Visa Types — Japan

Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa

Who it's for: Foreign professionals working in engineering, IT, marketing, translation, design, humanities-related fields, or international business services for a Japanese company.

Key eligibility requirements:

• Job offer from a Japan-based employer
• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in a relevant field, OR 10+ years of relevant work experience (3 years for international services like translation/marketing)
• Employer must sponsor a Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
• Salary must be comparable to that of Japanese nationals in similar roles

Processing time:

• COE application: 1–3 months
• Visa issuance at embassy/consulate after COE approval: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE application: Free
• Visa stamping fee: ¥3,000 (single-entry) / ¥6,000 (multi-entry) (~$20–$40 USD)
• Many nationalities (e.g., US) have reciprocal fee exemptions—verify with local embassy

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Highly Skilled Professional Visa (i and ii)

Who it's for: Highly qualified individuals in academic research, advanced technical fields, or business management, assessed via a points-based system.

Key eligibility requirements:

• Must score 70+ points on the Points-Based System (factors: academic background, work experience, annual salary, age, research achievements)
• Job offer or business activity in Japan
• Category (i): time-limited visa (5 years)
• Category (ii): available after 3 years on (i), offers indefinite stay and broader work permissions

Processing time:

• COE processing: 1–2 months (often expedited, within 10 business days for straightforward cases)
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (~$20–$40 USD)

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Business Manager Visa

Who it's for: Entrepreneurs and investors starting or managing a business in Japan.

Key eligibility requirements:

• Establish a business with either a physical office in Japan and capital investment of at least ¥5 million (~$33,000 USD), OR employ 2+ full-time staff
• Viable business plan
• Must serve as director/manager (not just investor)

Processing time:

• COE processing: 1–3 months
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (~$20–$40 USD)
• (Excludes business setup costs: incorporation, capital deposit, legal fees—often ¥300,000–¥500,000 / $2,000–$3,300 USD)

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Specified Skilled Worker Visa (SSW – Tokutei Ginou)

Who it's for: Blue-collar/manual laborers in designated sectors facing labor shortages (agriculture, construction, hospitality, nursing care, food service, manufacturing, etc.)

Key eligibility requirements:

• Type (i): Pass a Japanese language test (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4+) and skills test in the relevant sector; max stay 5 years; no family accompaniment
• Type (ii): Higher skill level; renewable indefinitely; can bring family; leads to permanent residency eligibility
• Sponsoring employer required

Processing time:

• COE processing: 1–3 months
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (~$20–$40 USD)
• Skills/language test fees vary (~¥5,000–¥30,000 / $35–$200 USD depending on country/test)

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Technical Intern Training Visa

Who it's for: Workers from developing countries participating in Japan's technical/vocational training programs (controversial program, being phased into a new "Employment for Skill Development" system starting 2027).

Key eligibility requirements:

• Sponsorship by a supervising organization and host company in Japan
• Basic skills assessment in home country
• Program duration: up to 5 years across phases (i, ii, iii)

Processing time:

• COE processing: 1–3 months
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (~$20–$40 USD)
• Additional costs often charged by sending organizations (varies widely by country, sometimes $1,000–$5,000 USD—controversial and subject to reform)

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Intra-Company Transferee Visa

Who it's for: Employees transferred from an overseas branch/subsidiary to a Japanese branch of the same company.

Key eligibility requirements:

• Minimum 1 year continuous employment with the overseas entity immediately before transfer
• Position in Japan must match Engineer/Specialist in Humanities category duties
• Company must have a legitimate business relationship (parent-subsidiary/branch)

Processing time:

• COE processing: 1–3 months
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (~$20–$40 USD)

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Spouse or Child of Japanese National Visa

Who it's for: Foreign spouses, biological/adopted children of Japanese citizens.

Key eligibility requirements:

• Legally valid marriage to a Japanese national (proof required: marriage certificate, koseki/family registry)
• For children: proof of biological or legal parent-child relationship
• No specific work/education requirement; broad work rights permitted

Processing time:

• COE processing: 1–3 months
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (~$20–$40 USD)

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Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident Visa

Who it's for: Foreign spouses/children of Japan permanent residents (not Japanese citizens).

Key eligibility requirements:

• Legally valid marriage to a PR holder, or child born in Japan to a PR holder (some restrictions on children born overseas)
• Continued cohabitation and genuine relationship required

Processing time:

• COE processing: 1–3 months
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (~$20–$40 USD)

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Long-Term Resident Visa (Teijusha)

Who it's for: Individuals with special circumstances—e.g., Japanese descendants (nikkei) up to 3rd generation, refugees, divorced/widowed spouses of Japanese nationals with children, long-term care situations.

Key eligibility requirements:

• Case-by-case discretion by Ministry of Justice/Immigration Services Agency
• Proof of Japanese ancestry (for nikkei) up to grandchildren, or other qualifying humanitarian/family circumstances
• Renewable status (1, 3, or 5 years)

Processing time:

• COE/application review: 1–3 months (can be longer for discretionary cases)
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (~$20–$40 USD)

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Permanent Resident Status (Eijuken)

Who it's for: Long-term foreign residents seeking indefinite stay without visa renewal requirements (this is a status change application, not an entry visa).

