Japanese borders have reopened! Here’s what you need to do to secure your visa, travel to Japan, and complete quarantine.
The information in this article is current as of March 12, 2022, but may change again without notice, so please be sure to seek current official information before planning your visa application and travel to Japan.
In late February, the Japanese government announced that the borders would open on March 1, 2022 after nearly two years of being all-but closed to new international arrivals. Tourist visits, etc., still are not allowed, but for students, workers, and families who have been waiting to get into the country, it is now possible!
Even since the initial announcement, the entry measures and procedures have changed a few times. It is difficult to find a complete reference in English or Japanese, but in this article, I am going to share what I know about the situation, focused primarily on students and families (Spouse/Child of Japanese National or Permanent Resident, Dependent), since that is mostly who reads this blog.
I will cover:
- Quarantine measures after arrival
- Control of the number of new daily arrivals (including the special allotment for students)
- Extension of Certificate of Eligibility validity
- How to get the new documents you need for your visa application
Again, this is all current as of the writing, but subject to change ay any time.
Quarantine measures after arrival
In general, anyone arriving in Japan or returning to Japan after a trip abroad (including citizens/residents) is required to quarantine for 7 days (not including the day of arrival) after arrival in Japan at their home or a hotel. However, this requirement varies based on your vaccination status and the countries you have visited within the 14 days prior to departure to Japan.
Vaccination Requirement
The quarantine requirement is different if you are “fully vaccinated” per the standards of the Japanese government. To count as fully vaccinated you must:
- Have received 3 shots of the vaccine (2 if your first shot was Johnson & Johnson/Yansen)
- Your first two vaccine doses (or first dose if your first shot was Johnson & Johnson/Yansen) must have been one of the following:
- Comirnaty/Pfizer/復星医薬
- Vaxeria/Astrazeneca/Covishield
- Moderna
- Johnson & Johnson/Yansen (only one dose required)
It is possible to mix-and-match among the shots above.
- Your third vaccine dose (or second dose if your first shot was Johnson & Johnson/Yansen) must have been one of the following:
- Comirnaty/Pfizer/復星医薬
- Moderna
- Your vaccination certificate must be issued by a government organization (not a medical facility) and must include:
- Your full name (matching your passport)
- Your birthday or passport number
- The name of the vaccine and manufacturer
- The date of each shot
- The number of shots received
- Your vaccination certificate must be in English or Japanese or have a translation into English or Japanese attached
Visited countries requirement
Your quarantine requirement varies depending on whether you have visited any of the following “designated countries” within the 14 days prior to departure to Japan. (Current as of March 12, 2022)
- Brazil (other than Parana)
- Egypt
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Republic of Korea
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Turkey
- Vietnam
Please note that this list can change with little or no warning, so it is possible that your country’s status could change on the day before you fly to Japan!
A layover in an airport in one of the countries above does not count as “visiting” if you do not exit the immigration area (e.g. no passport stamp) and your layover does not exceed 24 hours.
Quarantine Requirements based on the criteria above
| Fully Vaccinated? | Visited Designated Country? | Day 0 (Arrival Day) | Day 1-3 | Day 4-7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | PCR Test at arrival airport | No quarantine required | |
| Yes | Yes | Quarantine at home or a hotel, etc. | Continue quarantine at home or a hotel, etc. However, if you voluntarily take a PCR test on Day 3 or later, and the result is negative, you can report that test to the government and they will release you from your remaining quarantine. |
|
| No | No | |||
| No | Yes | Quarantine at Government-designated facility. Take a PCR test on day 3 and result is negative. | Released from quarantine | |
In some of the conditions above, you have the option to take a voluntary PCR test on Day 3 or later to shorten your quarantine. However, the PCR test must be done at a government-approved facility, and the waiting time for the result can be up to a day, so considering the expense, it might not be worth it. (Even if you are staying in a hotel for your quarantine, the PCR test will likely cost as must as a two-night stay, or more, and will shorten your stay by three nights, at most, depending on when you get the results.)
