Transit Visa

A Transit Visa is only issued to travellers who will stop over in Japan en-route to another country due to flight schedules. If your main purpose is sightseeing or visiting friends/relatives, you must apply for a Temporary Visitor's Visa, not a Transit Visa. If you are transiting within the same airport and do not plan to leave the secure transit area, then no visa is required.

New Zealand passport holders do not require a visa to enter Japan for the purposes of transit. For more information about which other countries have visa exemption arrangements with Japan, please see here.

Applicants must hold a valid long-term New Zealand visa (e.g. resident, work, student etc.)

To apply at the Embassy of Japan in New Zealand, Wellington, you should reside in the following regions:
Wellington, Taranaki, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui (excluding Ruapehu District) or the South Island (excluding Canterbury region).

Residents of other regions should apply at the Consulate-General of Japan in Auckland or the Consular Office of Japan in Christchurch.

Please find below a list of the documentation required to support your visa application. For information on how to submit the application, please see our 'FAQ' section.

Required Documentation

#	Item	Checklist
1	Passport	Must be valid (until you leave Japan)     Signed by the bearer (NZ passport and applicable countries)     Have sufficient space for a visa label (ideally two page spread)
2	Application form	Download the visa application form      Fill out all relevant sections (Write N/A on sections that are not applicable)     Date and sign the second page     Signature must be the same as the signature on your passport
3	Photo	Passport sized photo (45x35mm) printed on photo-quality paper     Taken within the last 6 months     Must not be the same as your passport or previously issued visa (unless within 6 months)     Refer to this sample page for acceptable photo specification
4	NZ visa	Required if you are not a NZ passport holder     Visitor Visa holders are not eligible to apply
5	Itinerary	Download the Itinerary template      Include all flights including in and out of NZ     Include your planned activities and all accommodation
6	Flight details	Copy of your e-ticket or booking by travel agent/airline     We do not require proof of purchase of tickets but we do require a confirmed reservation     We are not responsible for non-refundable tickets which may be unusable due to delay or denial of a visa
7	Accommodation	Booking confirmation of all accommodations     If someone else has made the booking, proof of relationship will be required.
8	Bank statement	Must be recently issued     Shows at least 3 months transaction     Must have sufficient balance as proof of funds for your trip     Must show source of income     Provide multiple statements if not on a single account
9	Letter from company or school	Letter or certificate from your employer/school showing evidence of your current employment/enrolment (original).
10	Proof of relationship	If dependents are travelling with legal spouse/parent, please provide proof of relationship       (e.g. copy of marriage certificate or birth certificate)
11	Visa to your final destination	Entry permit/visa of your final destination (if required).

• DO NOT STAPLE DOCUMENTS.
• Visa fee (if applicable) payable when visa is issued. Payment must be by cash when passport is collected.
• If you wish to nominate another person to collect your passport on your behalf, please complete the official authorisation form with your handwritten signature. Your nominated person must provide this authorisation form, his/her official ID, and pay the visa fee (if applicable) in cash at the time of collection.
• Please use the checklist below to ensure that your visa application can be submitted without any missing documents and to avoid unnecessary delays. Incomplete applications significantly increases processing time.
  
  
   

NOTE:

• Additional documentation may be required.
• No documents other than your passport and COE will be returned.
• Transit visas will take a minimum of five working days to be processed. There is no urgent visa service.
• Even with possession with a visa, final permission to enter Japan remains at the discretion of the immigration authorities.
• Visas are only valid from three months from date of issue, so applications open from three months before your intended date of arrival.
• For further information, please see the FAQ section or contact us.