Japan drops visa application fees for travellers from 63 countries

Japan has published a list of 63 countries and regions whose nationals are exempt from paying the visa application fee when applying to visit the country. Honduras is among the American nations included. The waiver covers only the application fee — travellers may still have to apply for a visa through the normal process.

Key facts

• 63 countries and regions are covered by the fee exemption
• Only Lesotho and Mauritius are included from Africa
• Honduras, the United States, Canada, Mexico and Colombia are among the American countries listed
• The exemption waives the visa application fee only; it does not grant visa-free entry
• Japan's government published the list on its official website, describing the status as "no charge"

What does the fee exemption cover?

Being on the list does not give nationals of those countries visa-free access to Japan. Japan's government states that travellers from the 63 listed countries and regions may still be required to go through the standard visa application process. The only difference is that they are not charged an application fee.

The source does not state the value of the waived fee or the date from which the exemption applies.

Which countries are on the list?

The list spans six continents, covering Europe, Asia, the Americas, Oceania and the Middle East. European nations make up the largest share, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and Ukraine.

From Asia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Pakistan are included, along with Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and British Nationals Overseas from Hong Kong. The Americas are represented by the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Barbados, Suriname, El Salvador and Honduras. Australia, New Zealand and Jordan also feature.

From Africa, only Lesotho and Mauritius qualify. Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa are not on the list, so their nationals continue to pay the standard visa application fee when applying to visit Japan.

Are there any conditions?

Some countries come with additional limits. Romanian nationals qualify only for temporary visits of up to 60 days, while Filipino nationals are covered for temporary stays of no longer than 90 days.

How is this different from visa-free entry?

The announcement follows a separate development in which Japan named eight countries whose citizens can use qualifying electronic passports to enter the country without obtaining a visa in advance. Brazil, Thailand, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates are among those countries. The fee-exemption list is a different measure and does not remove the visa requirement itself.

What this means for travellers

Nationals of the 63 listed countries and regions, including Honduras, can expect not to be charged when applying for a Japanese visa, but they should still plan to submit a visa application unless another rule exempts them. Travellers from countries not on the list, such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, should budget for the standard application fee. Romanian and Filipino travellers should check the stay limits attached to the exemption before planning their trip.

No further dates or changes to the list have been announced in the source.