Japan: Mandatory Tuberculosis Screening for Certain Visa Applicants Forthcoming

Update – March 11, 2025: The Japanese government has launched a dedicated website for the Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening, with a list of designated clinics now available.

January 28, 2025: The Immigration Services Agency has announced that a Tuberculosis (TB) screening certificate will become mandatory for certain visa applications. This measure will apply to mid- to long-term visas, excluding Specified Skilled Worker visas, government-funded exchange programs, and nurse, social worker, or helper visas under the Economic Partnership Agreement and other government programs. It will also include Digital Nomad visas. Applicants subject to this requirement will have to undergo a chest X-ray at a medical institution located in designated countries and approved by the Japanese government. They will have to submit a TB Test certificate as part of the Certificate of Employment (COE) application and, depending on the timing, may also need to be provided during the visa application at the local consulate. The test certificate remains valid for 180 days from the date of testing.

For nationals of the Philippines and Nepal, the TB testing requirement is tentatively scheduled to begin on March 24, 2025, with the test certificate required for COE applications starting June 23, 2025. For Vietnam, testing is expected to commence on May 26, 2025, with the certificate requirement taking effect from September 1, 2025. Meanwhile, the implementation timeline for Indonesia, Myanmar, and China remains under discussion.

Individuals exempt from the TB test include existing residents re-entering Japan with a valid re-entry permit and those entering under visa programs that already require TB screenings, such as the Specified Skilled Worker visa.