Documents required for a Japan visa

Every applicant

• Passport with at least 2 blank pages, plus all your old passports
• Copy of the passport's first and last pages, on A4
• Visa application form, filled in and signed
• 1 photo, 45 × 35 mm, white background, taken in the last 6 months (Mumbai and Chennai ask for 2 × 2 in)
• Cover letter stating the purpose of the trip
• Flight reservation to and from Japan (a booking, not a paid ticket)
• Day-by-day itinerary in Japan with your hotels and their contact details
• Income tax return (ITR) for the latest year (Chennai and Kolkata ask for 3 years)
• Bank statements for the last 6 months, stamped and signed by the bank (Mumbai and Chennai ask for 3)
• If your passport was issued outside the consulate's area: proof of address there, such as Aadhaar or a rent agreement

For a holiday

Nothing extra to bring.

For a business trip

• Letter from your employer on letterhead: the purpose of the trip and who pays
• Invitation letter from the Japanese company
• Letter of guarantee from whoever pays for the trip
• The Japanese company's registration certificate or company overview

For visiting family or friends

• Invitation letter from your relative or friend in Japan
• Proof of the relationship: birth or marriage certificate, or photos and messages for a friend
• Letter of guarantee from the person paying in Japan, with their income or tax certificate and their residence certificate (Juminhyo)
• If the host is not Japanese: their passport copy and residence card (front and back)

If you are employed

• Leave letter or no objection certificate (NOC) from your employer
• Salary slips for the last 3 months

If you are self-employed

• Proof that you own the business: company registration or GST certificate

If you are a student

• Bonafide certificate or leave letter from your school or college
• Student ID card copy

If you are retired

Nothing extra to bring.

If you are not employed

• Sponsor letter from your spouse or parent
• Sponsor's latest ITR and bank statements for the last 6 months
• Proof of your relationship to the sponsor: marriage or birth certificate

Travelling with a child under 18

• Birth certificate
• Consent letter from the parents, with a copy of their photo ID
• Parents' latest ITR or bank statements for the last 6 months