|
|
|
Visa Types & Requirements
I. Types of Visa
At present Japan has two types of visa: a seal type, in which a visa
seal is stuck inside the passport, and a stamp type, in which a visa
stamp is marked in the passport. The seal type is used by overseas
Japanese diplomatic establishments that issue a large number of visas,
as in Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Philippines. Other Japanese
diplomatic establishments use the stamp-type visa. In the case of
foreigners who do not possess a passport that is recognized as valid
by the Japanese Government, such as stateless persons, Japan issues
a special "travel document for aliens."
II. Categories of Visa and Scope of Each Status of Residence
Japan has seven categories of visa. Visas are issued according
to the purpose of the foreigner's visit. The following tables
show the visa category, the corresponding status of residence
and term of residence, and the range of foreigners who are permitted
to enter Japan under each category. 1. Statuses of residence for
engaging in specified activities in Japan (a) Statuses of residence
permitting work
-VISA CATEGORY
Status of residence(term of residence)
Activities authorized to engage in
DIPLOMATIC
VISA Diplomat
(during mission) |
Activities on the part of constituent members
of diplomatic missions or consular offices of foreign governments
hosted by the Government of Japan, and activities on the part
of their family members belonging to the same household. Activities
on the part of those who are provided with similar privileges
and/or immunities as are given to diplomatic missions in accordance
with treaties or international customary practices (for example,
heads of state, ministers, and parliamentary speakers of foreign
countries; the secretary general of the United Nations; the
secretary generals of specialized agencies of the United Nations;
etc.), and activities on the part of their family members belonging
to the same household. |
OFFICIAL
VISA
Official
(during mission) |
Activities on the part of those who engage in
official business of foreign governments or international organizations
recognized by the Government of Japan, and activities on the
part of their family members belonging to the same household.
|
WORKING
VISA
Professor
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities for research, research guidance, or
education as professor, assistant professor, or assistant, etc.
at universities, equivalent educational institutions, or technical
colleges (koto senmon gakko). |
Artist
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities for the arts that provide income,
including those carried out by composers, songwriters, artists,
sculptors, craftspeople, photographers, etc. |
Religious Activities
(3 years or 1 year) |
Missionary and other religious activities conducted
by members of foreign religious organizations. |
Journalist
(3 years or 1 year) |
News coverage and other journalistic activities
conducted on the basis of a contract with a foreign journalistic
organization, such as a foreign newspaper company, news agency,
broadcasting station, documentary movie company, etc. (Specifically,
activities carried out by newspaper journalists, magazine journalists,
report writers, editorial chiefs, editors, media photographers,
television and radio announcers, etc., including freelancers.)
|
Investor/ Business Manager*
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities to commence the operation of international
trade or other business, to invest in international trade or
other business and to operate or manage that business, or to
operate or manage international trade or other business on behalf
of foreign nationals (including foreign corporations) who have
begun such an operation or have invested in such a business.
The business in question must meet certain conditions of scale.
Applicants who wish to engage in business management must fulfill
certain conditions concerning work status and personal history.
|
Legal/ Accounting Services*
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities to engage in legal or accounting business.
Applicants must be attorneys or public accountants certified
to perform their duties in Japan, or those with other legal
qualifications recognized by Japan. |
Medical Services*
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities to engage in medical treatment service.
Applicants must be physicians, dentists, or those with other
medical qualifications, and must be qualified under Japanese
law and fulfill certain conditions concerning work status, etc
|
Researcher*
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities to engage in examinations, surveys,
research, etc. on the basis of a contract with a public or private
organization in Japan. Applicants must fulfill certain conditions
concerning personal history and work status. |
Instructor*
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities to engage in language instruction
and other education at elementary schools, junior high schools,
senior high schools, schools for the blind, handicapped children's
schools, miscellaneous schools (kakushu gakko and senshu gakko),
or other educational institutions equivalent to kakushu gakko
in facilities and curriculum. |
Engineer*
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities to engage in service that requires
technological skill and/or knowledge pertinent to physical science,
engineering, or other natural science fields, on the basis of
a contract with a public or private organization in Japan. Applicants
must fulfill certain conditions concerning personal history
and work status. |
Specialist in Humanities/ International Services*
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities to engage in service that requires
knowledge pertinent to jurisprudence, economics, sociology,
or other human science fields. Activities to engage in service
that requires specific ways of thought or sensitivity based
on experience with foreign culture, such as interpreting, translation,
copywriting, fashion design, interior design, sales, overseas
business, information processing, international finance, design,
or public relations and advertising based on a contract with
a public or private organization in Japan.Applicants must fulfill
certain conditions concerning personal history and work status.
