Japan Entry: Paper Forms vs Visit Japan Web (Save Your QR Code)
Entering Japan traditionally means a disembarkation card and a customs declaration. Or pre-fill them on Visit Japan Web and show a saved QR code at immigration. Steps and tips. About 6 min read · Updated 2026-11-01
The traditional paper forms
Traditionally you receive two forms on the plane and fill them in by hand in English or Japanese:
- Disembarkation card: name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, flight, your address and phone in Japan, purpose of visit, etc.
- Customs declaration: whether you carry items that must be declared, such as large amounts of cash, medicines or restricted goods.
Downsides: easy to make mistakes on a plane, you may not have a pen, each traveller needs their own form, and you then queue on arrival.
What is Visit Japan Web?
Visit Japan Web is an official Japanese web service where you can pre-fill the immigration and customs procedures before you travel. When done it generates QR codes; show them on arrival instead of paper forms, which is usually faster.
Paper vs Visit Japan Web
| Paper | Visit Japan Web | |
|---|---|---|
| When you fill it in | On the plane or at arrival | At home, before departure |
| What you need | Pen, passport, lodging details | Passport, flight, lodging details, email |
| At immigration | Hand over paper | Show QR codes |
| Fixing mistakes | Rewrite | Edit online and regenerate |
| Travelling companions | One form each | Add companions; each gets QR codes |
Japan still accepts paper forms for now, but officially encourages Visit Japan Web. Rules can change; check official Japanese government announcements.
How to fill it in
- Create an account on the official Visit Japan Web site with an email address you use, and verify it.
- Register your own details exactly as on your passport: name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, contact.
- Add an arrival record: arrival date, flight number, purpose and length of stay.
- Enter your first night's lodging in Japan: hotel or rental name, address and phone, in English letters (copy from your booking confirmation).
- Answer the immigration and customs questions; once submitted, QR codes are generated.
Set up the account and passport details one or two weeks ahead, then add flight and lodging once booked.
Saving your QR codes
- Find the immigration and customs QR codes, screenshot them to your photo album and keep a copy in the cloud or send it to yourself.
- Airport Wi-Fi/signal can be unreliable, so do not rely on logging in on arrival; an offline screenshot is safest.
- Turn the screen brightness up and avoid glare or cracked screen protectors.
- Each person has their own QR code; one person can set up the family's records, but check every detail.
- Print a spare copy if you like.
Tips
- Passport name and number must match your passport exactly; use romanised English for flight and lodging.
- Japan's tax-free shopping system is scheduled to change from November 2026 to a refund-at-departure approach; if you plan to shop, check the latest official explanation.
- You can still take a paper form on the plane as a backup.
- Entry rules, visas and allowed items can change at any time; rely on official Japanese government information.
General information, not an official notice. Procedures and entry decisions follow official Japanese sources.
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