After successfully obtaining a 3-year multi-entry visa for Japan to travel during the 30/4 holiday, Thang Nguyen, a Hanoi-based advertising professional, shared his application experience.

The application process for this visa type involves several steps: preparing personal documents like employment, financial records, and assets two to three months in advance. Applicants must complete the declaration form, itinerary, book flights and hotels, and write an accompanying letter before submitting to authorized agencies of the Japanese consulate.

Processing typically takes seven to eight working days. Drawing on his experience traveling to the US and several European countries, Thang believes the accompanying explanatory letter is a key factor in the multi-entry visa decision.

Thang during his trip to Japan in 12/2024. Photo: Provided

The letter should be concise, approximately one A4 page. Its content needs a structured approach with four main parts: self-introduction and profession, reasons for choosing Japan over other destinations, a detailed plan for future entries, and a commitment to adhere strictly to tourism purposes.

According to Thang, the consulate favors highly personalized applications over generic templates or artificial intelligence-generated content. In his letter, Thang detailed his lifelong connection to Japanese culture, cultivated through manga series like One Piece, Naruto, and Jujutsu Kaisen, and his Japanese language studies during university. This, combined with his prior entry into Japan on a group business visa in 2024, formed a logical basis for his request for a multi-entry visa.

"I aspire to directly experience Japan across its different seasons—attending summer festivals with fireworks, witnessing cherry blossoms in spring, admiring snow-capped mountains in winter, and visiting ancient temples representing the nation's cultural heritage," a portion of Thang's letter stated.

Based on this vision, the traveler outlined a specific projected re-entry itinerary, including trips in the summer and winter of 2026, and during the cherry blossom season of 2027.

The famous slope in Tokyo, inspired by the anime "Your Name". Photo: The Good Men

Regarding financial proof, Thang noted that transparency and stability of cash flow are valued more than the total volume of assets owned. His application did not include property ownership documents. The accompanying savings account balance was 200 million VND, lower than the 300 million VND often recommended by service providers. The financial strength of his application rested on his bank statements, which demonstrated a consistent monthly income.

Nguyen Canh Linh, Head of Visa Department at Top Ten Travel, agreed on the importance of the accompanying letter.

"It's a strong positive for a robust application, offering hope for a long-term multi-entry visa, and can even salvage a weaker one," Linh stated, emphasizing it provides an opportunity for travelers to present their strengths and persuade the reviewer.

According to Linh, the "compelling and relevant" reasons for seeking a multi-entry visa significantly increase the likelihood of being granted a one-to-three-year multi-entry visa.

According to data from the General Statistics Office, Japan was the second most popular outbound destination for Vietnamese travelers in 2025, attracting 635,000 visitors (as of 11/2025) and accounting for 10% of total Vietnamese outbound tourism for the year. Currently, Japan is experiencing its most beautiful cherry blossom season, with blooms gradually progressing from south to north.

Hoai Anh