Japan visa-free stay: 90 days for HK, Taiwan & Singapore passports
Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore are among Japan's biggest visitor sources, and all three passports enjoy the same deal: no visa needed for short stays of up to 90 days. What varies are the details — the ID-number condition attached to Taiwan passports, what immigration may ask you at the counter, and whether you need six months of passport validity (short answer: no). Here is the verified version.
Fast answer
Holders of Hong Kong SAR, BN(O) (with right of residence in Hong Kong), Taiwan and Singapore ordinary passports may enter Japan visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism, visiting friends or business meetings. Taiwan passports must contain the personal ID number. Employment is not permitted. Pre-registering on the official Visit Japan Web app saves the paper forms but is optional.
| Passport | Stay | Entry method |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong SAR | 90 days | Visa-free stay |
| BN(O), with HK right of residence | 90 days | Visa-free stay |
| Taiwan (personal ID number required) | 90 days | Visa-free stay |
| Singapore | 90 days | Visa-free stay |
How the 90-day exemption works
Japan maintains reciprocal visa-exemption arrangements with more than 70 countries and regions, and Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore are all on the list for 90-day short stays. The exact permitted period is granted at immigration on arrival and printed or stamped in your passport. Two caveats worth knowing:
- Taiwan's ID-number condition: the arrangement applies only to Taiwan passports carrying the personal ID number. Ordinary passports issued by Taiwan's Bureau of Consular Affairs include it; emergency or temporary travel documents may not — check with the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association before flying on such a document.
- Longer stays: the exemption cannot be extended as a tourist. Stays beyond 90 days, work or study require the appropriate visa applied for before departure.
Entry method: no authorisation, one handy app
Visa-free means exactly that — no pre-applied visa or electronic travel authorisation exists for Japan. The only recommended pre-travel step is the government's Visit Japan Web service: enter your immigration and customs declarations online, receive a QR code, and skip the paper forms. It is optional; paper forms remain available on arrival.
Immigration officers may ask about your itinerary and to see a return or onward ticket and accommodation details. Most travellers are not asked, but having proof to hand avoids delays.
Passport validity
Japan requires the passport to be valid for the period of stay — there is no six-month rule. Airlines check documents against the IATA Timatic database at check-in, and Hong Kong's Immigration Department and Taiwan's BOCA both routinely advise six months of validity for overseas travel, so border-line passports are best renewed before a trip. See our six-month passport validity rule explainer (中文) for the full comparison.
Other stated requirements
- Purpose: tourism, visiting friends/relatives, sports, conferences and similar short-term activities — not paid employment.
- Proof of onward travel and accommodation (booking confirmations are enough).
- Funds: no fixed amount is published, but officers may ask for evidence you can support yourself.
- Cash: declare if carrying more than ¥1 million in cash or equivalents; duty-free purchase rules have tightened in recent years.
Trip-prep checklist
- Check the passport is valid beyond your return date (and carries the ID number, for Taiwan passports).
- Set up Visit Japan Web one or two days before departure and screenshot the QR codes.
- Keep offline copies of tickets and hotel bookings.
- Remember 90 days is per entry — frequent back-to-back visits invite questions at immigration.
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General information only, not legal or immigration advice. Rules can change — confirm against the official sources below before travel.