This guide is for Indian professionals heading to Japan on company business: employees sent by their company, founders and business owners meeting partners or suppliers, and teams attending conferences or trade fairs. Each needs a slightly different file, and those differences are what usually cause delays.
What a Japan business visa actually is
Indian passport holders need a visa before any business trip to Japan; there is no visa-free entry or visa on arrival. What people call a “business visa” is officially a Short-Term Stay (Temporary Visitor) visa for business purposes: up to 90 days per visit, with no pay or income from a Japanese source.
If a Japanese company will employ or pay you, you need a work visa backed by a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) instead. That is outside this guide.
Who can apply and what you can do
Indian nationals living in India, and foreign nationals legally resident in India, can apply. You need an invitation from a company or organisation in Japan.
Allowed activities on a short-term business visa:
- Business meetings, liaison and negotiations
- Signing contracts
- After-sales service visits
- Market research and advertising work
- Attending conferences, seminars and trade fairs
- Cultural, sports or academic exchanges
Not allowed: any paid work in Japan, running a revenue-generating operation there, or receiving remuneration. The permitted stay cannot be extended, so plan the trip around the days granted at landing.
Which documents depend on your role
The core file is the same for everyone (next sections). What changes is who vouches for you in India and how you prove your finances.
| Traveller | Covering letter from | Proof of your status | Financial proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salaried employee | Your employer, on letterhead: purpose, designation, passport number, travel dates | Certificate of employment on letterhead | Your latest income tax return |
| Founder, director or proprietor | Your own company, on letterhead, signed and stamped | Certificate of incorporation or registration, plus proof that you own the business | Company ITRs for the last 3 years and the company bank statement |
| Conference or trade-fair attendee | Your employer or company, naming the event and your role at it | As above for your category | As above for your category |
For trade fairs and conferences, the invitation can come from the organiser, an exhibitor or the Japanese partner you will meet. Attach your event registration or exhibitor confirmation so the dates and purpose are easy to verify.
If your employer, not the Japanese side, pays for the trip, the Japanese host still sends an invitation letter, but no letter of guarantee is needed. Say clearly in your covering letter that your company bears the costs.
Sources: VFS checklists for Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai (multiple entry). Requirements vary slightly by centre, so check yours.
eVISA or sticker visa? Single or multiple entry?
Business travellers get a traditional sticker visa through VFS Global, not the eVISA. Japan’s eVISA in India, live since 1 April 2024, covers only single-entry short-term tourism visas. See our guide to the Japan tourist eVISA.
| Option | Who it suits | Validity | Stay per visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-entry business | First-time or occasional visitors | 3 months | Up to 90 days |
| Multiple-entry business | Frequent visitors who meet the criteria below | 1, 3, 5 or 10 years | 15, 30 or 90 days |
You may qualify for a multiple-entry business visa if you are a regular employee of:
- A government or public enterprise
- A company listed on a stock exchange (India, Japan or elsewhere), or its subsidiary, joint venture or branch
- A Japanese-affiliated company that is a member of the Japan Chamber of Commerce
- A private company with constant business dealings with a listed Japanese company
Frequent travellers also qualify: more than three business trips to Japan in the last three years, or one business trip to Japan plus visits to other G7 countries in that period. Your spouse and children can be included. The embassy may still issue a single-entry visa after review.
Documents checklist
The file has two halves: what you prepare in India, and what your host prepares in Japan. All photocopies must be on A4 paper. This list follows the VFS short-term business checklist.
