Perhaps the most popular article on this blog at this point is my guide on How to Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility and Spouse Visa for Japan. But I often get questions there about Japanese Dependent Visas, as well.
This article, I hope, will make that process clear.
How to Get a Dependent Visa to Bring Your Family to Japan
Of course, we all want to live together with our family. But when you first come to Japan, it can be hard to understand how to do that. If you have one of the Residence Status listed below, you will be able to apply for a Dependent Visa for your spouse and children.
First, let’s get clear on who you can bring to Japan on a dependent visa.
- Your (legally married) spouse
- Your (legal) children
Who Cannot be Your Dependent
You cannot apply for a Dependent Visa for a parent or other relative, regardless of whether or not they depend on you for income.
You cannot apply for a Dependent Visa for a fiance.
You cannot apply for a Dependent Visa for your spouse’s children from previous marriages if you have not legally adopted them as your own.
Statuses Eligible to Apply for Dependent Visas
Almost all international residents in Japan are eligible to bring their family to Japan as Dependents. As long as your Residence Status is in the list below, you’ll be able to apply.
- 教授 Professor
- 芸術 Artist
- 宗教 Religious Activities
- 報通 Journalist
- 高度専門職 Highly Skilled Professional
- 投資・経営 Investor/Business Manager
- 法律・会計業務 Legal/Accounting Services
- 医療 Medical Services
- 研究 Researcher
- 教育 Instructor
- 技術・人文知識・国際業務 Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services
- 企業内転勤 Intra-company Transferee
- 介護 Nursing Care
- 興行 Entertainer
- 技能 Skilled Labor
- 文化活動 Cultural Activities
- 留学 Student*
Additional Criteria for Student Residence Status Holders
If you are living in Japan on a Student status, then the type of school you are attending determines whether or not you can apply for a dependent visa for your family.
| Types of Schools that Can apply for a Dependent Visa | Types of Schools that Cannot apply for a Dependent Visa |
|---|---|
| Graduate School (Doctor, Master, or Research Student) 大学院（博士、修士、研究生） |
Advanced Vocational School (Specialized Course, Higher Course, General Course) 専修学校（専門課程、高等課程、一般課程） |
| University (Undergraduate, Auditor, Elective Course Student, Research Student, Japanese Language Course Student) 大学（学部生、聴講生、科目等履修生、研究生、別科性） |
Japanese Language Institution (Advanced vocational school of specialized course, preparatory courses, others) 日本語教育機関 （専修学校専門課程、準備教育課程、その他） |
| Junior College (Regular Student, Auditor, Elective Course Student, Japanese Language Course Student) 短期大学（学科生、聴講生、科目等履修生、別科性） |
Senior High School, Junior High School, Elementary School 高等学校、中学校、小学校 |
| Technical School 高等専門学校 |
You’ll see that there are several options for Japanese language, so if you are in Japan studying Japanese, you may wonder which applies to you. The simple answer is to look at your institution. If the institution is a university or junior college (i.e. if it also grants associates degrees or higher in other fields), then you would be eligible to apply for a Dependent Visa. If you are studying Japanese at an advanced vocational school or at a dedicated Japanese language school, you would not be eligible to apply for a Dependent Visa.
Other Residence Statuses
Someone who is living in Japan as a Dependent cannot have their own Dependent.
There are a few other statuses, such as Trainee and Designated Activities, that are not eligible to bring family members.
Other statues, such as Spouse of Japanese National, Permanent Resident, Diplomat, etc., have other methods to bring their family members to Japan and will not need the Dependent Visa process.
Can I Bring my Family With Me to Japan at the Same Time?
It depends on your employer.
Certain types of companies in Japan have special authorization to accelerate their Certificate of Eligibility application process for foreign employees and simultaneously apply for Dependent Visas for their spouses. Those companies are able to get Certificates of Eligibility for both the employee and the dependents within about 2 weeks from application.
