Japan visa from India: What not to do, according to a traveller whose application was rejected twice
ETimes | February 9, 2026 6:39 PM CST
Applying for a visa can be a dicey task at times. Even after doing everything by the book, you might still not get through due to one reason or the other. Likewise, applying for a Japan visa is also a straightforward process, and we have come across many accounts who shared that they got their visa approved without any hassle, there are also a handful of candidates who got their visa rejected.
Here, we take a closer look at an Indian traveller’s online account of losing over INR 1 lakh on a planned December 2025 Japan trip, despite claiming that his tourist visa application was ‘perfect.’
He goes on to explain on how their visa application to Japan was rejected not once, but twice, without any written explanation, email, or refusal slip, even as one of their co-travellers received approval for the same itinerary.Read on to understand things you should remember while applying for a visa.
Everything was done by the book, and still rejectedAccording to the him, he followed the official checklist issued by VFS Global and the Japan Embassy in India, which explicitly asks for confirmed flight tickets and accommodation bookings for the entire stay.
Trusting these instructions, he went ahead and booked fully paid, largely non-refundable international flights and hotels across Tokyo, Osaka, Takayama and Shirakawa-go. The total spend crossed INR 1,00,000.
His visa was rejected. One of the most jarring aspects is the lack of any formal communication. Japan’s visa process does not provide rejection reasons, missing-document notes, or clarification channels. Applicants simply receive their passport back with no visa stamp and no explanation.
For a country known for efficiency, this was shocking, the post reads.
Group application confusionThe traveller was part of a group of four. One friend applied earlier, individually, and received a visa. The remaining three applied together later and were all rejected, despite submitting identical documents, itineraries, flights, hotels and financial proofs.
The post alleges that VFS staff insisted the applicants submit as a group and refused to accept individual applications, only to later imply that one applicant in the group may have caused the rejection.
The traveller argues this creates a dangerous situation where:
Applicants are forced to apply together
One person’s perceived ‘risk’ can lead to collective rejection
No one is told what went wrong
Read more:
Strong financial and professional profile still didn’t help
The applicant says they submitted:
The traveller still reapplied due to the money already spent, and received their passport back, unchanged, confirming what they had been warned.
The financial loss included non-refundable flights, partially refundable hotels, attraction tickets and internal travel. While the applicant admits booking non-refundable flights was a mistake, they argue the current system, which demands confirmed bookings, puts applicants in a high-risk situation.
Read more:
A warning for future applicantsThe post ends with clear advice to other Indians planning a Japan trip:
As Japan remains one of the most aspirational destinations for Indian travellers, the post has resonated widely online — highlighting how opaque visa systems can turn dream holidays into costly disappointments, even for well-prepared applicants.
Disclaimer: The above article is based on a Reddit post and Times of India has not verified the veracity of the claim
Here, we take a closer look at an Indian traveller’s online account of losing over INR 1 lakh on a planned December 2025 Japan trip, despite claiming that his tourist visa application was ‘perfect.’
He goes on to explain on how their visa application to Japan was rejected not once, but twice, without any written explanation, email, or refusal slip, even as one of their co-travellers received approval for the same itinerary.Read on to understand things you should remember while applying for a visa.
Everything was done by the book, and still rejectedAccording to the him, he followed the official checklist issued by VFS Global and the Japan Embassy in India, which explicitly asks for confirmed flight tickets and accommodation bookings for the entire stay.
Trusting these instructions, he went ahead and booked fully paid, largely non-refundable international flights and hotels across Tokyo, Osaka, Takayama and Shirakawa-go. The total spend crossed INR 1,00,000.
His visa was rejected. One of the most jarring aspects is the lack of any formal communication. Japan’s visa process does not provide rejection reasons, missing-document notes, or clarification channels. Applicants simply receive their passport back with no visa stamp and no explanation.
For a country known for efficiency, this was shocking, the post reads.
Group application confusionThe traveller was part of a group of four. One friend applied earlier, individually, and received a visa. The remaining three applied together later and were all rejected, despite submitting identical documents, itineraries, flights, hotels and financial proofs.
The post alleges that VFS staff insisted the applicants submit as a group and refused to accept individual applications, only to later imply that one applicant in the group may have caused the rejection.
The traveller argues this creates a dangerous situation where:
Applicants are forced to apply together
One person’s perceived ‘risk’ can lead to collective rejection
No one is told what went wrong
Read more:
Strong financial and professional profile still didn’t help
The applicant says they submitted:
- INR 1.8 lakh in bank balance
- Three years of ITR
- Salary slips and company NOC
- Employment letter showing a full-time senior data scientist role
- Detailed itinerary and cover letter
- Even optional documents like Shinkansen and attraction tickets
- Despite this, the visa was refused twice.
The traveller still reapplied due to the money already spent, and received their passport back, unchanged, confirming what they had been warned.
The financial loss included non-refundable flights, partially refundable hotels, attraction tickets and internal travel. While the applicant admits booking non-refundable flights was a mistake, they argue the current system, which demands confirmed bookings, puts applicants in a high-risk situation.
Read more:
A warning for future applicantsThe post ends with clear advice to other Indians planning a Japan trip:
- Avoid non-refundable bookings
- Expect no explanation in case of rejection
- Plan for rejection as a real possibility
- Reapply only after six months, not sooner
As Japan remains one of the most aspirational destinations for Indian travellers, the post has resonated widely online — highlighting how opaque visa systems can turn dream holidays into costly disappointments, even for well-prepared applicants.
Disclaimer: The above article is based on a Reddit post and Times of India has not verified the veracity of the claim
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