Do Ghanaians need a visa to Japan?
Yes, Ghanaian citizens need to apply for a visa to visit Japan. This applies to short-term visits for tourism, cultural events, or leisure.
Entry requirements for Ghanaian citizens: you can find detailed information on the conditions for entering Japan by visiting the official website of the Japanese diplomatic mission located in Ghana. You can find it here.
Japan visa requirements for Ghanaian citizens
Japanese visas are of 2 types, regardless of the purpose: short-term, long-term and multivisa (multivisa is granted to those who have visited Japan at least 3 times in the last year or at least 10 times in the last 3 years).
To visit Japan for tourist purposes, Ghanaians should apply for a single entry short-term visa on a general basis.
This visa is suitable for various short-term trips, including:
- Tourism.
- Visiting friends or relatives.
- Business meetings and other short-term non-commercial purposes.
The visa allows you to stay in Japan for up to 90 days. It must be applied for at a diplomatic mission of Japan or, in some cases, possibly through accredited travel agencies. For more information on the application process and conditions, you can visit the official website of the Embassy of Japan in your country of residence.
How do I get a visa to Japan for Ghanaian citizens?
To apply for a short-term visa you will need:
- Foreign passport. Make sure it is valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Japan.
- A completed application form. Download the application form from the official website of the Japanese Embassy in your country and fill it out in English or Japanese.
- Photo: one 4.5x4.5 cm color photo.
- Proof of financial solvency: bank statements, salary certificates, or proof of sufficient funds to cover travel expenses.
- Hotel reservations: documents confirming your place of residence in Japan.
- Return tickets or tickets to a third country: proof of your intention to leave Japan.
How to apply for a Japanese visa for Ghanaians?
If you are planning a trip to Japan, you need to apply for a visa at a Japanese mission abroad - it can be an embassy, consulate, or an accredited travel agency. The procedure is quite simple, especially if you know a few useful tips. Here's how to do it:
1. Contact the Japanese embassy/consulate. First, find out how to submit the documents. Some embassies and consulates accept applications only through accredited travel agencies, not from individuals. In this case, it is the agency that will be responsible for submitting your documents to the representative office.
2. Gather all the necessary documents. Make sure you have all the necessary documents. This usually includes a completed application form, photographs, a valid passport, proof of financial solvency, hotel reservations, and transportation tickets. Requirements may change, so it is best to check the full list in advance.
3. Submission of documents. You can submit documents in person at the embassy/consulate or through an accredited travel agency if required by the Japanese representative office. Cooperation with an agency is convenient because they will check your documents and help you avoid mistakes.
4. Wait for the application to be processed. The review process usually takes about 5-10 business days, starting from the moment the Japanese mission receives a complete application. In complicated cases, this period may take a little longer, but usually everything happens quite quickly.
5. Get your passport. Once the application is finalized, you will need to pick up your passport at the embassy, consulate, or travel agency. If the visa is approved, it will be stamped in your passport and you can use it to travel to Japan. Note that the visa is usually valid for entry for three months.
Tip: Even if you submit your documents through a travel agency, be sure to check the accuracy of all the details before submitting them to avoid any problems or delays.
Visa application fee for a Japanese visa
To obtain a Japanese visa, you need to pay a visa fee. The cost for a single-entry visa is approximately 3,000 yen. The fee is paid in the local currency Ghana where the Japanese embassy or consulate is located.
Please note:
- Depending on the purpose of the visit and your citizenship, the fee may vary or not be charged at all.
- If the visa is not issued, no fee will be charged.
- If you apply through an accredited agency, there may be additional processing fees that are charged separately.
What should I bring with me to enter Japan besides a visa?
Even if you already have a visa, make sure you have the following documents and items to ensure a smooth border crossing:
- A valid passport with a visa stamped on it.
- Return ticket or proof of onward travel.
- Proof of accommodation: hotel reservation or address where you plan to stay.
- Financial documents: bank cards, cash, bank statements (in case of verification).
