Who Can Shop Tax-Free in Japan? Travelers and Business Visitors Yes, Residents and Students No | Can You Use TaxFreeOnline.jp?

Key points

• You can shop tax-free in Japan if the landing permission stamp in your passport shows a status such as "Temporary Visitor," "Diplomat" or "Official," and you entered Japan less than 6 months ago (checked October 16, 2026).
• Sightseeing trips, short business trips and short courses of up to 90 days all qualify, as long as your status is "Temporary Visitor."
• If you live in Japan with a status such as "Student," a work status or "Permanent Resident," you do not qualify, whatever your nationality.
• Japanese citizens who have lived abroad for 2 years or more can qualify under the rules, but TaxFreeOnline.jp does not support them as of October 16, 2026.
• What decides it is not why you came to Japan, but what your passport stamp says.

One rule: check the status and entry date in your passport

Nationality and the purpose of your trip do not decide whether you can shop tax-free. What decides it is the status of residence and the landing date on the landing permission stamp you receive when you enter Japan. Shops look at this stamp when they process a tax-free sale.

Japan's National Tax Agency Q&A on the Refund Method (July 2026) defines who can shop tax-free as follows. For foreign nationals, being a non-resident of Japan is the starting condition.

The Japan Tourism Agency's list of eligible shoppers (Refund Method) adds a time limit. Foreign nationals must be able to show they entered Japan less than 6 months ago (except diplomatic, official and U.S. forces personnel). Japanese citizens must be able to show they returned to Japan temporarily less than 6 months ago.

So as a traveler, you only need to check 2 things.

1. Does the status on your stamp say "Temporary Visitor"?
2. Has it been less than 6 months since the landing date on your stamp?

Eligible: people who come for a short stay and then go home

Japan's Immigration Services Agency lists the activities allowed under "Temporary Visitor" as sightseeing, recreation, sports, visiting relatives, inspection tours, attending lectures or meetings, business contacts and similar activities. The period of stay is 90, 30 or 15 days. The 3 examples below all fall within this range.

Example 1: "I'm traveling to Japan and going home after a month." → Eligible

Sightseeing is the most typical Temporary Visitor activity. One month is also well within the 6-month limit. You can order on TaxFreeOnline.jp before your trip and pick up at a pickup location.

Example 2: "I'm visiting Japan on business for 3 days." → Eligible

Short business trips, such as negotiations or attending a meeting, count as business contacts or attending meetings under Temporary Visitor. If your stamp says "Temporary Visitor," you are treated the same as a tourist.

If you entered Japan with a status for working in Japan, you do not qualify. Even for a short trip, check your stamp once.

Example 3: "I'm taking a short Japanese course and going home within 3 months." → Eligible if you are a Temporary Visitor

Temporary Visitor activities include attending lectures. If you entered Japan as a Temporary Visitor, you can shop tax-free even while taking a language course.

Keep 2 things in mind.

• A Temporary Visitor can stay for up to 90 days. Depending on the months, "3 months" can be longer than 90 days, so count in days.
• If you entered Japan with the status "Student," you do not qualify, however short your course is.

Not eligible on TaxFreeOnline.jp: people who live in Japan, and Japanese citizens living abroad

There are 2 reasons you may not be able to shop tax-free with us. Either the rules exclude you, or the rules include you but TaxFreeOnline.jp does not support your case yet.

Example 4: "I'm a Japanese citizen living in the U.S." → Not eligible on TaxFreeOnline.jp (eligible under the rules, with conditions)

Under the rules, Japanese citizens can shop tax-free if they can show with documents that they have lived outside Japan continuously for 2 years or more. Accepted documents are a copy of the family register supplement, a certificate of residence, or a My Number Card that records the move abroad.

However, as of October 16, 2026, TaxFreeOnline.jp does not support tax-free purchases for Japanese citizens living abroad. We are preparing to support them. If you are a Japanese citizen living abroad, please bring your documents and use a tax-free shop in person.

Example 5: "I'm studying at a university in Japan." → Not eligible

The status "Student" is not one of the statuses that qualify (Temporary Visitor, Diplomat or Official). You do not qualify, even as a foreign national, a student, or someone who plans to go home.

Example 6: "I'm Taiwanese, but I live in Japan." → Not eligible

Even with Taiwanese nationality, you do not qualify if you stay in Japan with a status for living here, such as a work status, Dependent or Permanent Resident. The deciding factor is your status, not your nationality.

The same applies if you go back to Taiwan for a while and return to Japan. You cannot shop tax-free with a re-entry stamp.

Quick check: can you shop tax-free on TaxFreeOnline.jp?

Based on the rules and TaxFreeOnline.jp's support as of October 16, 2026.

If you are unsure, compare only the second column with your passport.

Can you use TaxFreeOnline.jp? Answer 3 questions

Answer them in order. If all 3 answers are "yes," you can shop tax-free on TaxFreeOnline.jp.

1. Are you a citizen of a country other than Japan? If you are a Japanese citizen, TaxFreeOnline.jp cannot serve you at this time.
2. Does the status on your passport stamp say "Temporary Visitor"? If it says "Student," a work status, "Permanent Resident" or "Re-entry," you do not qualify. If there is no stamp, read "Watch out" below.
3. Will it be less than 6 months since you entered Japan on the day you pick up your items? Count from the landing date on your stamp.

If all 3 are "yes," choose your pickup location and pickup date first, then choose your items. The items you can order depend on the pickup location and date.

Conditions to know even if you qualify

Even if you are an eligible shopper, your purchase is not tax-free unless you meet these conditions.

Orders picked up on or after November 1, 2026 follow the Refund Method.

1. Order and pay the tax-inclusive price
2. Show your passport at the pickup location and receive your items
3. Register the information needed for your refund
4. When you leave Japan, get the customs check at the airport tax-free terminal before you check in your luggage
5. The consumption tax amount is refunded after the check

Watch out: cases where you lose the tax exemption or refund

• Your passport has no landing permission stamp. The shop cannot confirm that you qualify, so it cannot process a tax-free sale. If you enter through an automated gate, your passport may not be stamped. After passing the gate and before the customs inspection, ask the immigration staff for a stamp.
• It has been 6 months or more since you entered Japan. Foreign nationals must have entered Japan less than 6 months ago.
• You did not get the customs check within 90 days of the purchase date. Under the Refund Method, you are refunded only after customs confirms your items.
• You tried to get the customs check after checking in your luggage. You cannot get the check once your luggage is checked in. Customs may also ask you to show your items.
• You did not take your items out of Japan promptly after the customs check. You will be charged the consumption tax and may face penalties.
• Someone other than you tried to pick up your items. We cannot hand over your items to family or friends, even if they bring your passport.

FAQ

I entered Japan without a visa. Can I shop tax-free?

It depends on the status on your passport stamp, not on whether you have a visa. If it says "Temporary Visitor" and you entered less than 6 months ago, you qualify.

I'm in Japan on a working holiday. Can I use TaxFreeOnline.jp?

No. Only the statuses "Temporary Visitor," "Diplomat" and "Official" qualify, and the working holiday status is not one of them.

Can my child shop tax-free with their own passport?

Yes. There is no age limit for tax-free shopping. However, the passport holder and the buyer must be the same person.

When can Japanese citizens living abroad use TaxFreeOnline.jp?

As of October 16, 2026, we do not support them. We are preparing to.

Can I pick up my items if I'm not staying at the hotel?

Yes. Even if you are not a hotel guest, you can pick up your items at the pickup location by showing your passport.