Certificate of Eligibility

If an applicant wishes to work, study, or live in Japan, he/she should in principle first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility

The Certificate of Eligibility is issued by the Ministry of Justice in Japan. To obtain a Certificate of Eligibility, the applicant must ask a sponsor in Japan (an employer, spouse, school, etc.) to contact the local immigration office and make an application on his/her behalf. The application must be made by a sponsor in Japan. It cannot be made by the applicant himself.

Once a Certificate of Eligibility has been obtained, the applicant should bring in his/her passport, one passport-sized photograph, the Japanese sponsor's name address and phone number, the original Certificate of Eligibility, and one photocopy of the Certificate of Eligibility. In the case of applicants who are applying for visas to work in Japan as dancers, the applicant should also bring a copy of the contract between the applicant and the Japanese organisation, a curriculum vitae, and information regarding the venue in Japan (either a brochure or a floor plan).

Please note that Certificates of Eligibility expire after three months. An applicant must obtain his/her visa and arrive in Japan within three months of the issue date of the Certificate of Eligibility. If an applicant does not travell to Japan before the expiry date, then a new Certificate of Eligibility must be obtained before applying for the visa and travelling to Japan.