PHOTO GUIDE
Applying for a Croatia short-stay visa from Japan
Short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) applications for Croatia from Japan are received directly by the Consular Department of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Tokyo (Hiroo, Shibuya-ku). Visits are by appointment only, booked by email. The application form is completed online at crovisa.mvep.hr with all required documents uploaded before your visit. No external provider such as VFS Global is used for applications from Japan. The photo format (35×45 mm, light monochromatic background) is explained on the global Croatia photo requirements page.
Last Updated: 2026-08-15
Quick requirements
- Who this is for: applicants legally residing in Japan whose sole or main destination (longest stay), or first point of entry on a tie, is Croatia. Long-stay (Type D) visas follow a different process and are out of scope. For photo dimensions, see the Croatia photo requirements page.
- Where to apply: the Consular Department of the Embassy of Croatia in Tokyo (3-3-10 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku). Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00 and visits are by appointment only; request an appointment by email ([email protected]). VFS Global visa application centres are not used for applications from Japan (Japan is not on the ministry's list of VFS-served countries).
- Application form: complete it online at crovisa.mvep.hr (in English or Croatian), upload all required documents, print the form and bring it to your appointment (embassy notice).
- In person and fingerprints: applications are submitted in person (by a legal representative for minors). Fingerprints are provided at submission and retained in the Visa Information System (VIS) for 5 years.
- Photo: Croatia's Ordinance on Visas (Article 11) requires a 35×45 mm colour photograph on a light, monochromatic, pattern-free background. The official pages state the count only in the singular, so confirm the number of copies with the embassy when booking. Full specs are on the Croatia photo requirements page.
- Fee: EUR 90 for both airport transit (A) and short-stay (C) visas; children under 12 are exempt. The yen amount and payment method are not stated on the embassy pages — confirm when booking. The ministry's fees page (EUR 90) is current; an older EUR 80 figure remains on a FAQ page.
- Timing: applications are accepted from 6 months before travel and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before. Decisions are taken within 15 calendar days, extendable up to 45 days in individual cases.
Who applies where
This page is for applicants legally residing in Japan who need a Schengen visa (Type C) for a short stay in Croatia of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Apply at Croatia when Croatia is the sole destination, the main destination (longest stay), or the first point of entry when stay lengths are equal. Long-stay (Type D) visas follow a different process.
Croatia has been part of the Schengen area since 1 January 2023 and issues Type C visas as uniform (Schengen) visas. Japanese ordinary-passport holders are visa-exempt for short stays, so the applicants using this route are foreign nationals resident in Japan who do need a visa.
Where to apply: the Embassy of Croatia in Tokyo receives directly
Applications from Japan are received directly by the Consular Department of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Tokyo (3-3-10 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku). The Consular Department is open Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00, and visits are by appointment only — request one by email at [email protected]. Applications without an appointment cannot be accepted.
No external provider is used in Japan. The Croatian ministry's page lists the countries where VFS Global visa application centres receive Croatia applications, and Japan is not among them. Osaka (Kinki district) and Naha have honorary consulates, but their pages do not state visa handling and there is no residency-based jurisdiction split, so the Tokyo embassy serves all of Japan.
Application form (crovisa) and required documents
Complete the application form online at crovisa.mvep.hr in English or Croatian. The embassy's important notice requires the form to be filled in online and all required documents to be uploaded. Print the completed form and bring it with the supporting documents to your appointment.
The required documents depend on the purpose of stay. The ministry's Supporting documents page lists the completed and signed application form, a recent identity photograph in accordance with ICAO standards, the passport, travel insurance and purpose-of-stay evidence, among others. Check the latest checklist on the ministry's pages and with the embassy before your visit.
Photo requirements: 35×45 mm, same as the global standard
Croatia's visa ordinance (Ordinance on Visas, Article 11) sets the photograph at 35×45 mm in colour on a light, monochromatic, pattern-free background, with the head about two-thirds of the photo and not more than 36 mm high, an eye distance of at least 8 mm, and development on high-quality glossy paper. The live C-visa guidance page asks for a recent photograph (not older than 3 months). The global Croatia photo requirements page is the reference for these specs.
The official pages state the number of photographs only in the singular ("a colour photograph") without a figure, so confirm the required number with the embassy when booking and consider bringing a spare. The format does not change for applications from Japan: prepare a 35×45 mm colour print. The photo tool's Croatia mode outputs exactly this format.
Fees, timing and biometrics
The fee is EUR 90 for both airport transit (A) and short-stay (C) visas; children up to the age of 12 are exempt, and an appeal against refusal costs EUR 130. An older EUR 80 figure remains on a ministry FAQ page, but the fees page (EUR 90) is the current one. The yen amount and payment method are not published — confirm with the embassy when booking.
Applications are accepted from 6 months before the start of the intended trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before (seafarers may apply from 9 months before). Applications are submitted in person (by a legal representative for minors), and fingerprints are provided at submission for identification in the Visa Information System (VIS), where data is retained for 5 years. Decisions are taken within 15 calendar days as a general rule, extendable up to 45 days in individual cases.
