The Surprisingly Low Official Fee
The first thing you'll notice when researching a Japanese visa is the refreshingly low official fee. For Indian passport holders, the cost for a single-entry or even a multiple-entry tourist visa is just ₹500. This is exceptionally affordable compared
to many other major travel destinations. In a significant recent development, while Japan sharply increased its visa fees globally on July 1, 2026—for the first time in nearly 50 years—Indian travellers were exempted from this hike due to a bilateral arrangement. While most nationalities now face a fee of JPY 15,000 (around ₹8,760), the cost for Indians remains at the nominal ₹500 mark.
The Mandatory Service Charge
Here's the first cost that 'sneaks' in. While the embassy fee is low, you don't typically pay it directly to the embassy. Instead, applications are processed through a service provider like VFS Global, which handles the administrative side of things. For their services, they levy a mandatory, non-refundable charge. As of early 2026, this service fee is ₹800 per application, inclusive of taxes. This means the minimum you will pay for any Japan visa application is actually ₹1,300 (₹500 for the visa + ₹800 for the service charge), not just the ₹500 fee often advertised. This fee applies even to applicants who might be exempt from the visa fee itself.
The New E-Visa Option
To streamline travel, Japan has introduced an e-visa for eligible Indian tourists seeking a single-entry visa. This allows you to apply entirely online, bypassing a physical visit to a VFS centre. While this adds convenience, it comes at a different price point. The e-visa process involves its own set of processing fees that can be significantly higher than the traditional sticker visa route. Depending on the portal used, these fees can sometimes be upwards of ₹3,000. It's a trade-off between convenience and cost that travellers must weigh.
The 'Hidden' Document Costs
This is where many unexpected expenses can accumulate. The Japanese visa application requires a comprehensive set of documents, and preparing them has its own costs. You'll need passport-sized photographs that meet very specific dimensions (often 45mm x 35mm), which might require a special trip to a photo studio. You must also show confirmed flight and hotel bookings. While you don't have to pay for the full trip upfront, you may need to pay a small fee to hold a flight reservation or book a fully refundable hotel room. Furthermore, obtaining stamped bank statements from the last six months and income tax returns might involve time and potential fees from your bank or chartered accountant.
Logistics and Optional Extras
For those applying for a sticker visa, another cost to consider is the travel to and from the VFS Global centre. If you don't live in a major city with a centre, this could involve a day of travel and associated expenses. Once your application is submitted, you'll be offered optional services. The most common is the courier service, which delivers your passport back to your home or office. This service costs approximately ₹550. While convenient, it's another addition to the total outlay. Other optional add-ons like SMS updates for your application status also come at a small price.
The Total True Cost
So, what's the final damage? Let's tally it up for a standard sticker visa application. The embassy fee is ₹500. The mandatory VFS service charge is ₹800. Let's conservatively estimate ₹500 for specific photos and document printing. If you opt for courier service, that's another ₹550. Suddenly, the total cost has ballooned from ₹500 to ₹2,350, nearly five times the initial fee. This calculation doesn't even include the cost of travelling to the application centre or any fees paid to hold flight and hotel reservations. Knowing these potential expenses in advance is key to creating a realistic travel budget.
