Transit rules · Japan
Layover in Japan: transit visa and leaving the airport
Japan has no airport transit visa: passengers who stay in the transit area of the same airport do not land and need no permission. Leaving the airport (including a Narita-Haneda transfer) is a landing: visa-exempt nationals (74 countries/regions, normally 90 days on arrival) simply enter; visa-required nationals (e.g. China, India, Philippines) need a visa, or may be granted a Shore Pass (port-of-call landing, up to 72 hours near the port) or a transit landing permission (leave within 3 days from another nearby port, e.g. NRT in, HND out), which the airline must apply for. JESTA (an electronic travel authorisation) is not in force; Visit Japan Web is an optional online arrival form that can speed up entry.
At a glance, by passport
| Passport | Change planes airside | Leave the airport |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| Canada | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| United Kingdom | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days on arrival (extendable to 6 months) |
| Australia | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| New Zealand | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| EU / EEA / Switzerland | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| India | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 72 hours (Shore Pass) / 3 days (transit landing) |
| China (mainland) | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 72 hours (Shore Pass) / 3 days (transit landing) |
| Brazil | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| Mexico | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days on arrival (extendable to 6 months) |
| South Africa | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 72 hours (Shore Pass) / 3 days (transit landing) |
| Philippines | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 72 hours (Shore Pass) / 3 days (transit landing) |
| Japan | – | Yes, you are at home here |
| South Korea | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
Changing planes without leaving the airport
Airside means you stay behind passport control: you walk from one gate to the next and never formally enter Japan. Many countries let you do that without any document, some ask for an online authorisation or a transit visa even for this.
Holders of United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, EU / EEA / Switzerland, India, China (mainland), Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Philippines and South Korea passports can change planes airside without any document.
Leaving the airport
To see the city you pass immigration and enter Japan like any visitor, so the normal entry rule for your passport applies, however short your stay.
Without a visa: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, EU / EEA / Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea. Only with a visa: India, China (mainland), South Africa and Philippines. Japan citizens are at home here.
Transit rules in Japan
Shore Pass (port-of-call landing permission, Immigration Control Act Art. 14)
Who: Foreign passengers (not crew) on an aircraft/ship travelling via Japan to a place outside Japan
- Land only near the port of arrival
- Leave from the same port within 72 hours
- Applied for by the captain or the carrier, granted by the immigration inspector
- Not for persons barred under Art. 5(1) (landing denial grounds)
Source: e-Gov Law Search (Digital Agency, Government of Japan)
Transit landing permission (Immigration Control Act Art. 15(2))
Who: Foreign passengers who arrive at one Japanese port and leave from another nearby port on a different aircraft/ship
- Depart within 3 days of landing
- Depart from another port near the arrival port (e.g. arrive Narita, leave Haneda)
- Applied for by the carrier, granted by the immigration inspector
Source: e-Gov Law Search (Digital Agency, Government of Japan)
Your passport in detail
United States passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed On Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Stay: 90 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
Canada passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed On Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Stay: 90 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Travel advice and advisories for Japan , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
United Kingdom passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed On Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Up to 6 months with an extension from the immigration bureau. Stay: 90 days on arrival (extendable to 6 months).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Japan travel advice: Entry requirements , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
Australia passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed On Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Stay: 90 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
New Zealand passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed On Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Stay: 90 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
EU / EEA / Switzerland passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed On Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). All EU and EEA countries and Switzerland are on the list; Germany, Austria, Ireland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland can extend to 6 months. Stay: 90 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Japan: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise, Einreise und Zoll , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
India passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Not on Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries: a visa is needed to enter. For a layover, the airline can ask for a shore pass (up to 72 hours near the airport) or a transit landing permission; the immigration officer decides. Stay: 72 hours (Shore Pass) / 3 days (transit landing).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可） , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十五条（通過上陸の許可） , 査証・在留資格認定証明書
China (mainland) passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Not on Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries: a visa is needed to enter. For a layover, the airline can ask for a shore pass (up to 72 hours near the airport) or a transit landing permission; the immigration officer decides. Stay: 72 hours (Shore Pass) / 3 days (transit landing).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可） , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十五条（通過上陸の許可） , 査証・在留資格認定証明書
Brazil passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-free only with an ICAO-compliant ePassport (chip symbol on the cover); otherwise get a visa in advance. Stay: 90 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
Mexico passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed On Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Up to 6 months with an extension from the immigration bureau. Stay: 90 days on arrival (extendable to 6 months).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
South Africa passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Not on Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries: a visa is needed to enter. For a layover, the airline can ask for a shore pass (up to 72 hours near the airport) or a transit landing permission; the immigration officer decides. Stay: 72 hours (Shore Pass) / 3 days (transit landing).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可） , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十五条（通過上陸の許可） , 査証・在留資格認定証明書
Philippines passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Not on Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries: a visa is needed to enter. For a layover, the airline can ask for a shore pass (up to 72 hours near the airport) or a transit landing permission; the immigration officer decides. Stay: 72 hours (Shore Pass) / 3 days (transit landing).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可） , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十五条（通過上陸の許可） , 査証・在留資格認定証明書
Japan passport
Yes, you are at home here
South Korea passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed On Japan’s list of visa-exempt countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Stay: 90 days.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside No landing, no permission needed.
