Do Georgian passport holders need a visa for Japan?
By Aditya Rawat · Destinations Writer, Tripmojo · Updated · Reviewed by Simran Raheja
Yes. Citizens of Georgia (the country, not the US state) need a visa for Japan. Georgia is not on Japan’s visa-exemption list and Georgian residents cannot use the Japan eVISA, so a tourist trip means a single-entry short-term stay visa, applied for in person by appointment at the Embassy of Japan in Tbilisi. It allows a stay of up to 90 days and is normally issued five working days after the application is accepted.
Quick facts
Visa required- Visa required
- Yes, short-term stay visa (sticker)
- Japan eVISA
- Not available to residents of Georgia
- Where to apply
- Embassy of Japan in Tbilisi, by appointment
- Processing time
- 5 working days from the day after acceptance
- Maximum stay
- Up to 90 days, single entry
- Visa fee
- About 15,000 yen equivalent from 1 July 2026; may be waived for Georgian citizens
- Visa validity
- 3 months from issue to enter Japan
Entry requirements
- A Georgian passport valid for the whole of your stay in Japan, plus a copy of the main page. Japan itself sets no six-month rule for ordinary passports, but airlines may.
- Two completed visa application forms and two photos, 4.5 x 4.5 cm or 4.5 x 3.5 cm, with the face filling about 70 per cent of the frame.
- A certificate of employment stating your job title, salary and how long you have been in the post.
- Proof you can pay for the trip: a bank statement covering the last two months, or an income or tax certificate issued by a public body.
- A day-by-day itinerary in Japan on the MOFA form, a flight reservation showing arrival and departure dates and flight numbers, and a hotel booking confirmation.
- Everything must be in English, unstapled, and any supporting document must have been issued within the last three months.
How to apply
Book an appointment with the consular section of the Embassy of Japan in Tbilisi (+995 32 275 2111). The embassy asks you to schedule it at least four weeks before your departure date. Applications are taken 9:30 to 12:30 and passports with visas are returned 15:00 to 17:00.
Bring the tourism checklist documents in person. The embassy does not accept incomplete files, so a missing bank statement or a blank field on the form means a new appointment rather than a follow-up. Reservations do not need to be paid for at this stage; the embassy says it will not cover cancellation fees.
Standard processing is five working days counted from the day after the embassy accepts the application. If the file is referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo it can take more than a month, and requests to expedite because the flight is close are refused. Reasons for a refusal are never given.
The visa is a sticker in your passport, valid for a single entry within three months of issue. If the trip slips past that window you apply again from scratch.
Good to know
- Do not buy a Japan eVISA. As of May 2026 the online system is open only to people residing in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the UK, the US and a handful of Asian countries. A Georgian living in Georgia has to use the paper process, and the look-alike eVISA websites MOFA warns about will happily take your money anyway.
- Self-funded Georgian tourists do not need a Japanese guarantor or letter of invitation. Japan dropped the guarantor requirement for Georgian ordinary-passport holders who pay their own way in June 2017; the guarantor paperwork only applies if someone in Japan is covering your costs.
- MOFA’s visa fees rose sharply on 1 July 2026, from about 3,000 yen to about 15,000 yen for a single entry, payable in local currency. The Tbilisi embassy’s own FAQ says the fee is charged to non-Georgian citizens with a Georgian residence permit, which indicates Georgian citizens are not charged, but it does not spell out a waiver. Ask the consular section when you book.
- The four-week appointment lead time is the real planning constraint, not the five-day processing. Add the two together and start about six weeks out; the embassy’s own advice is to apply at least a month before you travel.
- If you are Georgian but live in one of the countries the embassy lists, such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain or the US, you apply to the Japanese mission where you live, not in Tbilisi, and the document list there may differ.
Frequently asked questions
Do Georgian citizens need a visa for Japan?
Yes. Georgia is not among the countries with a visa exemption arrangement with Japan, so Georgian passport holders must obtain a short-term stay visa before travelling. There is no visa on arrival.
Can Georgians apply for the Japan eVISA?
Not from Georgia. As of May 2026 the Japan eVISA is limited to people residing in a short list of countries, and Georgia is not on it. Applications are made on paper at the Embassy of Japan in Tbilisi.
How long does a Japan visa take in Tbilisi?
Five working days from the day after the embassy accepts the application, if nothing needs further checking. Referrals to Tokyo can take over a month, and you need an appointment booked about four weeks before departure.
How much does a Japan tourist visa cost for Georgian citizens?
MOFA’s fee for applications accepted from 1 July 2026 is about 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa, paid in local currency. The Tbilisi embassy’s FAQ says the fee is charged to non-Georgian residents of Georgia, which suggests Georgian citizens pay nothing, so confirm with the consular section.
How long can Georgians stay in Japan on a tourist visa?
A single-entry short-term stay visa for tourism allows up to 90 days. The period is set on the visa and confirmed at landing, and it cannot be extended past the visa’s terms.
Does a Georgian need an invitation letter or guarantor for a Japan visa?
Not for a self-funded tourist trip. A letter of guarantee and the guarantor’s documents are only required when someone in Japan is paying your travel expenses.
Related pages
Other passports for Japan
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources below on .
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — List of Countries and Regions that have Visa Exemption Arrangements with Japan (archived copy of 2026-08-03, mofa.go.jp refuses automated access): Georgia is not listed. Read 2026-08-22.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — JAPAN eVISA (visaonline.html, page dated 15 May 2026, archived copy of 2026-06-25): eligibility limited to nationals/people residing in the listed countries/regions; single-entry short-term stay visa for tourism for a period of up to 90 days. Read 2026-08-22.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Visa fees from July 1, 2026 (archived copy of 2026-06-25) and Visa fees (archived copy of 2026-06-30): approximately 15,000 yen single-entry and 30,000 yen multiple-entry from 1 July 2026, previously about 3,000 and 6,000 yen; fees may not be required depending on nationality. Read 2026-08-22.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Number of days required for visa issuance (archived copy of 2026-02-07): 5 working days from the day following receipt; over a month if referred to Tokyo. Validity of visa (archived copy of 2025-11-07): single-entry visa valid three months. Read 2026-08-22.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Checklist for Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa for nationals of CIS Countries, Ukraine, and Georgia, April 2025 (archived copy of 2025-05-14): tourism documents, letter of guarantee only when a guarantor in Japan covers expenses. Read 2026-08-22.
- Embassy of Japan in Georgia — CONSULAR & VISA APPLICATION (page dated 2026-01-10, archived copy of 2026-05-17) and Lists of Basic Documents for Temporary Visitor Visa Application (archived copy of 2026-06-10): appointment at least 4 weeks before departure, documents in English, five working days, fee charged to non-Georgian citizens with residence permit, passport valid for the whole stay. Read 2026-08-22.
- Embassy of Japan in Georgia — Relaxation of visa procedures for citizens of Georgia (Georgian-language notice, archived copy of 2025-05-24): from 5 June 2017 no guarantor letter when the applicant pays their own travel expenses. Read 2026-08-22.
Entry rules change without notice and the official source is always the authority. Confirm with the embassy or immigration portal before you book.