- Health insurance: not mandatory, but highly recommended. The Japanese medical system is expensive, and insurance will help you avoid high costs. You can quickly and conveniently apply for health insurance on the Visit World website.
Landing Permission for Ghanaians to enter Japan
When Ghanaians arrive in Japan, they must be checked at immigration control to obtain a “Landing Permit”. This means that the officer will check whether you meet all the requirements for entry under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. These requirements include having a valid passport and visa (if required), a clearly defined purpose of the trip and the period of your stay.
If all the conditions are met, the officer will grant you an “entry permit” by affixing a special stamp to your passport. It determines your “residence status” (what activities are allowed in Japan) and “period of stay”.
Important: Once you receive an entry permit, your visa becomes invalid, except for multiple-entry visas, which remain valid until their expiration date. If you need to change your type of stay or extend your stay, you can do so through “change of residence status” or “extension of stay” at the Regional Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice of Japan.
Recommended places in Japan to visit during your trip from Ghana
- Kyoto is a city of temples and traditional gardens where you can see the true culture of Japan.
- Osaka is known for its culinary traditions and lively streets.
- Nikko is a wonderful combination of natural beauty and historical shrines.
Transit visa.
It is issued when Japan is not the final destination of the tourist, its validity is 72 hours. For those who plan to go on a cruise with a call to Japanese ports, it is also recommended to obtain a transit visa - it will allow you to go ashore.
If a tourist flies with a change at a Japanese airport within one day, a transit visa is not required. In case of force majeure, the visa-free stay is extended to 72 hours, and a special mark in the form of a sticker is made on the passport in such an event. In this case, passengers cannot leave the transit area of the airport.
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Documents required for issuing a transit visa to Japan:
● A valid international passport (for visa and immigration stamps, the passport must have at least 2 blank pages).
● A copy of the first page of the international passport with a photo and information about its owner.
● Two completed visa forms in English
● Two photos sized 4.5x4.5, necessarily in color.
● Two copies of the visa to the country of destination.
● A copy of the airline ticket reservation, which indicates a stay in Japan of up to 3 days.
● Two copies of hotel reservations where tourists will stay in Japan.
You may need to provide financial documents:
● certificate from the place of work indicating the position, length of service, and salary;
● statement from a bank account with cash flow for the previous 3 months.
Based on the current situation in Ukraine, Japan has decided to apply to dogs and cats evacuated to Japan, the provisions on rescue dogs, etc., provided by the order of the Minister. You can find this provision
here.
General rules for importing pets to Japan.
First, let us briefly list the necessary documents and conditions, and then consider them in more detail:
1) Obtaining an international passport and implantation of a subcutaneous chip.
If the animal does not have an international veterinary passport, you need to get one to start the first stage. It is desirable to register the animal for the person who will transport it.
Next - identification chip installment. If the animal already has a chip implanted, please check its compatibility with Japanese requirements. The microchip must comply with ISO 11784 and 11785 standards (15-digit code consisting only of numbers).
Make sure that the microchip number can be identified by a microchip reader in veterinary hospitals.
2) Double vaccination against rabies.
The Japanese quarantine service requires double vaccination of animals, each dose of which is noted in the veterinary passport.
1st vaccination:
If the animal was vaccinated before the installation of the chip, these vaccinations are not considered valid. In this regard, you can take the opportunity and put the first vaccination immediately after installation of the chip or after 1 week.
If the animal has been vaccinated with the chip installed, the duration of this vaccination should not exceed 91 days (the date of vaccination is considered zero day).
2nd vaccination:
No earlier (mandatory condition!) than in 31 days the animal is given the 2nd rabies vaccination.
Importantly! Japanese requirements state that vaccination must contain a dead virus! "Killed" recombinant / modified viral vaccine. Vaccines made with "live" viruses are not accepted by the Japanese side. Please consult your doctor in advance during this step to avoid unpleasant consequences.
3) Test for antibodies to rabies and 180-day quarantine.
This test can be done on the day of the 2nd rabies vaccination or in the following days.
