Japan Introduces Mandatory Appointments For Visa Submissions In Four Indian Cities

Applies To Tourist, Business, Student and Dependent Visas

From March 2, 2026, the Japanese consular network will require all visa applicants in certain parts of India to book an appointment before submitting their documents in person. Under the new system, walk-in submissions will no longer be accepted at selected visa application centres operated by VFS Global, the private contractor that handles Japan’s visa services in India. This change affects all categories of visas, including tourist, business, student and dependent visas. 

The decision comes as demand for travel to Japan has grown sharply. Indian outbound travel has surged in recent years, boosted by new air connections, including direct flights between southern Indian cities and Tokyo, and heightened interest linked to major events such as the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Higher applicant numbers have contributed to long queues and waiting times at visa centres, prompting the Japanese authorities to tighten front-end controls on the submission process.

Under the updated rules, visa applicants in Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad and Puducherry must schedule a time-slot in advance via the official VFS Global Japan-India portal before they visit a centre to lodge their application. Failure to present at the appointed time without prior booking will result in the application not being accepted. Although the requirement currently applies only to these four cities, the move represents a shift towards greater regulation and smoother processing at busy centres.

Aside from the appointment mandate, most other aspects of Japan’s visa process remain unchanged. Visa fees are stable, with a single-entry visa charged at JPY 3,000 and a multiple-entry visa at JPY 6,000. 

Processing times continue to average five to ten working days, assuming documentation is complete and there are no unusual delays. Japan does not currently offer a fully electronic visa application; even with an appointment booked online, applicants must still visit a visa centre in person to submit paperwork and pay the applicable fees.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also indicated that these changes form part of a gradual move towards digitalisation of consular services, with industry observers suggesting that an e-visa pilot scheme for short-term business visitors might be introduced in the coming years.

The government is reportedly considering a substantial increase in the permanent-residence fee, potentially rising from JPY 10,000 to as much as JPY 300,000 and tighter criteria for naturalisation later in 2026. While these changes would not immediately affect short-term visitors, they could have significant implications for expatriates, long-stay residents and multinational employers with teams in Japan.