Please click the question below to view its answer.
BEFORE VISA APPLICATION
A2. Applicants must be New Zealand passport holders or hold a valid long-term New Zealand visa (e.g. resident, work, student etc.) and should be residing in these regions:
Taranaki, Gisborne, Manawatu-Wanganui (excluding Ruapehu District), Wellington, South Island (excluding Canterbury).
Residents in the top half of the North Island (Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty Regions and Ruapehu District of Manawatu-Wanganui Region) should apply at the Consulate-General of Japan in Auckland. If you live in Canterbury, you should apply at the Consular Office of Japan in Christchurch.
Applications from those in New Zealand on a short-term visitor visa will not be accepted.*
* Exceptions may apply for those applicants holding a Certificate of Eligibility. Contact the Consular Section of the Embassy of Japan.
A3. Most visas are valid for three months from the date of issue, meaning you must enter Japan within three months of the visa being issued. The length of stay in Japan will be decided on a case-by-case basis based on your intended schedule. Working Holiday visas are valid for one year from the date of issue with a length of stay of one year from your first entry into Japan.
See also Question 13
A4. You do not have to make an appointment to apply. Simply bring in your application during our consular reception hours (Monday to Friday: 9:00-12:00 noon or 13:30-16:00 only).
Residents from within the jurisdiction of the Embassy but far from Wellington may apply by post. If you are not sure whether your courier company requires the physical address or the PO Box address, you should write both addresses on the envelope. **Please note that the passport will not be returned by post.
HOW TO APPLY
A5. Please see the navigation bar to select the relevant type of visa and see the list of required documentation.
A6. Please see here for information about visa fees.
A7. Generally it takes at least 5 working days but may take longer in some cases.
Please see Question 13
A8. The governments of some countries give their citizens individual I.D. numbers. However, many countries (including New Zealand) do not. It is okay to leave this section blank if your country does not have such I.D. numbers.
A9. If you are not being invited to Japan, you may leave this section on the form blank. It is not necessary to have a guarantor in every case.
A10. You can download a different version of the visa application form here. Don't forget to submit all documents from the relevant checklist.
A11. Please paste a standard passport photo on the application form. That photo can measure 35x45mm (as per a standard New Zealand passport-sized photo). You may also use a photo up to 45x45mm if you prefer. Please use a proper quality photo. Do not scan and print onto paper. Do not use staples.
AFTER VISA ISSUANCE
A12. Your passport must be collected by someone during opening hours and the visa fee (if applicable) must be paid in cash at that time. It is recommended that you collect it yourself but you can nominate another person to collect it on your behalf. He/she must provide your authorisation form. Passports will not be returned by post.
A13. Processing for most temporary visas should be completed after 5 working days. However, cases which require further documents or require referral to Japan, will take longer. Please allow plenty of leeway. You should be notified if further items are required. Make sure you (or your agent) come to collect during visa operating hours and not in the weekend or an observed holiday.
Application with a Certificate of Eligibility: Five working days.
Working Holiday Visa: At least ten working days.
There is NO urgent visa service. Applications that require enquiries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may take longer than the processing times indicated above. Please allow plenty of leeway. Applications for most visa open three months before the intended date of arrival
A14. Yes. In the top right corner of the visa vignette there is a period of validity (“Date of Issue” and “Date of expiry”), usually 3 months. The visa holder can enter Japan at any time during this period. Once the holder has arrived in Japan they will be granted Landing Permission for the length of stay noted in,“For stay(s) of”. For temporary visitors this is 15, 30 or 90 days. As long as the holder arrives in Japan on or before the “Date of expiry”, they will be able to remain in Japan for the full period of stay.
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT PASSPORTS AND VISAS
A15. Japan does not have any regulations relating to passport validity, so long as your passport will be valid until after you leave Japan.
A16. No. Once you are in Japan, you cannot in principle change your visa. If you want to work in Japan, you must obtain a working visa from a Japanese diplomatic mission in New Zealand or a third country.
A17. Not all crimes will affect entry into Japan. Crime types that are deemed serious enough to prevent entry into Japan can be found here. If your record includes these crimes, you can expect that your entry into Japan will likely be denied by Japanese Immigration.
