Visa and Status of Residence

Visa, Status of Residence and Certificate of Eligibility

All foreign nationals planning to enter Japan must hold a valid passport with a visa,  issued and affixed to it prior to their arrival.

Upon arrival in Japan, immigration officers conduct an examination to determine the individual’s Status of Residence and permitted period of stay. These details are then recorded in the passport. Only after completing these procedures is entry into Japan permitted.

To obtain a Status of Residence, a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is required.

 

Visa

A visa is a document issued in advance by Japanese Embassies or Consulates-General overseas and is affixed to the applicant’s passport as a prerequisite for entering Japan. It serves as a “recommendation” for entry but does not guarantee that you will be granted permission to enter the country.

Status of Residence

Status of Residence is a permit to stay in Japan. If you intend to study at Japanese school or University, you need to obtain appropriate Status of Residence.

Type of Status of Residence is designated by the Japanese law according to the nature of activity the applicant intends to engage in while in Japan. It is stated beside the “Landing Permission” seal on the passport.

Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is required for foreign nationals planning to stay in Japan for more than 90 days. Generally, it must be obtained before traveling to Japan. The COE is issued by a regional immigration office under the authority of the Ministry of Justice in Japan. Possessing a COE helps streamline the process for visa issuance and entry procedures upon arrival. The COE remains valid for three months from the date of issuance.

To obtain a “Study Abroad” status of residence, you must apply for a “Certificate of Eligibility (COE)” through the Immigration Services Bureau in Japan, which involves undergoing a screening process. Since it can be challenging for students residing outside Japan to apply directly, the school to be enrolled in submits the application on the student’s behalf.

Once the Immigration Services Bureau issues the “Study Abroad” status of residence with a “Certificate of Eligibility (COE)”, the school, acting as the application agent, will send it to the student who has passed the admission process. Upon receiving the “Certificate of Eligibility (COE)”, the student can apply for an entry visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate overseas and have it issued.

Residence Card

The Ministry of Justice in Japan issues this card to foreign nationals granted mid- to long-term residence upon landing, or when applying for a change or renewal of their Status of Residence. To prevent forgery, the card is equipped with an embedded IC chip containing some or all of the information printed on it. Foreign nationals aged 16 or older are required to carry their Residence Card at all times.

Upon entering Japan

Immigration

      1. Enter Japan with your passport, visa and COE.

      1. Be sure to show your COE to the Immigration officer at the airport.

      1. The Immigration officer will put a Landing Permission seal on your passport, which shows the date of landing, the period of stay, and your Status of Residence. At the Airports, if your period of stay is longer than 3 months, a Residence Card will be issued. Be sure to confirm that your Status of Residence and period of stay are the same on your landing permission seal and on the Residence Card.