Key eligibility requirements:

• Generally 10 continuous years of residence in Japan (with at least 5 years on a working visa), though reduced to 1–5 years for Highly Skilled Professionals, spouses of Japanese nationals, or those with significant contributions
• Good conduct record (no criminal history, tax/pension payments up to date)
• Sufficient independent livelihood (financial stability)
• Current visa status must allow indefinite/long-term renewal potential

Processing time:

• 6 months to 1 year (often longer, up to 2 years in complex cases)

Cost:

• Application: Free
• Revenue stamp fee upon approval: ¥8,000 (~$55 USD)

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Student Visa (Pathway to Immigration)

Who it's for: Individuals enrolled in Japanese universities, language schools, or vocational schools (often a stepping stone to work/PR visas).

Key eligibility requirements:

• Acceptance letter from accredited Japanese educational institution
• Proof of financial support (bank statements, sponsor letters)
• Institution typically applies for COE on student's behalf

Processing time:

• COE processing: 1–3 months
• Visa issuance: 5–10 business days

Cost:

• COE: Free
• Visa fee: ¥3,000 (single-entry, ~$20 USD); often waived for certain nationalities

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Working Holiday Visa

Who it's for: Young adults (typically 18–30, some countries up to 25) from partner countries (Australia, Canada, UK, South Korea, and ~20+ others) seeking temporary work/travel experience.

Key eligibility requirements:

• Citizen of a partner country with bilateral working holiday agreement
• Age limits per country agreement
• Sufficient funds (~¥200,000–¥300,000 / $1,300–$2,000 USD) and return ticket
• No dependents accompanying

Processing time:

• 1–4 weeks (varies by embassy/consulate)

Cost:

• Visa fee: Often free or ¥3,000 (~$20 USD), varies by country agreement

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Important Notes

• Currency conversion uses an approximate rate of ¥150 = $1 USD; rates fluctuate, so verify current exchange rates.
• COE (Certificate of Eligibility) is a pre-screening document issued by Japan's Immigration Services Agency; it is required before applying for most work/long-term visas at a Japanese embassy/consulate abroad, and significantly streamlines the visa approval process abroad once obtained.

• Processing times are estimates and can vary significantly based on the applicant's home country, the specific Japanese embassy/consulate workload, the complexity of the case, and seasonal application volume (e.g., spring is typically busier due to the Japanese fiscal/academic year starting in April).

• Fee exemptions: Japan has bilateral agreements with several countries (including the United States) that waive visa issuance fees on a reciprocal basis. Always check with your specific embassy/consulate, as this can eliminate the ¥3,000–¥6,000 fee entirely for eligible nationalities.

• Regional Immigration Bureau vs. Embassy: The COE is issued by a Regional Immigration Bureau within Japan (application typically filed by the sponsoring employer, school, or family member), while the actual visa stamp is issued by a Japanese embassy or consulate in the applicant's home country. This two-step process is standard for most long-term visa categories.

• Dependent visas: Most work-based visa holders (Engineer/Specialist, Highly Skilled Professional, Business Manager, Intra-Company Transferee) can sponsor a Dependent Visa for spouses and children. This is not a standalone category but an add-on status requiring proof of relationship and financial support from the principal visa holder.

• Re-entry permits: Visa/status holders leaving Japan temporarily should confirm re-entry permit requirements, though Japan generally allows re-entry within 1 year without a separate permit if the residence card is valid and departure is properly recorded (Special Re-entry Permit system).

• 2027 reforms: The Technical Intern Training Program is being phased out and replaced by the new Employment for Skill Development (Ikusei Shuro) system, which will have different eligibility structures, job mobility rules, and pathways to the Specified Skilled Worker visa. Details are still being finalized, so applicants should monitor Immigration Services Agency (ISA) announcements closely.

• Language requirements: While not universally mandated, Japanese language proficiency (JLPT N4 or higher) is increasingly emphasized for long-term status categories, permanent residency applications, and especially the Specified Skilled Worker visa.

• Tax and pension compliance: For Permanent Residency and some Long-Term Resident applications, consistent payment of Japanese income tax, resident tax, and national pension/health insurance contributions is scrutinized closely. Gaps or delinquencies can result in application denial.

• Legal/administrative support: Given the complexity of Japan's immigration system, many applicants—particularly for Business Manager, Highly Skilled Professional, and Permanent Residency categories—engage a gyoseishoshi (administrative scrivener) or immigration lawyer. Professional fees typically range from ¥100,000–¥500,000 ($700–$3,300 USD) depending on case complexity.

• Official verification: All figures, processing times, and eligibility criteria listed above should be verified directly with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) (https://www.isa.go.jp) or the nearest Japanese embassy/consulate, as policies, fees, and point-system thresholds are subject to periodic revision.

More about immigrating to Japan