Immigration. Travel. Living.

How to apply for Japanese visa

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Document requirements for working visa

The documentation package is the following: working visa application form, a contract with the employer, letter of appointment as well as an invitation letter, documents proving oneโ€™s activities, registry certificate (tokibo tohon), companyโ€™s most recent financial statements, the company’s withholding tax report, description of the company’s activities, CV or a resume, certificates of degree, certificates of diploma, certified transcripts, training, awards or qualifications, documents to prove oneโ€™s previous working experience, portrait photo (3 cm x 4 cm).

Document requirements for family status visa

The documentation package is the following: working visa application form, documents proving oneโ€™s relations such as birth certificate, marriage certificate, family registry, a letter of guarantee, a questionnaire for the spouse of a Japanese national, documents proving oneโ€™s income such as a certificate of oneโ€™s employment, the most recent tax payment certificate. If one doesnโ€™t work, he or she will need such documents from the person who supports him or her financially as well as other documents, for example, bank statements showing enough savings, family photos (for the spouse visa, list of family members, no criminal record (certificate). These all documents must be translated into Japanese language.

Japan tourist visa document requirements

The documentation package is the following: a valid passport, visa application form, colour passport photo, a certified copy of oneโ€™s birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a proof of financial ability, a certificate of oneโ€™s financial situation (6 month period), applicantโ€™s tax return, a copy of oneโ€™s certificate of employment, a schedule as well as a travel plan for oneโ€™s trip.

Also, if a someone has a sponsor of his or her trip, he or she will need to provide the additional documents such as a guarantee letter, explaining your guarantorโ€™s relationship to the applicant, his or her their contact details, a proof of relationship between the applicant and guarantorโ€™s birth certificate in case a guarantor is a parent or a close relative, perhaps, a bank certificate of the guarantor, a photocopy of the income tax return of the guarantor.

E-visa application opportunity

An e-visa opportunity is also provided with an online application form without the need for going to the embassy or consulate to complete the application, which initially simplifies the whole visa application process.

Japanese visa application

The application itself for the COE (Certificate of Eligibility) in order to obtain, renew or change visa status, one must send to the Japanese immigration office of oneโ€™s place of residence. Once this will be completed, one will also need to go to the Japanese embassy in his or her own country. However, today, there is no COE needed for a tourist visa, working holiday visa as the application can be made directly to the Japanese embassy as well as the consulate.

Certificate of eligibility

Once one has chosen the type of visa that best suits his or her case, he or she will need to apply for a certificate of eligibility. This is in case if one does not live in Japan under a long term visa yet. Therefore, it is also possible to obtain a long term visa while living outside of Japan. However, at first one needs to apply for the certificate of eligibility or a COE directly at the Immigration office in Japan. Usually, it can take around 1 to 2 months to receive the result of the application.

However, when the COE is issued, one can then go to the Japanese embassy located nearby and have the visa issued and stamped on his or her passport. This can take a couple of days to do.

Moreover, the fact itself that one had applied for the COE does not give him or her the right to stay in the country after the expiration of the temporary visitor visa, as it will expire before the COE is issued.

Additional Japanese visa requirements

In some cases a set of the following documents is also needed: an income tax return a clear photocopy of the income tax return, a bank certificate issued within the past 3 months, the receipt, a certificate of employment.

Supporting documents

In case of the inability to provide the mentioned documentation a letter explaining why one is not able and submit supporting documents can be provided in addition (such as copies of invoice, payslips, other tax forms).

Document format an legal status

All the documents must be printed on an A4 size format paper together with birth certificates issued in the past year by the countryโ€™s official and authorized institutions. When one will meet all the above mentioned legal requirements, he or she will be able to obtain a necessary visa.

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