Visa for Japan

In July our family is travelling from Belgium to Tokyo in Japan where we will stay for a few days and then take the Diamond Princess from Tokyo via 4 other Japanese Ports and Busan in South Korea ending back in Tokyo.

Now we received from Princess that we have to check for a multiple entry Japanese visa for the cruise ? I thought that this was not necessary and that the visa for South Korea was managed on the ship itself ?

Has anybody experienced this before ?

Thanks for your feedback ! Petra

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

As much as posters on here are very helpful you need specific advice from your government. Each country has specific conditions for which nationalities need a visa. Check your govt site online. Generally if the cruise line says you need one you do. You may be refused boarding if you do not have correct documents.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Americans are always told to handle visas and immigration issues on our own by the cruise lines. The cruise lines won't help. Can't even rely on their info (they have guidance on their websites, but there's always a disclaimer that it could be wrong and to check on our own). I imagine that's the policy of the cruise lines for most other nationalities as well.

My Wife and I did a very similar Cruise on the same ship in 2014. We did not need any Visas for our trip nor for the stop in Busan. The only thing that we had to do was hand over our Passports to Reception a couple of days prior to our arrival in Busan.

If you need a visa to Japan than your itinerary sounds like it requires a double or multiple entry visa. Most nationalities who post here don't need visas for Japan or South Korea so you are better off asking for advice from a local agent or source.

As an Aussie, we did not require an visas for Japan or South Korea, but i would check for your nationality visiting those countries

Dutch and Belgian citizens (you don't say what nationality you are) generally do not need a visa for Japan.

Check with the foreign office of your home country, or ring the Japanese embassy.

I found this information on the Japan.Travel web site:

Any foreign visitor entering Japan must have a valid passport for the duration of their stay, and all visitors must comply with the conditions of their visas. Visa exemptions are currently made for citizens of sixty-eight different countries provided that their stays are within ninety days, for sightseeing purposes and that they do not engage in activities where they earn compensation.

This page provides information on short stays. Visa conditions are periodically revised, therefore, make sure to check the Visa section in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Visa / Residing in Japan for the latest and detailed information on standard visas or visas other than for those for short stay programs.

On Short Stays

Countries and regions that do not require visas

The following is a list of countries that have Reciprocal Visa Exemption Arrangements with Japan:

For a period of 90 days or less

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria(7), Bahamas, Barbados(6), Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany(7), Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong(3), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland(7), Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lesotho(6), Liechtenstein(7), Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao(4), Malaysia(1), Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Serbia(2), Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Surinam, Sweden, Switzerland(7), Taiwan(5), Tunisia, Turkey(6), United Kingdom(7), United States and Uruguay

A passport from a EU country puts you on the visa exempt list * for both Japan and South Korea. This is just another case of low level Customer Service people that do not understand the system. But if you still have questions go to the Embassy sites and they will confirm what I have said.

*Tourist Visa non working less than 90 days.

In July our family is travelling from Belgium to Tokyo in Japan where we will stay for a few days and then take the Diamond Princess from Tokyo via 4 other Japanese Ports and Busan in South Korea ending back in Tokyo.

 

Now we received from Princess that we have to check for a multiple entry Japanese visa for the cruise ? I thought that this was not necessary and that the visa for South Korea was managed on the ship itself ?

 

Has anybody experienced this before ?

 

Thanks for your feedback ! Petra

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

As a European citizen you do not require a visa for Japan.