Any foreigner wishing to enter Japan needs to apply at an overseas Japanese diplomatic establishment for a Japanese visa which needs to be stamped on their passport. A valid visa and passport from the Japanese embassy is necessary to enter Japan. A Japanese visa however, does not guarantee landing permission in Japan. Landing permission is stamped on a foreigner's passport by immigration officials while the person arrives at the airport or seaport. It is this landing permission which acts as the legal basis for the person's stay in Japan.
Japanese visas are of seven types which are issued depending on the nature of the person's visit.
The various types of visas and their term of residence are as follows:
- Diplomatic visa spans for the official mission
- Official visa spans for the official mission
- Working visa 1 or 3 years
- Temporary visitors visa 90 days, 30 days 0r 15 days
- Transit visa 15 days or 3 days
- General visa 1 year or 6 months
- Specified visa 3 years, 1 year, 6 months or a fixed time less than 1 year
The working visa is applicable for professors, artists, religious activities, journalist, investors, legal services, medical services, researcher, instructor, engineer, entertainer, skilled labor, intracompany transferee and specialist in humanities. It is usually valid for 3 years or 1 year. General visa is given to college students, precollege students, trainees and dependents and is valid for 2 years or 6 months.
In terms of frequency of valid entries, there are mainly three types of visas: single-entry visa, double entry visa and multiple-entry visa. If a person wishes to leave Japan before the period for which he has received the landing permission, he can obtain a re-entry permit before leaving Japan. This implies that they do not require a Japanese visa once they decide to return back.
The Japanese embassy does not give visas in case the applicant does not have a valid passport, facts in the application form are false, applicant has a previous criminal record, applicant has been deported from Japan for illegal works within last five years, purpose of entrance is disputable or if it is feared that the person will disturb public order in Japan.
The visa applications should be made at the Japanese embassy.