If you are coming to Japan as a student, researcher, or working for anything less than a large enterprise, then you will not be able to bring your dependents to Japan at the same time as you. After you arrive in Japan, you will have to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for your dependents so they can join you Japan. That application process can take up to three months. Skip down to the instructions below.
What Companies Can Apply Simultaneously for Dependent Visas?
According to the Ministry of Justice, companies designated as Category 1 or Category 2 are eligible for the accelerated Certificate of Eligibility application process, provided that they are paying you enough to support your family members as well.
Category 1 and 2 companies must be “of a certain size” and make their present operating situation clear through public documentation. Specific examples include:
Category 1
- Companies listed on the Japanese stock exchange
- Mutual insurance companies
- National or regional public organizations (公共団体 kokyo dantai)
- Independent administrative institutions (独立行政法人 dokuritsu gyosei hojin), Special public corporations (特殊法人 tokushu hojin), Specially-authorized corporations (特別認可法人 tokubetsu ninka hojin), Public organization-authorized public service organizations (公益法人 koeki hojin)
- Tax-exempt public benefit corporations listed in Table 1 of the tax exempt corporations list.
Category 2: Individuals or organizations that paid over 15,000,000 yen in income tax during the previous fiscal year.
If you are to be employed in Japan and want to know if your company can apply simultaneously for your dependents’ certificates of eligibility, the best thing to do is ask them directly!
Applying for a Dependent Visa Yourself
If you have to bring your family to Japan yourself, you will need to start with applying for their Certificate of Eligibility. Approval can take up to three months, so get started as soon as you can after you arrive in Japan.
As usual with the Immigration Bureau, the information available in English is vague. The requirements below are translated from the Japanese webpage:
Dependent Certificate of Eligibility Required Documents
- Completed application form. You can download the form from the Immigration Bureau website.
- One ID-quality photo: 30mm wide by 40mm high, showing the applicant (your dependent) from the chest up, facing forward, with no hats or background.
Write the applicant’s name on the back and attach it to the application form in the designated spot - One self-addressed reply envelope with 392 yen in stamps attached.
- One of the following documents to prove your relationship:
- Family Register
- Certificate of acceptance of registration of marriage
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificate
- Any other document that can be accepted as meeting the requirements of the previous items
Note: Any documents in a foreign language must have a Japanese translation attached.
- Copy of the supporter’s (you) Residence Card or passport. (Submit copy of the Residence Card if you have it!)
- Proof of employment/activity and financial resources.
- If the supporter is engaged in business management or income-generating activities:
(a) 1 copy of certificate of employment or business license (must show supporter’s occupation); and
(b) Certificate of Residence Tax amount and payment showing one full year of tax payment. (Acquired from the City Hall where you resided as of Jan 1.
*If you have not been in Japan long enough to acquire a Certificate of Residence Tax showing a full year of tax, consult with the Immigration Bureau. A certificate of employment with salary may be sufficient. - If supporter is not employed or earning income through operating a business:
(a) A bank account balance statement in the supporter’s name or scholarship award statement showing the amount of award and period of payment.
(b) Documents equivalent in nature to (a) that show proof of sufficient finances for the applicant to be able to meet their expenses while in Japan.
- If the supporter is engaged in business management or income-generating activities:
- Proof of identity, in case of application by proxy.
It is acceptable to fill out the application form in English, but all documents submitted as evidence must be in Japanese or be accompanied by a translation.
Financial Resources for your Dependent
As a general rule, 80,000 yen per month is considered sufficient resources for one person. Since you will be living with your dependent, you don’t need to double that for each person, but count on adding at least 40,000 for a spouse and a little less than that for each child (depending on their age).
As an example, I know of MEXT scholars who were successful in bringing a spouse and two children to Japan with a total income of 145,000 yen.
The Dependent Residence Status does not allow your spouse or children to work in Japan, so you need to plan to support them from your income. Your spouse will be eligible to apply for a work permit (called “Permission to Engage in Activities Other than that Permitted Under the Status of Residence Previously Granted”), but they will be limited to working no more than 28 hours per week. This is not going to be enough for your spouse to support him/herself.
