Explanation! What is a Certificate of Eligibility?
A Certificate of Eligibility is not required for short-term stays such as sightseeing, but is necessary if you are going to work for a Japanese company or live with relatives in Japan. Usually, a person in charge at a Japanese company or a relative living in Japan will obtain it on your behalf.
What is a Certificate of Eligibility?
A Certificate of Eligibility is issued to foreigners who wish to enter and stay in Japan for a medium- to long-term period. This certificate indicates the status of residence with respect to the activities that the foreigner will actually engage in in Japan. This certificate is not issued to foreigners who are staying in Japan for a short period of time, such as for sightseeing or visiting relatives.
Generally, when a foreigner enters Japan, the immigration inspection is conducted at a branch office of the Immigration Bureau at the airport or port of entry. While the inspection can be completed in a short time when entering Japan for sightseeing, etc., when entering Japan for mid- to long-term stays, the inspection takes time.
In order to avoid such a situation, a Certificate of Eligibility is issued prior to entry into Japan, so that the immigration inspection can be conducted in advance, and if there are no problems, the applicant is granted status of residence after entering Japan. The Certificate of Eligibility is issued to the applicant as proof that such examination has been conducted prior to his/her entry.
When is it necessary?
A Certificate of Eligibility is required when a foreigner lands in Japan.
At the immigration counter at the airport or port of entry, the foreigner must present his/her passport, visa, and Certificate of Eligibility to the officer. A passport is obtained by the foreigner by applying to the government of his/her home country. Visa acquisition is explained in the next section.
The purpose of presenting the Certificate of Eligibility to the official is to prove that the activities to be conducted in Japan are not false or that the status (kinship) is not false. Conversely, if you do not have this certificate, you will have no proof of your activities in Japan.
What is the process of issuance and entry into Japan?
The general flow of the issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility is as follows.
First, the company accepting the foreigner or his/her relative, etc., applies to the Immigration Bureau of Japan on behalf of the foreigner, with the required documents in hand. After examination, a certificate of eligibility is issued and mailed to the proxy.
The agent then mails the Certificate of Eligibility to the foreigner in his/her home country. Upon receipt, the foreigner takes the Certificate of Eligibility and his/her passport to the Japanese embassy or consulate abroad to apply for a visa, which is then issued.
The foreigner presents the visa at the airport when entering Japan. The officer will stamp the passport with a seal of permission to land and indicate the status of residence and the period of validity of the visa. A resident card will be issued at the same time.
Summary
The Certificate of Eligibility is an indispensable document for the examination of applicants who wish to enter Japan and land. In addition, you must apply for a passport by yourself, and apply for a visa with the Certificate of Eligibility to the Japanese diplomatic mission abroad. You will then enter Japan with your passport, visa, and certificate of eligibility.
