CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES (文化活動) is a VISA STATUS to engage in academic studies and research or study and learn activities which are peculiar to Japan and Japanese culture with no pay or salary.

The Immigration Office grants you CULTURAL ACTIVITIES visa status depending on what you wish to study and learn in Japan and whether you have an experience in the field of related activities as well as you are capable of living without pay during your stay in Japan.

[A] Academic/Artistic Activities, Studies and Researches without pay

• Unpaid study and research activities in Japan conducted by professors, associate professors, assistant professors and instructors who belong to the university overseas.
• Unpaid study and research activities in Japan conducted by those who are sent from the research organization overseas.
• Unpaid activities in Japan as a researcher under the guidance of university professors etc.
• Unpaid internship for 90 days or more (Training Activities at the company in Japan for undergraduate student as a part of academic curriculum/course for the university overseas etc.).
• Academic activities by enrolling to the Japan branch school of university overseas which is not approved as 専修学校 (Japanese special vocational school.
• Unpaid activities applicable to ARTIST (芸術) visa status.

[B] Professional/Academic Researches of Culture or Arts which are Peculiar to Japan

• Refer to Culture and/or arts which are peculiar to Japan.
• You need to engage in researching the culture and/or arts as a person who has professional/academic background in that field.

[C] Learning Culture or Arts which are Peculiar to Japan under the Guidance of the Professional

• Refer to Culture and/or arts which are peculiar to Japan.
• You need to learn the culture or arts from the professional who has been teaching it with holding specific license, position or title in the field of culture/arts (The professional should be your visa sponsor for the COE application).

生花 (Ikebana, Japanese flower arrangement), 茶道 (Sadou, Japanese tea ceremony), 日本建築 Japanese architecture, 日本画 Japanese painting, 日本舞踊　Japanese dancing, 日本料理 Japanese cuisine, 邦楽（雅楽・三味線・尺八など）Japanese music, 習字 Japanese penmanship/calligraphy, そろばん Soroban, 禅 Zen (Buddhism), 空手 Karate, 日本発祥の総合格闘技 Mixed Martial Arts (i.e. Shooto)

IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH VISA PROCEDURES IN JAPAN, JUMP TO INTRODUCTORY PAGES BELOW FIRST:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Immigration Office judges your eligibility for CULTURAL ACTIVITIES visa status comprehensively – In order to be eligible for this visa status, you need to have specific experience in the related field you wish to engage in and to satisfy other basic requirements.

Here’s the list of basic requirements for CULTURAL ACTIVITIES;

Regardless of which visa status you apply for, you need to satisfy basic criteria first;
>> WHAT IS VISA STATUS?

Your activity need to be applicable to ONE of [A] – [C] below and satisfy the required background;

• FINANCIAL ABILITY: Your activity in Japan under CULTURAL ACTIVITIES does not involve any income. Therefore, you are capable of making living without any income in Japan during the period of stay in Japan and you can provide documentary proof to certify the capability.
• VISA SPONSOR: You have a visa sponsor who can sponsor your visa application in Japan.
• PERIOD of TIME for ACTIVITY: you are supposed to engage in the activity at least 12 – 18 hours per week.

POINTS TO NOTE

Period of Time of Activity per Week

Your application will be denied if you are planning to learn the Japanese culture like twice per week for 2 hours each during your stay in Japan. The period of time for learning or researching the Japanese culture is not specified in the laws, however, you are supposed to engage in the activity around 12 – 18 hours per week constantly in average during staying in Japan under Cultural Activities visa status.

NOT Allowed to work (earn income) in Japan

Basically, you cannot get paid or earn money during you stay in Japan under CULTURAL ACTIVITIES visa status.

However, it is possible to engage in a specific part-time job if you obtain PERMISSION to ENGAGE in OTHER ACTIVITY (資格外活動許可) However, only EXCLUSIVE PERMISSION of PERMISSION to ENGAGE in OTHER ACTIVITIES will be permitted to CULTURAL ACTIVITIES visa holders, which you need to apply for the permission based on a specific part-time job (must be specify the job, work place, period of time, etc.).

>> PERMISSION to ENGAGE in OTHER ACTIVITY

Note that CULTURAL ACTIVITIES visa status is to be granted to engage in cultural activity in Japan – so you are supposed to engage in what you apply for the visa status mainly while you stay in Japan. The application for the permission will be denied if the Immigration Office considers that you would not engage in the cultural activity enough to keep the visa status. Even if you have the special permission, period of part-time job under the permission must not exceed the number of hours which you spend on your main activity allowed under CULTURAL ACTIVITIES visa status.

HOW to PROCESS

In case you are currently residing outside Japan yet or you are staying in Japan as a TEMPORARY VISITOR:
>> COE APPLICATION

In case you have been living in Japan under specific status and holding RESIDENCE CARD already:
>> CHANGE of VISA STATUS

PERIOD of STAY

Each visa status has the expiration date – you can stay in Japan under the visa status during the specific period stated on Residence Card issued by Immigration Office.