A dependent is able to search for a full time job and use that to apply to change to a working residence status. However, finding a full-time job in Japan is quite difficult without some level of fluency in the language.
All of that will come later, once your spouse is in Japan. But it’s a good idea to have a clear understanding of your financial situation in advance.
Applying for the Japanese Dependent Visa
Once you have your spouse and/or child’s Certificate of Eligibility, you will need to send it to them so they can apply for their visa in your home country.
I recommend making a photocopy first and sending the Certificate by a reliable courier service. Your spouse/child will need the original Certificate of Eligibility to apply for the visa. The photocopy can help you apply for reissuance of the Certificate if it gets lost in the mail.
Visa requirements vary by country, so be sure to check the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country!
Making Travel Arrangements
Once you have the Certificate of Eligibility, your spouse’s dependent visa is all but guaranteed, so it’s safe to start making his or her travel arrangements to Japan.
Your spouse/child must arrive in Japan within 3 months of the date of issue on the Certificate of Eligibility (regardless of whether the visa has a later expiration date or not).
Congratulations! Your family will be together in Japan soon!
As always, please leave any questions or comments below and I will reply as soon as possible.
Hello. I am living on DEPENDENT visa in Japan. My father is a business manager so he was able to sponsor me, my mother and my younger sister to Japan on dependent visa. My elder sister is in Pakistan, she is married with two kids so my father isn’t able to sponsor her to japan. Can you guide me any way through which we can sponsor her whole family together in Japan?
Hi Emma,
In your sister’s case, there is no way that you or anyone else in your family would be able to sponsor her through the Dependent Visa or family connections.
Since she has her own family and is not dependent on your father for support (and I assume she is over the age of majority), she wouldn’t be eligible.
The best thing you could do would be to help her or her husband find a way to get to Japan on their own, such as helping them find employment in Japan that would allow one of them to come on a working visa then bring the rest of their family as dependents of the worker.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello there, I am now studying Japanese language in Nagasaki Omura city and it is one year course. I applied for students visa also in married status so now I want to know about how to apply for dependent for my spouse. I am planning to study caregiver course in university next year so what will fastest and reliable way for me apply for dependent visa. Please suggest me. Thank you
Hi Sanjana Rouniyar Lamichhane,
If you are enrolled in a Japanese language program, you might be able to apply for a Dependent CoE now for your spouse, but it depends on what kind of school your are enrolled in, as explained at the top of the article. You can only apply for a Dependent CoE if your language program is conducted by a university or junior college.
If your current program is not the kind that will enable you to apply for a CoE, then once you enroll in the degree program course at the university, you will become able to apply.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi. your page is very informative. I hope you will reply mine too.. My current boyfriend is under dependent spouse visa and their divorce is on process right now and we are planning to marry after. I want to sponsor him for dependent spouse visa after marriage. is there a possibility that he will be denied if I give him visa because he is previously on dependent spouse visa with another woman? will that be a problem?
Hi Eden,
It sounds like that could be a difficult situation and one that will likely generate additional scrutiny from the Immigration Services Agency. Before I give my opinion on the paperwork, I want to stress that I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, this is just my interpretation of the rules offered for your consideration.
Technically, as soon as your boyfriend is no longer living with his current wife as a married couple, he would be in violation of his current Dependent Residence Status and would have to leave the country, or change to another status, even if he has time remaining on his current period of stay. If their divorce is processing now, then he should have already left Japan (unless he needs to be here for the divorce paperwork). If the Immigration Bureau later sees that he stayed in Japan as a Dependent even after he and his wife had initiated divorce procedures, they could consider that he had been an illegal overstay, which could negatively impact his next application as your Dependent.
