What the Japan visa rules mean for Vietnam travellers
Vietnam citizens need a visa issued in advance by an embassy or consulate of Japan. Start the application several weeks before departure: you will typically need a passport valid for six months with blank pages, a completed application form, passport photos, a travel itinerary, proof of accommodation and of sufficient funds, and sometimes an invitation letter or bank statements.
The main option is the Japan eVisa — single entry, tourism, which costs 15,000 JPY with a processing time of 5 business days. Japan also offers Short-Term Stay Visa — Single Entry — see the visa options above.
Documents to prepare
Whatever your visa status, Japan applies the same entry conditions to every traveller:
- Passport validity: The UK government tells British visitors their passport must be valid for the length of their stay, that no additional period of validity is required, and that they need a blank page for the visa stamp.
- Blank passport pages: Your passport needs at least 1 blank page.
- Travel insurance: No official source we could read states whether travel insurance is required to enter Japan. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is highly recommended to purchase international travel medical insurance for your …
- Return or onward ticket: No official source we could read states whether a return or onward ticket is required to enter Japan. The Government of Canada's travel advice says customs officials may ask you to show a return or onward ticket, confir…
Japan entry rules compared
Japan lets 74 passports in without a visa, issues eVisas to 3 and requires an embassy visa from 120. Vietnam citizens are treated the same way as Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China. Overall the Vietnam passport ranks #160 in the world with 24 visa-free destinations.
More travel options
Planning a longer trip in Asia? With a Vietnam passport you can also visit 13 countries in the region without a visa, including Brunei, Indonesia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Laos and Myanmar.
In the other direction, Japan citizens can visit Vietnam visa-free for up to 45 days.