Embassy of Japan in Estonia

III. Visa Applications

To apply for a visa, the applicant must apply in person to an embassy or consulate. There is no system by which a proxy can carry out the application procedures in japan.

When applying for a visa at an embassy or consulate, the documents to be submitted or shown differ according to the purposes of the visit, so please make inquiries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an embassy or consulate beforehand and then apply with the necessary documents.

When applying for a visa at an embassy or consulate, you might be requested to submit documents in addition to those mentioned in this page. Also, please note that applications might not be accepted if documents are inadequate.

Japan has seven types of visa, including two types of visa for short-term stays.Working visas are issued for 14 statuses of residence. There are also cases where a visa is not necessary for landing permission. Purposes for entering Japan are broadly divided into those requiring short-term stays, such as tourism, and other purposes, such as work, necessitating long-term stays.

A. Short-term Stays (Excluding Work)

Short-term stays refer to temporary visits of up to 90 days for such purposes as sightseeing; sports; convalescence; visits to relatives, friends, or acquaintances; amateur participation in athletic meetings or other contests; business trips (such as market surveys, business liaison, business talks, signing contracts, and after-sale service for machinery imported into Japan); and friendship visits. These activities require either a temporary visa or transit visa. (However, this category excludes profit-making operations and paid activities.)

B. Work and Long-term Stays

If a foreigner wishes to enter Japan for activities other than those described in section A, he or she will need a diplomatic visa, official visa, working visa, general visa, or specified visa. Naturally, foreigners who enter Japan having acquired a working visa are able to work in Japan. Typical types of employment include the long-term assignment to Japan of foreign company personnel; employment in Japanese companies to make use of the foreigner's knowledge of other countries; entertainment activities, such as concerts, theater, and sports; and educational activities, such as foreign-language teaching.

It is also possible to get permission for long-term stays for some activities that meet certain criteria, such as Japanese university or college education or company training, although work is not permitted in these cases. Permission for long-term residence in Japan is also granted in the case of spouses of Japanese nationals and others who settle in Japan.

When applying for a visa for the above-mentioned activities, it is advisable to apply in Japan beforehand for a Certificate of Eligibility. If a foreigner submits a visa application to an embassy or consulate together with a Certificate of Eligibility, he or she will be able to obtain a visa in a shorter time than applicants without such a certificate.

Foreigners can apply for a visa without such a certificate at an embassy or consulate in the case of long-term stays also. But if the purpose of the stay is work, the application documents might be forwarded to a regional immigration authority in Japan for screening. In this case applicants are advised to leave plenty of time for their application to be processed.

C. What Is a Certificate of Eligibility?

A Certificate of Eligibility is issued before a visa application by a regional immigration authority under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice as evidence that the applicant fulfills various conditions of the Immigration Control Act, including those certifying that the activity in which the foreigner wishes to engage in Japan is valid and comes under a status of residence (excluding Temporary Visitor Status).

The Certificate of Eligibility has the advantage of reducing the time required to obtain a visa and complete immigration procedures, since a foreigner in possession of such a certificate can probably acquire a visa at an embassy or consulate without any inquiries being made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, by showing the certificate to the immigration officer, obtain landing permission more easily.

Please note, however, that even if a foreigner possesses a Certificate of Eligibility, an embassy or consulate will not issue a visa in certain circumstances - for example, if there has been a change in the situation since the issue of the certificate (such as the company that was planning to hire the foreigner deciding not to do so because of business difficulties) or if it becomes evident that the documents submitted to obtain the certificate were false.

There are two processes for acquiring a Certificate of Eligibility. An application is usually made by a proxy in Japan at the nearest regional immigration authority to the proxy's place of residence in Japan. The second process is limited to special cases, such as applicants who happen to be residing in Japan and are prepared to leave the country to apply for a visa.

For more details concerning the acquisition of a Certificate of Eligibility and the time required, please inquire at the nearest regional immigration authority.

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