Work visa process

When you enter Japan, you will probably be on a 90 day tourist visa exemption. Holders of certain passports (e.g. Ireland) can get this extended by an extra 90 days. You must leave the country before your exemption runs out, but you can return straight away and get another 90 days. Some people worry that the the immigration people will eventually get suspicious if you keep doing this, but I have also heard of people who have done it five times with no problems.

Live and Work in Japan

You’re not allowed to work in Japan without a working visa. But if you find a job and a company willing to sponsor your work visa, you can apply for the work visa and have it issued without leaving the country. A few years ago, this wasn’t possible; you’d have to apply in Japan, get some sort of form issued, and then leave the country and go to a Japanese embassy overseas to get the visa issued. Now it can all be done without leaving Japan; this is what I did in 2002.

When you finally get the visa, it will probably be be valid for either one or three years, but you won’t find out till you get it. You have to apply again for a new visa before the first one expires.

It’s important to realise that your visa lasts only until you leave Japan; once you leave the country, even if only for a holiday, you will lose the visa. To avoid this, you have to apply for a multiple-entry permit. This means your visa will last for the full period (e.g. 3 years) even if you travel outside Japan.

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191 comments on “Work visa process”

Comment pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 [10]

  1. 172
    irine said (28 October 2009 at 12:49 pm)

    Dear Sir/ Madame:
    Good day!
    What are the documents needed in order to change the dependent visa to working visa?
    Note: there is already a company willing to sponsor…

    Looking forward to a favorable response on this matter…

  2. 173
    karl c said (5 November 2009 at 3:39 pm)

    konnichiwa, i’m moving to osaka in january but i want to live there for a very long time, which visa should i apply for and should i get the multiple-entry permit aswell. can anyone help?

  3. 174
    kumar said (19 November 2009 at 4:20 pm)

    i need a jov in japan..

  4. 175
    Bashudev pudasaini said (20 November 2009 at 8:58 pm)

    hi i wann 2 work in japan i m Nepali. can u give me work plzzzzzzzz

  5. 176
    Bashudev pudasaini said (20 November 2009 at 9:00 pm)

    I am Nepali. I want to work in Japan . I have years of experiance in press industry. I have a lot of work experience . Would I be able to find a company that would be able to sponsor me. I know the process is not easy, but I am willing to take on any opportunity to work and in Japan. Can you please give me some advice. plz. mail me my id ashimsu1@yahoo.com
    Thank you

  6. 177
    steven82 said (27 November 2009 at 2:45 am)

    hi there..
    im from malaysia and staying in japan around 1 month with my japanese girlfriend here so i would like to know, is there any company in tokyo who can help foreigner to get visa?(company which can support document for their client)

    or do you have any idea i can get a visa here? please give me some information, thank you!

  7. 178
    arpitkumar said (27 November 2009 at 8:52 pm)

    i m from india. i want to work & live in japan so, what i do. i m graduate.

  8. 179
    anthony said (16 December 2009 at 3:51 am)

    i’m here in saudi arabia.my contract will end on 2011 and i’m planning to work in Japan..maybe it’s too difficukt for me to find a job there coz or international problem,,terrorism…my bad coz i’m not a good looking guy.huh?!.
    my field is food and beverage.
    *do i need to look for a japanese friend to help or assist me to find job there?.
    (mst of my kakabayan marry a japanese guy,,or japanese woman,,and they have their life there..)..
    so how about some other people who wish and dream to work in japan…
    *does US base in japan can help some jobseeker in japan?

    *and my cousin mika was married to a japanese man and they have their son and he is planning to divorce him and take the residence visa and take his filipino boyfriend with her,,,is it really possible?

  9. 180
    habu akuzaimo said (16 December 2009 at 3:58 am)

    FOR ARMPITKUMAR,
    forget your dreams.

    178arpitkumar said (27 November 2009 at 8:52 pm)
    i m from india. i want to work & live in japan so, what i do. i m graduate.

    is it armpit perhaps ay’t, japanese prefer healthy foods and vegies but you prefer diggies and spicy and mouth watering cumin powder and curry.so bad we hate that here.try somewhere else.pakista or iraq or bangladesh

  10. 181
    HUSSAIN said (28 January 2010 at 1:51 am)

    Hi i m pakistani and i want to live & work in japan for 5 years because i want to know about iffrent nations living styles and their culture so what i need to do for get the visa of most beautyful country japan

  11. 182
    kiran said (11 February 2010 at 6:08 pm)

    hi ,i m kiran frm nepal.now i am studing in austraila in student visa.but i want to go to japan on working visa can you please tell me the requirments to get the working visa?

  12. 183
    mohammed salah uddin chowdhury said (14 February 2010 at 8:55 pm)

    i am mohammed salah uddin chowdhury.I live in Bangladesh.i want to work & live in japan so, what i do. i m graduate. I have no sponsor..but i can do any job in japan…any man or women give me any one job..

  13. 184
    suzan said (15 February 2010 at 2:55 pm)

    Hi there, I really interested to work in Japan… I am also wanna to learn more Japanese Culture & leaving. Currently my education is under graduate, I have plenty experience Automotive & construction. I already sat JLPT L4 last December (Own Study)..
    will this help me to work at Japan… How to apply work & Visa??

  14. 185
    japan travel bureau – StartTags.com said (3 March 2010 at 8:45 am)

    [...] get … the government require all foreigners staying in Japan for more than 90 days to carry ID …Japan: Work visa processIf you're in Tokyo, you will be dealing with the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau office. … Post [...]

  15. 186
    faiz alam said (5 March 2010 at 7:21 pm)

    RESPECT SIR

    i m faiz i have 3 year diploma (auto&diesal) im hard work in kore
    5year im very hard worker i blive hard work and honest work di
    gnitymy work plz give me work visa so im hard work in japan
    my cell no is(00923233358740)
    thanks sir

  16. 187
    santosh bhandari said (7 March 2010 at 8:43 pm)

    i am graduate. and doing masters.
    i want to work in japan any duty, any place of Japan.
    what work can i get there and what kind of sponsers can help me?

  17. 188
    faiz alam said (8 March 2010 at 5:27 am)

    dir sir

    plz workperment visa in japan anyb hard work

    thanks( 00923233358740) plz contact

  18. 189
    kishu singh said (8 March 2010 at 4:08 pm)

    respected sir or madame
    hello , sir i am from india , and i am working in UAE (dubai ) i am working with g4s ( group four secourear) i have one year exp in cash servises with ATM and CDM machine. now one of my frd who is in japan he wants to take me there . can you tell me which visa i can apply . or what is the cost of visa with all prossesing .
    i am so much thanks full to you
    my e mail id is – (singhkishu@yahoo.com )

  19. 190
    Md.Mahfujul Bari said (11 March 2010 at 11:32 pm)

    Dear,
    Sir.I’m Md.Mahfujul Bari,Birth Place Bangladesh.
    Completed my bachelor degree on computer scince& engineering,
    from SouthEastUniversity,Banani,Dhaka,Bangladesh.
    I want to do any kind of job in japan.It’s badly for me.
    My Contact No# 01670325625

  20. 191
    Kelsee said (16 March 2010 at 5:26 am)

    Heyy their~ my name is Kelsee, and im from america. i dont know if this post will go through, but, i would really love to work in japan!~ ^^

    Its always been my dream to teach English in Japan, It doesnt matter what grade level, as long as i am inspiring students..then i am accomplishing my whole goal as a teacher.

    If i join JET program to teach in japan, do you think they will sponser me?
    How about do i go to get my work Visa? I’m living in America now, do i have to live in japan to get a work visa?!

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