move · visas

japan visas, explained by someone on her third one.

work visa → student visa → work visa again. i've stood in line at the la consulate more times than i planned, and made more ward-office visits than i can count. i learned the rules the hard way so you can learn them the easy way.

lived experience, not legal advice · rules change · confirm with mofa / immigration services agency

the one thing to understand first

you don't really apply for a japan visa. your sponsor does.

get a sponsor

an employer hires you, or a school accepts you. they start everything.

they file your coe

certificate of eligibility, applied for at immigration in japan. 1-3 months.

you visit your consulate

submit the coe + application where you live. for me: los angeles.

land in japan

visa in passport, residence card at the airport. you live here now.

the visa explorer

which visa are you interested in?

tap one, then click through its timeline, documents, costs, and fine print.

note for americans

japan's working holiday visa doesn't include the us. that shortcut you keep reading about is for other passports.

my three-visa story · so far

visa 01 · work 働

hired from abroad, sponsored by a big eikaiwa

my first company handled the certificate of eligibility entirely. i just gathered what they asked for (degree, transcripts, photos, forms) and applied at the la consulate with the coe. three-year visa. they even set up my health insurance and pension through payroll, so year one adulting was on easy mode.

the in-between

quitting without losing my status

when i left that job, i registered with hello work and got a 90-day extension to job-search. this is the part nobody tells you: leaving your sponsor doesn't instantly end your time in japan, but you have to do the paperwork, fast.

visa 02 · student 学

the course you pick decides everything

switching to a student visa meant flying home and doing the whole consulate process again in la.

the expensive lesson

i chose the 1-year-3-month course, and that specific visa cannot be renewed. the 2-year course could have been. ask your school exactly how course length maps to your visa before you enroll, not after.

visa 03 · work 働

back to a work visa

now i'm mid-process on my next work visa, sponsored by my current company. third coe, same rhythm. it stops being scary. it never stops being paperwork.

your visa checklist · tap to check off

0/9 done

valid passport (6+ months remaining)certificate of eligibility from your sponsorvisa application form (from your consulate's site)passport photos in japan's exact sizingfind which consulate covers your addressschool acceptance letterbank statements showing ¥1.5-2mfinancial sponsor letter (if supported)academic history / diplomas

your sponsor's exact list wins. this covers the usual suspects

the fine print · learned personally

the 28-hour rule

students can work up to 28 hours a week, but only with the work-permission stamp (資格外活動許可) on your residence card. no stamp, no legal work. request it right at the airport when you land.

renewal traps

some student visas can't be renewed. mine can't, because of the course length i chose. confirm the renewal path with your school in writing before you pay tuition.

switching later

student → work visa is a normal, well-worn path (i'm on it now). your future employer sponsors a change of status from inside japan, no flight home required for that one.

the ward office loop

every time your visa situation changes, the ward office round comes with it. health insurance, your address, pension… basically everything runs through that building. i've lost count of my visits. budget a morning, bring every document you own.