Japan lists 63 visa fee-exempt countries, only 2 African nations make the cut

• Japan officially published a list of 63 countries whose nationals are exempt from paying visa application fees
• Only Lesotho and Mauritius made the list from Africa, leaving out major economies like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa
• The exemption covers only the application fee, meaning travellers may still need to apply for a visa through the standard process

Japan has officially published the names of 63 countries and regions whose nationals do not have to pay a visa application fee when applying to visit the country. For African travellers, however, the list offers very little, with only two of the continent's nations included.

Which African countries made Japan's list?

Lesotho and Mauritius are the only African nations whose citizens qualify for the visa fee exemption. Countries with large populations of frequent international travellers, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, did not make the cut. Nationals from those countries will continue to pay the standard visa application fee when applying to visit Japan.

The full list spans six continents and covers countries across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Oceania and the Middle East. European nations account for the largest share, with countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and Ukraine all included. From Asia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Pakistan are on the list, alongside Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and British Nationals Overseas from Hong Kong. The Americas are represented by the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Barbados, Suriname, El Salvador and Honduras. Australia, New Zealand and Jordan also feature.

What the fee exemption actually means

It is important to understand what this exemption does and does not cover. Being on the list does not grant visa-free access to Japan. Nationals from these 63 countries may still be required to go through the standard visa application process. The only benefit is that they will not be charged a fee when doing so.

A few countries on the list come with additional conditions. Romanian nationals qualify only for temporary visits of up to 60 days, while Filipino nationals are covered for temporary stays of no longer than 90 days.

Japan's government published the list on its official website, stating that nationals of the listed countries and regions are exempt from visa fees, described simply as "no charge."

The announcement follows a separate development in which Japan named eight countries whose citizens can use qualifying ePassports to enter the country without obtaining a visa in advance, a list that included Brazil, Thailand, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

Read the full article here.

More Briefly News stories on visas

• South Africans can visit over 50 countries using an e-visa in 2026, from Japan and Saudi Arabia to Kenya, with online applications and stays of up to 150 days.
• The UK Home Office has closed legacy visa extension routes and tightened biometric, settlement and English language rules under Statement of Changes HC 584.
• Abu Dhabi has set a minimum salary of AED 30,000 a month, about R145,000, for skilled foreign professionals to qualify for the 10-year UAE Golden Visa.

Source: Briefly News