General Information on Japanese Visas

2022/2/25

Consulate General of Japan
Suite 3300
77 King St. West
P.O. Box 10, T-D Centre
Toronto, ON Canada M5K 1A1
Tel. 416-363-7038
 
Visa Secction
9:00 am - 12:00pm Application and Issuance   12:00pm - 12:30pm Issuance only
1:30 pm -   3:00pm Application and Issuance     3:00pm -   4:30pm Issuance only
 
Holidays in 2022


A Guide to Japanese Visas
 
 

 

Our Jurisdiction

 


Our jurisdiction is the Province of Ontario. You may apply for a visa at this Consulate if you live, work, or attend school in Ontario.
If you are not located within our jurisdiction, please contact the Japanese Consulate or Embassy that handles visas for your area. 
We may decline visa applications from areas outside our jurisdiction.
>>  Embassy / Consulate in [ Asia  |  North America  |  Latin America  |  Europe  |  Oceania  |  Middle East  |  Africa ]

 

Short-term Stays (Excluding Work)

 


Short-term stays refer to temporary visits of up to 90 days for such purposes as sightseeing; sports; convalescence; visits to relatives, friends, or acquaintances; amateur participation in athletic meetings or other contests; business trips (such as market surveys, business liaison, business talks, signing contracts, and after-sale service for machinery imported into Japan); and friendship visits. These activities require either a temporary visa or transit visa. (However, this category excludes profit-making operations and paid activities.)

Typical documents to be submitted for the purpose of TOURISM
Typical documents to be submitted for the purpose of BUSINESS
 
Invitation Letter(English)
Invitation Letter(Japanese)
 
Guarantee Letter(English)
Guarantee Letter(Japanese)
 
 
Exemption of Visas
 
As of July 2013, Japan had taken measures concerning the waiver of visa requirements with 66 countries and regions, including Canada. For a list of the other countries and regions, please refer to the link below.
 
Nationals of these countries and regions are not required to obtain a visa to enter Japan when the purpose of their visit is commerce, a conference, tourism, visit to relatives/acquaintances, etc.
 
However, only in cases in which the foreign national engages in paid activities in Japan, and in cases in which the period of stay of the foreign national exceeds the period of stay stipulated in each arrangement, it is necessary to obtain a visa.
>>  For more information about reciprocal visa exemption arrangements 

 

Work and Long-term Stays

 


If a foreigner wishes to enter Japan for activities other than those described above, he or she will need a diplomatic visa, official visa, working visa, general visa, or specified visa. Naturally, foreigners who enter Japan having acquired a working visa are able to work in Japan. Typical types of employment include the long-term assignment to Japan of foreign company personnel; employment in Japanese companies to make use of the foreigner's knowledge of other countries; entertainment activities, such as concerts, theater, and sports; and educational activities, such as foreign-language teaching.

It is also possible to get permission for long-term stays for some activities that meet certain criteria, such as Japanese university or college education or company training, although work is not permitted in these cases. Permission for long-term residence in Japan is also granted in the case of spouses of Japanese nationals and others who settle in Japan.

>>  For more information about  Work and Long-term Stays 

When applying for a visa for the above-mentioned activities, it is advisable to apply in Japan beforehand for a Certificate of Eligibility.

>>  For more information about a Certificate of Eligibility 

Documents to be submitted for work visa

 

Visa Applications

 


Visa process takes 5 - 6 business days on average. In certain cases, it may take weeks or months. It is recommended that you make the application with plenty of time.
 
To apply for a visa, the applicant must apply in person.
When applying for a visa, the documents to be submitted or shown differ according to the purposes of the visit, so please make inquiries to the Visa Section beforehand and then apply with the necessary documents.

Visa Application Form to Enter Japan 

Information Package is stored in Adobe® Acrobat PDF format. You need the Acrobat Reader (version 4.0 or later), available at no charge on Adobe's web site , to view and print this file.

>>  A Guide to Japanese Visas (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site)

 

Criteria for Visa Issuance

 

  In principle, Japanese visa will be issued to an applicant when he/she fills all of the following requirements and the issuance is regarded as reasonable.

a) The applicant possesses a valid passport and is entitled for the re-entry to a country of which he/she is a national or citizen or a country of his/her residence.
b) All submitted documents shall be authentic, completed and satisfactory.
c) The activities to be engaged in while in Japan, or the civil status or the position of the applicant, and the period of stay shall meet the requirements for the status of residence and the period of stay stipulated in the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. (Cabinet Order No. 319 of 1951, hereinafter referred to as "the Act")
d) The applicant shall not fall under any of the items of Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the Act.