Japan Lists 2 African Countries Whose Citizens Can Apply For Japanese Visas For Free

Japan Lists 2 African Countries Whose Citizens Can Apply For Japanese Visas For Free

  • Japan confirmed a list of countries whose nationals are exempt from paying any fee when applying for a Japanese visa
  • Only two African countries made Japan's official visa fee exemption list, setting them apart from the rest of the continent
  • Japan published the exemption list on its official website, naming the eligible African countries directly

Japan has confirmed the names of countries whose citizens can apply for a Japanese visa without paying any visa fee, and only two African nations made the list.

According to Japan's official website, certain nationalities are completely exempted from visa application fees.

Japan names of 2 African countries covered by its visa fee exemption
Japan confirms African countries whose citizens do not pay visa fees. Images for illustration purposes only. Photo Source: Getty Images/Kyodo News /Alexander W Helin
Source: Getty Images

Japan's visa fee exemption: African countries

The government stated: "Nationals of the countries/regions below are exempt from visa fees (no charge)."

Of all the countries across the African continent, only two appear on Japan's official exemption list:

  1. Lesotho
  2. Mauritius

Citizens of both nations can apply for a Japanese visa without bearing the cost that applicants from most other African countries are required to pay. The rest of the continent does not feature on the exemption list, meaning travellers from nations such as Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa must pay the standard visa fee when applying.

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What does the exemption mean?

The visa fee exemption does not remove the requirement to apply for a visa. Citizens of Lesotho and Mauritius still need to go through the standard Japanese visa application process, but they are spared the financial cost associated with it.

The inclusion of Lesotho and Mauritius places them among a select group of countries worldwide that have secured this arrangement with Japan, a recognition that stands out given how few African nations appear on the list.

Japan lists countries eligible for ePassport entry

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Japan has named eight countries whose citizens can enter the country with approved ePassports without applying for a visa beforehand.

The countries are Montenegro, Peru, Paraguay, Panama, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Serbia.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Muhammed Hammed Olayinka avatar

Muhammed Hammed Olayinka (Human Interest Editor) Muhammed has worked with Oracle UNILORIN, Opera News Hub, Scopper News, Gistreel, and now LEGIT.ng. He won the NAPSS President Writing Skirmish (2017) and was first runner-up in the UNILORIN Senate Writing Contest (2018). He can be reached via email at muhammed.hammedolayinka@corp.legit.ng