In order to give your application the best chance of succeeding, I would recommend that he leave Japan now, since he technically does not meet the criteria to stay as a Dependent on his current status, then you apply for a CoE for him to come back to Japan as your Dependent once his divorce with his current wife and your marriage have been fully processed. If he followed all the procedures correctly, leaving the country when his current status was no longer valid then returning through the “proper” challenges, then I would think that his previous marriage/dependent status would not have (as much of) a negative impact on his application to be your Dependent. There might still be additional scrutiny, but I think you would stand up to it more clearly.
However, that is simply my advice on the “safest” way forward. I am not a lawyer or an Immigration official, so you might want to consider talking to an immigration lawyer for legal advice on your situation. If your city has an international association that offers consultation for foreign residents, that could also be a good place to ask for further advice, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello
Good day
I’m planning to get married here in Japan with my Fiancee.
I was wondering if it’s possible to process the dependent visa while he is here.
Hi Joey,
I’m assuming that your fiancee would be entering Japan on a Temporary Visitor visa. In general, it is not possible to apply for a Change of Status of Residence from Temporary Visitor to Dependent while in Japan, but you can always ask. It is going to be up to the discretion of the immigration office. If you explain that you were already residing in Japan and your fiancee had to be physically present in Japan to get married, then they might make an exception.
If they don’t then, you would have to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for him, instead. If it is issued before he has to leave Japan, then you could take the CoE back to the Immigration Services Agency office and apply then for a Change of Status of Residence, but if the CoE is not issued before he leaves the country, he would not be allowed to overstay to wait for it, so in that case he would have to leave and apply for a Dependent Visa from his home country once the CoE was issued.
*I should add, however, that as of July 2022, Japan is not allowing Temporary Visitors into the country except on package tours, so unless the immigration restrictions are relaxed significantly, your fiancee would need a mid-to-long term visa to even enter the country in the first place. In that case, it is possible to change from another mid-to-long term residence status (e.g. Student) to Dependent while in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good day
I have concern about visa, I am currently living here in japan under Family Visa /dependent visa. I would like to apply for Specified Skilled worker visa because we want my husband and I to be able to prepare for the future of our child. My concern is since I am from Family visa/Dependent visa and I want to change it into Specified skilled worker visa after 5 years, Am I possible to get again or re-apply for Family Visa/dependent visa?
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Your immediate response in this regard would be highly appreciated.
Hi Engel,
As long as you are qualified to apply for each of those residence statuses when you apply, there shouldn’t be a problem. But you will have to maintain eligibility and just because you have a Dependent Status now does not mean that you will automatically be able to get it again in the future. (For example, if you are a dependent of a parent now, then in 5 years time, you would likely not be eligible to apply again as a dependent of your parent because you would be too old. However, you could apply as your husband’s dependent, if he had a resident status that was eligible to support a dependent.)
I hope that helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, I am from Nepal. We (I and my wife) had a court marriage in march 2022. Then she went back to Japan and now working there. My question is, we don’t have marriage registration from our local municipality office as other Nepalese married couples have. I even went to the municipality office to register our marriage but they asked me to come along with my wife and then they will register our marriage. But she’s in Japan and can’t come back anytime soon…. in this case, what can I do? Can she apply with that certificate given by the court? Does Japanese immigration accept court certificate as marriage proof? Could you please help me? Thank you in advance.
Hi Naren Magar,
Unfortunately, this is more of a question about Nepalese law and policy, not Japanese law, so I’m not confident I can give you an answer. I don’t know what the usual practices are in Nepal and whether or not the court order is considered sufficient legal proof of marriage there. If it is, then it should be accepted in Japan, too. It sounds to me like a court marriage order should be equivalent to a certificate of marriage, but without knowing more about the legal procedures there, I can’t be sure.
I recommend that your wife contact the immigration office – or better yet, that she visits them with the document and asks if it is acceptable or not.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Very informative article. As a non degree holder looking to undertake an intense Japanese language course in Japan (and then onto university), do you have a list of recommendations (no matter how short) of any institutions that offer a language course and help sponsor a student visa… and here’s the tricky part, that I also can apply for dependents (after arrival obviously) on? Obviously this leaves out language institutions and vocational schools, but I was hopeful considering “language course student” is still listed under the junior college/university categories.
