Some major changes have been introduced for people travelling to one of Dubai’s most popular holiday destinations.

From Thursday August 1, the Japan visa process for Dubai residents will be managed by visa application service VFS Global.

Documents for short-term and long-term paper visas will be processed from the start of August while the e-visa service will resume in September.

This means that expats no longer need to arrange an appointment with the Consulate-General of Japan in Dubai to apply for a visitor visa.

The processing period for visas with VFS Global is typically eight working days from the date of application so this should make it quicker to get your hands on that much-needed visa.

Short-term visas to Japan cover a 90-day period and are valid for three months from the date of issue.

In April of this year, the popular e-visa process for short-term Japan visits was suspended.

It meant that travellers had to email the Consulate-General of Japan in Dubai to arrange an appointment to apply for a visa but slots were not easy to get. Emirati nationals were able to visit the country without a visa but expats had to arrange a meeting.

But now, the e-visa process has resumed and will be managed by VFS Global. You will still need an appointment to get your e-visa but it is likely to be easier to get one. The consulate will still handle diplomatic and official visa applications, however.

Application centres from VFS Global will also be found in Abu Dhabi.

How much will the Japan visa cost for Dubai residents?

The cost of a short-term travel visa to Japan for Dubai residents differs depending on your nationality.

A significant number of nationalities do not need to pay a fee when visiting Japan from Dubai. These include people from the UK, USA and Russia. People from the Philippines and Romania are exempt from paying only for short-term stays.

Indian nationals have to pay Dhs20 to apply for a single visit and multiple visit visas to the East Asian country.

For nationalities not listed on the Consulate-General of Japan in Dubai website, fees are Dhs80 for a single visit and multiple visits are Dhs160.

All nationalities will need to pay a processing fee of Dhs100 when applying with VFS Global.

Flights to Japan from the UAE

Japan is an extremely popular destination for eager travellers from the United Arab Emirates. There’s plenty to see, eat and do in each area of the country so it should be no surprise.

In 2023, Osaka was named by Skyscanner as the leading tourist destination from the UAE with a 305 percent increase in searches from the previous year.

And the capital Tokyo came in third place with a 250 percent surge in searches year-on-year.

If you fancy flying to Japan then you’ve got several options with Emirates and Etihad running regular direct flights to both Osaka and Tokyo from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Skyscanner estimates that direct return flights to Japan from the UAE cost around Dhs4,600 with indirect routes from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah coming in a lot cheaper.

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