To Enter Japan At Present As A Foreign Citizen You Need A Passport And A US Visa for Japanese Citizens. There Are A Number Of Different Types Of Japanese Visas Which Are Designed By The Japanese Government For Different Purposes And Lengths Of Time.
As Visa-Free Entry To Japan Is Currently Suspended, All Foreign Nationals Need A Visa To Enter The Country. Japan Has Now Introduced An EVisa For Citizens Of The US And Canada.
This Simplifies The Application Process To Acquire The Japan Visa For Tourism Or Business. Other Nationalities Currently Need To Go To A Japanese Embassy Or Consulate To Apply For A Visa.
Japan visa types
At the moment there are numerous different types of visas available for Japan, including the recently introduced eVisa for nationals of Canada and the US.
Visas are obtained directly from Japanese embassies and consulates, although the application process for the eVisa can be completed entirely online.
Japanes visas can be grouped in 3 main categories:
- Working visa
- Non-working visa
- Family Related Visas
Working visa
Working visas are considered long-term stay visas and cover the kind of work that requires high-level professional knowledge or skills and ‘thus, they do not include simple labor tasks. Jobs like waiter, construction workers, sales people, etc. cannot obtain a working visa. Typical working visas:
- Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services Engineer. Engineers and Specialists in Humanities must have a university degree in their corresponding fields or 10 years of professional experience. International Services Engineers must have 3 years of professional experience in their field.
- Intra-company Transferee. This status applies to expats of foreign companies or the subsidiary companies of Japanese firms located overseas who have worked more than one year in the said office in overseas.
- Skilled Labor. Jobs involving foreign cooking, architecture or civil engineering characteristic to foreign countries, training animals, instructing sports, sommeliers, processing precious stones will fall into this status. It’s mandatory to have at least 3 years of professional experience in the field.
- Business Manager. Those who are going to start a business or invest into a business in Japan. It also applies to those managing business on behalf of investors.
- Highly-Skilled Professional. This visa aims to attract workers who are likely to contribute to the Japanese economy.
Those with a certain status, knowledge, or skills can get the following working visas:
- Diplomats or Officials, Personnel of the embassies and consular offices, Diplomatic missions, Government personnel and their families.
- Research and education at university or equivalent educational institutions.
- Instruction of foreign languages or other education at elementary schools, high schools, etc. Those instructors looking to work in private language schools must apply for the Specialist in Humanities / International Services visa.
- For those whose artistic activities provide enough income to support their living in Japan.
- Religious activities. Missionaries sent to Japan from foreign religious organizations.
- Those journalists who have signed contracts with foreign media organizations. It includes freelance journalists.
- Legal and Accounting services.
- Medical Services. Medical specialists with Japanese qualifications.
- For those researchers working under a contract with public or private organizations in Japan.
- All of those working in show business and sports.
Non-working visa
Anyone who holds a non-working visa is allowed to work as long as the immigration office grants them permission. This type of visas is considered a short-term stay visa and some restrictions US Visa for Dutch Citizens. Those doing some work under a non-working visa cannot exceed the number of authorized hours per week.
Who can benefit:
- The visa application is submitted through the school.
- Those training to acquire technology, skills or knowledge. This status is granted only when the candidate will work in a job requiring that technology, skills or knowledge once he returns to his home country.
- Technical Internships. That covers internships after training under trainee visa.
- Spouses or children of people staying in Japan under the work visa and non-working visa (except for temporary visitors and trainees).
- Cultural Activities. Cultural or artistic activities with no income.
- Students or researchers of Japanese cultural or artistic activities.
- University students taking part in an internship without remuneration.
- Temporary Visitors (also known as Tourist visa). This status includes visitors on vacation, sports, family visits, participants in seminars and conferences, business meetings, market research, and those traveling to Japan to engage in PR activities.
There is also another epigraphe for non-working visas that is granted case by case: Designated Activities. Students on internship, working holidays, diplomats’ housekeepers are some of the people who can apply for this visa.
Family related visas
Family related visas are considered short-term stay visas and have no retrictions when it comes to employment, so you can engage in more than one activity or change jobs. Those who can apply to these visas are:
- Spouses and children of Japanese nationals
- Long Term Residents
- Permanent Residents
- Spouses and children of Permanent Resident
Japan tourist visa
Any tourist wanting to visit Japan must obtain a tourist visa prior to entering the country. Canadian passport holders and US nationals can now obtain an eVisa for tourism online.
The Japan tourist visa is a short-term stay visa for the purposes of sightseeing, visiting friends, or attending conferences or courses.
Under the single-entry regulation, tourists can remain in Japan for up to 30 days, but this tourist visa is valid for a period of up to 90 days.
Tourists can also apply for a double-entry visa for 2 short trips within a 6-month period. It is important to note that the Japan tourist visa does not allow travelers to engage in paid work while in the country.
Other short-term stay visas
- Business visa: There is a temporary business visa for stays of up to 90 days which can single or double-entry visa (if both trips are within a 6-month period). Business purposes include conferences, meetings, signing contracts, and market surveys.
- Transit visa: Some nationalities need a transit visa to stop over in Japan when going to an onward destination. Many travelers do not need this as long as they stay within the allocated zone and do not leave the airport.
Which countries need a tourist visa?
All foreign citizens currently need a visa to enter Japan due to coronavirus-related visa exemption suspensions.
In normal circumstances, citizens of certain countries can enter with Temporary Visitor status for limited periods of time (15 to 90 consecutive days) for tourism or business purposes.
Visitors receive a stamp in their passport which is a requirement for the Japan Rail Pass. The rules are very strict and it is not possible to get the pass without showing the stamp (tourists with other types of visas are not eligible for the Pass).
The following nationalities are normally eligible for Temporary Visitor status (all others need a visa to enter):