How to use the official sources
Short-stay (Type C) Schengen visa applications for Croatia from Japan are received directly by the Consular Department of the Embassy of Croatia in Tokyo (Hiroo), by appointment only (Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00, booked by email at [email protected]), with the form completed online at crovisa.mvep.hr and all required documents uploaded. The fee is EUR 90 (under-12s free, appeal EUR 130); applications run from 6 months before travel to 15 calendar days before, with decisions in 15 calendar days (up to 45 in individual cases). No external provider is used in Japan. The photograph standard ({commonWidth}×{commonHeight} mm, light monochromatic background, head about two-thirds) is governed by the Ordinance on Visas and the ministry's pages. Fees, reception arrangements and checklists can change, so confirm the latest information with the embassy and the Croatian ministry before applying.
shoumei.org helps users prepare photo files based on publicly available requirements. It does not submit visa applications, and it is not an official government service, Schengen authority, embassy, consulate, VFS Global, TLScontact, or BLS International service. Please verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or visa application center before submitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I submit a Croatia visa application in Japan?
At the Consular Department of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Tokyo (3-3-10 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku), by appointment only (Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00). The honorary consulates in Osaka and Naha do not state visa handling, so the Tokyo embassy serves applicants from all of Japan.
How do I book an appointment? Is VFS used?
Request an appointment by email at [email protected]. VFS Global visa application centres are not used for applications from Japan — Japan is not on the Croatian ministry's list of VFS-served countries, and the embassy receives applications directly.
How do I fill in the application form?
Complete the form online at crovisa.mvep.hr in English or Croatian. The embassy's notice requires all required documents to be uploaded as part of the online form. Print the completed form and bring it to your appointment.
How many photos do I need, and in what size?
The size is 35×45 mm in colour on a light monochromatic background (Ordinance on Visas Article 11 — see the Croatia photo requirements page for the full specs). The official pages state the count only in the singular, so confirm the number with the embassy when booking; the live guidance asks for a photo taken within the last 3 months.
How much is the visa fee?
EUR 90 for a short-stay (Type C) visa, free for children under 12. A ministry FAQ page still shows an older EUR 80 figure, but the ministry's fees page (EUR 90) is current. The yen amount and payment method are not published — confirm with the embassy when booking.
When can I apply, and how long does processing take?
From 6 months before travel and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before departure. A decision is taken within 15 calendar days as a general rule, extendable up to 45 days in individual cases. Book early once your itinerary is fixed.
Are fingerprints taken? Can earlier ones be reused?
Fingerprints are provided at submission and used for identification in the Visa Information System (VIS), which retains the data for 5 years — within that period, stored fingerprints are reused for a new application. The application itself must be submitted in person (by a legal representative for minors).
How do children apply?
Applications for minors are submitted by their legal representative. Under the ordinance, a child's photo must show the child alone, with the face fully visible and eyes open. Check the ministry's supporting-documents pages and the embassy's guidance for the exact documents evidencing parent-child relationships.
Official and submission sources
- Embassy of the Republic of Croatia to Japan — Contact and working hours (2026-08-15 re-verified: Office hours of the Consular Department: Monday - Friday 10:00 - 16:00 visits by appointment only. Please submit an appointment request to [email protected]; IMPORTANT NOTICE! The visa application form must be completed online at the following link: https://crovisa.mvep.hr The form must be filled out in English or Croatian. All required documents must be uploaded.) (used for: application channel, appointment system, application form, jurisdiction notes, submission offices) Checked: 2026-08-15
- Croatian MFEA (mvep.gov.hr) — Applying for a Schengen visa for Croatia (2026-08-15 re-verified: if the main destination is Croatia the application is submitted at the competent Croatian embassy/consulate or at VFS Global Visa Application Center, and the listed VFS countries do not include Japan; applications shall be submitted in person; not more than six months and as a rule no later than 15 calendar days before the trip; fingerprints provided at submission and retained in the Visa Information System for 5 years) (used for: application channel, biometrics notes, fingerprint reuse, processing time, jurisdiction notes) Checked: 2026-08-15
- Croatian MFEA (mvep.gov.hr) — Fees (2026-08-15 re-verified: airport-transit (visa A) and short-term visa (visa C) fee 90 EUR / 105.68 USD; children up to the age of 12 exempt; appeal fee 130 EUR; fees due when applying) (used for: visa fee) Checked: 2026-08-15
- Croatian MFEA (mvep.gov.hr) — Decision on Schengen visa application (2026-08-15 re-verified: as a general rule a decision is taken by the embassy/consulate within 15 calendar days of lodging, extendable up to 45 days in individual cases) (used for: processing time) Checked: 2026-08-15
shoumei.org helps users prepare photo files based on publicly available requirements. It does not submit visa applications, and it is not an official government service, Schengen authority, embassy, consulate, VFS Global, TLScontact, or BLS International service. Please verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or visa application center before submitting.
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