Japan tourist visa - extension

[dobebmo1]

Hi,

(Indian) I've received my Japan tourist visa valid for 15 days. How ever due to change of plans, we need to stay for a total period of 20 days.

Called up the consulate and the consulate asked us to reapply with a fresh application. Just want to know if anyone here has faced a similar situation.

Any feed back/ help is appreciatedhttps://speedtest.vet/ https://vidmate.bid/ .

[Anderson22]

Hi there,

Yes, I’ve actually been in a somewhat similar situation a while back — also as a tourist with a short-term visa for Japan.

The Japanese tourist visa (especially for Indian passport holders) is quite strict in terms of dates — the visa validity and duration of stay are both tightly regulated. If your visa was granted for 15 days, you are legally allowed to stay in Japan for exactly those 15 days from the date of entry. Overstaying, even by a few days, can cause serious issues — including penalties, difficulties for future visa applications (not just to Japan), or even entry bans.

It’s good that you called the consulate — they’re right to ask you to reapply. Japan doesn’t usually allow extensions for tourist visas once you’ve entered the country unless there are emergency or humanitarian reasons. So if your travel plans have changed, the only safe route is to submit a fresh visa application that clearly explains the new itinerary and shows bookings for the full 20 days.

A few tips if you’re reapplying:

• Include a cover letter explaining the change in travel plans.
• Submit updated flight and hotel bookings for the new 20-day period.
• Make sure your financial documents (bank statement, ITR, etc.) show you can support yourself for the longer stay.

It’s also worth knowing that even though you’re reapplying, your previous approval works in your favor — it shows the embassy already considered you a low-risk traveler. Just make sure your paperwork is solid and matches your revised itinerary.

Hope that helps, and enjoy your time in Japan! It’s an amazing country — totally worth the paperwork!

Safe travels!

[Mary319Horne]

Hello!
It's tough when travel plans shift, and having to reapply for a Japanese tourist visa for a longer stay is frustrating but standard. Once issued for a specific duration, these visas aren't typically extended or amended before entry. The consulate's advice to submit a fresh application with your updated 20-day itinerary, new flight bookings, and sufficient proof of funds is the correct path. You'll need to start from scratch, but a clear explanation for the Official Site change in your cover letter should help. This approach is consistent with how consulates handle such changes, prioritizing a complete new assessment over amending existing, short-term visas.