1-1. Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) and Visa

1-1-1. What is CoE?

Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書 hereafter “CoE”), issued by the Ministry of Justice, Immigration Service Agency of Japan, certifies that you are the eligible person to enter Japan with certain Residence Status.
You need to have the CoE for your visa application at the Embassy/Consulate-General of Japan in your country because they judge whether the applicant is appropriate to enter Japan or not, based on the information on CoE.
The validity of CoE is 3 months.

Steps required to get a CoE and proceed to the next step – the Visa application:

  1. Download and fill out the application form that applies to you from the choices below:
  2. Prepare following required documents about yourself:
    • One scanned copy of your passport. 
    • One ID photo 40mm x 30 mm (it should be taken within the last 3 months.)
        For further details, please visit Photo Requirements | Immigration Agency of Japan
    • If you are a Chinese National, submit a scanned copy of Chinese ID.
  3. If you have dependents, please add the following documents for each dependent:
    • Application form for dependent of OIST employee (refer to example for guidance)
    • One scanned copy of each dependent's passport
    • One ID photo (it should be taken within the last 3 months.)
    • Proof document/Certificate of relationship (e.g., Marriage certificate, Birth certificate)
  4. Submit the filled application form and above-mentioned required documents to Relocation Team.
  5. Relocation Team staff will apply for your CoE at the local immigration office. It usually takes around a month for the CoE to be issued.
  6. We will send the issued CoE to you by courier (FedEx, DHL or EMS). This may take up to 4 to 7 days to reach you.
  7. Apply for your visa at the embassy or consulate general of Japan that has jurisdiction over your place of residence. It usually takes about 5-10 business days for visas to be issued.

1-1-2. Apply for your visa

After receiving the CoE, you will need to apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate general of Japan that has jurisdiction over your place of residence.

<Reference>
Websites of Japanese Embassies, Consulates and Permanent Missions | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Confirm your appointment

Please check your area’s jurisdiction Embassy/Consulate-General of Japan to make sure whether you need to make an appointment before you visit physically, you need to use visa agency, the list of necessary documents, etc.

Basic required documents (You and your dependent(s)):

  • Passport
  • One completed application form
  • One Passport size ID photo 45mm x 45mm (taken within 6 months)
  • Original CoE
  • Other necessary documents (e.g., application fee, a document which proves family registry, based on the information from the Embassy/Consulate-general of Japan that you are going to visit.)
     

<Reference>
Working visa | Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dependent visa| Ministry of Foreign Affairs

1-1-3. Contact Relocation Team and receive the Visa

Please contact us once you are informed about the issuance date of your visa from the Embassy/Consulate-General of Japan. Please include your ideal flight date to Japan in your message.

We will start booking your flight ticket based on passed information.

To learn more, please visit 1-2-1. Flight reservation

1-1-4. Residence Card 

Residence Card is a visa that allows you to reside in Japan, issued in the form of an ID card. It will be issued at the Airport of entry. You will need to have CoE and an issued Visa on your passport at the arrival immigration in Japan, to receive a Residence Card (在留カード) by exchanging your CoE. The Residence Card will be issued, and your entry visa will expire (if issued under “Single entry”). 

Airports of entry that issue residence cards

The immigration of the following 7 airports issued the residence card on the spot (as of April 2021). If you enter from the airport other than the following, the residence card will be issued after you register your address in Okinawa, and the card will be sent to you by registered postal mail. The card will reach you in about a week after the address registration. 

  • New Chitose Airport
  • Narita International Airport
  • Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport)
  • Central Japan International Airport (Centrair)
  • Kansai International Airport
  • Hiroshima Airport
  • Fukuoka Airport