Sweden Short-stay Schengen Visa (Type C) — Applying from Japan

Who this page is for

This page is for people who live in Japan and are applying for a Sweden short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) — a stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Japanese nationals with a valid ordinary passport do not need a visa for short stays, so this guide is mainly for other residents of Japan whose nationality requires one.

Long-stay national visas (Type D) and residence permits follow separate processes on the Migration Agency's site and are not covered here. If Sweden is the sole destination, the main destination (longest stay), or — on a tie in days — the first Schengen country of entry, you apply to Sweden.

Where to apply: VFS Tokyo, decided in Bangkok

From 22 March 2024, Schengen visa applications must be submitted to the VFS Global office in Tokyo (Hamarikyu Parkside Place Bldg. 8F, 5-6-10 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045; phone 050-5433-7978, Mon-Fri 09:00-15:00; info.swejp@vfshelpline.com). The Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo no longer receives or processes Schengen visa applications — the Sweden Abroad announcement for Japan states this explicitly.

VFS forwards the applications to the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok, which handles the processing and makes the decision. Questions about application status and processing times go to the Bangkok embassy (migration.bangkok@gov.se). You can apply at VFS Tokyo if you hold a legal residence permit in Japan; book your appointment on the VFS portal for Sweden Japan (visa.vfsglobal.com/jpn/en/swe/).

The photo rule: onsite capture vs printed photo

If you appear in person and are over 12: no printed photo. The VFS operational checklist for Japan (Form EMB-JPN, September 2025) makes the photograph compulsory only for children between 0 and 12, or for applicants who do not appear in person at lodgment while biometrics from a previous Schengen application within the last 59 months can be reused. Your photo and fingerprints are captured digitally at the counter — do not pay for photo preparation on this route.

Children aged 0-12: bring one print. The checklist requires one recent, unedited colour photograph not older than six months. Per the VFS Japan photo specifications: colour, passport-size print on a white background, close-up of the head and top of shoulders; the same requirements apply to minors aged 0-11. (Note the boundary wording: the checklist says 0-12, the photo-specification page says minors 0-11, and the fingerprint exemption is under 12. A 12-year-old attending in person is in the overlap — the safest course is to bring one compliant print or confirm with VFS Tokyo before your appointment.)

Not appearing in person: possible only if your fingerprints were submitted with a previous Schengen visa application within the last 59 months and can be reused. A third party lodges the application with a power of attorney (a copy is attached to the file, and a copy of the previous Schengen visa sticker may be requested), and the photograph becomes part of the file you submit. Third-party submission is not available for minors aged 0-12. This is also the route the Migration Agency describes: a representative can submit for you if you gave fingerprints within the past five years, with a power of attorney attached.

Fee, timing, and practical notes

The visa fee is 90 EUR for applicants 12 and over, 45 EUR for children 6-11, and free for children 0-5, plus a VFS service fee of 22 EUR. Processing takes 15 days per the checklist. Confirm the current amounts, payment methods, and currency accepted at VFS Tokyo when you book.

VFS Tokyo offers a paid photo service at the centre — useful if a print turns out to be required and you do not have one. If you prepare your own print for a child or a representative application, follow the specification above and re-check the checklist PDF before printing.