Official source: Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 , 出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可）
How much time you get in the city
Being allowed out is half the answer; the other half is the clock. Count the time to get off the plane and through immigration, the trip into town and back, and getting back early enough for security and the gate. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND): the fastest public option, Keikyu Airport Line from Haneda Airport Terminal 3 to Shinagawa (change to JR Yamanote/Keihin-Tohoku for Tokyo Station), takes 11 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 4 h 45 min. Narita International Airport (NRT): the fastest public option, Keisei Skyliner to Nippori / Keisei-Ueno (change to JR for Tokyo Station), takes 41 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 55 min.
The planner on each airport page does this for your own flight times and lets you change every assumption.
Questions
Do I need a transit visa for Japan?
Holders of United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, EU / EEA / Switzerland, India, China (mainland), Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Philippines and South Korea passports can change planes airside without any document.
Can I leave the airport during a layover in Japan?
It depends on your passport. Without a visa: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, EU / EEA / Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea. Only with a visa: India, China (mainland), South Africa and Philippines. Japan citizens are at home here.
How long a layover do I need to leave the airport?
With our cautious defaults (45 minutes to get out, the trip into town and back plus 20%, 120 minutes back before departure, at least 90 minutes in the city): Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND): the fastest public option, Keikyu Airport Line from Haneda Airport Terminal 3 to Shinagawa (change to JR Yamanote/Keihin-Tohoku for Tokyo Station), takes 11 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 4 h 45 min. Narita International Airport (NRT): the fastest public option, Keisei Skyliner to Nippori / Keisei-Ueno (change to JR for Tokyo Station), takes 41 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 55 min.
Official sources
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Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay) (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan):
"90 days" for other countries and regions (page lists 74 countries and regions with visa exemption arrangements; quote taken from a search snippet, page returned HTTP 403 to the fetcher)
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Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), Note 8 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan):
For nationals of those countries with visa exemptions permitting stays of up to 6 months under the bilateral visa exemption arrangements, those who wish to stay in Japan for more than 90 days are required to apply for an extension.
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Foreign nationals except nationals of China, Russia, the CIS Countries, Ukraine, Georgia, the Philippines and Viet Nam wishing to come to Japan for a short-term stay (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan):
Foreign nationals except nationals of China, Russia, the CIS Countries, Ukraine, Georgia, the Philippines and Viet Nam wishing to come to Japan for a short-term stay (page title)
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出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十四条（寄港地上陸の許可） (e-Gov Law Search (Digital Agency, Government of Japan)):
本邦を経由して本邦外の地域に赴こうとするもの（乗員を除く。）が、その船舶等の寄港した出入国港から出国するまでの間七十二時間の範囲内で当該出入国港の近傍に上陸することを希望する場合
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出入国管理及び難民認定法 第十五条（通過上陸の許可） (e-Gov Law Search (Digital Agency, Government of Japan)):
上陸後三日以内にその入国した出入国港の周辺の他の出入国港から他の船舶等で出国するため、通過することを希望する場合
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Japan travel advice: Entry requirements (GOV.UK (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)):
You can get a visa on arrival in Japan for tourism or business for up to 90 days. If you want to stay longer, you can apply at your nearest immigration office for an extension for another 90 days.
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Travel advice and advisories for Japan (Government of Canada):
Tourist visa: not required for stays up to a maximum of 90 days
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Japan: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise, Einreise und Zoll (Auswärtiges Amt (German Federal Foreign Office)):
Deutsche Staatsangehörige können für Kurzaufenthalte (außer bezahlte Forschungsaufenthalte und Praktika) bis zu 90 Tage visumsfrei einreisen.
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Japan: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise, Einreise und Zoll (Visit Japan Web) (Auswärtiges Amt (German Federal Foreign Office)):
Die Anmeldung über Visit Japan Web (vor dem Check-in) ist nicht mehr notwendig, kann aber den Einreiseprozess beschleunigen.
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出入国審査・在留審査Q&A (Q7) (Immigration Services Agency of Japan):
（１）査証免除国・地域の方であれば、査証は必要ありません。
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査証・在留資格認定証明書 (Immigration Services Agency of Japan):
我が国に上陸しようとする外国人は、原則として有効な旅券を所持していることのほかに、所持する旅券に日本国領事官等が発給した有効な査証を所持していなければなりません。
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Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan):
Japan has reciprocal visa exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions listed in the table below.
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Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan):
The period of stay granted upon landing permission will be "15 days" for Indonesia and Thailand, “30 days” for Brunei and Qatar, and "90 days" for other countries and regions.
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Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan):
For nationals of ... Brazil (since September 30, 2023) ... visas are not required only for holders of ePassport in compliance with ICAO standards.
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Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay), updated September 1, 2025 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan):
For nationals of those countries with visa exemptions permitting stays of up to 6 months ... those who wish to stay in Japan for more than 90 days are required to apply for an extension
Checked against these sources on 2026-11-01. Rules change; the airline and the border officer have the final word. Found something out of date? Tell us.