Nepal-to-Japan travellers already need pre-entry TB screening; Indonesia added 2 Nov 2026

Japan's Immigration Services Agency has made a tuberculosis (TB) screening certificate mandatory for certain visa applications, a requirement that already affects travellers from Nepal and the Philippines. The latest change extends the measure to Indonesian nationals, with screening due to begin on 2 November 2026.

Key facts

• Screening applies to mid- to long-term visas, including Digital Nomad visas
• Test is a chest X-ray at a Japanese-approved medical institution in designated countries
• Certificate is valid for 180 days from the date of testing
• Indonesian nationals: screening from 2 November 2026; certificate for Certificate of Eligibility (COE) applications from 4 January 2027
• Nepal and the Philippines: testing from 24 March 2025, certificate for COE applications from 23 June 2025

What is changing?

The Immigration Services Agency announced on 28 January 2025 that a TB screening certificate will be required for certain visa applications. Affected applicants must undergo a chest X-ray at a medical institution in designated countries that has been approved by the Japanese government.

The certificate must be submitted with the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application. Depending on timing, it may also have to be presented when applying for the visa at the local consulate. The test certificate stays valid for 180 days from the test date.

Who is affected?

The requirement covers mid- to long-term visas and includes Digital Nomad visas. It excludes Specified Skilled Worker visas, government-funded exchange programmes, and nurse, social worker or helper visas under the Economic Partnership Agreement and other government programmes.

For nationals of the Philippines and Nepal, the testing requirement was tentatively scheduled to start on 24 March 2025, with the certificate required for COE applications from 23 June 2025. For Vietnam, testing was expected to begin on 26 May 2025 and the certificate requirement from 1 September 2025.

An update dated 21 October 2026 states that the requirement for Indonesian nationals starts on 2 November 2026, and that from 4 January 2027 affected applicants must submit a Tuberculosis Clearance Certificate with their COE application.

Who is exempt?

Existing residents re-entering Japan on a valid re-entry permit do not need the test. Nor do people entering under visa programmes that already require TB screening, such as the Specified Skilled Worker visa.

How do I get the screening?

Applicants must attend a medical institution in a designated country that is approved by the Japanese government and obtain a chest X-ray. The Japanese government launched a dedicated website for the Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening on 11 March 2025, which includes a list of designated clinics.

What this means for travellers

Travellers applying for a mid- or long-term Japanese visa from the Philippines, Nepal, Vietnam or Indonesia should check whether their visa type is covered and book the chest X-ray early, since the certificate is valid for only 180 days. They should plan to submit it with the COE application and may need it again at the consulate.

The implementation timeline for Myanmar and China was described as under discussion in the original announcement, and no dates for those two countries are given in the updates.