Destination Guide | Tokyo Japan
Visa and Immigration
Visa System in Japan
Why Are Visas Necessary?
In principle, foreigners wishing to enter Japan (with the exception of shipping and airline crews) are required to apply at an overseas Japanese diplomatic establishment (embassy or consulate) for a visa to be stamped in or attached to their passport valid for travel to Japan.
Under Japan's Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (hereafter referred to as the Immigration Control Act), it is stipulated that any foreigner wishing to enter or land in Japan must possess a valid passport and a visa obtained from an embassy or consulate. You must have a valid visa.
Accordingly, if a foreigner does not possess the necessary visa, in principle he or she is not granted permission to enter Japan. Do not let your visa expire as this may hold up you entry into or exit from Japan.
What is a visa?
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 indicates a foreigner wishing to enter Japan has been vetted to enter and stay in Japan.
A visa however does not guarantee landing (status of residence) permission.
What is 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 permissions state 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 permissions are prerequisites for any future applications at the regional immigration authorities 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 closest 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.
Categories of Visas/Scope of each status of residence
| 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. |
| WORKING VISA | 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. |
| 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. | |
| 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. |
Exemption of Visas
Visas are not required when applying for landing permission at a port of entry in Japan in the following cases:
A. Nationals of Countries and Areas with Visa Exemption arrangements with Japan
As of February 2008, Japan had taken measures concerning the waiver of visa requirements with 62 countries and regions, as shown in the accompanying table. Nationals of these countries and regions holding valid passports can apply for landing permission for short-term stays for such purposes as sightseeing and business trips without obtaining a visa. However, cases involving paid activities in Japan are excluded. Also, the waiver of visa requirements are not applicable in the case of stays exceeding the period of time stipulated in each arrangement. In such cases, it is necessary for foreigners to obtain a visa.
B. Those Having Obtained Re-entry Permission
If foreigners who already reside in Japan, having acquired a status of residence for a long-term stay, such as for work, wish to leave the country temporarily during the period for which they have received permission to stay in Japan, they can obtain a re-entry permit before departing Japan. This permit enables them to re-enter Japan without having to obtain a new visa, as long as their re-entry is within the valid period of the permit. For such foreigners, the procedures for entering Japan are much simpler than the usual landing procedures.
Applications for re-entry permits can be made at the nearest immigration authority under jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. When re-entry permission is granted, the permit is stamped on the foreigner's passport. In principle, re-entry permission is valid for only one time. However, foreigners who have to leave Japan frequently can apply for multiple re-entry permits.
It is not possible to obtain re-entry permission at an embassy or consulate after departure from Japan. However, if a foreigner who has departed Japan after acquiring re-entry permission is unable to return to Japan before expiration of the permit for unavoidable reasons, such as illness, the foreigner can apply at an embassy or consulate for an extension of the re-entry permit's period of validity.
List of Countries and Regions That Have Visa Exemption Arrangements with Japan
(62 countries and regions as of February 2008)
| Areas | Countries and regions | Term of residence |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | Singapore | 3 months or less |
| Brunei | 14 days or less | |
| Hong Kong (BNO, SAR passport) | 90 days or less | |
| Republic of Korea | 90 days or less | |
| Taiwan | 90 days or less | |
| Macau (SAR passport) | 90 days or less | |
| North America | Canada | 3 months or less |
| U.S.A | 90 days or less | |
| Latin America and Caribbean | Mexico | 6 months or less |
| Argentina | 3 months or less | |
| Bahamas | 3 months or less | |
| Chile | 3 months or less | |
| Costa Rica | 3 months or less | |
| Dominican Rep. | 3 months or less | |
| El Salvador | 3 months or less | |
| Guatemala | 3 months or less | |
| Honduras | 3 months or less | |
| Suriname | 3 months or less | |
| Uruguay | 3 months or less | |
| Barbados | 90 days or less | |
| Middle East | Israel | 3 months or less |
| Turkey | 3 months or less | |
| Oceania | Australia* | 90 days or less |
| New Zealand | 90 days or less | |
| Africa | Lesotho | 3 months or less |
| Mauritius | 3 months or less | |
| Tunisia | 3 months or less | |
| Europe | Austria | 6 months or less |
| Germany | 6 months or less | |
| Ireland | 6 months or less | |
| Liechtenstein | 6 months or less | |
| Switzerland | 6 months or less | |
| United Kingdom | 6 months or less | |
| Belgium | 3 months or less | |
| Croatia | 3 months or less | |
| Cyprus | 3 months or less | |
| Denmark | 3 months or less | |
| Finland | 3 months or less | |
| France | 3 months or less | |
| Greece | 3 months or less | |
| Iceland | 3 months or less | |
| Italy | 3 months or less | |
| Luxembourg | 3 months or less | |
| Macedonia | 3 months or less | |
| Malta | 3 months or less | |
| Netherlands | 3 months or less | |
| Norway | 3 months or less | |
| Portugal | 3 months or less | |
| San Marino | 3 months or less | |
| Slovenia | 3 months or less | |
| Spain | 3 months or less | |
| Sweden | 3 months or less | |
| Andorra | 90 days or less | |
| Bulgaria | 90 days or less | |
| Czech Rep. | 90 days or less | |
| Estonia | 90 days or less | |
| Hungary | 90 days or less | |
| Latvia | 90 days or less | |
| Lithuania | 90 days or less | |
| Monaco | 90 days or less | |
| Poland | 90 days or less | |
| Slovakia | 90 days or less |