Japan eVISA for Families: How to Apply for Children and Parents

Does My Family Need a Japan eVISA?

Only the family members whose passport needs a visa for Japan need an eVISA. Visa exemption is based on nationality, not on where you live, so a US, Canadian, UK or Australian passport holder of any age needs no visa for a tourist trip of up to 90 days.

That includes babies and teenagers travelling on their own passport.

The eVISA matters for families with mixed passports. A typical case is a family living in the US where one parent holds a US passport and the other parent or a child holds a passport from a country that needs a visa for Japan.

In that case only the person with that passport applies, and the rest of the family travels visa-free.

Whether a nationality needs a visa at all is covered in our guide to Japan visa requirements, and MOFA keeps the official list of visa-exempt countries. This page is about the eVISA application itself, written for parents.

Everything here reflects official pages from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Japanese consulates as of October 2026. Rules change, so check the pages listed under sources before you apply. Nothing here is legal advice.

Who Can Apply for the Japan eVISA?

Anyone who needs a visa and lives in one of the countries on MOFA's list can apply, whatever their nationality. MOFA's eVISA page, updated on 15 May 2026, lists the countries below.

Where the applicant lives	How to apply	Notes from MOFA
Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, United Kingdom, U.S.A.	Directly on the JAPAN eVISA website	All residents who need a visa
Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, United Arab Emirates	Through an accredited agency	Korea, except the area of the Consulate General in Jeju
China	Through an accredited agency	Chinese nationals living in China
Philippines, Viet Nam	Through designated travel agencies	Only for packaged tours

MOFA adds three conditions that apply to every member of the family.

• Ordinary passports only. Diplomatic and official passports cannot be used.
• Arrival by air or by sea, and by sea only on the scheduled passenger ferries from Busan or Shanghai.
• A possible interview. The consulate that covers your home address may ask you to come in person during the review.

Each consulate only accepts residents of its own area. The New York consulate, for example, covers New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and a few other areas, and asks for proof of address.

It also says it does not accept applications from people in the US on a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa, so the eVISA from the US is for US residents, such as Green Card holders.

What the eVISA Covers, and What It Does Not

The JAPAN eVISA is a single-entry, short-term visa for tourism, for a stay of up to 90 days. There is no sticker in the passport.

The visa is recorded electronically. For Chinese nationals living in China, the period of stay is 15 or 30 days, and for Filipino and Vietnamese package-tour travellers it is 15 days.

MOFA's FAQ says the eVISA cannot be used for the following.

• Visiting relatives or friends in Japan, even for a short holiday visit.
• Business, study, work or transit.
• A multiple-entry visa.

This catches many families. If grandparents or cousins live in Japan and you plan to see them, the Brisbane consulate says even a brief family visit means you cannot use the eVISA.

You apply for a paper visa at the consulate that covers your address instead, and you receive a visa sticker in the passport.

How Families Apply in One Family Application

Put everyone on the same trip into one family application from one account. The Consulate-General of Japan in Brisbane asks families going on the same trip to submit their family application as a group in a single account, and it returns family applications sent as separate individual applications.

Every child is still a full applicant. Brisbane is explicit that each application, including those for children, must carry all the required documents, even when the child travels with parents or in a group.

Missing documents for a child mean the child's application is not accepted.

A family application works like this.

1. One parent creates the account on the official JAPAN eVISA website (evisa.mofa.go.jp). MOFA warns that fake look-alike websites exist, so type the address yourself.
2. Enter each family member who needs a visa, with their own form, passport copy, photo and documents.
3. Submit the group together. Information and photos cannot be changed after submission, so check each child's details first.
4. Wait for the review. The consulate may ask for an interview or extra documents.
5. Pay after approval. The New York consulate says an email with the fee arrives once the review is complete, and you then register a credit card. Brisbane says no fee is taken when you apply.
6. Receive the eVISA. A further email tells you the eVISA has been issued.

Do not leave the country you live in while the application is being processed. The Brisbane consulate returns applications from people who are not in Australia during processing, and MOFA notes that any applicant may be called in for an interview.

Family Members in a Different Consulate's Area

Each consulate only examines residents of its own area. If one parent lives in a different country or under a different consulate, check with both consulates before you combine applications.

Documents for Children and Parents

The exact list depends on the consulate that covers your address, so download that consulate's checklist first. The New York consulate's tourism checklist is a good example of what US-based families can expect.

Document	What the New York consulate asks for	Family notes
Application form	Filled in on the eVISA website	Cannot be changed after submission
Passport	Copy of the identification page	Each child needs their own passport
Photo	Facial image, taken within 6 months, plain background	Cannot be replaced after submission
US status	Green Card, or I-94 and US visa	Copies are acceptable
Flights	Round-trip flight reservation with the applicant's name	You do not need to buy the ticket
Funds	A recent monthly US bank statement	A sponsor's account is possible, see below
Itinerary	A travel itinerary	One per applicant
Address	Driver's license, state ID, utility bill or lease	Shows you live in the consulate's area
Parental consent form	Only for applicants under 18 not travelling with a parent or guardian	Not needed when a parent travels

Using a Parent's Bank Account for a Child

Children rarely have their own bank statements. The New York consulate allows the balance of a sponsor's account, with a copy of the sponsor's passport identification page, and says a document proving the relationship, such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate, may be requested.

Keep those certificates ready as clear scans before you start.

