Japan: Visa and immigration

Do I need a visa and/or work permit?

A visa is not usually required for UK or Irish passport holders who wish to enter Japan for a period of six months or less. In such cases, your passport will be stamped for a stay of 90 days upon entry to Japan. This period of stay may be extended for a further 90 days upon application to an immigration office in Japan but approval is at their discretion. You are not permitted to work during this period unless you have a working holiday visa (which allows people aged 18-30 to work in Japan for up to one year in order to supplement their travel costs) or work visa.

On entry to Japan, you should have a fixed-date, confirmed return or onward journey ticket and any supporting documents that can serve as evidence of the purpose of the trip, such as conference details, details of the host organisation, etc. You may also be asked to show evidence of sufficient funds for the proposed period of stay in the country.

Overstaying your visa is a serious offence and Japan has a zero-tolerance policy, even in cases of genuine oversight. Should you overstay your visa, you will be deported and may also face detention or a fine, and you may experience difficulty re-entering Japan.

You will need to obtain a visa before you travel if you have arrangements in place for:

• long-term residence;
• long-term study;
• employment or other remunerated activities;
• volunteer activities.

If you intend to work in Japan, you must obtain the correct visa before travelling to the country. Temporary visitors are not allowed to engage in any form of employment.

If you are going to work in Japan and already have an offer of employment, your employer will apply on your behalf for a Certificate of Eligibility from the Ministry of Justice in Japan .

For more details, contact the Consulate General at the Embassy of Japan in the UK or see the visa section of their website.

Non-UK citizens should check with your country's embassy about Japanese visa and work permit details.

How do I apply for a visa and/or work permit?

Japan offers a variety of working visas which require a Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Ministry of Justice in Japan . To obtain one of these certificates, applicants must ask a sponsor in Japan, such as an employer, spouse, school, etc, to contact the local immigration office and make an application on their behalf. The application form and further information can be found online at the Embassy of Japan in the UK .

If you are not a UK national, contact the Japanese embassy in the country where you are currently residing about how to obtain visas and work permits. If you are living in the UK, go to Embassy of Japan in the UK . You might also find it helpful to contact your ministry of foreign affairs, or your own embassy if you are not living in your home country, to ask whether there are any issues to be taken into account when considering working in Japan.

How do I apply for permanent residency?

In order to secure permanent residency in Japan, certain conditions must be satisfied. You will need to have lived in the country for a specified period of time (in general, ten years but satisfying certain conditions may reduce this), have no criminal record and provide evidence that you can support yourself financially. For more information, contact the Immigration Bureau of Japan .