Short-Stay Tourism — Indian Students Verified 2026-04-20Tourism Visa for Indian University Students and Graduates
Single-entry short-stay visa for Indian university students — purpose: tourism for up to 30 days. Streamlined for students from eligible Indian universities.
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Japan visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
Heads up — Japan Visa Checklists Vary by Jurisdiction
This info is per the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi jurisdiction.
Japan splits visa decisions across the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi + four consulates (Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru). Each has slightly different document checklists, photo specs, and processing times. The requirements on this page match the New Delhi jurisdiction.
Embassy of Japan, New Delhi jurisdiction covers
SureshotVisa helps Indian applicants across all states (and Indians abroad) — not just New Delhi jurisdiction. If you reside elsewhere, reach out and we'll confirm the exact checklist + VFS centre for your consulate.
Processing
Minimum 5 working days
Stay Duration
Up to 30 days
Starting Fee
₹500
Apply At
9 VFS centres
Your whole Japan Tourist Student Visa,
handled for one honest price.
A strong Japan file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.
All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges
File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents
5★ · 100+ reviews · reply in 5 min
Everything below — included, nothing extra
- Document checklist
- Application form guidance
- Document review
- Cover letter
- Purpose of travel structure
- Financial proof review
- Sponsor document guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Post-submission guidance
Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee.
Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.
Your fee, in one glance
What the ₹24,999–₹34,999 fee covers for a Japan file
- We work out what your case actually is, before touching a form
- We build the checklist around your profile, not a template
- We read your documents against each other, not against a list
- Financial proof review
- Purpose of travel structuring
- Cover letter / explanation support
- Return ties review
- Sponsor / invitation guidance
- Application form guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Biometrics guidance
- Post-submission support
Government, VFS, insurance, ticket and hotel costs are separate and charged at cost. Read what each item means, in full.
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every Japan visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1Embassy of Japan, New Delhi jurisdiction covers: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh. Other states go to Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, or Bengaluru consulates with slightly different checklists.
- 2ALL photocopies must be on A4 size paper only.
- 3Photograph must be 45mm × 35mm, white background, colored, ≤6 months old, 70-80% face visibility, good quality paper.
- 4Passport must have more than 2 blank pages. Submit OLD passports too, if any.
- 5VFS Global is involved only in the non-judgmental task of visa processing — does NOT play any role in the decision. All visa decisions are the prerogative of the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi.
- 6Documents submitted will NOT be returned (except for the passport).
- 7The Embassy may request an interview or additional documentation depending on personal circumstances.
- 8For Gurugram / Chandigarh / Lucknow Drop-Off offices: payments via SEPARATE Demand Drafts (one per category) in favour of 'VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd.' — NOT cash/card.
Who Can Apply
- Indian university students (Institutions of National Importance, Central/State/Deemed/Private Universities per MHRD + UGC listing — NOT Open Universities)
- Recent graduates from eligible universities
- Travelling for tourism purposes only (not study/internship)
Not eligible under this visa:
- Students from Open Universities
- Students from unlisted private universities (check UGC/MHRD website)
- Multi-entry requirements — this is single entry only
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to Japan / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Indian — Single Entry | ₹500 |
| Indian — Multiple Entry | ₹500 |
| Other Nationals — Single Entry | ₹1,750 |
| Other Nationals — Multiple Entry | ₹3,450 |
| VFS service charge | ₹800 |
| Courier return (optional) | ₹550 |
Visa Fee is refunded ONLY if the visa is NOT approved by the Embassy. There is a VFS Service Charge of ₹800 (inclusive of all taxes) per application — this applies even if the visa fee itself is exempted. Courier return service charge (optional): ₹550 per application (₹2,650 for Bhutan office). All charges are paid in cash/card only in INR at New Delhi VFS. For Gurugram, Chandigarh, and Lucknow Drop-Off offices: separate Demand Drafts in favour of 'VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd.' — one per applicant for visa fee, service charge, and courier charge.
Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary
What Japan actually requires — and what it does not.
Japan requires a day-by-day schedule on its own official form — the most structured itinerary requirement anywhere.
3 of 4 are compulsory for Japan
Flight reservation
A confirmed round-trip reservation, with dates matching the Schedule of Stay form exactly.
