Tourist Visa For Japan

When you decide to travel to Japan, the first thing that must go through your mind is how to obtain a visa. Having your tourist visa for Japan in your passport will let you go in and out of the country as many times as you want during the period of your visa. You also don’t need to worry about spending more time there than what you have planned because your visa gives you 30 days to enter and stay in the country.

Touriago.com is a website dedicated to providing information related to the tourist visa for Japan. It’s good to have as much information as possible, when planning a trip. This website will provide you with this information, helping to make your choice amid the many options available for applying for the tourist visa for Japan.

If you’re planning on traveling to Japan, you might be wondering what kind of visa you’ll need.

Japan is a popular destination for tourists, so it’s important to be aware of the different types of visas available and how they could affect your trip.

In this article we’ll take a look at tourist visas for Japan, including how they work and what to expect once you arrive in the country.

What Documents Do I Need for a Japan Tourist Visa Application?

When you submit a Japanese Tourist Visa application, you need to have several supporting documents. The Japan Tourist Visa requirements are:

• Japan Tourist Visa Application Form, completed and signed. You can download a copy of the application form from the website of the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (here). Complete all the fields. If one does not apply to you, write “N/A” rather than leave it blank.
• Your passport, which must be valid for at least another six months and have at least two blank pages for the visa to be affixed in.
• Passport-size pictures of yourself, with the following specifications:
  • Dimensions: 4.5cm x 4.5cm
  • White background
  • Taken in the last six months
  • You must be staring straight ahead, with a neutral facial expression
  • Your entire face has to be visible
  • Your name and birthdate have to be written on the back
• Flight Itinerary. Include a detailed plan of your arrival and departure dates, flight reservation number (you don’t have to actually purchase the ticket), your name, etc.
• Daily Itinerary. You have to include an itinerary of your daily activities in Japan. You can find a sample itinerary for Japan Visa at the website of the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affair (here).
  • If you have a guarantor in Japan:
    • Invitation Letter from the Guarantor
    • If they will help finance your stay: Letter of Guarantee and their Income Certificate issued within the last three months
• Residence Certificate, if they are a foreign resident of Japan
• If you are financing your own trip: Bank Statements from the last three months
• Your latest Income Tax Returns (if you do not have an ITR, you may be able to submit a letter explaining the reason why).
• If you are visiting someone (friend or family) include proof of relationship, such as:
  • For relatives/family members: civil status documents, such as birth or marriage certificates
  • For friends: Pictures together, receipts, phone call details, and a letter explaining your relationship
• If you are employed: No Objection Certificate or a Letter of Employment from your employer.
• Civil status documents (as required): Birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.

Japan visa types

At the moment there are numerous different types of visas and more will be introduced in the future, including the eVisa.

Visas are obtained directly from Japanese embassies and consulates, althought the application process for the eVisa will be completed entirely online.

Japanes visas can be grouped in 3 main categories:

• Working visa
• Non-working visa
• Family Related Visas

Working visa

Working visas are considered long-term stay visas and cover the kind of work that requires high-level professional knowledge or skills and ‘thus, they do not include simple labor tasks. Jobs like waiter, construction workers, sales people, etc. cannot obtain a working visa. Typical working visas:

• Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services Engineer. Engineers and Specialists in Humanities must have a university degree in their corresponding fields or 10 years of professional experience. International Services Engineers must have 3 years of professional experience in their field.
• Intra-company Transferee. This status applies ot expats of foreign companies or the subsidiary companies of Japanese firms located overseas who have worked more than one year in the said office in overseas.
• Skilled Labor. Jobs involving foreign cooking, architecture or civil engineering characteristic to foreign countries, training animals, instructing sports, sommeliers, processing precious stones will fall into this status. It’s mandatory to have at least 3 years of professional experience in the field.
• Business Manager. Those who are going to start a business or invest into a business in Japan. It also applies to those managing business on behalf of investors.
• Highly-Skilled Professional. This visa aims to attract workers who are likely to contribute to the Japanese economy.

