VISA is a requirement in the entry process, and are issued at Japanese embassies and consulates overseas.

An officer will stamp your passport.

VISA is devided into these 8 categories:
Dipolomatic VISA, Official VISA, Working VISA, General VISA, Transit VISA, VISA for Short Term Stay, Special VISA, and VISA for Medical Stay.

On VISA, the term of stay will be printed. The Status of Residence will be written in the “Purpose of Stay” column.

VISA does not work as a permission to enter.

After landing at airport, you must go through immigration check to finally enter.

Therefore, entry will not be permitted if the VISA does not match with the purpose of entry.

For example, foreign students willing to study in Japan can not enter with VISA for short-term stay.

Certificate of Eligibility is a system for simplifying the process of issue of VISA and entry processes.

VISA can be issued fairly easily if it is applied for with the presentation of the Certificate of Eligibility.

VISA is only needed for the process of entry, so after it is permitted to enter, the VISA will be considered used.

VISA in Japan originally is defined this way, however, the society in general uses it’s meaning as permission to enter, permission to stay, and resident status.
Our office will for convenience, use the term “VISA” for all of the above meaning.

签证是进入日本的必经手续，由申请人所在国及地区的日本大使馆或领事馆签发。

具体是由签发官在护照上签发签证。

签证有８种类型，外交，公务，就业，一般，路过，短期逗留，特定，医疗逗留。

在签证上记载有入国目的和计划逗留期间。在入国目的一栏标明居留资格的类型

拿到签证并不意味着能进入日本。

通过空路进入日本时，需要经过入国审查官的审查后才可以进入日本。不符合签证上的入国目的的登陆不予许可。

例如，拿到短期逗留的签证打算留学的情况，不符合其入国的目的。

“居留资格认定证明书”是一种可以简化加速签证签发及入国手续的方法。

签证不过是进入日本的必经手续，一旦得到入国许可，进入日本后，签证不再有效。

本事务所为了方便起见，将上面谈到的签证，及外国人的入国和逗留相关的许可，资格一并称作”签证”。