|
|
Intra company Transferee*
(3 years or 1 year)
|
Activities on the part of personnel who are transferred
to business offices in Japan for a limited period of time from
business offices that are established in foreign countries by
public or private organizations with head offices, branch offices,
or other business offices in Japan and who engage at these business
offices in the activities described in the "Engineer"
or "Specialist in Humanities/International Services"
sections of this table. Applicants must fulfill certain conditions
concerning personal history and work status. |
Entertainer*
(1 year, 6 months, or 3 months) |
Activities to engage in theatrical performances,
arts, song, dance, musical performances, sports, or any other
show business. Applicants must fulfill certain conditions concerning
personal history, work status, and form of entertainment.Activities
such as the production of television programs or movies, the
photographing of models, etc. Applicants must fulfill certain
conditions concerning work status. |
Skilled Labor*
(3 years or 1 year) |
Activities to engage in service that requires
industrial techniques or skills belonging to special fields
on the basis of a contract with a public or private organization
in Japan. Applicants must fulfill certain conditions concerning
personal history and work status. |
Statuses of residence to which the Ministerial Ordinance to Provide
for Criteria for Landing Permission does apply.The Immigration
Control Act stipulates the basic legal framework for foreigners
staying in Japan in terms of status of residence and also, regarding
several types of status of residence, stipulates further that
criteria established by an ordinance of the Ministry of Justice
in consideration of the impact on Japan's industry and general
welfare shall apply as a condition for granting landing permission.These
conditions for granting landing permission are stated in the Ministerial
Ordinance to Provide for Criteria pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph
1 (2) of the Immigration Control Act (Ministry of Justice Ordinance
No. 16 of May 24, 1990). (See Appendix 1.) For the criteria for
each status of residence, refer to the page(s) indicated below
the term of residence. (b) Statuses of residence not permitting
work
| VISA CATEGORY Status of residence (term of
residence) |
Activities authorized to engage in |
| TEMPORARY VISITOR'S VISA Temporary
Visitor (90 days or 15 days) |
Sightseeing; recreation; sports; visiting relatives,
friends, or acquaintances; visiting a sick person; attending
a wedding or funeral ceremony; participating in athletic tournaments,
contests, etc. as an amateur; business purposes (such as market
research, business liaison, business consultations, signing
a contract, or providing after-sale service for imported machinery);
inspecting or visiting plants, trade fairs, etc.; attending
lectures, explanatory meetings, etc.; academic surveys or research
presentations; religious pilgrimages or visits; friendship visits
to sister cities, sister schools, etc.; or other similar activities
during a short period of stay in Japan. |
| TRANSIT VISA Temporary Visitor (15
days) |
Activities are limited to sightseeing, leisure,
and rest. Applicants must be foreigners traveling to a foreign
country from another foreign country via Japan who wish to stay
in Japan for a short period (up to 15 days). |
| GENERAL VISA Cultural Activities (1
year or 6 months) |
Academic or artistic activities that provide
no income, activities for the purpose of pursuing specific studies
on Japanese culture or arts, or activities for the purpose of
learning and acquiring skills in Japanese culture or arts under
the guidance of experts (for example, ikebana, tea ceremony,
judo, etc.). |
| College Student* (2 years or 1 year)
|
Activities to receive education at colleges or
equivalent educational institutions, specialized courses of
study at miscellaneous schools (senshu gakko), educational institutions
designated for preparing persons who have completed 12 years
of education at schools in foreign countries to enter college,
or technical colleges (koto senmon gakko). Applicants must fulfill
certain conditions regarding ability to pay living expenses,
etc. |
|
Precollege Student*(1 year or 6 months)
|
Activities to receive education at high schools,
high school courses of schools for the blind or of handicapped