Note about public transportation: It used to be the rule that during the quarantine period, you were prohibited from using any public transportation. But now, it is allowable to use public transportation for the first 24 hours after your arrival in Japan for the sole purpose of traveling to your quarantine location by the shortest route possible.
Control of the number of new daily arrivals
Including the special allotment for students
When borders reopened, the number of new daily entrants allowed into the country was increased from 3,500 per day to 5,000 per day. Since then, it has further increased to 7,000 per day, including a special allotment of 1,000 Student Visa holders, (but only on Mondays through Thursdays).
Because I work in international exchange and we were interested in getting our new students into the country as quickly as possible, the first question on our mind was: How is this number controlled? Since the limit includes new foreign-national arrivals, returning Japanese citizens, and other returning Japanese residents, we were confused how the government could possibly regulate it.
But here’s the answer, and I hope it gives you peace of mind: They control the number of flights arriving each day!
So, that means that if you can get a flight to Japan, you are within the limit for that day. You won’t find yourself in a situation where you have a flight booked and paid for only to learn that you aren’t included in the limit.
Special Allotment for Students
The Japanese Ministry of Education (Monbukagakusho) has hyped up the fact that they have secured a special allotment within the daily limit for 1,000 new arrival places (flight seats) to be prioritized for students, but this has led to a lot of confusion both for students and institutions in Japan.
Some people worried that this number might limit the number of students who can arrive, but that is not the case!
Student Visa holders can still purchase flights from the “general” pool of all available flights. So, theoretically, all 7,000 new arrivals on a given day could be international students.
However, if students are not able to secure a flight through buying one in general, they can use this system as a back-up plan.
If you arriving in Japan as a student and you cannot purchase a flight for the day that you want to travel (or the date that your institution in Japan says that you have to travel), and your travel day is Monday-Thursday, then you can contact your host institution in Japan to try to get one of the reserved seats.
The Japanese host institution will then contact the support center set up by the government to try to get you the possibility to purchase one of the 1,000 tickets reserved for students. The support center will then contact participating airlines (currently only ANA and JAL) to see if there are flights are available. If there is an available flight, they will make a provisional reservation for you, and send the information back to your host institution.
Your institution will send you the flight and payment information. You would have to complete the payment to make the reservation official.
Even if you are a student visa holder, I recommend you consider this a back-up option, only. If you can book a flight directly, it is likely to be a lot simpler and cheaper.
Certificate of Eligibility Validity Period Extension
In my articles about Spouse Visas and Dependent Visas, I mentioned that the Certificate of Eligibility is only valid for three months in usual cases. However, that does not apply to Certificates of Eligibility that expired while the borders are closed.
If your Certificate of Eligibility was issued before January 31, 2022, you can still use it until the end of July 2022. For CoEs issued on or after February 1, 2022, they are valid for 6 months. (You can find an official explanation here.)
If more than 3 months have passed since the CoE was issued, then in addition to the original CoE, you will also need a document called a “申立書” (declaration) from your host in Japan, which states that the original purpose for your visa application is still valid.
The format for that declaration can be found here:
How to get the new documents you need for your visa application
The documents required for your visa application are going to differ depending on your visa category and the country where you are applying, so be sure to check with the Japanese embassy or consulate where you will apply in advance to make sure you know what you need and collect everything before your visa application appointment.
However, there are a few common documents that everyone will need, including two new requirements:
- The visa application form (get it from the embassy website)
- Your CoE (get it from the institution or person in Japan who is supporting your arrival and activities in Japan)
- Declaration Form (as discussed in the previous section, if your CoE will be more than three months old as of the time of entering Japan)
- Proof of Acceptance of Immigration Application (受付済証) or alternative – see below
What is the “Proof of Acceptance of Immigration Application”?
