General Information to Apply for a Visa
2023/9/28
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【IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ENTERING JAPAN 】
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Who needs a Visa?
If you are…
- from a country or region NOT listed on the Visa Exemption List below
- Your stay is long term
- your stay is profit-making operations and paid activities
Visa Application Procedure
- Every visa applicant has to bring the required visa application documents to consular section. After the visa is issued, passports have to be collected at consular section.
- Please note that we don’t accept visa application documents by post and we don’t send passports by post.
- It takes 7 working days for visa applications to be processed.
Visits to Consular Section by Appointment Only
Tel: +41-31-300 22 22
It is no longer possible to send applications by post.
Visa Application Deadline
Visa applications may not be submitted earlier than 3 months prior to arrival in Japan and later than 1 week before departure. (Exceptions are possible for "certificate of eligibility" holders.)
Visa Fee
The fee for a visa is according to nationality. Please contact consular section.Visa categories


Consular Section
Address: | Engestrasse 53, 3012 Bern Switzerland |
Tel: | +41-(0)31-300-2222 |
Email: | consularsection@br.mofa.go.jp |
Opening Hours: |
Japan Visa Hotline
If you have a question regarding a Japanese visa, you can also contact a Japan Visa Hotline which is available 24 hours. Tel: +41-43-550-4460Attention
- If your residence is in one of the following cantons, Geneva, Vaud, Valais, Ticino, please contact the Consulat du Japon à Genève (022 716 99 00)
- Visa applications cannot be accepted by the Honorary Consul General of Japan in Zurich. For visa and other consular matters, please contact the Embassy of Japan in Bern directly.