TOKYO – Residents of Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar now have the facility to get Japan’s visa with much ease and comfort.
The process to visit Japan is now a whole lot easier with the latest e-visa laws as Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up a new online tourist visa system. The citizens of Brazil, UK, USA, Cambodia, Canada, Mongolia, Taiwan, Singapore and South Africa would also be able to take benefit of the system.
Although the visa processing was smooth earlier, the new regulations have made it seamless as applicants from the UAE and Saudi Arabia need to apply via the dedicated website and upon successful submission, a digital confirmation visa will be sent to the applicant.
“I am delighted with the commencement of the online applications for short-term stay visas in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as well as the visa waiver arrangements for short–term stay for Qatari nationals, as it will ease the process to visit Japan for touristic purposes. It is also especially timely as these measures have been activated in time for Eid travel, with visitors to Japan in the months of April and May able to enjoy and make the most of the spectacular spring climate and striking new green verdant landscapes,” Kobayashi Daisuke, the executive director of Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) in Dubai said.
For Qatari nationals, application can be submitted at Japanese Embassies, Consulate-Generals or Consulates, to have their passport registered. Upon registration, they will receive a “Visa Waiver Registration” seal within their passport, which will enable them to have multiple short-term stays in Japan without a need for a visa for a period of 3 years (or expiration date of the passport).
Besides easing the visa processing, the Japanese government has also announced that it will cease COVID-19-related entry requirements to the country from May 8 as the virus has been declared as a common disease. This means travelers no longer need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test from May 8 onward.
The easing of social distancing protocols across the world is attracting more and more countries to be liberal in their visa regimes and to reap the benefits of travel rebounding in different parts of the world and Japan seems to have been lured by the same idea to ease the process for citizens from Muslim countries.
