Do Indians need a transit visa for Japan while traveling to USA or back to India? This is a common query by our customers booking JAL flights between USA and India. “No,” to say in short. Neither Indian passport holders nor US citizens need a visa for transit in Japan.
If you are an Indian citizen with the itinerary having transfer between two airports in Japan, you must have a transit visa. Japan requires you to have a transit visa for catching a connecting flight at another airport after the first leg of the itinerary ends at Tokyo Haneda Airport or Narita International Airport. Even though you do not have to travel to another airport for the connecting flight, you may need to comply with Japan’s transit visa requirements, if there’s no connecting flight on the same day.
If there is no connecting flight to USA from Narita or Haneda International Airport on the same day, you may be required to undergo immigration procedures to leave the transit or departure (airside) area of the connecting airport in Japan. You need a transit visa to step out of the airport for anything – city sightseeing or catching up with a friend. In case you wish to spend time in the departure or transit area until the next connecting flight, no transit visa is required.
A transit visa is mandatory if you plan a stopover in Japan while traveling to USA or any other country via Tokyo, Narita, or Kansai Airport. The transit visa does not allow any business-centric activity during a stopover. A Japan transit visa is valid for 15 days; the validity is not extendable. Usually, it takes 5 days to get a transit visa issued from the date of the application receipt. If Indian passport holders have a tourist visa to Japan, you do not need a transit visa to travel through Tokyo or Narita International Airport or Kansai Airport, Osaka.
Do US citizens need a transit visa for Japan? US nationals and citizens do not need a tourist visa or transit visa for Japan. They need only a valid passport and confirmed onward/return flight tickets for a visit of maximum 90 days in Japan. The US passport must be valid until they exit Japan after a short stay.
you say both yes and no both , absolutely useless article
Hi Rakshith! Your comment is a surprise to us. The article clearly explains transit visa requirements for Indians and US citizens. Indians do not need a Japan transit visa unless they plan a stopover in Japan or their itinerary requires them to transfer from one airport to the other during transit in Japan.
I am having a stop over of 18 hours in Japan..Reaching on 3:50 pm and then leaving on 10:50 am next day..I have an expired US VISA… In this case do I need a transit visa ?
Hi Deepak! Is there airport change during the transit in Japan? You may feel like going out of the airport during so long layover. In our opinion, it is safer and better to have a transit visa, especially when your US visa has expired.
Hi, I will be travelling from DEL – TOKYO and I have 13hr layover in haneda airport. I will landing in terminal 3 and departing to Dallas, Texas from the same terminal. I do not plan to go outside the airport. So can you please clarify if I need a transit visa? Personally I think there is no need but I just wanted to make sure.
Hi Sravan! Since there is no airport change and no plan for city sightseeing during the layover in Japan, you may not require a transit visa in our knowledge.
Do I have to go to Japan embassy to get a transit visa or I can get it online? Also, 15 days of validity starts from the day visa is issued right?
Hi Dnyandeep! If you need a transit visa for Japan, you can apply it online. Most probably, the visa is valid for 15 days from the day of issuance.
Recently I have booked round trip tickets. but I find while returning from Bangalore to the USA via JAPAN airlines that the Arrival [Tokyo (Narita) NRT] and Departure [Tokyo (Haneda) HND] airports are different.
Do I need a transit visa for this trip?
Hi Jayaramudu! There is airport change in Tokyo in your itinerary. You will be required to go from Narita Airport to Haneda Airport, which requires a transit visa.
I have flight from Mumbai to Mexico City via Japan (Tokyo Narita Airport) with layover of 8 Hrs . I am not planning for any sight seeing. In that case can you clarify if i need a Transit visa?
Hi Sachin! In our knowledge, you don’t a transit visa. However, it is recommended that you also check with the airline.
Travelling from Mexico City to Mumbai. Round trip. Indian citizen. Mexican residence visa. Do not have any other visa. Travelling by ANA, same airport (Narita), arriving at 6: 15 am and departing same airport (Narita), 5 hours later at 11 am to Mumbai. On the return trip have 8 hour layover (8 am to 4 pm same day, Narita airport)
It looks like I dont need a transit visa, since I am not leaving the airport and flight is on same day. Just want confirmation.
Hi Sarita! In our knowledge, you don’t need a transit visa. However, it is recommended that you do also check with the airline.
I have booked Japan airline from Bangalore to Sandiego and I have 2.5 hours layover in Tokyo (Narita) and next flight is also from Tokyo (Narita). Do i need transit visa ? Kindly suggest
Hi Yash! Having a valid US visa and no airport change during the transit in Tokyo, you don’t need a transit visa. However, it is recommended that you do also check with the airline.
I am planning to book tickets that require a change between HND and NRT airports. It seems I need a transit visa.
If yes, is getting a transit visa a pain? ie can I apply online and quickly get it or is it more complicated?
Hi Kritarth! As per reports, it takes 5 working days to get a Japanese transit visa from the date of application received by the officers. You can apply online.