Do Lebanese passport holders need a visa for Japan?

By Pranav Muley · Software Engineer, Tripmojo · Updated August 22, 2026 · Reviewed by Simran Raheja

Japan — scenes from the Tripmojo destination guide

Yes. Lebanese citizens need a short-term stay visa for Japan, issued as a sticker in the passport by the Embassy of Japan in Beirut before travel. Lebanon is not among the countries and regions with a visa exemption, and it is not eligible for the Japan eVISA, so there is no online route. A single-entry tourism visa costs about 15,000 yen in local currency, normally takes around a week, and allows a stay of up to 90 days.

Quick facts

Visa required

Visa required: Yes, a short-term stay visa (sticker), no eVISA for Lebanese nationals
Where to apply: Embassy of Japan in Lebanon, Beirut, visa section 09:00 to 12:00 Monday to Friday
Embassy status: Consular services closed from 4 March 2026 until further notice, as read on 22 August 2026; confirm before booking
Cost: About 15,000 yen single entry, about 30,000 yen multiple entry, paid in local currency (from 1 July 2026)
Processing time: Approximately one week, longer if Tokyo is consulted
Visa validity: Three months from issue, single entry
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days, granted on landing

Entry requirements

A valid Lebanese passport. MOFA does not publish a minimum remaining validity, but the visa is placed in the passport and must be used within three months of issue.
One completed visa application form, filled in block letters, and one photograph.
A flight itinerary showing the flight number and the dates you arrive in and leave Japan. A paid ticket is not required at application, and MOFA says so expressly.
Proof you can pay for the trip: an income certificate or tax return issued by a public agency, or a bank statement or balance certificate.
An itinerary in Japan listing dates, accommodation with name, address and phone number, and what you plan to do each day.
Every supporting document must have been issued within the last three months, and nothing except the passport is returned to you.

How to apply

Check that the embassy is accepting applications. Its Visiting Japan page, as last archived, says consular services were suspended from 4 March 2026 because of the security situation in Lebanon, until further notice. Call +961 1 989 751 or email consular.section@bt.mofa.go.jp before you assemble anything.

Gather the tourism set: passport, the MOFA application form, one photo, a flight itinerary, proof of funds and a day-by-day itinerary in Japan. Tourists do not need a guarantor or an invitation letter. Those are for business visits and visits to relatives or friends, and if you do have a host in Japan the embassy asks that their invitation and guarantee letters reach you as originals, not scans.

Submit in person at the visa section, open 09:00 to 12:00, Monday to Friday. Processing is approximately one week. It can take longer if the embassy refers the case to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo, and additional documents can be requested at any point.

Pay the fee when the visa is issued, in local currency. For applications accepted on or after 1 July 2026 it is roughly 15,000 yen for single entry and 30,000 yen for multiple entry. Nothing is charged if the visa is refused, and MOFA states that reasons for refusal are not given.

Good to know

The fee roughly quintupled on 1 July 2026. Pages and agents still quoting 3,000 yen are using the pre-July cabinet order, and the new amount is converted into Lebanese currency at the embassy’s rate on the day, so ask for the figure in the currency you will actually hand over.
The Japan eVISA will accept your details and your money whether or not you are eligible, and fraud sites copying it are common enough that both MOFA and the Beirut embassy warn about them. Lebanese passport holders resident in Lebanon cannot use it at all. The only exception is if you legally reside in one of the eligible countries, such as the UAE or Saudi Arabia, in which case you apply through the Japanese mission for that residence, not through Beirut.
The visa is valid for three months from issue and for one entry. Apply early enough to get it but not so early that it lapses: a visa issued in January for a trip in May is worthless, and MOFA says validity cannot be extended.
Do not book non-refundable flights or hotels before the visa is granted. MOFA explicitly says reservations are not required at application and that it will not cover cancellation fees, and refusals come without a stated reason.
On arrival every visitor aged 16 or over gives fingerprints and a facial photograph before the landing interview. Refusing means being sent back, visa or not. The period of stay is decided by the officer then, within the 90-day ceiling on the visa.