children's schools, higher or general courses of miscellaneous
schools (kakushu gakko and senshu gakko), or of other educational
institutions that are equivalent to kakushu gakko schools in
facilities and curriculum. Applicants must fulfill certain conditions
regarding ability to pay living expenses, etc. |
| Trainee* (1 year or 6 months) |
Activities to learn and acquire technology, skills,
or knowledge at public or private organizations in Japan (including
not only training in industrial techniques and skills but also
administrative training in local governments and other public
bodies and clerical training to acquire knowledge). |
| Dependent* (3 years, 2 years,1 year,
6 monthsor 3 months) |
Daily living activities on the part of the spouse
or unmarried minor child of those who stay in Japan with a status
of residence mentioned in Table (a) (excluding Diplomat and
Official) or with a Cultural Activities or College Student status
of residence. |
*Same as note for Table (a). (c) Whether work is permitted or
not depends on the contents of individual permits
| VISA CATEGORY
Status of residence(term of residence)
|
Activities authorized to engage in |
| SPECIFIED VISA Designated Activities
(3 years, 1 year, 6 months, or a designated period of less
than 1 year) |
Activities that are specifically designated by
the Minister of Justice for foreign individuals. (For example,
activities on the part of foreigners who wish to enter Japan
as personal help privately employed by diplomats, consular representatives,
etc.; foreigners who wish to enter Japan under bilateral working
holiday agreements*; foreigners who are employed by companies,
etc. and are active as athletes in amateur sports and their
dependent spouses and children; foreign lawyers engaged in international
arbitration affairs, etc. university students engaged in internship
activities.) |
*Working Holiday Agreements: Based on bilateral agreements, working
holiday programmes permit young people (between 18 and 30 years
of age) from the countries concerned who are visiting a partner
country on vacation to engage in work there so as to supplement
their funds to travel and stay in that country, thereby providing
them with an opportunity to get to know that country's culture
and general lifestyle. At present Japan has such working holiday
agreements with five countries: Australia, Canada, France, New
Zealand, and the Republic of Korea. 2. Statuses of residence without
restrictions on activities in Japan
| VISA CATEGORY
Status of residence(term of residence)
|
Activities authorized to engage in |
| NO VISA GIVENPermanent Resident
(indefinite) |
Those who are granted permanent residence by
the Minister of Justice. Application for Permanent Resident
status is not possible at overseas Japanese diplomatic establishments.
|
| SPECIFIED VISASpouse or Child of Japanese
National (3 years or 1 year) |
Spouses of Japanese nationals, children adopted
by Japanese nationals in accordance with the provisions of Article
817-2 of the Civil Code (Law No. 89 of 1896), or those born
as children of Japanese nationals. |
| Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident(3
years or 1 year) |
Spouses of those who stay with Permanent Resident
status or those who are Special Permanent Residents as described
in the Special Law on Immigration Control, which covers those
who have lost Japanese nationality through a peace treaty between
Japan and another nation, or those born as children of Permanent
or Special Permanent Residents. |
| Long-term Resident (3 years, 1 year,
6 months, or a designated period of less than 3 years)
|
Refugees as stipulated by the convention relating
to the Status of Refugees, Indochinese refugee settlers, second-
and third-generation Japanese settlers, etc. |
-Requirements
A. Visa
1. The object of Visa issuance
On the basis of the Law for the Establishment of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, visas granted by the Japanese Government
are issued only by embassies or consulates under the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. A visa cannot be acquired after arriving
in Japan.
A visa is a recommendation that a foreigner should be allowed
to enter Japan. In other words, it is a kind of certificate
issued by the ambassador or consul verifying that the foreigner's
passport is genuine and valid and that the application for
a stay in Japan for the purpose and period indicated on the
visa has been deemed appropriate.
