Is it difficult to apply for a Japanese work visa? The answer is “Not as difficult as you think”.
Below, we will provide basic information about 2 common types of Japanese work visas so that you can independently prepare procedures, documents, papers,… without spending too much time going back and forth to the Embassy.
What is a Work Visa?
Visa (entry-exit permit): is a document issued by the competent authority of a country, allowing foreigners to enter their country.
Work visa: is a document issued by the Government, allowing foreigners to reside and work in their country.
Types of Japanese work visas
Currently, there are 2 types of work visas mainly for working in Japan:
Engineer visa: for graduates from colleges and universities in various fields such as:
- Technology: Mechanical engineering, Construction, Geology, IT, Chemistry, Textiles,…
- Economics: Accounting, Economics, Marketing,…
- Agriculture: Biology, Environment, Food
- Services: Hotels, Tourism, Restaurants, Spa, Cooking,…
General work visa (labor export): for graduates from secondary school (grade 9) or higher.
Steps for applying for a Japan work visa
The process of applying for a Japanese work visa:
Step 1: Prepare documents
In addition to preparing all the necessary documents according to the procedure, you need to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the Agency you work with in Japan to submit your visa application.
Step 2: Submit documents at Japanese Embassy/Consulate or authorized agencies.
Currently, there are 13 agencies authorized by the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam to handle visa procedures:
– Ben Thanh Tourism Service Joint Stock Company
– Hanoitourist Travel Company
– Hoang Nguyen Travel Company
– Golden Services Joint Stock Company
– JTB-TNT Co., Ltd
– Saigontourist Travel Service Limited Liability Company
– Han River Trading Tourism and Service Company (Hanoi Branch)
– Tran Viet Travel Limited Liability Company
– VFS GLOBAL
– Vietnam Footprints Investment & Travel Service Joint Stock Company
– Vietnam Hanoi Tourism Joint Stock Company
– VIETRANTOUR Limited Liability Company
– HANOIREDTOURS Joint Stock Company
Detailed contact information for the 13 authorized agencies can be found here.
Step 3: After getting approved, on the result collection date, bring the appointment letter to the Embassy to collect the result.
Documents required for Japanese work visa application:
- Passport (original and photocopy)
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE) (original and photocopy)
- Visa application form (with a 4.5cmx4.5cm photo attached)
- Employment contract (photocopy)
- Notarized ID card/citizen identification card copy
- Airline reservation ticket (It is recommended not to purchase tickets before obtaining the visa)
Visa application form: https://www.vn.emb-japan.go.jp/files/100415685.pdf
Validity period of Japanese work visa:
- Engineer visa is valid for 5 years, 3 years, or 1 year and can be extended multiple times.
- Technical Intern Training Program visa has a labor period of 3 years, currently extendable for an additional 2 years. Maximum of 5 years.
*With specified visa type 2 (tokutei), there is an opportunity to apply for permanent residency visa, being sponsored by relatives living in Japan. Currently, this only applies to 2 industries: Construction and Shipbuilding (with an additional 9 industries planned in the future, according to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs)
Approval Time & Fees
The minimum processing time for Japanese visa approval is 8 working days, starting from the day after the document submission date. In the case of processing through authorized agencies, the minimum processing time is 5 days.
Fee for Japan work visa:
- Single entry visa: 520,000 VND
- Multiple entry visa: 1,030,000 VND
You can visit the Japanese Embassy’s website to get the latest information here.
Where to submit visa applications?
Embassy of Japan in Hanoi
- Address: 27 Lieu Giai, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
- Phone: 024-3846-3000
Consulate-General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City
- Address: 261 Dien Bien Phu, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
- Phone: 028-3933-3510
Notes:
When you come to apply for a work visa, there are some things to keep in mind:
- The embassy only accepts applications in the morning.
- Incomplete or improperly filled applications will not be accepted.
- Depending on the case, additional documents may be requested or an interview may be required.
- If the Embassy requests additional documents but they are not provided, or if an interview is missed, the application will be suspended.
- In some cases, the processing time may be longer, up to several weeks, so plan accordingly when submitting your visa application.
- If you need to return specific original documents, you must submit an additional photocopy.
- Except for documents with specified validity periods, all documents in the application must be within 3 months from the date of issue.