If you are entering Japan as a student, technical trainee, worker, or for business purposes – essentially, if you have an organization in Japan sponsoring your arrival – you will need this “Proof of Acceptance of Immigration Application” or 受付済証. But the good news is, the organization in Japan will get it for you. They have to register you in the government’s “Entrants, Returnees Follow-up System” (ERFS). Once they complete that registration, they will automatically receive digital proof of your registration and will send that to you. You can then use it to apply for your visa.
But if you do not have an “organization” in Japan accepting you – if you are a spouse, dependent*, long-term resident, etc., then you cannot get this document. Only accepting organizations, not individuals, can use the ERFS system. So, you would need the alternative documentation below.
*Note: In some cases, it is possible for an accepting organization in Japan to sponsor a working visa for a new employee and sponsor that employee’s family’s dependent visa at the same time. Employers need to meet certain criteria to be able to do this and it is limited to large businesses/publicly traded companies. But if a business is sponsoring your dependent visa to arrive simultaneously with your working spouse, then the company may be able to register you in ERFS.
Alternative Documentation for Spouse/Child of Japanese Nationals, Spouse/Child of Permanent Residents or Long-Term Resident
If you are coming to Japan as a spouse or child of a Japanese national or a permanent resident, you cannot be registered in ERFS but you can still apply for a visa by submitting the following documentation:
- Original passport (with at least two empty pages)
- Original visa application form with photo
- Original and one copy of Certificate of Eligibility (If you could not receive your original CoE due to disruptions to the postal system, etc. then you can submit 2 copies, instead)
- Original and one copy of Marriage certificate (spouse) or birth certificate (child) as well as a Japanese translation.
4-2Original Koseki Tohon (Family Register) (for Spouse or Child of Japanese National visa, only) - Schedule after entry
- Original or copy of “Declaration” (described above) if more than three months have passed between when your CoE was issued and when you will arrive in Japan
Alternative Documentation for Dependent
*Not required if the Dependent can be registered in ERFS, as described above.
If your spouse is already in Japan and sponsoring your Certificate of Eligibility, then you cannot be registered in ERFS, so you will have to submit the following documentation:
- Original passport (with at least two empty pages)
- Original visa application form with photo
- Original and one copy of Certificate of Eligibility (If you could not receive your original CoE due to disruptions to the postal system, etc. then you can submit 2 copies, instead)
- Original and one copy of Marriage certificate (spouse) or birth certificate (child) as well as a Japanese translation
- Copy of “Declaration” as well as a Japanese translation
- Copy of Certificate of Employment (if sponsor in Japan is employed) or Certificate of Enrollment (if sponsor in Japan is a Student)
- Copy of bank-issued balance certificate and balance sheet (account activity) for past 6 months
- Copy of sponsor’s Residence Card
- Copy of sponsor’s Residence Registration (住民票 juminhyo)
- Schedule after entry
- Copy of Approval to Accept Family Members (家族受入承認書) issued by the sponsor’s enrolled institution (only when the sponsor in Japan has a Student residence status)
- Certificate of Scholarship Receipt (only when the sponsor in Japan has a Student residence status and is receiving a scholarship)
Of course, be sure to check with the Japanese embassy or consulate where you will apply directly to see if requirements have changed or if there are any additional documents required!
Special Thanks
Special thanks to the TranSenz supporters on Patreon, who help keep this site running through their generous contributions, especially to new Daimyo Supporters Pablo and Alessia M as well as all new supporters since my last update: Mery, Ricardo C, Cheska G., Dimas, and Andrew L. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your continued support! If this site has helped you in your application process and you want to “pay it forward” to keep the site running to help future applicants, every contribution helps!
Questions?
Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for the update Travis.
Just one question:
– for “Proof of Acceptance of Immigration Application”, under alternative documentation for spouse of Japanese national, point 4 shows “Marriage certificate” and 4-2 shows “Koseki Touhon”. Do I need to provide both documents if married to Japanese national, or just the Koseki Touhon?
.
