How to get a Japan visa for Filipinos

Ok, before going crazy over which clothes to pack, food to eat, places to shop, and sights to visit make sure you have your Japan visa ready. Too bad for us Pinoys we need to get a visa in order to go to Japan.

Essentially the visa is free of charge but you need to pay a fee to the travel agency that will process the visa for you. Note, you cannot go directly to the Japan embassy. You must process your visa via one of their accredited agencies. 

Fees will range between P500-P2,500 depending on the agency. 500 peso application only happens during travel expos, and note that a higher fee doesn't mean higher chance of visa approval.

I got mine at Reli Travel and Tours in Megamall and paid P1,000. I processed mine with them due to proximity to our house, plus my Dad and other relatives used them in previous travels with no problems. 

Things you ought to prepare before applying for visa:

1. Make sure your passport is not expiring within the next 6 months counting from your travel date to Japan. I know this is a stupid rule, but friends of mine got left on a Singapore trip because of this really stupid policy. 

2. Fill-out the application form found on this site. Ensure you have the supporting documents with you such as bank statements, ITRs, etc. Request these ahead of time as some banks take at least a day to process. 

3. Make sure you have an original NSO birth certificate that had been issued within the same year. If it was issued in previous years even if it's an original they won't accept! This is very important so don't waste time going to a travel agency without this requirement.

4. Bring a 2x2 ID picture, I forgot this so had to spend extra having my photo taken at one of the shops in Megamall 5th floor. 

5. Be honest, I did not have a 9-5 job while applying for my visa as I had just quit my job. I did show however stock investments that I had and applicable bank certificates. As with any visa application don't bullshit them as one way or another they would know. Similarly a jobless cousin of mine applied last week and got hers too just by using her dad as sponsor. 

Within 5 days I received an SMS from Reli tours telling me the passport is ready for pick-up. They won't tell you whether you got the visa or not until you go there yourself. Luckily my first time application got a 5-year multiple entry visa with 30 days stay. 

For readers, maybe you'd like to share experiences on how you got your visa with other agencies too? Happy travelling! 


~