The certificate is issued within 2 weeks. Be sure to check this document for spelling information, especially the microchip number. Otherwise, if an error is detected at the border, the animal will simply be not accepted. The certificate validity is 2 years.
Importantly! The antibody titer should be greater than or equal to 0.5 IU per 1 milliliter, which means that the animal is eligible for import into Japan. If the titers are unsatisfactory - the analysis is repeated.
The waiting period is 180 days. Dogs and cats must arrive in Japan 180 days after the blood test for rabies antibodies. The date of blood collection is considered to be day 0.
In addition, the date of arrival in Japan must be within the validity of the administered rabies vaccine and the validity of the rabies antibody test (certificate valid for 2 years).
Importantly! Dogs and cats waiting less than 180 days will be quarantined in the Animal Quarantine Service remand center for the period of replenishment of missing days. The age of the animal imported into Japan must be at least 10 months.
4) Prior notification of the quarantine service.
You must notify the Japanese Quarantine Service of your arrival with the pet at one of the airports/seaports at least 40 days in advance. Communication is in Japanese or English.
When making a notification, you need to send information about the upcoming flight with your pet and special completed notification forms:
Notification form for dogs:
Notification form for cats: https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notification-cat.pdf
What can be imported into Japan by plane:
● The import and export of local or foreign currency are not restricted (amounts equivalent to 1,000,000 JPY or more are subject to mandatory declaration). Gold products of millesimal fineness 900 must also be declared if their total weight exceeds 1 kg.
● Persons over the age of 20 are allowed duty-free import of up to 400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500 g of tobacco
● Up to 56 ml (2 ounces) of perfume
● Other goods up to JPY 200,000
What is forbidden from imports into Japan:
● Firearms and ammunition (cold steel, hunting, and pneumatic weapons are imported only with the permission of the National Security Service of Japan).
● Drugs and psychotropic substances (their importation is subject to deportation and a life ban on entry into the country).
● Some medications (especially those containing 1-deoxyephedrine).
● Counterfeit securities and banknotes.
● Fresh fruits, vegetables and plants, animals and a number of foods of animal and vegetable origin (primarily meat and meat products, as well as various fruit crops).
● Pornographic material, movies, or publications that contain scenes of violence and cruelty.
● Magazines, photographs, drawings and engravings of obscene content.
● Printed publications and other materials that undermine public order
● Counterfeit products, as well as things and items that damage the trademark, copyright and patent law.
What is forbidden from exports from Japan.
● Art and antiques without the permission of the competent authorities
How much alcohol can be imported into Japan.
● Up to 3 bottles of alcoholic beverages (up to 0.75 liters each)
What you need to know before renting a car in Japan.
Most rental companies allow people to rent cars from the age of 18, but this depends on the specific company and the type of vehicle may vary. Young drivers should learn about age restrictions in advance.
In addition, a valid driver's license is required. A valid driver's license is the International Driving Permit (IDP).
1) When you rent a car in Japan, all drivers must be registered in the rental documents. To do this, either all drivers must be present in person at the time of the lease, or one person must have all the driver's licenses to confirm the identity of drivers and the validity of licenses.
2) Depending on the rent, a number of services are offered. Discuss additional services in advance, such as car seats for young children, multilingual GPS devices, ski racks, and more.
3) Japan has many toll roads and highways, and some routes can be very expensive. An electronic payment card (ETC) is a useful tool that allows you to charge a fare directly from your credit card or include it in your car rental bill.
● This means you don't have to stop at a payment point - just slow down and the ETC card will be activated. For more information on ETC devices and ETC card rental, see the official website.
● If you do not have an ETC card, you can only go through paid checkpoints labeled “General” in green or general paid checkpoints labeled “ETC / General”. "ETC-only tollgate" - only ETC signs marked in purple.
4) Return of the car
Be sure to fill the fuel tank before returning the car to the rental company, or you will have to pay extra for the missing gasoline. Some rental companies require a receipt as proof that you have filled the tank.
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