Hi everyone! After my travel to Japan, I have decided to make a quick guide about tourist visa application. Please note that this is for a single-entry tourist visa only. For other types of Japan visa, you can refer to this web page here.

Here are the requirements. Please note that all documents must be original unless stated otherwise. Also, except for the original documents, everything must be in size A4.
  • Philippine Passport
    • Broken passport is not accepted. Passports must be signed and valid for at least six months from date of travel. It also must have at least two blank visa pages.
  • Visa Application Form
    • It is available online here. It is also available at any of the accredited travel agencies.
    • Application form should be filled out correctly. There should also be no blank items. If item is not applicable, just put "N/A" or "Not Applicable".
  • Photo
    • Specs: 4.5cm x 4.5cm, with white background, and must be taken within 6 months.
    • Please write applicant’s name and birth date on back side of the photo. Photo must be pasted on the application form.
  • Birth Certificate
    • It must be issued within one year from PSA Main Office or Serbilis Outlet Center, and must provide complete information.
  • Marriage Certificate (if the applicant is married)
    • IT must be issued within one year from PSA Main Office or Serbilis Outlet Center. In case there is no record in PSA, please submit a “Certificate of Non-Record” from PSA together with the Marriage Certificate from the Local Civil Registrar.
  • Daily Schedule in Japan (TAIZAI YOTEIHYO)
    • The form can be downloaded here. 
Additional requirements if applicant will shoulder part or all of his/her travel expenses:
  • Bank Certificate
    • Validity of bank certificate is three (3) month from the date of issue
  • Photocopy of Applicant’s Income Tax Return (Form 2316)
    • Must be clear and the latest ITR must be used.

Additional requirements if guarantor who lives in the Philippines will shoulder part or all of the applicant’s travel expenses:
  • Guarantee Letter
    • It can be downloaded here.
  • Proof of relationship between applicant and guarantor (e.g. Birth Certificates etc.)
  • Original Bank Certificate (original) and clear photocopy of the Income Tax Return (ITR Form 2316) of guarantor

My Japan visa was processed by my company so I didn't have any issues. All I did was prepare the documents needed from my end and I was good to go. But because I wanted to bring my sister with me, at my expense, I processed her visa application on my own.

Here is her situation: she is in her early 20s, unemployed, and currently not enrolled as she was taking a break from studying. She didn't have a lot of travel history outside of the country. The only stamp on her passport was from a Hong Kong trip that we did back in 2013. So if you would think about it, she has a slim chance of getting a Japan tourist visa, given that they are quite strict. But nevertheless I prepared her documents as her guarantor and hoped for the best.
  • Passport
  • Visa application form
  • Photo
  • Birth certificate
  • Daily schedule in Japan (you can check what I did here, I made it look like she was a solo traveler)
  • Guarantee letter
  • My original birth certificate and photocopy of our mom's birth certificate as proof of relationship
  • My original bank certificate and photocopy of my ITR Form 2316
I submitted these documents to Discovery Tours and paid the Php750 processing fee. There was no need for her appearance since I was the guarantor and the one submitting her requirements. Three days later I got a text from them saying that my sister's passport was ready for pickup. I picked it up. It was APPROVED.


Now I don't claim to be an expert when it comes to these things but I can share a few tips to increase your chances of getting approved for a Japan tourist.
  • There is no exact amount of money required in your bank account, but basically, your bank certificate should show that you are financially capable to travel. Some got approved with Php100k, some got approved for less. My sister got approved with Php70k in my bank account for 4 days of travel. I've read that, to be safe, you should have at least Php10k per day that you will be staying in Japan.
  • It is not required to book a flight prior to getting a visa. In fact, it is NOT recommended. But I do suggest that you check for flight schedules, and indicate your chosen schedule and entry and exit point (Narita or Haneda or Kansai), together with the name of the airline on your application.
  • It is also not required to book a  hotel prior, but a hotel booking would look good on the application. What I did was pencil-book a hotel for my sister via Agoda and chose one with "Pay-at-the-Hotel" option and printed out the confirmation. I then canceled it once the visa was approved to book at another hotel.
  • When creating your daily schedule in Japan, create an itinerary with mostly FREE tourist attractions. This is to increase your chances of getting approved especially if you don't have a lot in your bank account. 
That's it for this very lengthy post. I hope that this was helpful. If you have any related questions to this post, feel free to comment and I will answer as soon as I can. :)