At this point, not fussed about location at all.
Thanks so much!
Hi Joe S,
Unfortunately, I do not have a list of Japanese language programs that would fall into that category (or any lists of Japanese language schools, for that matter).
I would recommend searching for Japanese universities with “non-degree Japanese language programs”.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello~
If I were to be approved for a cultural activity visa, how would I go about bringing my young child as a dependent?
For instance, would I be able to apply for my child to be my dependent before or after I arrived in Japan? Figuratively speaking.
Thank you.
Hi R,
You can only apply for a CoE for your dependents once you are already residing in Japan, so you would have to apply after you arrive and complete your residence paperwork.
However, sometimes employers can apply for your CoE and that of your dependent at the same time, if they are a stock-exchange listed company or large enough. If you have an employer in Japan that is applying for your Cultural Activities CoE on your behalf, if might be worth asking if they are able to apply for your child at the same time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am trying to bring my wife and 14-month-old son with me to Japan on dependent visas for a short-term (about four months) work assignment with my company, which is an American subsidiary of a large Japanese corporation. I am still waiting for our CoEs to be processed, but I started working on filling out the visa applications so I can submit them as soon as I receive my CoEs. However, I had a couple questions on how to fill out the visa application:
1. The form asks for an “ID No. issued to you by your government.” I have gotten conflicting answers as to whether a drivers’ license number or Social Security number or both are appropriate for this field. Obviously my son does not have a drivers’ license, so I just wanted to make sure his Social Security number would work.
2. My wife and son will not be working in Japan while we live there, so what would you recommend for the field that asks “purpose of visit to Japan”? I currently have “dependent accompanying spouse/parent with work visa.”
3. How should I fill out the “current profession or occupation and position” and “name and address of employer” fields if neither my wife nor my son work in the US?
Also, I just wanted to thank you for writing this article. It was very helpful to me while I was trying to figure out how to bring my wife and son with my for this assignment.
Best Regards,
Alex
Hi Alex,
Thank you very much for your kind words. I’m glad the article has been helpful!
It looks like you have figured out the answers to some of your questions on your own, but here is my two yen, as it were:
1. Your son’s Social Security Number should be fine. As far as I know, that is the only ID number that every US citizen is guaranteed to have.
2. Your description sounds pretty good to me. Instead of “work” if you can fill in your specific visa type (Intra-Company Transferee?), that might be even better. Though once your wife and son have their CoEs, this form shouldn’t be under that much scrutiny.
3. “None” would be fine, and perhaps preferable, since the Dependent residence status does not allow a person to work full time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Travis,
Sounds great! Thank you again for your help!
Best Regards,
Alex
hello travis,
i got a coe and visa for my wife to join me in japan but we got divorced in japan.
i remarried after a year of the divorce and am applying for a coe for my new wife. will my divorce be a problem in getting a coe?
Hi John,
If shouldn’t be a problem, as long as your ex-wife is not still living in Japan as your dependent.
As far as I know, they don’t look at your marriage history for the dependent CoE, just your current proof of marriage, but they might be able to see that you previously sponsored a dependent visa for your ex-wife, and if she is still in the country, that could raise questions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi travis,
thank you for your prompt response.
yes my ex wife is still in japan but legally on a student visa. i intend adding our divorce certificate to the application. do you think i should wait till they ask me or i can just add it.
again, my employers a private school are finding it difficult to understand what a corporation number is. what could i tell them for them to understand what i meant. i told them houjin bango but what they sent to me a while ago contain only numbers but the forms says its a combination of numbers and letters. any advice
Hi John,
If your ex-wife is on another residence status now, that shouldn’t impact your next application.
If your employers is incorporated, which many schools are, they have to have a Corporation Number in order to issue payroll and pay taxes, so their accounting office should certainly know it!
