How to apply for a Japan student visa

Are you planning to study in Japan? What are the requirements for a student visa to study in Japan? How to prepare for it? I’ve applied for a Japan student visa, and here is how you can do it!

About student visa for Japan

If you plan to study in Japan for more than 90 days, you’ll need to obtain a student visa.

If you’re studying exchange in Japan or have been admitted directly to a Japanese university or junior college, you need this type of visa to enter the country.

Is it difficult to apply for a student visa to Japan?

Applying for a Japanese student visa is quite easy if you prepare enough documents. Currently, a Japanese student visa includes two types:

• Visa for language learning: 1 year; after that, you can extend for a maximum of 2 years
• Visa to professional school, university, or graduate: maximum two years; You can then extend until graduation.

The process of applying for a Japan student visa

1. You apply and get accepted to a Japanese school.
2. The school submits the visa application to the Immigration Bureau in Japan on your behalf.
3. It takes about 1 to 2 months for Immigration to approve a visa application and issue the COE.
4. Once the Immigration Bureau approves your visa application form, the school sends you the Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
5. Once you receive the COE, take it and the required documents (visa application form, photo, and valid passport) to the Japanese Embassy or consulate in your city.
6. The Embassy issue you a student visa, which can take at least five working days.

Required documents for a Japan student visa

When applying for a student visa, you will need to submit the following documents in person.

• A valid passport (Valid for at least six months)
• A Visa Application Form to Enter Japan. The form consists of two pages, and page 1 is personal information. Page 2 is about your sponsor’s information and legal information.
• 1 photo 4.5 cm x 4.5 cm
• Zairyu Shikaku Nintei Shomeisho (Certificate of Eligibility – COE) from the Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice in Japan (www.immi-moj.go.jp), and one photocopy. You can obtain this certificate through your school in Japan.
• A copy of the acceptance letter from the Japanese institution you will attend
• Bank statement
• A photocopy of all the above documents

To apply for COE, you will need to prepare COE Application Documents, including

• Certificate of Bank balance of the financial supporter(s) or yourself
• Proof of Annual income of the financial supporter(s)

Japan student visa financial requirements for COE

Studying abroad in Japan, you need to prepare all the documents and prepare financially to ensure the payment of tuition and living expenses in Japan.

You will need to prove your ability to support yourself, including paying for tuition, living costs, school fees, and other expenses while living in Japan.

a) Bank balance

How much is a bank balance required for a Japanese student visa?

A required bank balance depends on your length of study. The money you list should cover the tuition fees and your living costs.

Usually, you should have a minimum of 2,000,000 Yen ($18,546) in your or your sponsor’s bank account. This amount should be deposited in the bank at least 03 months in advance.

The bank balance certificate must

• be issued by a Financial Institution
• containing the Financial Institution’s name, the depositor’s name, account number, amount of deposit, and date of issue.
• Be valid throughout the reviewing period by the Immigration Services Agency and visa application if it has an expiration date. Get one with an expiration date after your enrollment date.

b) Proof of employment and income

Your financial sponsors need to provide essential documents to prove the ability to ensure financial security for international students.

Examples of documents considered as proof of annual income are:

• A certificate issued by a government office clearly stating the amount of annual income (e.g., certificate of income, tax payment certificate, etc.)
• A certificate of employment issued by the supporter’s employer, stating annual salary

Japan student visa fees

How much does a student visa cost for Japan?

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, fees must be paid for issuing visas.

The visa fees are about 3,000 yen for a single-entry visa, 6,000 yen for a double-entry or multiple-entry visa, and 700 yen for a transit visa. Fees are collected in the country’s currency (region) where the Embassy / Consulate General is located.

How long does it take to process a Japan student visa

Processing time for a Japanese student visa is a minimum of 5 working days. In case the Embassy requires an interview, the visa processing time will be longer. 

Time to return visa results: from 1:30 to 4:45 pm weekday from Monday to Friday (except for the holidays of the Embassy).