Japan eVisa for Indian passport, cost, timing, what to actually upload

Japan's eVisa for Indian passport holders launched in September 2025. It is NOT free, the consular fee is approximately INR 450, processed via accredited travel agencies only (no direct individual portal). Processing is roughly 5 working days. Business, family, and work visits still need the traditional sticker visa via Embassy/VFS. Older articles saying "Japan free eVisa" are inaccurate.

What to upload, in order of how often people miss them:

1. Bank statement (last 3 months), must show balance of at least ₹1,50,000 minimum at any point in the last 3 months. If your salary deposits don't push your balance over this floor, you'll be rejected. Two fixes: get a stamped letter from your bank confirming a higher recent balance, OR add a fixed deposit. Don't try to use a friend's statement; consulates verify.

2. Hotel bookings, refundable Booking.com confirmations work. The visa officer doesn't need you to actually stay there; they need to see "you have a place to sleep on each night of your declared trip dates."

3. Day-by-day itinerary, this is where AI plans win. Generate one in 60 seconds on /architect, download the PDF, attach it. Hand-written itineraries get rejected for inconsistency.

4. Flight reservation (not ticket), most travel agents will hold a reservation for 72 hours unpaid; that works. Don't pay for tickets until visa is approved.

5. Cover letter, explain your trip purpose in 100 words. NoMadYa's AI doesn't generate this yet (working on it).

Common rejection: travelling solo as a single woman under 30 with no prior international travel. Japan flags this for further checks. Workaround: include a parent/sibling itinerary if doing a multi-stop trip, or attach prior visa stamps from any easier country (Singapore, Sri Lanka, Vietnam).

Process timeline: submit Monday → typically approved Friday → eVisa downloadable as PDF. Print 2 copies for arrival (immigration officer keeps one).

If approved, the visa is single-entry, 90-day stay. For cherry blossom (late March - early April), apply by mid-February, see our Japan cherry blossom booking timeline. For autumn koyo (November), apply by mid-September.

For full visa rules see the Japan visa page, country logistics at the Japan destination guide, and live JPY to INR for budgeting.