Relationship Evidence for Japan Visa Applicants

Are you preparing a file for your whole family or a group of friends travelling to Japan? Do not forget to document the relationship between co-travellers for a Japan visa.

This is a separate item in a short-stay visa file for tourism purposes. Preparing it correctly from the start will help your file look clear and easier to follow.

📌 Why you need to prove the relationship between co-travellers for a Japan visa

When several people travel together as a group, the reviewing authority needs to understand the relationship between the members.

Proving the relationship helps keep the file consistent with the visit programme and itinerary of the whole group. You can review the overall picture in Short-Term Japan Tourist Visa Application File: Required Documents.

Before submitting your file, confirm and prepare the documents that prove the relationship of the people travelling together.

📂 Family relationships: documents to prepare

For family relationships, the guidance document lists papers such as birth certificates, marriage certificates and similar documents.

You should prepare the document that fits each actual relationship in your family. For example, a husband-and-wife relationship needs a document showing the marriage. A parent-and-child relationship needs a document showing the birth relationship.

• Birth certificate: used to prove a parent-child relationship or other family relationships recorded on a birth certificate.
• Marriage certificate: used to prove a husband-and-wife relationship when travelling together.
• Other documents: prepare additional relevant documents if the main document does not clearly show the relationship.

What matters is that the information on the document matches the information for each person in the file.

If a name, date of birth or relationship is unclear in any way, you should re-check the original document before submitting.

👥 Acquaintance relationships: photos and other documents

For acquaintance relationships, the guidance document mentions preparing photos and other documents to prove the relationship.

Photos must meet specific requirements. The photo must not show sunglasses, must not show a hat, and the face must be clearly visible.

• No sunglasses in the photo.
• No hat in the photo.
• The face is clearly visible in the photo.
• Prepare additional documents if needed to clarify the relationship.

A photo taken together helps show the relationship between co-travellers. However, you should still prepare additional documents when the relationship is not clear.

Do not rely on just one photo if you can add more relevant documents. The clearer the file, the easier it is to check.

🧭 How to prepare for each co-travelling situation

Each group may have different relationships. You need to classify them before preparing documents.

Families travelling together

For a family, prepare family documents for each pair of relationships in the group. For example, husband and wife, parents and children, siblings.

If the group includes both relatives and acquaintances, prepare documents by each relationship group. Do not lump them together without distinguishing them.

Friends or acquaintances travelling together

For friends and acquaintances, prepare photos that meet the requirements. The photo should show a clear face, with no sunglasses and no hat.

You can also prepare other documents to clarify the relationship. Keep these documents together with each person’s file.

Groups including foreigners or Vietnamese people

The preparation principle remains the same: identify the relationship clearly and prepare the corresponding documents.

If a document is in another language, you should check the requirements for translations or accompanying documents with the receiving organisation. Do not assume the requirements yourself.

The information in this section is given only at a general principle level. You should check the latest terms and guidance, or contact an advisory organisation to confirm.

📋 Table distinguishing documents by type of relationship

This table helps you cross-check quickly before arranging your file. You still need to re-check the official guidance when submitting.

✅ Checklist for preparing co-traveller relationship documents

• ☐ List all co-travellers in the group and each person’s relationship
• ☐ Prepare a birth certificate for a parent-child relationship, if any
• ☐ Prepare a marriage certificate for a husband-and-wife relationship, if any
• ☐ Prepare other family documents if needed to clarify the relationship
• ☐ Prepare photos for acquaintance relationships
• ☐ Check that photos show no sunglasses, no hat, and a clearly visible face
• ☐ Prepare additional documents for acquaintance relationships if needed
• ☐ Check that the information on the documents matches each person’s file
• ☐ Arrange documents by each person or each relationship group
• ☐ Re-check the whole file before submitting

This checklist covers only the relationship documents in this section of the guidance document. You should cross-check it against the full document list when preparing your file.

🔗 Connection with the visit programme and other documents

Relationship documents need to go together with a clear visit programme for the whole group. The visit programme should state each day, the place of stay and planned activities.

You can refer to Visit Program for Short-Term Japan Tourist Visa to prepare this in sync.

If your group has flight tickets or a flight itinerary, prepare them as described in Flight Ticket and Itinerary for Japan Visa.

If one person in the group is not paying for their own trip, you also need to prepare documents about the payer and their relationship with the visa applicant. This relates to Proof of Funds for Japan Visa Application.

Preparing everything in sync helps make the group’s file easier to read and more consistent. Please re-check each item before submitting.

💬 Gentle notes before submitting your file

Do not wait until the last minute to look for a birth certificate or marriage certificate. Prepare them from when you start working on the file.

If a document is old, faded or the information does not match, please re-check it and prepare a clear copy. Do not submit a document that is hard to read.

For photos of acquaintances, choose a photo where the faces of all co-travellers are clearly visible. A photo with no sunglasses and no hat will meet the requirements in the guidance document.

If the relationship is complicated or the documents are not clear, you should ask the receiving organisation or an advisory organisation in advance. Do not guess the requirements yourself.

This article is based on the short-stay visa document for tourism purposes dated 3 June 2024 (3/6/2024), section 7. Regulations may change over time, so you should check the latest information before submitting.

Preparing the co-traveller relationship section for a Japan visa carefully will help your family or friends’ trip feel more reassuring from the file stage.

If you need further guidance on preparing your file, please contact us via the website paa.vn or by phone 0347674755 for support according to the published business information.