and expense arrangements.
After COE issuance: passport, application form, photo, COE and any additional documents required for your nationality and residence situation.

Check the Embassy's short-term stay document guidance or, if you have a COE, its long-term visa document guidance.

For family applications, check each person's nationality and residence status and prepare any required proof of family relationships.

Tourist visa or eVISA?

Tourism is a purpose of travel; eVISA is a way of issuing a visa electronically. JAPAN eVISA currently covers single-entry short-term tourist visas. It does not automatically cover business, employment or study.

For residents of South Korea, the published eVISA route is through designated visa application agencies. The jurisdiction of the Consulate-General in Jeju is excluded from this route. Check your address and eligibility first. JAPAN eVISA guidance

Received your COE? The next step is your visa

A COE is Japan's Certificate of Eligibility. It certifies that planned activities, such as work or study, meet relevant landing conditions. It is not itself a visa. About the COE

Already issued: Check the status of residence, issue date, planned entry date and visa application documents.
Application pending: Ask your contact in Japan about progress and how you will receive the COE after issuance.
Not yet started: Check the preliminary procedures for your purpose of stay with your company or school in Japan.

The Embassy of Japan in South Korea states that, in principle, long-term visa applications without a COE are not accepted. Check the procedures in Japan first. Embassy long-term stay guidance

A COE does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. MOFA visa FAQ

Ask about your visa after COE issuance →

How does the application process work?

1. Check eligibility

Confirm nationality, residence status in South Korea, registered address and purpose of travel.

2. Prepare the required documents

Separate documents you need to prepare from those your contact in Japan must provide.

3. Review details and dates

Check that names, dates and purpose of travel are consistent across your application, itinerary and invitation documents.

4. Submit through the correct route

Follow the procedures of the mission responsible for your address. The Embassy in South Korea directs applicants to designated agencies for submission and collection. Embassy application guidance

5. Check the result and prepare to travel

Respond to requests for additional documents and check the decision and details on your visa. If you receive an eVISA, check how to display your visa issuance notice before departure. eVISA guidance

Fees and processing time

Ask for an itemised quotation

Distinguish the consular visa fee, agency service fee and any translation or delivery charges. Confirm the amount that applies to you and the services included.

Processing time is not the total preparation time

MOFA gives a standard processing time of five working days from the day after acceptance when there are no issues with the application. Additional checks or document requests may take longer. Processing time guidance

Allow time for obtaining and correcting documents, submission and collection. Tell us whether your departure date is confirmed.

Frequently asked questions

Am I visa-exempt if I travel with my South Korean spouse?

Your spouse's nationality alone does not make you visa-exempt. Check the rules for your own passport nationality. Visa exemptions

Can foreign students in South Korea ask for advice?

Tell us your current residence status, expiry date, address and travel plans so we can check eligibility to apply in South Korea and the documents needed.

Can I apply as a tourist for a business trip?

Your stated purpose must match your actual activities. For meetings or business discussions, prepare documents for the business visit and obtain the relevant documents from Japan. Tourism and short-term business have different document requirements. Documents by purpose

Do frequent visits qualify me for a multiple-entry visa?

Visit frequency alone does not determine eligibility. Check the criteria for your nationality and the relevant multiple-entry scheme. Tell us your recent travel history and future purposes of travel. MOFA visa information

Can a family submit just one set of documents?

Separate individual application documents from shared supporting documents. Tell us each traveller's nationality, age and residence status in South Korea, and who will pay the expenses. Short-term stay documents

Can a visa be issued urgently before my departure?

Tell us your departure date first. Issuance and timing cannot be confirmed before the necessary examination is complete. We need to review your preparation and remaining time. MOFA visa FAQ

Tell us about your situation

You do not need to know which visa to apply for before contacting us. Start with your passport nationality, residence status in South Korea and planned activities in Japan.

Please include:

Passport nationality and South Korean residence status
Address in South Korea and residence expiry date
Purpose of visiting Japan and planned departure date
Whether family members will accompany you
COE status for work, study or a long-term stay

Contact WOWVISA about your Japan visa →

Prepared by WOWVISA · Information checked: 6 October 2026

This page provides general preparation guidance. Check the responsible mission's latest instructions for final eligibility and document requirements. Visa decisions are made by the Japanese mission, and a visa does not guarantee entry. MOFA guidance