Japan waives visa application fees for 63 countries, including Honduras

Japan has published a list of 63 countries and regions whose nationals are exempt from paying visa application fees when applying to visit the country. The list, posted on Japan's official government website, includes Honduras among ten destinations from the Americas and the Caribbean.

Key facts

• 63 countries and regions are listed as exempt from Japanese visa fees
• Honduras is one of ten entries from the Americas and the Caribbean
• Only two African countries appear: Lesotho and Mauritius
• Some exemptions carry stay limits for Romanian and Filipino nationals
• The exemption covers visa fees only, not approval or entry permission

Which countries and regions are exempt?

The list spans several continents. Europe and Central Asia account for 40 entries, including Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Eight Asian entries are named: Bangladesh, South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, British Nationals Overseas (Hong Kong), the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

The Americas and the Caribbean are represented by the Bahamas, Barbados, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Suriname, the United States of America and Canada. Oceania contributes Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East is represented by Jordan, and Africa by Lesotho and Mauritius.

What conditions apply to some applicants?

Most listed nationalities face no stated extra condition, but two exemptions are tied to the length of the visit. Romanian nationals are covered for temporary visits of up to 60 days, while Filipino nationals are covered for temporary visits of up to 90 days.

No start date, standard visa fee amount or application procedure is given in the published information.

What this means for travellers

Honduran passport holders planning a trip to Japan can apply for a visa without paying the application fee. Travellers from Romania and the Philippines should check the stay limits attached to their exemption before making travel arrangements, and everyone should confirm the requirements for their nationality and visa category.

The exemption applies to visa fees only. It is not a guarantee of visa approval or of permission to enter Japan.

Nationals of countries not on the list, such as Kenya, do not qualify and should confirm the applicable application fee, documentation and entry requirements through Japanese diplomatic missions.