Those with a certain status, knowledge, or skills can get the following working visas:

• Diplomats or Officials, Personnel of the embassies and consular offices, Diplomatic missions, Government personnel and their families.
• Research and education at university or equivalent educational institutions.
• Instruction of foreign languages or other education at elementary schools, high schools, etc. Those instructors looking to work in private language schools must apply for the Specialist in Humanities / International Services visa.
• For those whose artistic activities provide enough income to support their living in Japan.
• Religious activities. Missionaries sent to Japan from foreign religious organizations.
• Those journalists who have signed contracts with foreign media organizations. It includes freelance journalists.
• Legal and Accounting services.
• Medical Services. Medical specialists with Japanese qualifications.
• For those researches working under a contract with public or private organizations in Japan.
• All of those working in show business and sports.

Non-working visa

Anyone who holds a non-working visa is allowed to work as long as the immigration office grants them permission. This type of visas is considered a short-term stay visa and some restrictions apply. Those doing some work under a non-working visa cannot exceed the number of authorized hours per week.

Who can benefit:

• The visa application is submitted through the school.
• Those training to acquire technology, skills or knowledge. This status is granted only when the candidate will work in a job requiring that technology, skills or knowledge once he returns to his home country.
• Technical Internships. That covers internships after training under trainee visa.
• Spouses or children of people staying in Japan under the work visa and non-working visa (except for temporary visitors and trainees).
• Cultural Activities. Cultural or artistic activities with no income.
• Students or researches of Japanese cultural or artistic activities.
• University students taking part in an internship without remuneration.
• Temporary Visitors (also known as Tourist visa). This status includes visitors on vacation, sports, family visits, participants in seminars and conferences, business meetings, market research, and those traveling to Japan to engage in PR activities.

There is also another epigraphe for non-working visas that is granted case by case: Designated Activities. Students on internship, working holidays, diplomats’ housekeepers are some of the people who can aply for this visa.

Family related visas

Family related visas are considered short-term stay visas and have no retrictions when it comes to employment, so you can engage in more than one activity or change jobs. Those who can apply to these visas are:

• Spouses and children of Japanese nationals
• Long Term Residents
• Permanent Residents
• Spouses and children of Permanent Resident

Japan tourist visa

Any tourist wanting to visit Japan must obtain a tourist visa prior to entering the country. Nonetheless, Japan excludes several nationalities from having to comply with this requirement. For instance, citizens from most European countries, United States, Australia, and Argentina do not need too get the Japan Tourist Visa since they are considered visa-exempt countries for tourism purposes. Nationals from any of those regions can stay in Japan for a maximum of 90 days visa-free and are assigned Temporary Visitor status.

Japan tourist visa is a short-term stay visa for the purposes of sightseeing, visiting friends, or attending conferences or courses. Under the single-entry regulation, tourists can remain in Japan for up to 30 days, but this tourist visa is valid for a period of up to 90 days. Tourists can also apply for a double-entry visa for 2 short trips within a 6-month period. It is important to note that the Japan tourist visa does not allow travelers to engage in paid work while in the country.

Other short-term stay visas

• Business visa: There is a temporary business visa for stays of up to 90 days which can single or double-entry visa (if both trips are within a 6-month period). Business purposes include conferences, meetings, signing contracts, and market surveys.
• Transit visa: Some nationalities need a transit visa to stop over in Japan when going to an onward destination. Many travelers do not need this as long as they stay within the allocated zone and do not leave the airport.

Conclusion

If you are planning to visit Japan, be sure to apply for the JR visa. Why go through the trouble and stress of traveling to both countries when you can save time and money by just picking up your visa in Japan. Call them before your trip and ask about the availability of seats in their next available tour. If there is no next available date for your travel date, check back with them. They will probably have a seat available in the next available tour. At that point, all you need to do is book your flight ticket back home!