Where people slip: A reservation whose dates drift by even one day from the schedule form. The two are read side by side.
How to hold a flight without payingHotel booking
Accommodation with address and telephone number for every night, entered on the Schedule of Stay.
Where people slip: Leaving a night blank because of an overnight train. Write the train in — a blank line is what gets the file returned.
Refundable hotel booking, explainedTravel insurance
Not a visa requirement, but strongly advised: Japan has no reciprocal health arrangement with India and treatment is charged in full.
Where people slip: Assuming a short trip is low risk. Ambulance and hospital costs in Japan are among the world's highest.
What the cover must actually sayTravel itinerary
The official Schedule of Stay, completed day by day, naming each city and each night's accommodation.
Where people slip: Treating it as a formality. It is the document the officer reads most closely, and inconsistencies are the usual reason for a return.
The letter your itinerary attaches toWe arrange all four for your Japan file.
We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Core Documents
8 items- Passport (valid + old passports if any) + photocopy of Bio Data Page (First + Last Page)Required
- Completely filled and signed Visa Application Form with photographRequired
- Covering letter stating purpose of visit + day-to-day detailsRequired
- Confirmed travel bookingRequired
- Hotel booking for each dayRequired
Day-by-day accommodation — NOT just one hotel.
- Proof of student statusRequired
Current enrolment certificate / graduation certificate from eligible Indian university.
- Check eligible universities listRequired
MHRD: mhrd.gov.in/institutions-national-importance. UGC: ugc.ac.in/oldpdf/alluniversity.pdf (except Open Universities).
- Travel history (last 2 years) to Australia/Canada/Europe/USA/Japan with period details
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
4 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Verify your university is on eligible list
MHRD Institutions of National Importance OR UGC-recognised Central/State/Deemed/Private Universities. Open Universities do NOT qualify.
- 02
Get student status proof
Current enrolment letter or graduation certificate from the eligible university.
- 03
Plan day-by-day hotel booking
Unlike regular Tourist visa, student category requires hotel for EACH day of stay.
- 04
Submit at VFS with all docs
Pay ₹500 + ₹800. Processing 5+ working days.
What works
8 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Apply 2–3 weeks before travel — 5 working days is the minimum, but Embassy can extend.
- Japan has rolled out Multiple-Entry visas for Indian travellers with Japan travel history (Multiple 1-7). If you've been to Japan twice in 3 years, the Multiple visa is much easier to get than a fresh tourist visa.
- Income Tax Returns (ITR) are always accepted; bank statements are the fallback. Submit both when applying for Multiple entry visas.
- For Student/Dependent applicants: always include parent/spouse's ITR + consent letter.
What kills cases
Top 3 refusal triggers we see.
- 1University not on MHRD/UGC eligible list (Open Universities ineligible)
- 2Hotel booking not day-by-day
- 3Student status proof outdated or unclear
Download official forms
Each link opens the official Japan page on VFS Global (we never host third-party forms): pick your visa category there and use its "Download Form" section for the current version.
VFS application centres
Quiz not yet available for this visa type
We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for Tourism Visa for Indian University Students and Graduates is a 1-on-1 consultation with our team.
Frequently asked
Questions, answered straight
Institutions of National Importance (IITs, IIMs, IIITs, AIIMS, NIDs, NITs, etc.), Central Universities, State Universities, Deemed Universities, Private Universities listed on MHRD and UGC websites. Open Universities (IGNOU, etc.) do NOT qualify.
Yes — 'Students and Graduates' is the exact category name. Submit graduation certificate from eligible university.
No — this category is SINGLE ENTRY ONLY, max 30 days. For multi-entry, you'd apply under regular Tourism or Multiple 1-7 categories.
Travel history to Australia/Canada/Europe/USA/Japan in last 2 years is recommended but not mandatory. Details go in the checklist.
Yes — ₹500 for Indians + ₹800 VFS. No discount, but processing is often faster for well-documented student applications.
They'd apply under regular Tourism visa category separately (not student category).
Reviewed by Paramjit Singh, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.
How we get it done
Your Japan Tourism Visa for Indian University Students and Graduates, from your first message to your passport back.
5 questions about this visa specifically. The first two are open — tap any other to read it.
