Japan Releases List of Countries Eligible for eVisa, Mzansi Makes the Cut

• Japan updated its eVisa eligibility list from 15 May 2026, letting nationals of select countries apply online
• South Africa is among nine countries whose citizens can apply directly through the Japan eVisa website
• Nationals of other countries, including China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, face stricter application routes

Japan has released an updated list of countries whose citizens can now apply for a tourist eVisa online. The new rules took effect from 15 May 2026. South Africa is among the countries included on the direct application list. The eVisa system lets travellers skip an in-person consulate visit. The updated list is published on the website of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

South Africa on Japan’s direct eVisa list

Nationals and residents of nine countries or regions can apply straight through the eVisa website. These include Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States round out the group. Applicants already exempt from short-term visa rules fall outside this process.

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Other nationalities face a different process

A separate group of countries must apply through an accredited agency instead. Chinese nationals residing in China fall under this stricter category. Filipino and Vietnamese nationals only qualify if travelling on a packaged tour. The tour must be arranged by a designated travel agency in advance.

Residents of Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, and Macau can also use the eVisa system. Mongolia, South Korea, Singapore, and the UAE complete that list. They must apply through the Japanese office covering their specific place of residence. An exception exists for those under Japan’s Consulate General in Jeju.

Conditions that apply to every applicant

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs listed rules that apply across all applicants. The eVisa only covers arrivals by air or by sea. Sea arrivals are limited to scheduled ferries linking Japan with Busan or Shanghai. Officials may still call any applicant in for an in-person interview. Only holders of ordinary passports qualify to use the eVisa system.

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More stories about visas

• The Department of Home Affairs opened applications for the MEETS visa scheme on 25 February 2026, targeting local organisers of large international events in South Africa.
• Italy has temporarily suspended visa applications while its consulate and VFS systems undergo maintenance and upgrades.
• The US announced that nationals of certain Visa Waiver Programme countries lost their visa-free travel eligibility due to travel history or dual nationality.

Source: Briefly News