Work Visa

NOTICE:  Last day for accepting visa application is Friday 12 December 2025, resuming on Monday 5 January 2026. 

Booking is not required to submit your application at the counter.  Current processing time of approx. 2-3 weeks depending on the completeness of your application.  Incomplete applications will take much longer, so make sure you use the online checklist before submitting.

Applicants intending to apply for a Work Visa should in principle obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) before applying for the visa. This COE is issued by the Ministry of Justice in Japan. It can be obtained by the inviting Japanese employer through the local immigration office in Japan on your behalf. This means that in principle all applicants are required to have a Japanese employer to sponsor them.

To apply at the Embassy of Japan in New Zealand, Wellington, you probably reside in the following regions:
Wellington, Taranaki, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui (excluding Ruapehu District) or the South Island (excluding Canterbury).

Residents of other regions can apply at the Consulate General of Japan in Auckland or the Consular Office of Japan in Christchurch.

Please find below a list of the documentation required to support your visa application. For information on how to submit the application, please see our 'FAQ' section.
 

Required Documentation

#	Item	Do not staple any documents together
1	Passport	Must be valid (until you leave Japan)     Signed by the bearer (NZ passport and applicable countries)     Have sufficient space for a visa label (ideally two page spread)
2	Application form	Download the visa application form      Fill out all relevant sections (Write N/A on sections that are not applicable)     Date and sign the second page     Signature must be the same as the signature on your passport
3	Photo	Passport sized photo (45x35mm) printed on photo-quality paper     Taken within the last 6 months     Must not be the same as your passport or previously issued visa (unless within 6 months)     Refer to this sample page for acceptable photo specification
4	NZ visa	Required if you are not a NZ passport holder
5	Certificate of Eligibility	Certificate of Eligibility (either paper based COE or E-mail COE)

*DO NOT STAPLE DOCUMENTS.
*Visa fee (if applicable) payable when visa is issued. Payment must be by cash when passport is collected.
*If you wish to nominate another person to collect your passport on your behalf, please complete the official authorisation form with your handwritten signature. Your nominated person must provide this authorisation form, his/her official ID, and pay the visa fee (if applicable) in cash at the time of collection.


NOTE:

• Additional documentation may be required.
• No documents other than your passport and COE will be returned.
• Work visas will take a minimum of five working days to be processed. There is no urgent visa service.
• Even with possession with a visa, final permission to enter Japan remains at the discretion of the immigration authorities.
• Visas are only valid from three months from date of issue, so applications open from three months before your intended date of arrival.
• For further information, please see the FAQ section or contact us.