Period of stay shall be decided by Immigration Office depends on the applicant’s circumstance, and it shall be either of 3 years, 1 year, 6 months or 3 months. The period of stay is granted by the Immigration Office based on each case and situation.

In case you wish to extend the period of stay granted, you may apply for EXTENSION of PERIOD of STAY before the expiry date.
>> EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF STAY (VISA RENEWAL)

In case you would like to travel outside Japan temporarily under the visa status.
>> RE-ENTRY PERMIT

BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

The immigration office considers your eligibility for the visa status by your situation/career and by documents you provide. You are required to prepare documents which certify that the contents of the application are true and correct. The Immigration Office will request at any time if they have any questions or would like to confirm the information you provided case by case.

Specific documents are varied depending on the situation of each applicant and the host organization/company, however, the basic documents for this visa status are as follows;

In case of COE APPLICATION and CHANGE of VISA STATUS

1. Application form
2. Photo
3. [In case of CHANGE of VISA STATUS] Residence Card and Passport
4. Documents to certify your activity, period of activity, and details of the host organization (visa sponsor)
   • Plan for the cultural activity you intend to do in Japan and the period of stay prepared by you or your visa sponsor.
   • Documents to certify your visa sponsor; overview, leaflet etc.
5. Documents to certify your academic or artistic achievements (or any background) related to the Japanese culture/arts you intend to study, research or learn in Japan; either one of them below
   • Recommendation letter from the related parties, institution, organization etc.
   • News or reports regarding your activity related to the Japanese culture/arts which you have done in the past (過去の活動に関する報道)
   • Your achievements of prize or winning etc.
   • Catalog, inventory, portfolio etc. of your theses, papers, or works
6. Documents to certify your financial capability to make living in Japan without income during your stay in Japan;
   • [In case you pay all the expenses for your stay in Japan by yourself] ONE of the following;
     – Certificates for the receipt of scholarship/grant
     – Bank Statement (Certificate of Balance) etc. of your own bank account
     – Any other documents related or similar to above
   • [In case other person pays the expenses for your stay in Japan] ONE of the following;
     – In case of the person is a resident in Japan: Tax/Income Certificate and Tax payment Certificate of Individual inhabitant tax (住民税の所得・課税証明書および納税証明書) for the latest year
     – In case the person is a non-resident of Japan: Bank Statement (Certificate of Balance) etc. of the person’s own bank account
     – Any other documents equivalent to the above
7. [In case that you are applying for a visa to learn the Japanese culture/arts from a professional/teacher/instructor] Documents to clarify the professional/teacher/instructor has an experience of teaching the culture and his/her achievement as a professional;
   • a copy of license or certificate of the title etc.
   • Catalog, inventory, portfolio etc. of his/her theses, papers, or works.
   • CV or Resume

In case of EXTENTION of PERIOD of STAY

1. Application form
2. Photo
3. Residence Card and Passport
4. Documents to certify your activity, period of activity, and details of the host organization (visa sponsor)
   • Plan for the cultural activity you intend to do in Japan and the period of stay prepared by you or your visa sponsor.
   • Documents to certify your visa sponsor; overview, leaflet etc.
5. Documents to certify your financial capability to make living in Japan without income during your stay in Japan;
   • [In case you pay all the expenses for your stay in Japan by yourself] ONE of the following;
     – Certificates for the receipt of scholarship/grant
     – Bank Statement (Certificate of Balance) etc. of your own bank account
     – Any other documents related or similar to above
   • [In case other person pays the expenses for your stay in Japan] ONE of the following;
     – In case of the person is a resident in Japan: Tax/Income Certificate and Tax payment Certificate of Individual inhabitant tax (住民税の所得・課税証明書および納税証明書) for the latest year
     – In case the person is a non-resident of Japan: Bank Statement (Certificate of Balance) etc. of the person’s own bank account
     – Any other documents equivalent to the above
6. IN CASE YOU CHANGE THE CONTRACTING ENTITY (VISA SPONSOR) DURING CURRENT PERIOD OF STAY: need the almost same documents as “In case of COE APPLICATION and CHANGE of VISA STATUS” above.

NOTE / REMARK

• All the documents written in foreign languages need to attach the Japanese translation.
• Additional documents may be requested by the Immigration Office during the screening.
• Some documents may be exempted in case your visa sponsor is classified under specific categories as follows: 1) listed corporation, government related organization, Independent administrative institution and other organization specified in this category 2) the total amount of annual withholding tax on the latest “Records for Salary Payment and Withholding Tax (給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表)” counts 10 million JPY or more, 3) your visa sponsor can submit a copy of the latest “Records for Salary Payment and Withholding Tax”.
• Any certificate issued by the Japanese authorities (Tax/Income Certificate, Certificate of Residence, Certificate of Company Register etc.) has to be the one issued within 3 months before the date of application.