Below is a necessary opening to the Japanese immigration system. Please get in touch with your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate outside Japan or an immigration bureau within Japan for official advice.
Entering in Japan:
As of November 20, 2007, all foreign people, including overseas residents, get fingerprinted and photographed upon entering Japan as a gauge aimed at preventing violence. Populaces refusing to cooperate are not granted entry into the state.
Excluded from this process are persons beneath the age of 16 and a few special groups, for example diplomats, visiting dignitaries and tokubetsu eijuusha (Korean and Taiwanese lasting residents of Japan, who misplaced their Japanese citizenships after the war). All foreigners take delivery of a status of residence when entering Japan. There are further than twenty statuses of residence, including "temporary visitor" for tourists and a range of statuses for students, workers and relations of Japanese nationals and residents.
Tourists and Business Travelers:
If you are a resident of one of the over 50 countries, with which Japan has a "common visa exemption arrangement", you need only a legal passport to go into Japan as a "temporary visitor". Or else, you need to get a visa before entering the country. Temporary visitors from the common countries are allowable to stay for up to 90 days.
If you are an inhabitant of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have the option to expand your stay for up to six months. You still at first enter Japan on a 90 day permit, but can then submit an application for an expansion at an immigration bureau in Japan.
Temporary visitors are not permissible to employ in any salaried activities. Though, short term studies at Japanese language schools are permitted. All foreign tourists in Japan are requisite to take their passports with them at all times.
Work Visa of Japan:
Foreigners, who desire to work in Japan, require getting a work visa from a Japanese embassy or consulate exterior of Japan so as to go into the country on a status of residence permitting work.
There are more than a dozen such statuses of residence, every allowing the holder to work only in a precise professional field, for instance, journalism, arts, research, education, engineering, entertainment, business management, international services, etc.
If you change jobs at the same time as you are in Japan and your new job falls into a dissimilar professional field (e.g. from education to engineering), you will require to change your status of residence.
A university degree or significant professional experience in the appropriate field is required to qualify for a working visa. The majority types of working visas also need you to have a potential employer as a sponsor. Residence authorization is usually granted in periods of one or three years and is extendable.
Student Visa of Japan:
foreign person, who wish to learn in Japan (except for short term studies at language schools), require to obtain a student visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate exterior of Japan so as to enter the country on a status of residence that permits long-standing studies.
There are a few such statuses of residence, differing on the kind of study, e.g. pre-college, college or cultural activities. Sponsorship from an instructive institution in Japan and evidence of sufficient funds to cover all your expenses during your stay are necessary to meet the criteria for a student visa. Residence permission is arranged in periods of six months, one year or two years and is extendable.
Students are not allowable to engage in any paid activities, if not they get permission from their school and the immigration office. Even then, students might work only a set maximum number of hours per week.
Spouses and Dependents Immigration to Japan:
Foreigners, who are married to a Japanese nationalized or permanent resident of Japan, can get a spouse visa, which allows them to connect in any paid doings in Japan.
Spouses of foreigners, who are at present staying in Japan under a status of residence permitting work, can submit an application for a dependent visa. Residence permission is decided in periods of between three months and three years and is extendable.
Dependents are not allowable to connect in any paid activities, except they get permission from the immigration office. Even then, dependents may work only a set utmost number of hours per week.
Working Holidays Visas:
This is a particular visa type for citizens of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Ireland, Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom among the ages of 18 and 30.
Permanent Residence of Japan:
Foreign residents who have shown excellent conduct and have enough assets or aptitude to make an sovereign living, can be granted permanent residence if they live in in Japan for characteristically ten or more successive years (less in case of other half of Japanese nationals and people who have made major contributions to Japanese society). Permanent residence status is imprecise and allows any paid activity.
Citizenship of Japan:
Foreigners, who have being inherent in in Japan for at least five repeated years (less if married to a Japanese national), have shown high-quality conduct, have by no means scheme against the Japanese government, have enough assets or ability to make an independent living and are eager to renounce any other citizenship held, can be granted Japanese citizenship.
