How to Apply for a Japan Visit Visa From Pakistan: Documents, Fee and Processing Time
Pakistanis pay no Japan visa fee, only a Rs 3,500 VFS charge. Documents for a tourist visa, where to apply in Islamabad or Karachi, and how long it takes.
Pakistani passport holders pay no Japan visa fee. You pay only a Rs 3,500 service charge to VFS Global / Gerry's, which takes every Japan visit visa application in Pakistan. Processing takes at least 6 working days. There is no Japan eVISA for applicants in Pakistan.
The Embassy of Japan in Islamabad does not accept ordinary visa applications at its own desk. Since 1 April 2024, it sends everyone to the VFS Global / Gerry's visa centres in Islamabad and Karachi. Only diplomatic and official passport holders apply at the embassy.
We read the embassy's visa page and its document checklist on pk.emb-japan.go.jp, Japan's eVISA page on mofa.go.jp, and the fee, timing and centre pages on VFS Global's Japan site for Pakistan, on 3 October 2026. Here is the Japan visa for Pakistanis, from checklist to collection.
Japan visit visa types for Pakistanis
A Japan visit visa is a "temporary visitor" visa for stays of up to 90 days. VFS lists three kinds for Pakistan: tourism, visiting relatives or friends, and business. Pick the one that matches the real reason for your trip.
| Visa | Purpose | Invitation letter needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary Visitor, Tourism | Holiday or sightseeing, up to 90 days | No |
| Temporary Visitor, Relatives or Friends | Visiting family, friends or acquaintances in Japan | Yes |
| Temporary Visitor, Business | Conferences, negotiations, exploratory visits | Yes |
VFS describes the business visa as allowing multiple short visits of up to 90 days within the visa's validity. Working in Japan is a different route altogether. Jobs under the Specified Skilled Worker scheme need a Japan work visa backed by a Certificate of Eligibility, not a visit visa.
Documents for a Japan tourist visa from Pakistan
For a holiday, the embassy's checklist asks for your passport, one application form with a 45 mm photo, a copy of your CNIC, a flight itinerary, a day by day plan, and three months of bank statements. Visits to family or friends need more papers.
The embassy asks you to arrange documents in its checklist order. This is that order for a holiday trip:
- Passport.
- Visa application form, signed, printed on one side, with one 45 mm x 45 mm photo on a light, preferably white, background.
- Copy of your CNIC.
- Copy of your student card, only if you are still a college student.
- Flight itinerary from a travel agency or airline office.
- Itinerary showing the places you plan to visit and stay.
- Copy of a family registration document showing how applicants are related, for group or family applications only.
- Copy of your bank statement for the last 3 months.
If someone else in Pakistan pays for your trip, add their bank statement and proof of how you are related. The checklist asks only for a copy, and many banks let you get a bank statement online through their app.
Extra papers for family, friends and business visits
For a relative or friend visit, add an invitation letter and proof of your relationship, such as family papers, photos or letters. If your host in Japan pays, add a Letter of Guarantee, their income proof from Japan, and their domicile certificate (juminhyo). For business, add your certificate of employment, a letter from your employer, the invitation and the Japanese company's registration papers.
How to apply through VFS Global and Gerry's
Download the form, fill it in and print it. Book an appointment and pay the Rs 3,500 service charge online. Then take your form and documents to the Islamabad or Karachi visa centre in person. The visa fee itself is zero for Pakistani passports.
- Choose your visa type on VFS Global's Japan site for Pakistan.
- Download the application form, fill it in and print it on one side of the paper.
- Book an appointment. You pay the service charge online at this step.
- Visit the visa centre with your form, photo and documents in checklist order.
- Track your application with the reference number on your receipt, then collect your passport.
Your address decides the centre. Residents of Sindh and Balochistan apply in Karachi, for the Consulate-General of Japan there. Everyone else applies in Islamabad. Both centres open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
Timing has limits too. Islamabad accepts files no more than 90 days before your travel date, and Karachi no more than 60 days. Since 24 June 2026, agents cannot submit tourist visa files at the Karachi centre, so you must go in person there.
Japan visa fee and charges in Pakistan
Pakistani passport holders are exempt from the Japan visa fee, VFS says. The only compulsory charge is a Rs 3,500 service charge per application, or US$12.5, paid online when you book. Optional extras such as courier or SMS updates cost more.
| Charge | Amount | Compulsory? |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee, Pakistani passport | Rs 0 (exempt) | Yes |
| VFS service charge | Rs 3,500 per application | Yes |
| Courier return of passport | Rs 5,445 | No |
| SMS updates | Rs 550 | No |
| Form filling help | Rs 3,540 | No |
| Premium Lounge | Rs 10,530 | No |
The service charge is non-refundable, even if the visa is refused. The Rs 28,300 single entry fee on the same VFS page applies to other nationalities, not to you. VFS says its optional services do not speed up the decision, so skip them unless you really need one.
Processing time, refusals and eVISA
A complete file takes at least 6 working days, the embassy says, and some take several months. No visa is issued on the day you apply. Japan's eVISA is not open to residents of Pakistan, so you must apply on paper.
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the countries whose residents can use the JAPAN eVISA system. As of 15 May 2026 they are Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the UK and the USA. Eligibility depends on where you live, so a Pakistani living in one of those countries may qualify there. From Pakistan itself, Japan still works on paper, unlike the Thailand e-visa, which Pakistanis apply for online.
If your visa is refused, the embassy will not give a reason. You can apply again only after 6 months. So the real cost of a weak file is half a year, which is why the checklist order and a clear bank statement matter.
Common questions
How much is the Japan visa fee for Pakistanis?
Zero for the visa itself. Pakistani passport holders are exempt. You pay a Rs 3,500 service charge to VFS Global / Gerry's per application.
How long does a Japan visa take from Pakistan?
At least 6 working days for a complete file. Some applications take several weeks or months, and no visa is issued on the same day.
Can Pakistanis apply for a Japan eVISA?
Not from Pakistan. As of 15 May 2026, the JAPAN eVISA is open only to residents of nine listed countries, and Pakistan is not one of them.
Can I apply at the Japanese Embassy in Islamabad?
No. Since 1 April 2024, the embassy takes only diplomatic and official visa applications. Everyone else applies at VFS Global / Gerry's.
Do I need an invitation letter for a Japan tourist visa?
No. The embassy's checklist asks for an invitation letter only for visits to relatives or friends, and for business.
How soon can I reapply after a Japan visa refusal?
After 6 months. The embassy does not tell you why the visa was refused.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 3 October 2026. The move to VFS Global / Gerry's from 1 April 2024, the 6 working day minimum, the no same day rule, the 6 month wait after a refusal, the Karachi jurisdiction for Sindh and Balochistan, and the 45 mm photo are read on the Embassy of Japan's visa page. The documents are read in the embassy's checklist, Required documents to apply Temporary Visitor's Visa. The fee exemption, the Rs 3,500 service charge, the optional service prices, the opening hours, the 90 and 60 day limits and the Karachi agent ban are read on VFS Global's Japan site for Pakistan. The eVISA country list is read on Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs eVISA page, dated 15 May 2026.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
