Some UAE residents who are hoping to finally turn their Japan holiday dreams into reality are facing a challenge: It is struggle to get a visa.
Japan recently suspended its e-visa system — a facility launched in 2023 to make the application process easier for UAE residents. While Emiratis can visit the country visa-free, many expats have to secure the permit prior to their trips.
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Now, those applying for a visa to the popular East Asian destination have to e-mail its Dubai consulate for an appointment. However, travellers and agencies that Khaleej Times spoke to said it was “almost impossible” to get a slot and several requests were being “rejected”.
Rafeez Ahmed, a Dubai-based travel vlogger, is planning to explore Japan for two weeks in September — but instead of counting down to the big day, on Wednesday, he was anxiously compiling his documents for visa application. This would be his second attempt.
“I was working with an agency to get an appointment but they had been trying to get one for the past two weeks. They sent four letters to the consulate and all four were rejected or denied,” Rafeez told Khaleej Times.
“Now, I spoke to another agency who said they could give me an appointment for July 1,” said the Indian expat, keeping his fingers crossed.
New process after e-visa suspension
With the e-visa, applicants just had to log into a website, submit the requirements, and pay the fees (Dh80 for most nationalities and Dh20 for Indians).
This online visa system, however, has been suspended in Dubai since April 27, according to a call centre executive for the Japanese Consulate-General in the emirate.
To secure an appointment, applicants now have to send an e-mail to the consulate between 8am and 10am on weekdays. The mission published a guide on its website (www.dubai.uae.emb-japan.go.jp/), specifying the details that must be included in the e-mail.
If an appointment is confirmed, the consulate will reply by 4pm with an appointment for the next day. If an applicant doesn’t get a response, it means the request “was not successful” — and he/she will have to send another e-mail request the next day.
In its guide, the consulate said that an application will not be accepted if the travel date is “more than 3 months or less than 2 weeks at the time of application”.
‘We just got tired of trying’
For some travel agencies in Dubai that sent countless e-mails for visa appointments — there was never an answer.
Malou Prado, CEO of MPQ Travel and Tourism, said sending these e-mails did not work at all. “At first, we just kept sending these appointment requests to the consulate but we didn’t get any response. We just got tired of trying.”
A customer service representative of another agency, Akbar Travels UAE, said they used to help residents apply for Japan visas. “But after the e-visa suspension and because of multiple rejections, we just stopped offering the service.”
Even travel platform Musafir.com encountered the same challenges, according to Rashida Zahid, vice-president for the agency’s operations.
Two days ago, however, they were able to get visas processed, Zahid said. It is touch and go — some are granted a slot, others are not as lucky.
Rafeez had also heard of some travellers who managed to secure appointments but “it was very rare”.
These visa challenges come at a time when concerns of “overtourism” have emerged in Japan. The destination has seen more than three million visitors for a third straight month in May, according to official data. With a weak yen, travellers from different parts of the world are able to enjoy a bargain.
Japan has always been a popular destination for travellers from the UAE.
“We’ve observed a consistent interest in Japan as a holiday destination, and we anticipate this trend to continue,” said Zahid from Musafir.com.
Finding a solution
Amid visa woes, some agencies, like MPQ Travel and Tourism, managed to find a solution for its clientele.
“For our Filipino clients, we now suggest that they apply back home, since we also have an office in Manila,” Prado said.
“Those who go on one-month annual leave would spend some time in Manila first so they would be able to apply for the visa in person. Within seven to 10 working days, they can get their visa for Japan,” she explained.
Prado also encourage her customers to apply for multiple-entry visas. “We have noticed that after a traveller is able to go to Japan with a single-entry visa, it is much easier to get a five-year multi-entry one upon coming back,” she said.