Learn how to get your Japanese visa now!
Your first introduction to Japan may have been one of the country’s unique cultural products. Perhaps anime like Demon Slayer piqued your curiosity about this eastern nation. Maybe your first taste of sushi sparked your desire to seek out more Japanese food. Or perhaps video games like Final Fantasy, Pokemon, or Super Mario and their quirkiness started you down the path to learning more about Japan. Whatever your reason, Japan has become a popular destination for tourists.
The numbers line up with its popularity. Overseas residents visits to Japan were approximately 32 million people in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). Though the pandemic restrictions blunted travel demand to Japan, the country consistently ranks as one of the most sought-after travel destinations in the world with so many amazing destinations like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
Some people like the country so much that they want to stay longer than a tourist visa permits. In those situations, you will need a different type of visa. As of July 2022, Japan still restricts visas for non-residents. However, this article will help you get into Japan once these restrictions end.
In this post, we will go over the Japanese visas available to stay in Japan for an extended period. That way, you will be ready to go to Japan, so you don’t have to get ready to go to Japan.
Tourist Visa
This visa is available for citizens from some countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and former Soviet Union nations. You need a valid passport with two blank pages. This temporary visa is for tourism purposes (ex., sightseeing) and authorizes a stay of up to 90 days.
This type of visa lasts for a maximum duration of 90 days for a single entry for the following purposes:
• Sightseeing
• Sports
• Visiting acquaintances, friends, or relatives
• Visiting a sick person
• Attending a wedding or funeral
• Participating in athletic tournaments etc.
Transit Visa
A visa available for citizens of non-visa-exempt countries is the transit visa. A transit visa is for stopping over in Japan while traveling to another country. You will need a valid passport and a completed visa form.
Student Visa
This visa is for people who enter college or junior college for a stay of over ninety days and popular with people who want to take a gap year in Japan. You will need several documents, including a valid passport, visa application, a photograph, and an original Certificate of Eligibility. Other documents may be required. This visa is not for other purposes like education, working, or starting or managing a business.
Business Visa
This visa is for travelers entering Japan for business purposes. Plus, the visa duration is up to 90 days and permits multiple entries. Reasons can include business conferences, signing contracts, and market surveys.
Business Manager
Are you an owner, director or manager of a business in Japan? Then you may be eligible for a Business Manager status in Japan. This visa will enable you to self-sponsor as a business manager. To qualify, you must have:
• Raised capital must be at least JPY5,000,000/$50,000 USD.
• Physical office space in Japan.
• An approved business plan.
• Enough income to live independently in Japan.
• Hire at least one full-time employee who is either a Japanese national, a Permanent Resident, a Spouse or Child of a Japanese National, a Spouse or Child of a Permanent Resident, or a foreign national with a Long-Term visa. In other words, someone with significant ties to Japan.
Startup Visa
In the summer of 2020, Japan joined in the recent global trend of creating a startup visa for specific regions in Japan and international students at Japanese universities.
Typically, a foreign national who wanted to start a business in Japan needed to get residency status under a Business Manager visa. That visa has steep requirements – as seen above. However, the Startup Visa streamlines the residency process.
Approved applicants will get six months to get their business up and running and renew their visa for the Business Manager category. If the applicant is successful in this renewal, they can continue their business activities for one year. The visa can then renew in future years.
As of August 2021, the following ten municipalities adopted the startup visa: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Kanagawa Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Niigata City, Fukuoka City, Kitakyushu City, Sendai City, Aichi Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture, and Imabari City.
You can find more information and requirements on the startup visa here.
Diplomatic Visa
This visa is exclusively for those engaging in activities for diplomatic missions or foreign governments hosted by the Government of Japan. Think ambassadors, Foreign Service Officers, international organization workers, etc. The period of stay lasts the duration of the mission. You will need relevant paperwork, including a note certifying your identity and purpose in visiting Japan.
General Visa
The general visa is one of the most common visas granted. This visa is for people involved in cultural activities. The period of stay can last from 3 months to 3 years.
You will need the following documents and meet the requirements to qualify for this visa.
• Passport
• One visa application form, two if you reside in certain countries
• One photograph, two if you live in certain countries
You will receive a Certificate of Eligibility to obtain this visa and to enter Japan. Authorities may require additional paperwork depending on your nationality.
Work Visas
Would you like to work in Japan? You will need a work visa, these are for people in various professions, including academics, artists, and business managers.
A work visa permits holders, to stay in Japan from three months up to five years. You will need a sponsor in Japan that will apply to the Regional Immigration Bureau in Japan for an eligibility certificate. In addition, potential applicants for this type of visa will need the following documentation:
· A completed application form
· A photograph
· A return envelope with a Japanese stamp
· Supporting documents that demonstrate the reasons for your visa request
· A letter of guarantee
Highly Skilled Professional Visa
Workers with advanced and specialized skills can apply for this visa. This type of visa is a specific type of work visa. Therefore, you will need a job or a job offer from a Japanese sponsoring organization.
Applicants are evaluated on a point system based on their educational and professional background, pay, and other factors. There is a chart that breakdowns down the items for this visa type.
This visa grants several benefits:
· Possibility of engaging in multiple different activities that cover different visa categories
· Extended visa length of five years
· Faster access to a Permanent Resident visa
· Expedited processing for immigration-related procedures (visa renewal, change of visa status, etc.)
· The HSFP visa holder’s spouse can also work full-time under certain conditions
· Possibility of bringing parents to Japan under certain conditions
· Possibility of hiring a domestic helper/nanny under certain conditions
Official Visa
This visa is for official business of foreign governments or international organizations recognized by the Government of Japan. Requirements are like that of the Diplomatic Visa.
Specified Visa
This visa is for a spouse or child of a Japanese national. You can stay in Japan for six months to five years. Documents needed are comparable to those required for the General Visa. Some nationalities will have to provide additional information.
Getting into Japan can be a complex process. Once you know your circumstances and which visa applies, you can determine a better course of action to immigrate to Japan. Consult with your local Embassy of Japan to learn more about the process or do more research online.
Be sure to research important things to know before visiting Japan and also learn some Japanese phrases before departing which will help with sightseeing or integration.