Refused? Our full service fee comes back.Government and visa-centre fees are the one part nobody can refund.
+What does Japan want to see about my funds as a student?
That the money for tuition and living costs exists, is available to you, and came from somewhere explainable. Depending on the country that is a blocked account, a fixed deposit, a sanctioned education loan or a sponsor's income — and the sponsor's relationship to you has to be documented. The most common failure is not a small amount, it is an unexplained one: a large transfer landing shortly before the application, with no trail behind it, reads worse than a smaller balance with history.
+Do I still have to prove I will come back?
Yes, on most study routes — and it surprises people, because the whole point is a multi-year stay. The officer is asking whether the study plan is genuine and whether you intend to comply with the visa, not whether you will never emigrate lawfully later. What answers it is coherence: the course matching your academic history, the cost matching your funding, and a plan that makes sense for someone who intends to finish it.
+How long does a Japan Tourism Visa for Indian University Students and Graduates take, start to finish?
Three things sit between today and your trip: preparing the file properly, waiting for an appointment, and the mission's own processing. Japan currently states Minimum 5 working days from the day the application is submitted at the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi. This is INDICATIVE — processing time may increase or decrease at the discretion of the Embassy. VFS Global has NO role in processing decisions — the Embassy is solely responsible. for the decision itself. We control the first, which is usually days. The middle depends on slot releases. The third is entirely the mission's and no consultant can shorten it — anyone telling you otherwise is selling something they cannot deliver. Tell us your travel date and we will tell you honestly whether it is realistic.
+How much of what I pay for the Japan visa is actually your fee?
Most of it is not ours. The Japan government fee (currently ₹500) goes to the mission and the visa-centre fee goes to VFS — both charged to you at cost, never marked up, and shown as separate lines on one GST invoice in the registered company name. Our service fee is the only part we set, and it is published rather than quoted case by case.
+How does SureshotVisa handle my Japan Tourism Visa for Indian University Students and Graduates, from first message to passport back?
You send what you have on WhatsApp and a licensed consultant says the same working day whether the case is ready. We build the file around your profile, check every document against the others, write the cover letter to match them, and hold the file complete so the first workable appointment can be taken the moment it appears. You attend biometrics; we track the file to the decision (Japan currently states Minimum 5 working days from the day the application is submitted at the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi. This is INDICATIVE — processing time may increase or decrease at the discretion of the Embassy. VFS Global has NO role in processing decisions — the Embassy is solely responsible.). Government and visa-centre fees (₹500 for this visa) are charged at cost; our own fee is published, and if the visa is refused that fee comes back in full.
Before you file
A Japan Tourism Visa for Indian University Students and Graduates goes one of two ways.
Filed on a guessed checklist, the government fee is gone on a refusal and the refusal follows every future application. Filed after a licensed consultant has read the papers against each other, the file answers the officer's questions before they are asked. Same Japan rules, different outcome. How we do that is written once, in full, on the method page rather than repeated here.
Other Japan Visa Types
Tourism Visa (Short-Stay)
Short-stay visa for Indian citizens visiting Japan for holiday or recreation — up to 90 days.
View guideShort Term Business Visa
Short-stay visa for business visits to Japan — conferences, negotiations, exploratory business visits — up to 90 days.
View guideVisit Visa — Relatives / Friends / Acquaintances
Short-stay visa for visiting family, friends, or acquaintances in Japan — up to 90 days.
View guideTransit Visa
Short-stay transit visa for travellers passing through Japan — ₹50 fee for Indians.
View guideLong Term Stay with Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Long-term visa for work, study, or residency in Japan — requires Certificate of Eligibility (COE) obtained by Japanese sponsor.
View guideMedical Stay Visa
Visa for patients travelling to Japan for medical treatment or consultations — requires registered Japanese guarantor (medical coordinator/travel agency).
View guideJ-Find Visa (Future Creation Individual)
2-year visa for Indian graduates of top universities to engage in job hunting, entrepreneurial activity, or remunerative activity in Japan.
View guideMultiple Entry Visa (Multiple 1) — 2+ Japan Visits in Last 3 Years
Multiple-entry short-stay visa for Indians with 2+ temporary visitor visits to Japan in the last 3 years — simple document pack.
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Japan website and Embassy of Japan. Last verified 2026-04-20. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.
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