Corporation Numbers are public record and there is a search site: https://www.houjin-bangou.nta.go.jp/
If not, they should contact the local city hall where they are registered as a business and ask what information they should provide in place of a Corporate number.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
thank you. no my ex wife is no more my dependent, shes on her own as a student in japan here.
Hi. My Father is a Japanese national, but he’s not married with my Mother, but I have his surname and his name indicated in my Birth certificate as my Father, and I plan to live with him after I graduate college. Will I be allowed to live with him permanently? Can I apply as his dependent?
Hi Yoms,
You should be able to apply for a “Child of Japanese National” status. It’s not quite the same as a Dependent Visa. (Dependent visa applies if your parents are foreign nationals residing in Japan, only). If you are not yet living in Japan, then your father in Japan should complete the Certificate of Eligibility application for you.
The requirements are going to be a little different from what I wrote in this article, though. So please be sure to check the Immigration Services Agency website directly.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
Thank you very much for this wonderful page. My fiancee is studying in Japan with MEXT scholarship. He has a window from July first week to September first week to come to India (Our home country) for us to get married. His brother is also a resident in Japan, my question is, if we get married in July (in India) and send him the document, can his brother act as a proxy to get a COE for my dependent visa? Or is there a possibility of me getting a visitor visa under special circumstances until I get my COE? We’re looking to travel together in September if there’s any possibility at all.
Please let us know your suggestions.
Hi Shruthika,
Your fiance’s brother should be able to be your proxy for the CoE application, though he will need to submit some sort of documentation showing that they are brothers.
If you get married in July, though, then I’m not sure there will be enough time for the CoE and visa application for you to be able to travel together in September. The CoE application can take up to three months after you provide all the documents and translations (as necessary) to Immigration, and then your fiance’s brother would have to send it to you so you can apply for the visa in India. It could be possible, but I wouldn’t count on it. If you plan to do it that way, make sure that your fiance gets all of the documents that he needs from Japan before he comes home in July! (By the way, he will lose a month of scholarship stipend if he is not present in Japan in August, but I assume that he already knows that).
Unfortunately, the rules are pretty strict about not being able to change from a visitor visa to a dependent visa while in Japan, so I do not think the back-up plan of coming on a visitor visa would work.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis. Reading your content is overwhelming! Such a nice content useful for enormous number of people trying to enter Japan. Thank you very much for your kind help.
In my case I was a mext scholar (doctoral) until march 2022. Since my research got extended I got RA position in lab for 1 more year (fixed term) to complete my PhD (resident status is student itself). Fortunately as corona subsided I was able to visit my home country and get married to my fiancee. Now I have returned to Japan and trying to apply for her COE to bring her to Japan as a dependent.
My period of stay is going to expire within 3 months meanwhile I want to apply for her COE. Should it be the first extension of my period of stay and then apply for her COE? or can I proceed with both of them su¥imultaneously to bring my wife as early as possible? FYI my salary would be will be 15万 yen per month for 1 year (Hope it would be sufficient for COE approval since I am not mext scholar now) In addition, does my period of stay matter for her COE?
Thank you for your time.
Hi Vik,
Thank you for your kind words!
You should be able to apply for your extension and the dependent CoE simultaneously, as far as I know. If you submit both applications to immigration at the same time, they will be able to see that you are extending, so that should help with the Dependent CoE application.
Regarding your salary, that is higher than what MEXT scholars receive and I have heard of MEXT scholars bringing their families on their stipend, so you should be OK, unless you have a lot more personal expenses than you did before (tuition?). I recommend that you indicate that you will provide your spouse with 80,000 in support each month in the CoE application (that would include payment for housing for both of you).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis. Thank you very much for your quick response.
>>unless you have a lot more personal expenses than you did before (tuition?).
Yes, I am obliged to pay tuition. My application for exemption from it is in process and will never know the results of it until the end of July. (Have heard often intl. students get full or half exemption.) Based on the current situation is it wise to proceed with the CoE application?