Prepared by you (the applicant)
- Passport with at least two blank pages, plus any old passports
- Photocopy of the passport’s bio-data (first and last) pages
- Visa application form, fully completed and signed
- One passport-size photo, white background, taken within 6 months
- Travel order or covering letter from your employer
- Certificate of employment (business owners: company registration and proof of ownership instead)
- Flight booking to and from Japan
- Latest income tax return (needed if you want multiple entry)
- Proof of relationship, if a dependent travels with you
Prepared by your host in Japan
- Invitation letter (states the purpose and dates of the visit)
- Itinerary in Japan, with hotel and contact details
- List of applicants, if several people travel together
Prepared by whoever pays for the trip (if it is the Japanese side)
- Letter of guarantee
- Certified copy of the company’s incorporation register, or a company overview
Documents from Japan should be issued within the last three months; copies are usually accepted. The embassy can ask for more documents or an interview.
How to apply, step by step
- Get the invitation package from Japan. Ask your host company for the invitation letter, itinerary and, if they are paying, the letter of guarantee and company documents.
- Collect your own documents. Work through the checklist above, including the employer’s travel order and employment certificate.
- Fill in the visa application form. Download it from the VFS Japan India site, complete it, sign it and attach your photo.
- Find your VFS centre. Apply at the VFS Japan centre covering the state where you live; each centre falls under the Embassy in New Delhi or a Consulate-General (Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai or Bengaluru).
- Submit in person. No prior appointment is needed. Applications are accepted up to 3 months before your travel date.
- Pay the fees. Pay the visa fee plus the VFS service charge at the centre.
- Track and collect. Track the application on the VFS site and collect your passport with the visa sticker once it is ready.
Fees and processing time
The visa fee for Indian nationals is ₹500, whether single or multiple entry, under fees effective 1 July 2026 (Embassy of Japan in India). The separate transit visa has been abolished.
| Item | Cost (INR) |
|---|---|
| Visa fee, single or multiple entry (Indian nationals) | 500 |
| Visa fee, single entry (other nationals in India) | 8,650 |
| Visa fee, multiple or double entry (other nationals in India) | 17,350 |
| VFS service charge | Charged extra; check at your centre |
Processing usually takes about 5 to 10 working days, but the embassy warns that times vary with application volume and cannot be expedited. Apply early, ideally 4 to 6 weeks before you fly.
Tips to avoid rejection
- Make the invitation name the business. “Meetings with ABC Corp, Osaka, on supplying auto components, 12 to 16 November” beats “business visit”. Vague purposes are a common reason for queries.
- Match every date. Invitation, itinerary, flight booking, covering letter and application form should show the same travel dates.
- Founders: show the business is real. Incorporation papers, three years of company ITRs and a company bank statement carry more weight than a personal letter.
- Trade-fair visitors: attach the registration. An exhibitor badge confirmation or delegate pass ties your dates to a verifiable event.
- Use fresh Japanese documents. Anything from your host should be under three months old.
- Plan for multiple entry early. If you will visit Japan often, ask your employer whether it qualifies (listed company, PSU, Japanese-affiliated firm) and apply for multiple entry from the start.
- Never mention paid work. Installation or consulting paid by the Japanese side needs a work visa, not this one.
- Beware of fraud. The embassy never asks for payment by phone or email to speed up a visa; pay only the visa fee and VFS charge.
Final word
A Japan business visa is cheap and quick for Indian travellers, provided the paperwork from both sides lines up. Start with your Japanese host’s invitation, build your file from the checklist, and submit at VFS well ahead of travel. Rules changed more than once in 2026, so check the embassy page before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
Not yet. The eVISA covers tourism only, so business applicants submit a paper application at VFS.
No. A short-term stay cannot be extended; leave and apply again if needed.
Yes. The invitation letter and itinerary from your Japanese host are core documents.
On a multiple-entry business visa, later visits can also be for tourism or seeing friends. On a single-entry visa, keep the trip consistent with the stated business purpose.
Sources
- Visa information, Embassy of Japan in India
- The JAPAN eVISA system, Embassy of Japan in India
- Application Procedures for Multiple Visa for Nationals of India
- VFS Short Term Business Visa checklist (India)
- VFS Global Japan visa, India
Disclaimer: Visa rules, fees and processing times can change. Confirm the latest details on the official embassy, consulate or immigration website before you book or apply.