VISA INFORMATION

We are very pleased that you are planning to attend WLNC 2018. You may need a visa to enter Japan. Because of world events, visa applications are subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than in the past. The greater scrutiny means a longer waiting period, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan recommends that you begin your visa application process well in advance of your travel dates.

  1. Any foreign visitor who wishes to enter Japan must have a passport, which will remain valid during the period of stay. In order to enter Japan, visitors usually must comply with the conditions of their visas and authorizations of resident eligibility. However, visa exemptions can be made for citizens of sixty-seven different countries provided that their stays are within ninety days such as with stays for sightseeing purposes and that they do not engage in activities where they earn compensation. This page provides information on short stays. Revisions in visa conditions are made periodically. Therefore, please check the "Visa” section in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website for the latest and detailed information on visa application: http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html
  2. Visa requirements vary from country to country. Contact the Japanese embassy or consulate in the country where you live to determine if you will need a visa and/or a visa support letter to visit Japan. (You may apply for a visa at any Japanese consular office, but it may be more difficult to qualify if you apply from outside your country of permanent residence.) For contact points for consular offices: http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html
  3. As of December 2014, Japan has taken measures concerning the Visa Exemption Arrangements with 67 countries and regions. Nationals and citizens of those countries and regions are not required to obtain visas to enter Japan when their purpose of visit is tourism or/and conference. Please check the website to find out if you are exempt from visa: http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html
  4. If you need a letter, contact WLNC with your request. WLNC will send a letter to support your visa application via email in Adobe. We will only issue letters for persons who have registered and paid for an event. In view of the number of requests we are receiving for visa support letters, you should make this request as soon as possible. We cannot assure that we will able to provide you a letter in time if your request is made less than 5 business days before your appointment or 30 business days before the beginning of the conference.
  5. Schedule an appointment with the embassy/consulate. For more information on applying for a visa, visit the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html
  6. The decision to grant visas belongs solely to the embassy/consulate. WLNC cannot promise that you or your colleagues will receive a visa. Likewise, WLNC cannot change the decision of the governmental agency should your application be denied. If your questions about requesting a letter are not answered here, please contact: info@wlnc.org
    With the current state of world events, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan recommends that you begin your visa application process well in advance of your travel dates. Visa applications face more scrutiny - and a longer waiting period - than they have in the past.