All About Japan Certificate of Eligibility

For those who intend to go to Japan, it is not news that it is necessary to resolve a lot regarding authorizations and other indispensable documentation.

One of these concerns should be the Certificate of Eligibility that becomes mandatory for all those who are not just going to make a short trip to Japan.

But what is this certificate and what do you need to do to get it?

What is Certificate of Eligibility?

The Certificate of Eligibility (Zairyu Shikaku Nintei Shomeisho) is a document submitted by the Justice Department of Immigration Control.

This document must be presented during disembarkation and serves to prove the types of activities that the immigrant will carry out during his stay in Japan that must be in accordance with the Immigration Law.

Unlike most of the required documents, it is not the person who goes to Japan who makes the request, but someone with whom he or she has some degree of kinship who resides in Japan who must make the request.

After issuing the document, the Japanese resident must send it to the foreign applicant and then apply for visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate.

The deadline for the foreigner to embark to Japan is a maximum of three months after the issuance of the Certificate of Eligibility. It is worth remembering that such documentation does not guarantee the automatic issuance of the visa.

All about the certificate of eligibility from Japan

What is needed to get the document?

As the Certificate of Eligibility must be requested by a resident relative, the documents to apply must be both.

Ideally, the guarantor should preferably be the Japanese spouse and that this one can prove income in Japan, otherwise it may be another closest relative who lives in Japan.

The couple must travel together and present a copy of their airline ticket or else the Japanese resident must go earlier and the other must go later.

on the official website of japan embassy you will find all the documents for specific cases of the degree of kinship. The main ones are:

Spouse of Japanese descent and “Permanent Resident” with Certificate of Eligibility

  • valid passport
  • Visa Application Form to enter Japan
  • A 3x4cm photo (sharp, recent, white background)
  • Certificate of Eligibility (original and copy)

JAPANESE SPOUSE WITHOUT CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY 

  • valid passport
  • Visa Application Form to enter Japan
  • A 3 x 4 cm photo (sharp, recent, white background)
  • Applicant's identity card (original and copy) or certified copy
  • Koseki tohon (original - valid for up to one year), containing the couple's marriage record.
  • Marriage certificate (certified copy)
  • It will be necessary for the applicant to have as guarantor, the spouse or a relative in Japan, who must present the following documents:
  • Original warranty letter (download in English and Japanese)
  • Proof of income (original and copy).
  • employment certificate
  • Certificate of alien registration and copy of passport (if the guarantor is a foreigner).
  • Residence certificate, if the guarantor is living in Japan (JUMINHYOU)

Work visa by Certificate of Eligibility

The work visa is one of the visas that most descendants get for finding jobs with ease, especially when they already have a certain degree of education.

You can get an employment visa if you can get in touch with a company that will hire you and take care of the visa.

Foreigners can also apply for the Certificate of Eligibility first and then obtain a work visa, but this is not the case for everyone. Just for some professions, they are:

Teacher, artist, religious activities, journalist, business manager, legal and accounting services, medical services, researcher, instructor, engineer/humanities/international services specialist, skilled workforce, entertainment producer.

All about the certificate of eligibility from Japan

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time and values

To spend a season in Japan it is necessary to plan well in advance because of the bureaucracy with the documents. No deciding to go last minute huh! It can end up generating a headache.

The time will depend on the category, degree of kinship, length of stay, all this will be taken into account.

But the average wait after applying for a Certificate of Eligibility is about ninety days.

It is free to apply for the Certificate of Eligibility. You will only have to pay for the stamps and through the envelope.

And if you prefer to pay a professional to solve all the procedures, there is an additional value that will vary according to each place, number of people, among others.

Changes with the pandemic

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has made many changes regarding travel and country changes.

The validity period is taken very seriously, so even with the pandemic the Certificate of Eligibility was not extended for those who had already been requested. 

However, for certificate orders placed on or after July 31, 2022, a new certificate will be issued.

To prove it is necessary to present the issued Certificate (original or a copy) and the statement of justification completed by the receiving organization.

Certificates of Eligibility issued between January 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021 will be valid until January 31, 2022. Previously, the period was shorter, four months.

For those with eligibility ready and just waiting to enter Japan, none of the eligibility that are expired will be accepted or that may expire before the full release of Brazilians to enter Japan must be updated by Japanese immigration.

There is still no further information on how this process will work. Perhaps in the coming days some information will appear with more details of the revalidation. Let's follow the changes!

Have you already filed your Certificate of Eligibility process? Tell me your experience.

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