To repeat, a visa itself does not guarantee landing (status
of residence) permission. Please note that possession of a
visa is just one condition for application for landing at
an airport or seaport.
Although there are some countries that do give visas the
function of a guarantee of landing permission, most countries,
like Japan, have a system which requires permission from immigration
authorities as well as a visa.
2. landing permission
Landing permission is stamped in a foreigner's passport by
immigration officers at the airport or seaport where he or
she goes through immigration procedures. It is this landing
permission, not a visa, that serves as the legal basis for
the foreigner's stay in Japan. A visa is only a recommendation
and does not automatically guarantee landing permission.
When a foreigner wishing to enter Japan arrives at an airport
or seaport in Japan, he or she first of all has to apply to
an immigration officer for landing permission. The immigration
officer will check the validity of the foreigner's passport,
the existence of a visa when necessary, the validity of the
visa, the purpose of entering Japan, the scheduled period
of stay, and so on. Landing permission will be granted only
if all the conditions stipulated in the Immigration Control
Act, including those being checked by the immigration officer,
are met.
The stamp of landing permission states not only the date
and port of entry but also the status of residence (often
referred to as immigration status) of the foreigner, which
determines the activities in which that foreigner is permitted
to engage in Japan and the term of residence of his or her
immigration status.
The receipt and validity of landing permission are prerequisites
for any future applications at a regional immigration authority
in Japan for a specific purpose, such as extension of term
of residence or change of status of residence. Any such applications
must be made at the nearest regional immigration authority
to the applicant's place of residence in Japan.
When an immigration officer at the port of entry completes
an examination for landing and grants landing permission,
the visa immediately becomes invalid (although multiple visas
remain valid until the date of their expiration). After that,
as explained above, it is the stamp of landing permission
that serves as the legal basis for the foreigner's stay in
Japan.
B. Required Documents and qualification
1. Professor (3 years or 1 year)
Activities for research, research guidance, or education as
professor, assistant professor, or assistant, etc. at universities,
equivalent educational institutions, or technical colleges (koto
senmon gakko).
a) Documents to Be Submitted with Visa Applications
The following documents must be submitted whatever the
purpose of the visit:
- passport
- two 45mm x 45mm passport-type photos taken within the
previous six months
(stateless persons must submit three photos)
- two official visa application forms, available at the
embassy or consulate
- documents certifying the purpose of the visit (see the
accompanying table)
Please make your application at an embassy or consulate
after preparing these documents.
b) Documents Certifying the Purpose of the Visit
Please remember that the documents listed in the accompanying
table are for general cases. In specific cases, applicants
may be able to omit some documents, or they may be requested
to submit additional documents depending on the content
of the application. In particular, applicants for Temporary
Visitor Status may be requested to submit such documents
as a letter giving the reason for the invitation or a letter
of guarantee from the person in Japan inviting them, in
addition to the documents shown in the accompanying table.
In principle, foreigners who possess a Certificate of Eligibility
can submit two copies (the original and a photocopy) of
the certificate, instead of documents certifying the purpose
of the visit. However, they may be requested to submit additional
documents. As all documents are to be submitted directly
by the applicant, any documents prepared in Japan must be
sent to the applicant.
For further details, please inquire at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs or at the embassy or consulate where the
application will be made.
Please note the following when submitting the required
documents:
- Documents certifying the activity, its duration, the
position
- the remuneration of the person concerned.
One copy each of the documents should
be submitted. (If you are requested to submit two or more
copies of a document, please submit the original and one
or more photocopies.)
- If it is impossible to submit the original of a document,
please submit a photocopy.
- The letter of guarantee should be similar to the example
shown after the accompanying table. As long as the necessary
items are all included, you can produce your own.
For all other documents besides
the letter of guarantee, there is no official format, so
please produce your own in an appropriate manner.
