Japan is a country where businesses still use fax machines and where, up until a few years ago, it was difficult to pay for things with credit cards. The first time I visited the country, foreigners couldn’t buy Japanese SIM cards—you had to “rent” one, or more likely a mobile WiFi unit.
With the announcement that Tokyo would host the 2020 Olympics, the country quickly modernized countless aspects of society. The games, of course, ended up being an utter catastrophe, but that didn’t stop Japan’s progress on other fronts.
Among these is Visit Japan Web, a tool that sees Japan’s immigration and customs forms digitized for the first time ever.
Why Visit Japan Web Exists
Japanese authorities have discussed digitizing its arrival process for years, but as the aforementioned Olympics approached, they had mostly failed to do so. Ironically, it wasn’t until during covid-19 (and the near-total entry ban Japan imposed in response to it, which is much of what made Tokyo 2020 such a sad, pathetic affair) that major change ended up taking place.
Initially, travelers who were able to enter Japan in spite of the entry ban were required to fill out a health-related questionnaire online and bring a QR code that quarantine officials could scan. After Japan reopened, Visit Japan Web was rolled out first as a means of verifying vaccination and testing status. It was only after pandemic restrictions were scrapped entirely that it began functioning solely as an immigration and customs tool.
5 Advantages to Using Visit Japan Web
No need to fill out an arrival card
It’ll only take you a few minutes to fill out the forms on Visit Japan Web, which ask for details like your flight and passport number, and the name, address and phone number of your Tokyo hotel. It’s the same information you’d need to enter on a physical arrival card, but let’s be honest: Writing with a pen is hard (and slow) these days!
You can get straight in line
Another advantage of using the Japan digital arrival card? You don’t have to scramble for a paper arrival card, or waste time at a desk filling it out. Instead, you can proceed directly from the plane, past the quarantine desk and into the immigration line.
Expedited immigration processing
Come for a country whose citizens require a visa to enter Japan? Unless you are coming to Japan as a resident, you can link your tourist visa to your passport on Visit Japan Web. Travelers who enter visa-free benefit, too. You merely scan your QR code and the immigration desk; the officer can almost instantly admit you.
Dedicated customs queue
If you have a QR code to enter Japan, you’ll use the same code to go through customs. You’ll first proceed to a kiosk, where you scan your passport and QR code, then confirm your answers to the questionnaire you filled out online. You then proceed through an automated gate and boom—you’re in Japan!
Digital tax-free shopping
I don’t usually bother availing Japan’s generous tax-free shopping allowance. This is probably dumb of me—I spend a lot in aggregate, even if I don’t make big individual purchases. If you are a big shopper, you’ll be happy to know that there’s a section within Visit Japan Web that digitizes your shopping.
Other Ways to Expedite Your Entry into Japan
Visit Japan Web is the easiest way to expedite your entry into Japan, and one that virtually every traveler can use, but it isn’t the only way to enter Japan more quickly:
- Japan Trusted Traveler Program: If you come to Japan often and meet certain other criteria, you may be able to enter Japan using a kiosk, bypassing a human immigration check entirely.
- APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC): Traveling to Japan (or in other APEC countries) for business? If you obtain an ABTC in your home country, you can bypass the queue in Japan.
- Fly in first or business class: While premium passengers don’t gain access to expedited arrival queues (though they do on departure), getting off the plane first means you’ll reach immigration more quickly.
Other FAQ About Visit Japan Web
Is Visit Japan Web still required?
Visit Japan Web has never been “required” for immigration and customs, though it has always been strongly recommended. If you forget to use it, you can fill out paper forms like everyone had to do several years ago. However, using Visit Japan Web can speed up your entry into Japan.
Do I still need a QR code to enter Japan?
A QR code isn’t required to enter Japan, but it makes doing so a lot easy. If you don’t obtain a QR code in advance, you can fill out physical immigration and customs forms. Your airline should be able to provide you with these, though you may need to obtain them in the Arrivals area in some cases.
Is it faster to use Visit Japan Web?
Using Visit Japan Web speeds up your entry into Japan in a few ways. First, it saves you from having to fill out physical forms. Secondly, it allows the immigration officer to access your details instantly. Finally, it afford you access to a dedicated customs queue, which you can often clear in just seconds.
The Bottom Line
You don’t have to use Visit Japan Web, but doing so will smooth and ease your entry into the country. Not only will it save you from having to fill out forms onboard (or, worse, to have to find them and fill them out after you land), but it will expedite the immigration screening process. When it comes to customs, your code allows you to access a dedicated queue, which rarely has the long lines you see in the normal lanes at the end of the baggage carousels. Need personalized help planning your next trip to Japan? Whether it’ll be your first time in the country or your 50th, hire me to plan a custom Japan itinerary.
