Japan’s temporary visitor visas remain free for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese visas for Filipinos who want to stay for a maximum of 90 days in Japan remain free, Tokyo’s embassy in Manila clarified Thursday, June 25.

“Please note that Temporary Visitor Visa (for stay within 90 days at maximum) for Philippine Nationals remains as gratis,” said the Japanese embassy in Manila.

Japan recently announced that it would update its visa fees for the first time in almost five decades to around 15,000 yen (around P5,600) for single-entry visas and around 30,000 yen (around P11,300) for multiple-entry visas. The new fees come into effect on July 1, 2026, Japan’s Foreign Ministry had earlier announced.

There are several types of temporary visitor visas for Japan — they could be for tourism, package tours arranged via recognized travel agencies, for conferences, and visits to friends and relatives, among others. Japan also issues multiple-entry visas for temporary visitors.

On its official website, the Japan embassy in the Philippines advised those applying for tourists visas to “apply well ahead of your travel date” while also being mindful of the validity of single-entry visas (for use within three months), “due to the increasing number of applications.” It could take “several weeks” for visas to be processed, the embassy said.

In 2025, over 900,000 Filipinos visited Japan, according to Japanese ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya. Japan and the Philippines enjoy close ties. In late May 2026, bilateral relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Japan. – Rappler.com