How do you get a Japan visa?

How do you get a Japan visa?

The Japanese government has created many Japanese visas for various reasons and durations. 

Over 60 nations allow their residents to visit without a visa for tourists or business. Other countries must apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate. 

Japan established an eVisa for US and Canadian nationals in 2022, simplifying the application procedure for a Japanese visa amid pandemic visa restrictions. 

Canadians and Americans no longer need a visa to visit Japan for short periods, but the eVisa is likely to be available to other visa-required nations shortly. 

 

Japan Visa Types 

There are various kinds of visas for Japan, and more will be added in the future, including the eVisa. Visas are acquired directly from Japanese embassies and consulates; even the visa application must be completed online. 

Japanese visas may be divided into three categories: 

1. Working Visa 
2. Non-Working Visa 
3. Family-related visas

 

Working Visa 

Working visas are considered long-term stay visas and include employment that needs advanced professional knowledge or abilities; consequently, they exclude essential labor duties. Waiters, construction workers, salespeople, and other occupations are not eligible for a work visa. 

Typical work visas: 

1. Engineer, Humanities Specialist, and International Service Engineer. Engineers and Humanities Specialists must have a university degree in their respective disciplines or at least ten years of practical experience. International Services Engineers must have three years of professional experience in their respective fields. 
2. Intra-company transferee. This status pertains to expats of foreign corporations or subsidiaries of Japanese enterprises who have worked in the mentioned abroad office for more than a year. 
3. Skilled labor. This category includes foreign culinary, architecture, or civil engineering jobs, animal training, sports instruction, sommeliers, and the processing of valuable stones. At least three years of professional experience in this sector is required. 
4. Business Managers are those who plan to create or invest in a company in Japan. This category also applies to persons who run businesses on behalf of investors. 

 

Highly skilled professional. This visa intends to recruit people who will contribute to the Japanese economy. 

 

Non-Working Visa 

Anyone on a non-working visa may work as long as the immigration office allows. This kind of visa is classified as a short-term stay visa, and some limitations apply. Those working on a non-working visa are limited to the number of permissible hours per week. 

Who can benefit? 

1. The visa application is filed via the school. 

2. Those undergoing training to obtain technologies, skills, or knowledge. This status is given only if the applicant plans to work in a position that requires that technology, skills, or expertise when he returns to his home country. 

3. Technical internships. That includes internships following training on a trainee visa. 

Spouses or children of persons in Japan on work or non-working visas (excluding temporary visits and trainees). 

4. Cultural activities. Cultural or creative pursuits that generate no money. 

5. Students or researchers in Japanese cultural or artistic activities. 

6. University students participate in unpaid internships. 

7. Temporary Visitors (also known as Tourist Visas). This status applies to travelers on holiday, sports, family visits, seminar and conference participants, business meetings, market research, and those going to Japan for public relations purposes. 

8. There is another epigraph for non-working visas, issued case by case, for designated activities. Students on internships, working vacations, and diplomats' housekeepers are among those who may apply for this visa. 

 

Japan Tourist Visa Requirements

To successfully apply for a tourist visa to Japan, candidates must fulfill the following visa conditions.

• Have a valid passport with at least six months left and two blank pages.
• A completed visa application form.
• Please include a current color passport picture and a verified copy of your birth certificate.
• If you are married, please send your marriage certificate (if it was issued within the previous year).
• You must intend to depart Japan after your approved stay.
• Proof of financial capacity indicating that you can sustain yourself financially throughout your stay in Japan
• Provide a certificate of your financial position for the last six months produced by your bank.
• Submit the applicant’s tax return.
• If applying without a sponsor, you must send a copy of your Certificate of Employment.
• Create a timetable and travel arrangements for the trip.

 

Additional Tips:

• Check for Updates: Visa rules and processes are subject to change, so it is best to check the official website of the Japanese embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information.
• Early Application: Apply far before your intended trip dates to give enough time for processing.
• Professional Assistance: If the procedure is complex, consider hiring a visa service business or speaking with an immigration attorney.

 

Following these procedures and ensuring you have all relevant papers will allow you to apply for and acquire a Japan visa successfully.