For China-passport holders living in Canada who fly between Canada and China, a stop in Japan can be a nice way to break up an award trip and spend a few days travelling. That requires a valid Japan visa. This article shares my process for applying for a multiple-entry Japan visa in Vancouver.

Japan multiple-entry visa

Introduction

Canadian citizens can enter Japan visa-free for stays of up to 90 days. China-passport holders who live in Canada and plan to visit Japan as tourists need a Japan visa.

When I checked the Japanese Consulate in Canada, a single-entry tourist visa could be applied for through the eVisa website. At the time of this 2024 application, the fee was CAD 29. A multiple-entry visa required an in-person application, and the fee was CAD 57. Since I expected to transit Japan several times on future trips back to China and add some sightseeing, I prepared an application for a multiple-entry visa.

⚠️ There were also two types of multiple-entry visas, mainly based on your financial situation and income, so make sure your proof of funds is in order:

  • A three-year multiple-entry visa, allowing stays of up to 30 days per entry
  • A five-year multiple-entry visa, allowing stays of up to 90 days per entry

Preparing your application

Prepare the following documents according to the official requirements:

  • A valid passport
  • Proof of long-term residence in Canada, such as a study permit, work permit, or PR card
  • One passport photo, 45 × 35 mm and taken within the previous six months
  • The visa application form
  • A flight itinerary that includes your flights into and out of Japan
  • A travel itinerary. Download the official itinerary form and fill in your planned itinerary, hotels, and related information.
  • Six months of Canadian bank-account records
  • Tax records, such as a Notice of Assessment downloaded from CRA
  • A letter explaining why you need multiple entries

The requirements were fairly clear. In my experience, the officer checked the documents one by one and paid particular attention to the travel itinerary, bank records, and tax documents. Because the spaces on the itinerary form were small, I initially wrote only the cities I planned to visit. The officer asked me to add the general attractions I intended to see. Fortunately, I could amend it on the spot. When preparing your itinerary, include a little more detail than just the cities. The officer may also ask whether the travel plan is reasonable. I brought hotel confirmations as well; this officer did not keep them, but the itinerary form requires each hotel’s address and phone number.

You need to submit records for only one bank account, as long as it shows a continuous six-month history.

There is no fixed format for the explanation letter. I briefly said that I expected to visit Japan several times over the next few years, and the officer did not appear to examine it closely. Based on my own application and those of friends around me, the length of a multiple-entry tourist visa seems to depend largely on the proof of funds you provide. Stronger proof of funds made a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa relatively attainable.

Reference: Multiple-entry Japan visa application for China-passport holders residing in BC or Yukon

In-person application

At the time of this 2024 experience, an appointment was not required for an in-person application at the Vancouver Consulate. The consulate page set out the details clearly:

  • Applications were accepted Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • Payment and passport collection were from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visa fees were accepted in Canadian cash only.
  • The website showed a processing time of five to six business days, which matched my own timeline.
Japan visa collection slip

My timeline:

  • January 31: I arrived for the in-person application at about 9:10 a.m. One person was ahead of me. The application process took one hour in total.
  • After accepting the documents, the staff gave me a small slip to collect my passport on or after February 7 and circled the CAD 57 fee.
  • February 7: I collected my passport at 1:15 p.m. One person was ahead of me. I paid the fee and received a five-year multiple-entry visa. The visit took five minutes in total.

The Japanese Consulate in Vancouver is in a convenient location: 900-1177 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6E2K9.

Based on my two visits, street parking downstairs was relatively available. Park, head straight up, and one hour cost CAD 7. There are also other underground parking garages nearby. By transit, take the SkyTrain to Burrard Station and walk about eight minutes.

I hope everyone planning to apply for a multiple-entry Japan visa has a smooth approval process.