Japan: Do I need to submit a medical exam for the Working Holiday Visa?

Redaccion Volare | March 6, 2026

According to the regulations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), being in good health is an essential requirement to participate in the Japan Working Holiday program. However, the method to prove this condition varies significantly depending on the applicant's country of origin.

When preparing the application file, it is fundamental to know if the consulate requires professional medical support or if it allows self-management of health information. For this cycle, nationalities have been classified into three administrative categories:

1. Group 1: Mandatory Professional Medical Certificate

Nationalities: Argentina, Canada, Chile, Spain, France, Iceland, Portugal, and Uruguay.

• Regulation: Yes. It is mandatory to attach an original medical certificate or clearance issued, signed, and/or stamped by a registered (licensed) physician.

• Detail: The document must explicitly state that the applicant is in good physical and mental health to undertake a long-term trip and work incidentally in Japan.

2. Group 2: Health Self-Declaration (Made by the applicant)

Nationalities: Slovakia and Lithuania.

• Regulation: No certificate signed by a professional doctor is required.

• Detail: It is mandatory to submit a self-declaration in free format (written and signed by the applicant themselves) stating under oath that they are in good health and that there are no medical impediments to their stay.

3. Group 3: No Additional Certificate (Form only)

Nationalities: Germany, Australia, Austria, South Korea, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, New Zealand, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Taiwan.

• Regulation: No external medical certificate or additional clinical examinations are required.

• Detail: The good health requirement is proven simply by checking the corresponding health boxes within the Visa Application Form and is supported by the submission of the mandatory medical insurance covering the entire stay.

Final Considerations

Regardless of the group, it is important to remember that any history of serious infectious or contagious diseases must be declared honestly. Furthermore, the fact that a medical exam is not required for the visa does not exempt the traveler from the recommendation to undergo a preventive check-up before departure, considering the high costs of specialized medicine in Japanese territory.

For information on insurance requirements and the breakdown of application costs, please consult our Japan Working Holiday Visa guide.