Visa categories and requirements in Japan

If you would like to live in Japan, it is necessary to get a visa that is most appropriate for your intended activities in Japan.

There are about 30 types of visa in Japan and the requirements as well as the authorized activities are different for each of them.

It is therefore necessary to first determine one type of visa that will allow you to do what you would like to pursue in Japan, and for which you can satisfy the requirements of that particular visa.

It is not possible to get a visa to do the activities that are not listed in the following table. For example, you can’t get a working visa for a simple labour work such as construction worker or a waiter/waitress. Inn most cases, it is required to have a hosting organization (company, entity, or some kind of business related organization), or inviting person (commonly known as a “visa sponsor”) to be able to get a visa in Japan, such as a school in case of a student visa or an employer in case of a working visa.

There are also requirements to meet as to successfully obtain a Japanesevisa. So even if you find a Japanese employer, you will not be able to come to work in Japan if you don’t meet these requirements. These 27 Japanese visas can be divided into 3 main groups:

  1. Working visa: Those which allow you to work
  2. Non-working visa: Those which don’t allow you to work
  3. Family related visa: Those granted according to the family status

One person can get only one type of visa at a time, so if you are eligible for more than one (engineer visa and spouse visa for example), you will need to choose one visa type among your options, we can advise on the best type of visa for you. Now, let’s examine the definition of each type of visa and its requirements that will allow you to determine the type of visa that you qualify for.