2. Instructor* (3 years or 1 year)
Activities to engage in language instruction and other education
at elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools,
schools for the blind, handicapped children's schools, miscellaneous
schools (kakushu gakko and senshu gakko), or other educational
institutions equivalent to kakushu gakko in facilities and curriculum.
a) Documents to Be Submitted with Visa Applications
The following documents must be submitted whatever the
purpose of the visit:
- passport
- two 45mm x 45mm passport-type photos taken within the
previous six months
(stateless persons must submit three photos)
- two official visa application forms, available at the
embassy or consulate
- documents certifying the purpose of the visit (see the
accompanying table)
Please make your application at an embassy or consulate
after preparing these documents.
b) Documents Certifying the Purpose of the Visit
Please remember that the documents listed in the accompanying
table are for general cases. In specific cases, applicants
may be able to omit some documents, or they may be requested
to submit additional documents depending on the content
of the application. In particular, applicants for Temporary
Visitor Status may be requested to submit such documents
as a letter giving the reason for the invitation or a letter
of guarantee from the person in Japan inviting them, in
addition to the documents shown in the accompanying table.
In principle, foreigners who possess a Certificate of Eligibility
can submit two copies (the original and a photocopy) of
the certificate, instead of documents certifying the purpose
of the visit. However, they may be requested to submit additional
documents. As all documents are to be submitted directly
by the applicant, any documents prepared in Japan must be
sent to the applicant.
For further details, please inquire at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs or at the embassy or consulate where the
application will be made.
Please note the following when submitting the required
documents:
1. Material showing the outline of the recipient organization.
2. Documents certifying the academic career or a copy
of an educational license of the person concerned.
3. Documents certifying the professional career of the
person concerned.
4. Documents certifying the activity, its duration, the
position, and the remuneration of the person concerned.
- One copy each of the documents
should be submitted. (If you are requested to submit two
or more copies of a document, please submit the original
and one or more photocopies.)
- If it is impossible to submit
the original of a document, please submit a photocopy.
- The letter of guarantee should
be similar to the example shown after the accompanying
table. As long as the necessary items are all included,
you can produce your own.
- For all other documents besides
the letter of guarantee, there is no official format,
so please produce your own in an appropriate manner.
c) Qualifications
1. In cases where the applicant is to engage in instruction
at a vocational school ("Kakushugakko") or an
educational institution equivalent to it in facilities and
curriculum or in cases where the applicant is to engage
in instruction at other school with a capacity other than
a "teacher", the following conditions are to be
fulfilled.
However (a) is to be fulfilled in cases where the applicant
is to engage in instruction at a vocational school or an
educational institution equivalent to it in facilities and
curriculum which is established to give the children with
the status of residence "Diplomat" or "Official"
mentioned in Annexed Table 1 (1) or "Dependent"
mentioned in Annexed Table 1 (4) education of primary, junior
and senior high school in foreign language.
The applicant must have graduated from or completed a college
or acquired equivalent education, or must hold a license
to teach the subject that he or she intends to teach in
Japan.
When the applicant is planning on teaching a foreign language,
he or she must have acquired education in that language
for at least 12 years. When the applicant is going to teach
other subjects, he or she must have at least 5 years' teaching
experience in that subject.
2. The applicant should receive no less salary than a Japanese
national would receive for comparable work.
C. Number of Days Required for Acquiring a Visa
The number of days that it takes from application to issuance
of a visa varies slightly depending on such factors as the situation
in the embassy or consulate concerned and the content of an
application. In the case of visa applications that can be processed
by the diplomatic establishment itself (not requiring any inquiries
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo), it usually takes
from two or three days to about one week.
In the case of applications that require inquiries to the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs (for example, applications for work or study
visas that are not accompanied by a Certificate of Eligibility),
it usually takes two to three months or even longer, so in such
cases please allow plenty of leeway.
D. Visa Fees
Foreigners who obtain a visa for Japan must pay a visa fee.
Generally speaking, the fees are about 3,000 yen for a single-entry
visa, 6,000 yen for a double-entry or multiple-entry visa, and
700 yen for a transit visa (fees are collected in local currencies).
In the case of applicants from countries with reciprocal arrangements
relating to visa fees with Japan, fees are reduced or exempted
in accordance with the arrangement.
|
Job
Seekers