Japan will begin issuing e-visas to Vietnamese tour groups from November 1st.

According to an announcement on the website of the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam on October 2nd, the electronically issued visa is for short-term, single-entry tourism purposes valid for up to 15 days and is only granted to Vietnamese passport holders residing in Vietnam.

The issuance of electronic visas will begin gradually among designated travel companies organizing package tours. Initially, the new policy will not apply to independent travelers but will be applied to authorized tour operators, and later to designated companies.

Ms. Chung Thuy Chau, Business Director of Vietnam Tourism Media Joint Stock Company, stated: “The new policy makes it easier to apply for group visas and will certainly attract more tourists, especially during the year-end period. This is also a positive sign for cooperation in attracting tourists in both directions between Vietnamese and Japanese travel agencies.”

It is known that in the first eight months of the year, Vietnam was one of the seven largest source markets for tourists to Japan. Conversely, Japan was also one of the largest source markets for tourists to Vietnam, with over 414,000 visitors in the first eight months, ranking behind South Korea, mainland China, and Taiwan.