Certificate of Eligibility
Most of the applicants who wish to enter Japan under the categories of Employment/Working, General or Specified visas should obtain, in principle, a Certificate of Eligibility.
The Certificate of Eligibility is a document issued by the Ministry of Justice in Japan. In order to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility, you are required to have a sponsor in Japan such as an employer, a school, relative etc. The sponsor in Japan must contact the local Immigration Office in order to apply for your Certificate. Once this has been issued, the certificate will be sent to you and you are then able to apply for a visa with the required documents listed below.
The application procedure for the Certificate of Eligibility is free of charge and generally it takes up to 3 months to process.
Requried documents for the applicants with Certificate of Eligibility
- A valid Australian passport or a valid passport with a valid Australian visa
- Visa application form duly completed and signed by the applicant
- One passport sized photo (taken within 3 months)
- The original Certificate of Eligibility
As noted on the Certificate of Eligibility, it is valid for three months from the date of issue. If you fail to enter Japan within three months, you may be refused your entry even with a valid visa.