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

Yes. A citizen of Tanzania wishing to visit Japan as a tourist must obtain a short-stay visa before travelling. There is no visa on arrival and no exemption for this passport. The passport should remain valid for the whole intended stay, ideally at least six months.

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 The amount is set locally and we do not publish a figure we cannot verify.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 visa application form, a valid passport, a recent passport photo, your itinerary (flight and hotel bookings), proof of financial means and, where applicable, an invitation or guarantee letter. As the visa fee is not fixed here, check the fee schedule published by the Embassy of Japan before your appointment.

Applications are made to the Embassy of Japan in Tanzania, in Dar es Salaam, which handles tourist visas for residents of the country. The file is submitted in person or as directed by the embassy. For a tourist visit, a guarantor or a detailed travel itinerary may be required.

Then the application goes to the post accredited for Tanzania, 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 Tanzania 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.

Plan to submit your application several weeks before travel, as processing time varies with the season and demand. A complete, consistent and well-documented file (itinerary, accommodation, funds) speeds up the review. Check current health requirements, including yellow fever if you transit through an affected area.

Refusals often result from a vague itinerary, insufficient proof of funds or missing documents. Do not book non-refundable tickets before the visa is issued. Finally, deal only with the Embassy of Japan or the channels it designates, not unofficial intermediaries.