(Incidentally, I called the local consulate about the new requirements and was told I only need CoE for the Visa application. I told them my wife will be sending me the CoE and I want to confirm whether I need any additional documents, and was told the CoE provides the function of the other documents, but if I wanted to include the Koseki Touhon as a supplement then that would be fine).
Hi DMilton,
Thank you for sharing the information from the local consulate.
The border restrictions have been changing so quickly that it’s almost impossible to keep up. What you said makes sense – the Koseki Touhon is already part of the CoE application – and I can only see them asking for it again if, for example, a significant amount of time had passed since the CoE application and they wanted to verify that you are still married.
If the consulate says that the document is not necessary, please go with their guidance. They will have the most up to date rules in this changing environment. I reported on the requirements as of the date that I found them, but since things are changing so rapidly, they could have relaxed by now.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
What’s the drawback of living in your home country that is not your birth place. I was born in USA but for the past 29 years I have lived in Pakistan. Today I got an email from the university(who got emailed by MEXT)that recommended me for MEXT and in simple term they said that my nationality is not that of my current residence which means that if I want to get Student Visa I either have to go to US and get it from there or receive it in my resident country which would be complicated and they would not provide travel expanses. My concern is not travel expanses but the sentence about “complications in visa”. Would it be possible for you to elaborate on that?
Hi Abe,
There is a special visa application process for MEXT Scholars, and I do not know much about the details, since I’ve never worked on that part of the process. But I do know that MEXT determines which embassy each applicant will be applying at, based on their residence, and sends that embassy a list of the relevant applicants, so you can only apply at the designated embassy.
I don’t know what the specific “complications” would be, but I assume they would be the same or similar to the complications you might face if you were to normally apply for a visa for Japan in an embassy outside your country of nationality, like having to prove your residence, possibly needing to acquire documents from the US, such as a birth certificate, or facing additional screening requirements for foreign nationals. It shouldn’t be anything that you can’t overcome, though.
For a point of reference, I am a US citizen and applied for my visa for Japan while I was living in Thailand. At the time, I had to provide additional documentation proving that I was residing in timeline (a housing contract or utility bills) and also had to complete an additional paper verifying that I wasn’t a victim of human trafficking.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your reply,
Wanted to ask if a person has dual nationality(i.e., American & Pakistani) is he still eligible for MEXT Scholarship? As far as I know you are only ineligible if you are having dual nationality with Japanese being one of the two. Is this correct?
Hi Abe,
Your understanding is correct. As long as you don’t have Japanese nationality, you are free to apply, even if you have dual (or more) nationality.
If you have multiple nationalities, then in general you are required to apply in the country that is your primary nationality, which would be where you reside currently.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
This is the most informative read I’ve found so far online and I do have a few questions home you may able to help me.
I’m planning on traveling to Japan in January 2025 to visit my boyfriend and likely get married while visiting I am an American citizen living in USA I’ve never visited Japan before he’s an Ghanaian with a permanent Japan visa living in h Japan.
1. My questions are what document do I need to have when I travel in January to Japan to be married there?
2. Do I need to apply for a spouse visa after marriage if I only want to live with him part of the year there and rest here in the USA as I owned my own business here in the USA so I need to be sharing time spent in both countries?
He also would need to spend equally time both in japan as he owns his own business there as well as visiting me in the US
Thanks in advance
Hi Joy,
If you plan to get married under Japanese law, you will need a notarized Affidavit of Competence to Marry. You can get it notarized at the US embassy or consulate in Japan, but it might be easier to get it done in the US before you travel. You can download the format from the US Embassy Tokyo’s website.
Aside from that, you will only need a government ID. You can complete the procedure at the city hall where your fiance resides.
Note that the US will not create any official record of your marriage, so any time you need proof of your marriage, you would need to get it (in Japanese) from that city hall and then translate it into English.
