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VISITORS. People carry umbrellas as they visit Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan August 15, 2021.
REUTERS
Starting April 6, the embassy will no longer accept and process applications made via travel agencies
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino visitors to Japan can now apply for a Japanese visa at an application center via VFS Service Philippines, which will be charging lower handling fees compared to the old system.
According to the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, the appointment website was launched on Wednesday, March 19. The actual operations of the Japan Visa Application Center will start on April 7, 2025.
Starting April 6, the embassy will no longer accept and process applications made via accredited travel agencies, which charge handling fees of at least P1,200 per applicant, depending on the type of visa.
The new centers come just over a month after the embassy said in an advisory that visa processing may take as long as two months as the volume of applicants surged.
The application centers
There are five visa application centers across the Philippines:
- Cebu: Level 6, Faustina Center, Cabahug Street, Kasambagan, Cebu City
- Davao: FEG 9-10 2nd floor, Alfresco area, Felcris Centrale, Quimpo Blvd, Davao City
- Makati: Ground Floor, Makati Circuit Corporate Center Tower Two, AP. Reyes St., Barangay Carmona, Theater Drive Circuit, Makati City
- Parañaque: Level 3, Parqal Mall, Building 5, Diokno Avenue corner Macapagal Boulevard, Parañaque City
- Quezon City: Level 3, Gateway Tower Mall, Araneta City, Quezon City
The centers will be open Monday to Friday from 7 am to 4 pm.
Application hours are from 7 am to 2 pm for the Parañaque, Makati, and Quezon City branches. Meanwhile, Cebu and Davao branches will accept applications from 7 am to 12 noon.
What you need to know
Aside from the visa application fees (which costs around 3,000 yen for single entry visas and 6,000 yen for multiple entries), applicants will also be charged a center usage fee or a service fee of P520. Applicants can pay the service fee in cash or through credit and debit cards.
Visa application fees may also be settled at the center.
Among the tips given by VFS Global to applicants are:
- Arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment. Applicants aged below 18 are allowed only one guardian.
- Bring complete documents (print the details of the appointment; valid passport or travel documents; completed visa application form; and other supporting documents).
- Wear bright-colored clothing instead of light ones.
- Fingertips should be free from cuts, abrasions, and other markings for biometrics.
VFS Global allows visitors to track their applications through their website. – Rappler.com
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