Common Reasons Children's Applications Are Returned

The Brisbane consulate publishes the reasons it returns eVISA applications. Several apply directly to children.

• The child's photo was a school photo. Upload a fresh photo with a plain background and no shadows.
• The profession field for a school-age child was not filled in properly. Write "student" and give the school's name, address and contact details.
• The schedule of stay was too vague. It must be a day-by-day plan with the name, address and phone number of each place you sleep.
• Bank records came from a parent's account without the extra documents that link the child to that account.

Japan eVISA Processing Time for Families

There is no single official number, and no consulate offers an express service. The New York consulate says most visas are normally issued within 4 to 7 business days when all requirements are met, that eVISAs take the same time as sticker visas, and that some cases referred to Tokyo take 1 to 2 months.

It also says eVISA processing is currently taking longer because of high demand.

Consulate	What it says about processing
New York	Normally 4 to 7 business days, 1 to 2 months if referred to Tokyo, currently slower
Brisbane	At least 10 business days on its eVISA page and at least 2 weeks in its FAQ, longer at school holidays

Two rules shape your timeline.

• Earliest date. Brisbane says applications open 3 months before you travel, and a single-entry visa must be used within 3 months of issue.
• Latest date. The New York consulate says the eVISA system only lets you choose an entry date over 7 days after you submit. Brisbane returns applications that leave it less than 10 working days.

School holidays are when most families travel and when consulates are busiest. Applying soon after the 3-month window opens leaves time to fix a returned application.

Japan eVISA Fees for a Family

Fees depend on nationality, not on the eVISA itself, and are set by each consulate. Many nationalities pay nothing. On its fee page dated 24 June 2026, the New York consulate lists the following for US residents.

Applicant's nationality	Single-entry fee, applications from 1 July 2026
Fee-exempt nationalities, such as Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Bangladesh and Pakistan	No charge
India	US$6
Most other nationalities	US$101

The same page shows that the general single-entry fee was US$20 until 30 June 2026. The eVISA fees are paid by credit card only. Each child who needs a visa is a separate applicant, so plan the total for every visa holder in the family.

Outside the US, check the fee page of your own consulate, which gives amounts in local currency.

Showing Each Child's eVISA at the Airport

There is no visa sticker. MOFA requires travellers to display the visa issuance notice at check-in on a smartphone or tablet connected to the internet.

A PDF, a screenshot or a printed copy is not accepted.

MOFA's guide for eVISAs issued in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and other direct-application countries shows how a parent displays the notice.

1. Log in to the eVISA website with the account's email address and password.
2. Open the visa application list, or the page for displaying the visa issuance notice.
3. Tick the person whose notice you want to show.
4. Click "Visa issuance notice (to display)". A timer counts down at the top right of the live notice.

eVISAs issued through agencies in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Mongolia, Korea, the UAE or Viet Nam use a second method, where you scan the QR code on the notice and enter the requested details.

Before the airport, check three things.

• Mobile data or Wi-Fi at the check-in counter, since the notice is shown live.
• The account login of the parent who applied, on the phone you will use at check-in.
• Every detail on each notice. Brisbane advises checking each name, passport number, date of birth and period of stay as soon as the eVISA is issued, because a mistake can stop you from boarding.

Arrival and Your Days in Tokyo After the eVISA

The eVISA replaces only the visa. Every family member, visa holder or not, still goes through immigration and customs on arrival. Visit Japan Web, the government's free online arrival service, lets you prepare those details before the flight.

Our Visit Japan Web guide shows how, and our guide to Japan entry requirements walks through the airport steps.

Once the paperwork is done, the rest is planning the days. Our guide to things to do in Tokyo with kids is organised by age, and our private tours for families are planned around naps, strollers and food allergies before you arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do children need a Japan eVISA?

Only if their passport needs a visa for Japan. A child with a visa-exempt passport, such as a US passport, needs no visa for a tourist stay. A child who needs a visa must be a full applicant with their own passport, photo and documents, even when travelling with parents.

Can a family apply for the Japan eVISA together?

Yes. The Brisbane consulate asks families on the same trip to submit one family application as a group from a single account, and returns family members who apply separately. Each child still needs a complete set of documents.

Does a minor need parental consent for a Japan eVISA?

The New York consulate asks for a parental consent form only for applicants under 18 who are not travelling with a parent or guardian. Other consulates may differ, so check your own consulate's checklist.

How long does the Japan eVISA take to process?

There is no fixed time and no express service. The New York consulate says visas normally take 4 to 7 business days, longer when referred to Tokyo or at busy times. Brisbane says to allow at least 2 weeks for an eVISA. You can apply from 3 months before travel.

Can I use the Japan eVISA to visit family in Japan?

No. The eVISA is for tourism only. Visiting relatives or friends, even briefly, needs a paper visa from the Japanese embassy or consulate that covers your place of residence.

Do US citizens need a Japan eVISA?

No. US citizens are visa-exempt for short tourist stays of up to 90 days, children included. The eVISA is for people living in the US whose passport is from a country that needs a visa for Japan.

Sources

https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/visaonline.html
https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/page22e_000999.html
https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100380218.pdf
https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html
https://www.ny.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/visafaq.html
https://www.ny.us.emb-japan.go.jp/files/100880629.pdf
https://www.ny.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/visafees.html
https://www.brisbane.au.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/visa_visa_evisa.html
https://www.brisbane.au.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/visa_visa_evisafaq.html
https://www.brisbane.au.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/visa_visafaq.html