You do not need a special visa in order to get married in Japan (There is no fiance visa here). If you plan to stay for less than 90 days, a tourist visa is fine. A spouse visa, on the other hand, is intended for someone who will settle in the country. If you plan to spend more than 90 days at a time living in Japan after your marriage, then you would need one, but for stays of 90 days or less, it’s not necessary. (Whether or not you get a spouse visa and residence status will also affect your ability to enroll in Japanese National Health Insurance, which you would then need to keep paying even while not in Japan, the national pension, and tax responsibilities, too, so there are a lot of other factors to consider.)
If you do apply for a spouse visa, then you could only do so after you have proof of your marriage. You could do it before a subsequent trip to Japan, if you will not be staying for 90 days this time, or you could try to apply on the marriage trip, after your marriage, but there is no guarantee that it would be accepted in that case. It would be a judgement call on the part of the local immigration bureau office. I have heard that it is approved in more cases where one of the spouse had to come to Japan to get married in the first place, though. In that case, though, you should apply as soon as possible after arriving in Japan, since it can take several months to process and if it does not finish in time, you may have to leave if your tourist stay expires.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Hope you’re doing well! I hope you don’t mind but I have a few questions. For reference, I’m a 2022 Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholar going over as a research student first in October.
1. What’s the process for switching majors? Specifically: I was interested in entering my university’s Graduate School of Economics but my academic supervisor is recommending I join the Graduate School of Management. After looking into it a bit more I’m starting to agree with him, but I listed Economics on my initial forms but am now wondering how difficult it would be to switch to the school of Management after arriving in Japan? Since my advisor is part of both schools and I’d be going over as a research student would that be a simple or complicated switch? Do you know what the process would look like?
2. Do you have any articles/recommended reading on what life is like after getting to Japan and having the scholarship? For example, a friend of mine is getting married in March, and my school is off then for Spring break, do you think going home would be feasible? I understand you obviously just can’t go on vacations all over the place, but like as long as you’re doing good in your studies and progression on your research is it an issue to return home every so often (once a year or so)?
3. This may not be your area of expertise but: a sort of subset of the previous question, is the monthly stipend taxed by the Japanese gov’t? My inclination is no since it’s a government-sponsored scholarship, but wanted to double check anyways. Also if we wanted to do some part-time work in Japan, would you happen to know what the tax process would look like for that? I know this isn’t super MEXT-related but I wasn’t sure who else to ask, so no worries if this isn’t something you can answer!
These questions might be putting the cart before the horse a little bit, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask! Thanks for all your advice Travis!
Hi Sarah,
1. I’m afraid I’ve never encountered a situation quite like that before, but it might be possible if you switch when you extend from research student to degree student, particularly if your advisor is the one suggesting it and can supervise you in either field. I have actually heard cases of one graduate school at University of Tokyo (the name escapes me at the moment) that will not accept research students, so anyone that wants to study there as a MEXT Scholar has to start in another graduate school then change when they extend from research to degree student.
If you arrive in October, then around December, you should be applying for the MEXT Scholarship extension. You will also need to apply for admission to the graduate school as a degree-seeking student, so I recommend that when you get there, you talk to the office that manages the scholarship and tell them that you want to apply for admission to the degree program in Management and ask what steps you would have to take.
2. I don’t have an article on that subject yet, I’m afraid, but that’s a good idea! You are allowed to leave Japan temporarily, as long as it does not interfere with your studies or research and your stay outside the country is less than a month. While you are a MEXT Scholar, you will have to show up once per month on a designated day to sign for your scholarship stipend at your university. If you are gone during a full month, you would not get your stipend for that month.