Frequently asked questions

Do Lebanese need a visa for Japan?

Yes. Lebanon has no visa exemption arrangement with Japan, so Lebanese citizens must obtain a short-term stay visa from the Embassy of Japan in Beirut before travelling.

Can Lebanese citizens apply for the Japan eVISA?

No. As of May 2026 the Japan eVISA is open only to people living in a listed set of countries and regions, and Lebanon is not one of them. Lebanese residents of the UAE or Saudi Arabia, among others, can use it through the mission for their place of residence.

How much is a Japan visa for Lebanese citizens?

For applications accepted from 1 July 2026, approximately 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and 30,000 yen for multiple entry, paid in local currency when the visa is issued. There is no charge if it is refused.

How long does a Japan visa take in Lebanon?

Approximately one week from submission according to MOFA, longer if the embassy consults Tokyo or asks for more documents. That assumes the Beirut consular section is open, which it was not as of the last notice we could read.

Is the Japanese embassy in Beirut issuing visas?

Its Visiting Japan page, dated 9 March 2026, says consular services were temporarily closed from 4 March 2026 until further notice because of the security situation. We could not confirm a reopening. Contact the consular section on +961 1 989 751 before you apply.

Do Lebanese tourists need a guarantor for a Japan visa?

No. MOFA’s checklist asks tourists only for their own documents: passport, form, photo, flight itinerary, proof of funds and an itinerary in Japan. Guarantor and invitation letters apply to business trips and visits to relatives or friends.

How long can Lebanese citizens stay in Japan on a tourist visa?

A single-entry tourism visa allows a stay of up to 90 days. The exact period is granted by the immigration officer on landing, and the visa itself must be used within three months of issue.

Other passports for Japan

Other destinations for Lebanon passport holders

Lebanon passport holders visiting Maldives

Sources

Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources below on 22 August 2026.

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). Read 2026-08-22.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — The JAPAN eVISA system (electronic visa), page dated 15 May 2026: eligibility limited to residents of Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the U.S.A., China, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Mongolia, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (archived copy of 2026-07-31). Read 2026-08-22.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Visa Fees, page dated 24 June 2026: approximately 15,000 yen single-entry and 30,000 yen multiple-entry for applications accepted on or after 1 July 2026, paid in local currency, no fee if refused (archived copy of 2026-06-25); and the earlier Visa Fees page dated 29 June 2026 giving 3,000 and 6,000 yen for applications up to 30 June 2026 (archived copy of 2026-06-30). Read 2026-08-22.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Checklist for "Single-Entry Short-Term Stay Visa" for all nationalities except China, Russia, CIS Countries, Ukraine, Georgia, and the Philippines, April 2025: tourism documents, approximately one week processing, documents issued within the last three months, reservations not required at application (archived copy of 2026-03-31). Read 2026-08-22.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Foreign nationals except nationals of China, Russia, the CIS Countries, Ukraine, Georgia, the Philippines and Viet Nam wishing to come to Japan for a short-term stay, dated 17 September 2025 (archived copy of 2026-01-09). Read 2026-08-22.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Validity of a Visa: single-entry visa valid for three months, not extendable (archived copy of 2025-11-07). Read 2026-08-22.
Embassy of Japan in Lebanon — Visiting Japan, page dated 9 March 2026: consular services temporarily closed from 4 March until further notice; visa section hours, contact details, and links to the MOFA procedure and checklist (archived copy of 2026-03-13, lb.emb-japan.go.jp refuses automated access). Read 2026-08-22.
Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice of Japan — Outline of New Immigration Procedures: fingerprints and a facial photograph on landing for foreign nationals aged 16 and over, linked from the Embassy of Japan in Lebanon (archived copy of 2026-04-12). 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.

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