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Visa & Immigration procedure in Japan

Case studies

Entrepreneur wishing to start a business in Japan

If you already have a visa (status of residence) that has no restriction in the type of your activities such as Permanent Resident, Spouse or Child of Japanese National, you are free to choose your business structure whether it is a sole proprietor (kojin jigyo) or a company.

In some cases it is recommended to establish a company in Japan in order to show a certain credibility to your business relations such as your office's landloard, clients and suppliers or to better manage the relation between several investors and directors.

The establishment of a company in Japan has become much easier since 1st May 2006. (Please see the page on the incorporation in Japan)

If you don't have a visa that allows you to work and that you wish to obtain one for this occasion by starting your own business, the visa you need is that of "Investor / Business Manager".

It is in this case necessary to satisfy the required conditions (see the page on the visa and immigration procedures in Japan), and to establish, before asking for a visa (status of residence), a company with a capital of 5 millions yen or more. You need to make sure that you are eligible for this Investors visa in advance, as a comapny can be established regardless of your visa status (even under a tourist visa). However you are not allowed to run a company without living in Japan with an appropreate visa.

In the case where you're not eligible for the visa (status of residence) "Investor, Business Manager" (lack of the amount of investment, etc.), the alternative options would be to find Japanese partners or other foreign investors, and apply for another type of visa status such as "Specialist in Humanities / International Services" or "Engineer".

>> Different types of visa in Japan

>> How to obtain and renew your visa in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise

Expatriates

You are sent to Japan by a foreign company. If you have worked there for more than a year before coming to Japan, you are eligible for the visa status "Intra-Company Transferee".

If you will be the Representative Director of the Japanese subsidiary of the foreign company you work for, the approprieate visa status is "Investor / Business Manager".

If you are newly employed and don't satisfy the requirement of having worked for more than one year, other possibilites of visa are available such as that of "Specialist in Humanities / International Services" or "Engineer".

>> Different types of visa in Japan

>> How to obtain and renew your visa in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise

Person looking for a job in Japan

It is necessary to already have a job waiting for you in Japan to be able to apply for a work visa.

For the information on finding a job in Japan, you can try different sources:

jobfinder.japantoday.com

The Japan Times

Ecentral

It is possible to come to Japan with the temporary visitor (tourist) visa to look for a job. If you find one, you can then apply for the Certificate of Eligibility for the type of work visa that corresponds to your case.

The standard procedure would be to take the Certificate of Eligibility to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate overseas to have the work visa issued on your passport, which means that you have to go out of Japan to get it.

It is however possible to apply for the change of visa status from the temporary visitor visa to a working visa if the COE is issued within the validity of the temporary visitor visa, which will allow you to keep staying in Japan throughout all the process.

>> Different types of visa in Japan

>> How to obtain and renew your visa in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise

Employment of a person of foreign national

If you intend to employ people of foreign national, it is necessary to make sure that they legally have the right to work in Japan, as you can be in a lot of trouble employing someone who doesn't have, or is unlikely to obtain an appropreate visa status.

If your future employees already have a visa (status of residence) such as "Permanent Resident" or "Spouse or Child of Japanese National", there is no problem. If they don't have an appropreate working visa (status of residence) yet, they have to get one.

It is necessary in this case to make sure that the content of the job and the profile the applicant correspond well to the type of visa (status of residence) asked.

The fact that your future employee already has a working visa (status of residence) such as Specialist in Humanities or Skilled Labor doesn't mean that you can legally continue to employ them. A visa (status of residence) is granted according to the nature of activities and the performance of the employing company, as well as the qualification of the candidate.

Even if his/her education and the work experience correspond to the requirements of the visa (status of residence) already obtained, it can not be renewed if the new work is considered to be incoherent to the qualification of the applicant or the nature of the visa (status of residence) asked, or when the new employer is considered to be financially incapable of employing another personnel.

>> Different types of visa in Japan

>> How to obtain and renew your visa in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise

Person married to a Japanese national

You are eligible for the visa (status of residence) "Spouse or Child of Japanese National". It is necessary to declare the marriage to a city hall in Japan as well as to the competent authorities in your country, and to obtain a certificate of marriage.This process can be done through an Embassy or a Consulate.

When you apply for the spouse visa, it is necessary to provide among others the certificates of marriage issued by the authorities of the both countries and your certificate of income or that of your spouse.

Once this spouse visa is granted, you are free to choose a job you like.

After 3 years of marriage, one year of residence in Japan and provided that you have a 3 years spouse visa at the time of the application, you can apply for the status of Permanent Resident which lasts for an unlimited time. It is necessary however to renew your spouse visa if it will be expired before the status of Permanent Residence will be granted.

>> Getting married in Japan

>> Permanent resident in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise

Spouse and child of those with work visa, student visa or cultural activities visa

The applicable type of visa is "Dependent", which will allow you to stay legally in Japan but not to work.

It is however possible to work on a part time basis within the limited hours determined by the permission you can obtain through the immigration bureau.

If you wish to work on full time, it is necessary to ask for a corresponding working visa. The immigration bureau will grand you a working visa if your educational and professional background correspond to the type of work you will engage in, and if the employing company is considered to be financially capable of hiring you.

>> Student and "dependent" visa holders wishing to work

>> Different types of visa in Japan

>> How to obtain and renew your visa in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise

Descendants of Japanese national

If you have a Japanese grand parent, or if your spouse is a child or a grandchild of Japanese national, you can obtain the visa (status of residence) "Long Term Resident". As it belongs to the group of visa (status of residence) granted according to the family status, this visa (status of residence) doesn't have any restriction as for the type of work you choose.

>> How to obtain and renew your visa in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise

What to do when eligible for more than one visa (status of residence) ?

One person can have only one visa at a time. If you are eligible for more than one type of visa, you can simply choose one that is the most easily accessible for you.

Each visa has its own requirements and characteristics, so you might like to choose according to those.

For example, a spouse visa (Spouse or Child of Japanese National) allows you to choose whatever type of work you want but you need to stay married to be able to keep this visa.

On the other side, you can maintain your work visa regardless of your marital status, although the type of work you are allowed to engage in is limited.

Only those who hold the "Investor/Business Manager" or "Legal/Accounting Services" visa are allowed to sponsor the visa for foreign national house keepers, so some prefer to keep these type of visa even though they are eligible for other type of visa such as Spouse of Japanese National or Permanent Resident.

>> Different types of visa in Japan

>> How to obtain and renew your visa in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise



Make a plan of your stay in Japan

You wish to work and stay in Japan for a long time ? Maybe you intend to obtain a Permanent Residency ? You will then need to plan your stay in Japan.

If you wish to obtain a working visa (status of residence) in Japan, make sure that you have the training, the diploma and the work experience required. If staying in Japan is a part of your future projects, the studies, the training and the work experience you choose are very important, and have to be chosen in the way that they allow you to obtain an appropriate visa (status of residence).

It is also essential to see what are the kind of jobs offered to people of foreign nationals in Japan, knowing that you will not be able to obtain a working visa (status of residence) if you don't have a job.

Does your profile correspond enough to the one sought ?

If your final objective is to obtain the Permanent Residency, it also has to be prepared with attention.

The length of your stay, the moment where you change your job as well as many different elements will be determinant.

>> Different types of visa in Japan

>> How to obtain and renew your visa in Japan

>> Required documents for visa applications in Japan

>> Permanent resident in Japan

>> Ask for personalized advise



Certified as an Immigration Lawyer by the immigration office, we can help you with obtaining an appropriate visa and with other immigration procedures.

For more information, click here.



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