THE Japan Embassy yesterday said accredited travel agencies will stop accepting visa application starting next month once its new visa processing center opens.
The Japan Visa Application Centre (JVAC) is set to open on April 7.
The embassy said accredited agencies will stop accepting visa applications starting April 6.
Under the current system, all applications for Japanese visa need to go through accredited travel agencies as the embassy does not accept walk-in applications.
“Please note that from April 7 2025, applications will be accepted at the Japan Visa Application Center,” the embassy said in an advisory.
The embassy said the new center is expected to “provide better service and convenience to those applying for visas.”
Applicants will pay a visa and center usage fee of P520.
The embassy said all short-term and long-term visa applications will be handled by VFS Service, a visa outsourcing and technology services company for governments and diplomatic missions.
VFS branches will be set up in Makati, Parañaque, Quezon City, Cebu City, and Davao City, which will accept applications from 7a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
The embassy advised applicants to first secure an appointment online using the VFS Philippines websites before coming to the center.
Last month, the embassy said efforts are being done to process Filipino tourist visas within five working days as part of the overall effort of their government to entice more Filipinos to visit Japan and to further enhance people-to-people relationship.
In January this year, the embassy advised Filipino travelers to submit their visa applications two months in advance due to the increase in the number of Filipino tourists.
It said the examination of tourist visa applications may take longer due to the influx of visitors.
Japanese Ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said 87,100 Filipino tourists visited Japan in November 2024 alone, which is a 37 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Japanese government data also showed more than 710,000 Filipinos visited the country from January to November 2024 – a 30.7 percent increase from the same period in 2023.
