* No-Fee passports are issued for official use between the U.S. and the overseas duty location only. *Tourist Passports are required if tourist travel to other countries is in your plans while you are overseas. No- Fee passports may not be used for personal travel outside of Japan.

For the vast majority of travelers, a standard (fee) passport is all that is required to enter Japan. However, a "No-Fee" or "Special Issuance" passport is a specific document issued to U.S. government employees, military members, and their dependents who are traveling on official government orders (such as a PCS move to a base like Yokota or Kadena). In 2026, if you are an active-duty military member traveling under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), you can enter Japan with just your military ID and travel orders, but your dependents and civilian employees MUST have a No-Fee passport to enter the country legally. It is important to note that a No-Fee passport cannot be used for personal leisure travel; if a military family member wants to take a vacation to a neighboring country like South Korea or Thailand while stationed in Japan, they must also maintain a regular "Blue" tourist passport. For a standard tourist, the term "no fee" does not apply, as you must pay the standard application fee for your passport.