First of all, please keep in mind that when we mention "VISA" in this site, it actually measns the "Status of Residence" which certificates your authorized activities (=type of jobs) and period of stay in Japan.
Japan currently provides about 30 types of "Status of Residence" as listed below. For these "Status of Residence" except "Temporary Visitor", a "Residence Card" will be issued at passport control when you enter Japan.
Since required documents or screening criteria for application are different per each Status of Residence, for more detail information regarding VISA application, please do not hesitate to ask us.
| Table 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| VISA (Status of Residence) | Authorized activities | Period of Stay |
| Diplomat | Activities on the part of constituent members of diplomatic missions or consular offices of foreign governments hosted by the Japanese Government; activities on the part of those who are provided with similar privileges and/or immunities as are granted to diplomatic missions pursuant to treaties or international customary practices; and activities on the part of their family members belonging to the same household. |
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| Official | Activities on the part of those who engage in the official business of foreign governments or international rganizations recognized by the Japanese Government, and activities on the part of their family members belonging to the same household (except for the activities listed in the right-hand column under this table's "Diplomat" column). |
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| Professor | Activities for research, guidance of research or education at a university, an equivalent educational institution, or a college of technology (kotosenmongakko). |
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| Artist | Artistic activities that produce income, including music, the fine arts, literature, etc. (except for the activities listed in the right-hand column under the "Entertainer" column). |
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| Religious Activities | Missionary and other religious activities conducted by foreign religious workers dispatched by a foreign religious oganization. |
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| Journalist | News coverage and other journalistic activities conducted based on a contract with a foreign journalistic organization. |
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| Activities to commence the operation of an international trade or other business, to invest in an international trade or other business and to operate or manage said business, or to operate or manage an international trade or other business on behalf of foreign nationals (including foreign juridical persons; hereinafter the same shall apply in this section) who have commenced such operations or who have invested in such a business (except for activities to engage in the operation or management of a business which is prohibited without the legal qualifications listed in the right-hand column of the "Legal/Accounting Services" section in this table). |
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| Legal/ Accounting Services | Activities to engage in a legal or accounting business which may lawfully only be carried out by registered foreign lawyers (gaikokuhojimubengoshi), certified public accountants (gaikokukoninkaikeishi) or those with other legal qualifications. |
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| Medical Services | Activities to engage in medical treatment services which may lawfully only be undertaken by physicians, dentists or those with other legal qualifications. |
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| Researcher | Activities to engage in research based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan (except for the activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Professor" section). |
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| Instructor | Activities to engage in language instruction or other education at an elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, secondary educational school (chutokyoikugakko), school for special needs education, vocational school (senshugakko), miscellaneous educational institution (kakushugakko) or other educational institution equivalent to a miscellaneous educational institution in facilities and curriculum. |
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| Engineer | Activities to engage in services which require technology and/or knowledge pertinent to physical science, engineering or other natural scientific fields based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan (except for activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Professor" section and in the right-hand column of the "Investor/Business Manager", "Medical Services", "Researcher", "Instructor", "Intra-company Transferee" and "Entertainer" sections). |
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| Specialist in Humanities/ International Services | Activities to engage in services which require knowledge pertinent to jurisprudence, economics, sociology or other human science fields or to engage in services which require specific ways of thinking or sensitivity acquired through experience with foreign culture, based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan (except for activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Professor", "Artist" and "Journalist", "Investor/Business Manager", "Legal/Accounting Services", "Medical Services", "Researcher", "Instructor", "Intra-company Transferee" and "Entertainer" sections). |
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| Intra-company Transferee | Activities on the part of a personnel who is transferred to a business office in Japan for a limited period of time from a business office established in a foreign country by a public or private organization which has a head office, branch office or other business office in Japan, and who engages in the activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Engineer" and "Specialist in Humanities/International Services" sections in this table at this business office. |
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| Entertainment | Activities to engage in theatrical performances, musical performances, sports or any other form of show business (except for activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Investor/Business Manager" section). |
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| Skilled Labor | Activities to engage in services which require industrial techniques or skills belonging to special fields based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan. |
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| Technical Intern Training | (i) Activities which fall under any of items (a) or (b). (a) Activities by a personnel who works for a business (b) Activities to acquire knowledge being accepted by | a:
b:
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| Cultural Activities | Academic or artistic activities that provide no income, or activities engaged in for the purpose of pursuing specific Japanese cultural or artistic studies, or for the purpose of learning and acquiring Japanese culture or arts under the guidance of experts (except for activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Student" and "Trainee" sections). |
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| Temporary Visitor | Sightseeing, recreation, sports, visiting relatives, inspection tours, participating in lectures or meetings, business contact or other similar activities during a short stay in Japan. |
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| Student | Activities to receive an education at a university, college of technology (kotosenmongakko), senior high school (including a course of study in the latter part of secondary educational school (chutokyoikugakko)), senior high school course of school for special needs education (tokubetsushiengakko), vocational school (senshugakko), miscellaneous educational institution (kakushugakko) or an equivalent educational institution in terms of facilities and organization in Japan. |
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| Trainee | Activities to acquire skills at a public or a private organization in Japan (except for the activities listed in the right-hand column of "Technical Intern Training" and "Student" section in this table). |
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| Dependent | Daily activities on the part of a spouse or unmarried minor supported by the foreign national staying in Japan with the status of residence referred to in the left-hand column from "Professor" to "Cultural Activities" (except for "Technical Intern Training") or staying with the status of residence of "Student" in this table. |
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| Designated Activities | Activities which are specifically designated by the Minister of Justice for foreign nationals as activities that fall under any of a. Activities conducted based on a contract with apublic or private organization in Japan (an organization specifically b. Activities conducted based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan (an organization specifically c. Daily activities on the part of the spouse or unmarried minor who is supported by the foreign national engaged in the activities listed in a. or b. d. Activities other than those listed in a. to c. | a, b:
c:
d: Designated activities
Nurse, Care worker
Others:
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| Table 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| VISA (Status of Residence) | Authorized activities | Period of Stay |
| Permanent Resident | Those who are permitted permanent residence by the Minister of Justice. |
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| Spouse or Child of Japanese National | The spouses of Japanese nationals, those born as the children of Japanese nationals or children adopted by Japanese nationals pursuant to the provisions of Article 817-2 of the Civil Code (Act No. 89 of 1896). |
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| Spouse or Child of Permanent Residence | The spouses of those staying under the status of residence of "Permanent Resident" or "Special Permanent Resident" (hereinafter referred to as "permanent or special permanent resident") and those born as children of a permanent or special permanent resident in Japan who have been residing in Japan. |
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| Long-Term Resident | Those who are authorized to reside in Japan with a period of stay designated by the Minister of Justice in consideration of | Designated activities:
Others:
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