Quick answer
What size is a Japan visa photo for Chinese applicants?
The Embassy of Japan in China asks for one photo, 4.5 cm high and 3.5 cm wide, on a white background and taken within 6 months, glued to the form. Mainland Chinese visitors need a visa for any stay, applied for through designated agencies, or a JAPAN eVISA for tourism.
Chinese citizens from the mainland need a visa for any stay in Japan, however short, and the Embassy of Japan in China accepts applications only through designated agencies (指定代办机构), not from individuals. Tourists can also get a JAPAN eVISA through an accredited agency, issued for a stay of 15 or 30 days. For a paper application, glue one photo, 4.5 cm high × 3.5 cm wide, on a white background and taken within 6 months before you apply, to the application form.
Japan visa photo size and requirements
| Photo size | 4.5 cm high × 3.5 cm wide (35 × 45 mm) |
|---|---|
| Background | White |
| Number | One photo, glued (贴付) to the visa application form |
| Photo age | Taken within 6 months before you apply |
| Head size and glasses | Not stated on the embassy pages we could read |
| JAPAN eVISA | Tourism, single entry, 15 or 30 days; the accredited agency submits the application |
| Other documents | Issued within the last 3 months, unless they show their own validity date |
How we checked: Japan's embassy and Foreign Ministry websites block automated access, so these rules come from archived copies of the official pages: the embassy's visa page (October 2026), the Foreign Ministry's eVISA page (dated 15 May 2026) and an embassy visa checklist archived in April 2025. Your agency gives you the current checklist; if it differs, follow the agency.
Pick the right photo maker preset
The photo maker preset that matches the embassy size is labelled "Visa (Apply from UK)". Despite the label, it makes a 35 × 45 mm photo on white, the size the Embassy of Japan in China asks for, and the button on this page opens it. Do not choose the plain Japan "Visa" preset: it makes a 45 × 45 mm square, which is the wrong shape.
Applying through a designated agency
The embassy says China (except Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) is not on Japan's visa-exemption list, so Chinese citizens must get a visa in advance whatever the length of stay. In principle the embassy does not accept applications from individuals: tourism visas go through its designated tourism travel agencies (赴日观光旅游业务指定旅行社), and other visas through its visa agencies (签证代办机构). The embassy and each consulate-general cover their own region, so use an agency listed by the office for where you live.
Supporting documents must be issued within the last 3 months, and documents you submit are not returned, apart from originals such as your passport and residence permit (居住证).
JAPAN eVISA for Chinese tourists
Nationals of China who live in China can apply for a JAPAN eVISA through an accredited agency. It covers a single-entry tourist visit, and for Chinese nationals the stay is 15 or 30 days. It is valid only if you travel by air, or by sea on scheduled international passenger ferries between Japan and Busan or Shanghai, and only for ordinary passports. You may be asked to attend an interview.
At the airport you must show the visa issuance notice online: a PDF, screenshot or printed copy is not accepted. The Foreign Ministry does not publish a separate eVISA photo size, and your agency handles the upload, so ask them which file they need.
Is it the same as a Chinese passport photo?
No. A Chinese passport photo is 33 × 48 mm, narrower and taller than Japan's 35 × 45 mm. Crop a new copy from the original photo instead of reusing the print. See the photo size chart.
How to get your Japan visa photo right
- Choose a designated agency. Pick one listed by the embassy or consulate-general for where you live. Tourist visas and eVISAs go through designated travel agencies.
- Take a photo on white. Use a recent colour photo taken within 6 months, facing the camera, on a plain white background.
- Crop it to 4.5 × 3.5 cm. Make it 4.5 cm high and 3.5 cm wide (35 × 45 mm) and print it on photo paper.
- Glue it to the form. Paste the photo onto the visa application form, or give your agency the file for an eVISA, with documents issued within the last 3 months.
Sample photos
Samples show pose, lighting and background. Crop your own photo to the Japan visa size.
Japan visa photo FAQ
4.5 cm high by 3.5 cm wide (35 × 45 mm), on a white background, taken within 6 months, with one photo glued to the application form.
In principle, no. The Embassy of Japan in China accepts applications through its designated agencies and not from individuals.
Yes. Mainland Chinese citizens need a visa for any stay, however short.
Your accredited agency submits the application, and the Foreign Ministry does not publish a separate eVISA photo size. Ask the agency which file they need.
It is the photo maker's 35 × 45 mm Japan preset on white, which matches the embassy size in China. Ignore the label. The plain Japan "Visa" preset makes a 45 × 45 mm square, which is the wrong shape.
Official sources
- Embassy of Japan in China: 赴日签证 (visa information)
- Embassy of Japan in China: 短期商务签证 checklist (photo size)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: The JAPAN eVISA system
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.