3. Your stipend is not taxed as far as I know. I have never heard of applicants receiving less than the full amount. You should also be exempt from paying into the national pension plan, though you will have to pay for National Health Insurance. Part-time work by MEXT Scholars is highly discouraged (unless it is something that is necessary to your research), but in general, your employer would deduct any necessary taxes from your pay, so there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
(If any other MEXT Scholars can chime in with their tax experience, I would appreciate it!)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for your response before! Bit of an odd question related to my first question from before (above): is it possible to postpone/delay the scholarship? The School of Economics starts in October but the School of Management in April and after thinking more about it I think I’d like to enter the School of Management. While I understand this can be arranged when extending the scholarship in December, I’m wondering if it would just be possible to instead postpone entering Japan until next April?
The reason I’d like to do this is because 1. I feel it’d be easier to come in with the rest of the Management students (and sort of attend things as intended) but also 2. it’d give me more time at my current job and I think the work experience would look good post-graduation (especially since it’s with an organization related to the research I want to do in Japan). While I imagine the answer is no, it’s not possible to delay the scholarship/entering Japan, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
Thank you!
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
No, once your arrival date is decided, it isn’t possible to delay or change it. (In your case, delaying from October to April would put you in the next year group). Since you’ll be entering as a research student anyway, if my memory is correct, then it makes the most sense to arrive in October so that you can apply for the Extension in December then start as a degree student in the new field in April. If you were to arrive in April as a research student, you would have to wait a full year before extending to the degree student for Management, if that only starts in April.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Transenz,
As always, thank you for all the information, its a great help.
I have a inquiry if it’s alright…
I’m a 2022 MEXT scholar to start my research period in April.
I was contacted yesterday by my uni and they said that they received an update from MEXT for the 2022 MEXT students. Basically the entry requirements are the same as other general entrants, but MEXT students have priority on visa procedures.
For the next steps: I gave the university my information and they told me they registered me to ERFS, then they sent the information to MEXT, who will in turn revise it and send it to MOFA and when MOFA approves it, the university and the embassy will contact me to start the visa procedure.
In your experience, how long does it take for this process?
Have you heard any news regarding entry dates of the 2022 April batch?
I’m sorry for it being so long and for so many questions,
I appreciate your time, attention and the help you always bring to us students.
Many thanks,
Andy
Hi Andy,
It sounds like you’re a university-recommended MEXT Scholar, am I right?
For MEXT Scholars, the visa application process is a little different from regular students, since you don’t need a CoE. Instead, MEXT passes your name to MOFA so that you can apply for your visa.
For self-financed scholars, the university registers students in ERFS and they get the confirmation of that registration right away. Universities then send that confirmation to students, who take their CoEs and apply for a visa. However, since for MEXT scholars, the information has to pass from the universities to MEXT to MOFA, that might take a little longer. Unfortunately, I’m honestly not sure how long it will be, since this is the first time this has happened.
As for the entry dates, it’s basically first-come, first-served for buying plane tickets. But there is a block of 1000 seats per day (on Mon-Thu) that are prioritized for students and MEXT is responsible for allocating them, so it is likely that MEXT scholars will have priority to be booked on those flights.
Sorry that I don’t have anything more specific yet, but I recommend that you be prepared to fly to Japan on short notice once the visas and flights are worked out!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Transenz,
Thank you very much for your reply!
Actually I’m an embassy recommend student, the steps I mentioned earlier are what was outlined to me in an email from the university, so I don’t know if there’s a mistake.
Although I’m really grateful for the scholarship waiting without news (or just bits and pieces) is kind of difficult.
Anyways, thank you for your time and help,
I hope everything starts moving forward soon and there’s no COVID variant that could close the borders again (I’m knocking on wood).
Best regards and many thanks!
Andy
Hi Andy,
Thank you for your clarification. It seems that even in the case of Embassy-recommended students, the university has to do the ERFS registration. I guess that makes sense, since they would be doing the same process for their other international students and it’s not something that MEXT or the Embassies would be doing at all.
I understand that it can be frustrating to wait without news. Unfortunately, my experience with Japanese bureaucracy (including the government and universities) is that they often don’t give any information until something is complete and finally approved. There are almost never any progress reports partway through.
I share your hope that nothing else emerges to change the border situation!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz