Visa for Japan from Kenya: price, documents and processing time 2026

Yes. Kenyans can only enter Japan with a visa obtained in advance from a Japanese mission, including for a short tourist stay. The application is made before departure to the Japanese embassy or consulate covering your place of residence. The official information page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (mofa.go.jp) sets out the rules in force.

The published fee is the government charge alone. Two or three other lines are added before the visa is in the passport, and they are what makes the final bill.

• Government fee15,000-30,000 JPY

  Paid to the state, non-refundable if the visa is refused.

• Application centre feeVariable, set by the operator

  Only when the post uses an external centre. The amount is set locally and we do not publish a figure we cannot verify.

• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top

  Never compulsory. An intermediary fills the form for you, it does not change the decision or the processing time.

• ExtrasVariable

  Courier return, SMS tracking, compliant photo, insurance, sworn translation or legalisation, depending on what the post requires.

We only display amounts published by an official source. Confirm the total before paying anything.

Prepare the application form, a valid passport, a recent passport photo and proof relating to the stay: accommodation booking, travel itinerary, bank statements or employment certificate, and an invitation letter if you are visiting relatives. The official fees recorded range from 15,000 to 30,000 JPY; the embassy indicates the amount due for your application and the payment arrangements. Travel insurance covering medical care is recommended.

First consult the competent Japanese embassy or consulate to learn the steps to follow, the form to use and the list of supporting documents. Book an appointment if the mission asks for one, then go in person to the counter indicated with the complete file and your passport. Once the application has been examined, the mission returns your passport, with the visa if it is granted.

Then the application goes to the post accredited for Kenya, often in a neighbouring capital, or to a state acting on its behalf. Confirm which post is competent with the official source before travelling to a third country to apply, a rejected file at the wrong counter costs the trip and the fee.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in Kenya but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

The recorded processing time is 5 business days after a complete file is submitted, but it may vary depending on the mission or the period. Do not book non-refundable tickets before the visa is granted and keep a margin for any additional documents. When your passport is returned, check that the visa details match your passport and your trip.

Common mistakes include an incomplete form, insufficient financial evidence and a vague travel itinerary, which delay the review or lead to a refusal. Buying tickets before the decision is another source of losses. Finally, ignore intermediaries who sell guaranteed approval: the Japanese mission alone is competent to issue the visa.