DESIGNATED ACTIVITIES for SIGHTSEEING (hereinafter referred to as “Long-Stay“) is a special VISA STATUS for those who are nationals of visa-exempt country and wish to stay in Japan for a long-term sightseeing and recreation.

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

Contents
  1. BASIC REQUIREMENTS
  2. POINTS TO NOTE
  3. HOW to PROCESS
  4. PERIOD of STAY
  5. BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
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BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Applicant of Long-Stay visa must be a national of visa-exempt country listed here >> EXEMPTION of VISA (website of MOFA; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan).

In addition, you must fall under 1 or 2 below;

  1. Individual at the age of 18 years old or older and have savings equivalent to JPY 30 million or more in the bank (cash deposits; can be summed up together with spouse’s account).
  2. Accompanying spouse who travels together with 1 above during his/her stay in Japan. * Requires to prove marital relationship to 1 above.

Also, you must enroll in a private medical travel insurance which covers death, injury, illness during your stay in Japan.

NOTE

  • Children are not applicable to Long-Stay visa status. Therefore, you cannot accompany your children during your stay in Japan under Long-Stay visa status.
  • Accompanying spouse can travel separately with 1 above during his/her stay in Japan if the amount of savings is JPY 60 million or more. However, he/she cannot enter Japan before 1.
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POINTS TO NOTE

Contact the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General in your residence country first

Since Long-Stay visa status doesn’t require any visa sponsor in Japan, the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General overseas (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; MOFA) generally accepts Long-Stay visa application without the COE directly at their office.

Check the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) >> VISA: Specified visa for Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation

For this process and details, you should contact the Japan Embassy or Consulate-General in your residence area first. The Japan Embassy/Consulate-General belongs to the different ministry (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) from the Immigration Office (the Ministry of Legal Affairs) and has it’s own criteria depending on the country they are established.

We cannot handle the visa application overseas which should be submitted to the Embassy/Consulate-General. You should contact the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General in your residence country to get the information for the process.

Here is the list of the Japan Embassy overseas >> the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General

Possibility that you need to come to Japan to apply for COE for Long-Stay visa status

As you see the above, generally, you should contact the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General in your residence country and submit Long-Stay visa application directly there.

However, it might be possible that some Japan Embassy/Consulate-General don’t accept the visa application without the COE even it is Long-Stay visa application. In that case, you need to come to Japan under Temporary Visitor visa (visa-exempt 90 days) or any other visa status in order to submit the COE application for Long-Stay visa status even if you hire an immigration lawyer for the process and documentation. It sounds strange but Immigration lawyers cannot submit your application to the Immigration Office on behalf of the applicant while the applicant is outside Japan or doesn’t have a proxy/visa sponsor in Japan.

>> COE APPLICATION
>> VISA SPONSOR

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HOW to PROCESS

In case you are currently living outside Japan and the Japan Embassy in your residence country accepts direct “Long-Stay visa application”:
>> contact the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General in your residence country.

In case you are currently living outside Japan yet and the Japan Embassy in your residence country doesn’t accept Long-Stay visa application there, 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

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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 for Long-Stay visa is 6 months at first, maximum 1 year in total by applying for EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF STAY (VISA RENEWAL) before your first 6-months period of stay is expired.

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

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BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

The immigration office considers your eligibility for the visa status by your situation/career and by documents you provide. You must prepare documents which certify that the contents of the application are true and correct. The Immigration Office will request additional documents 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. Travel Itinerary >> PDF provided by MOFA (Not necessary in case you explain the details in the application form)
  5. Bank Statement (bankbook/passbook) to prove your savings, showing transactions for 6 months before the application.
  6. Copy of private medical insurance enrollment certificate and the terms and conditions.

In case of Accompanying spouse, the following documents are also required;

  • Marriage Certificate (official document to prove marital relationship to subjective applicant).
  • Copy of private medical insurance enrollment certificate and the terms and conditions.
  • [In case of separate application from subjective applicant] Travel Itinerary >> PDF provided by MOFA (Not necessary in case you explain the details in the application form)

NOTE: In case of Visa application at the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General overseas, contact the office at your resident area for the details.

In case of EXTENSION of PERIOD of STAY

  1. Application form
  2. Photo
  3. Residence Card and Passport
  4. Travel Itinerary >> PDF provided by MOFA (Not necessary in case you explain the details in the application form)
  5. Bank Statement to prove that you have enough savings to make living in Japan during your stay.
  6. Copy of private medical insurance enrollment certificate and the terms and conditions.

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.
  • 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.
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