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I plan to visit Japan for a conference in May for a duration of seven days. Japan visa guidelines say that hotel booking is necessary. I am thinking of CouchSurfing to save some money and meet people.

Is CouchSurfing accepted as proof of accommodation, instead of hotel, for a Japan visa?

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  • I think you need to remove the final sentence, as it is a separate question.
    – Rory Alsop ♦
    Feb 22, 2017 at 16:22
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    "Visa" is not an acronym.
    – fkraiem
    Feb 22, 2017 at 16:43
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    @user27665 Can you link to where the visa application claims that? I have come in on a range of visas and almost never stayed at a hotel. I have always understood it as, as long as you have a valid point of contact whilst in country (ie. a hotel, host family, sponsoring government office, sponsoring company etc.) that you can be reached at in the (extremely unlikely) event that immigration needs to contact you, then it is acceptable (I even had verbal confirmation of this when I entered on a tourist visa in 2009).
    – The Wandering Coder
    Feb 23, 2017 at 0:27

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First of all, I don't think you need to submit proof of accommodation if you are attending a conference. See this page from the Japanese Consulate-General in Boston, US.

Moreover, Airbnb billing receipts are accepted as proof for accommodation for Japanese visas. Since CouchSurfing is a similar service as far as I understand, I don't think this would be a problem.

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    I would +1 for the first paragraph, but have to disagree with the second paragraph, CouchSurfing is nothing alike Airbnb and while a well-meaning host may give you some form of written confirmation, it is nothing official and would not be the norm by any means.
    – mts
    Mar 4, 2017 at 7:51

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