Who can shop tax-free in Japan? Eligibility and what to show at the store (from November 2026)

Who qualifies (foreign nationals)

• •People who entered Japan with Temporary Visitor status (sightseeing, short business trips, etc.)
• •People who entered with Diplomat or Official status
• •People with a shore pass: port of call, cruise ship tourist, transit, crew, emergency or distress landing permission (e.g. cruise passengers)
• •Members of the U.S. Armed Forces in Japan and related persons

Japanese citizens

• •Japanese citizens who have lived outside Japan continuously for 2 years or more qualify. Along with a passport, they need a certificate of residence, a copy of their family register attachment (koseki no fuhyo), or a My Number Card.

Who doesn't qualify

• •People living in Japan with a status other than Temporary Visitor, such as for work or study.
• •Japanese citizens living in Japan, or who have lived abroad for less than 2 years.

What to show at the store

The person making the purchase shows these at checkout.

• •Most people: your own passport (with your landing permission from entry). You can show your Visit Japan Web tax-free QR code instead.
• •Cruise passengers with a cruise ship tourist landing permit: the landing permit and your passport. A copy of the passport is also accepted.
• •Crew, emergency or distress landing permission: the landing permit and your passport.
• •U.S. Armed Forces members and related persons: a passport with a SOFA stamp.

What the store sends to the National Tax Agency

• •From your passport, the store sends your name, nationality, date of birth, status of residence, date of landing, and passport type and number to the National Tax Agency's system. The customs check at departure matches this record against your passport.

Special cases

• •You lost your passport and got a new one during your trip: at departure, scan the new passport at the kiosk and tell a customs officer at the counter that you also made tax-free purchases with the old passport.
• •You stopped being eligible after buying (e.g. your status of residence changed): you still need the customs check when you leave Japan.