>>I recommend that you indicate that you will provide your spouse with 80,000 in support each month in the CoE application (that would include payment for housing for both of you).
Sorry I couldn’t follow this. Where in the application form do I have this provision to mention?
Thank you once again.
Hi Vik,
Sorry for the confusion!
I think you can still move forward with the CoE application now. They aren’t going to ask you to provide a ledger of all of your expenses to show that you can spare the money you say that you will provide to your spouse.
Regarding the amount of financial support, I was thinking of an old version of the form. It looks like you are no longer required to fill in that information!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you very much for the clarification.
I heard from my friend (mext scholar) who applied for a dependent visa that Immigration asks for an account statement from our JP bank account.
To further support our financial ability I am thinking of attaching account statements of our home country bank accounts (in addition to my RA salary). Do you have any advice on that?
Thank you once again!
Hi Vik,
Typically, they ask for proof of your employment/income to show that you have enough resources to support your staff, but even if they don’t ask for the bank account balance, it’s a good idea to have it prepared and submit it along with your application. You can certainly submit your balances from Japan and your home country!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Update: The Coe was issued in 3 weeks.Thank you very much for your kind inputs.
Hi Vik,
Thank you for the update. That’s very fast!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello there!
I’m looking into applying for this scholarship starting Fall 2023. I’d like to sponsor my spouse IF I get accepted. However, I am married to a same sex partner. Do you know of any hold-ups on this? Being as Japan doesn’t really think same sex marriage as legitimate? It IS legal and recognized in America so I’d assume and hope it doesn’t affect my chances of sponsorship.
Also would you know if we are able to start in the Fall semester? American schools’ academic year is different and starting then would be more ideal.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Payton Calderon,
There is no clear information about same-sex spouses on the Immigration website, but I did some digging on a few immigration lawyers’ websites.
From what I can’t tell, you would not be able to apply for a Dependent CoE for a same-sex spouse, since same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in Japan and the standard for evaluation is based on Japanese law. However, you should be able to apply for a “Designated Activities” CoE for your spouse after you arrive in Japan. According to what I could from the lawyers’ sites, you would need to prove that your marriage is legally recognized in your home country (or both of your home countries, if you have different nationalities) and that you have the financial means to support your spouse in Japan. I could not find any specific details on the application process from Immigration, but I recommend that you bring a Japanese translation of your marriage certificate when you come to Japan then visit the nearest Immigration Services Agency office after you have completed your residence registration and have a scholarship certificate to enquire about the paperwork. It would help if you speak Japanese or bring a Japanese-speaking friend who can assist!
The fall semester in Japanese universities starts in September or October, depending on the university. Once you have decided what universities you are interested in, you can check their websites directly for the academic calendar.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Thank you verymuch for the information.
Is it enough to bring the marriage certificate in english? Everywhere I see it says evidence has to be in Japanese translate. But a friend of mine applied in 2021 for his wife. All the evidence he provided was only English translations. I am little confused because of this. Could you please help?
Hi George,
The Immigration Services Agency instructions say that you are required to submit a Japanese translation for any documents issues in another language, so I would stick to that!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey,
I appreciate the time and effort you put in to making this page. It is very informative. I am learning that it is very hard to bring my wife to Japan with me. I have always wanted to continue to learn the Japanese language in Japan; however, I can not find a school that will sponsor my wife with a dependent visa. I make all my income through a pension so I can very easily support my wife and child there while attending school. So my question is, what school can I attend to learn the language? I am willing to do language school for 2 years and then graduate school ( I have my B.S. this Summer) for two years. You mentioned you know of MEXT scholars that have been able to do language school with their family there on a dependent visa. Can we talk via email so I can learn more about how this can be completed so my dreams of learning and teaching Japanese language and culture can be accomplished? Please help. I have been trying to figure out something for 3 months so far.
Hi Andrew,
Thank you very much for becoming a Patreon supporter!
I saw your question on Patreon and wrote back there first, but I wanted to post the answer here, too, in case it could help others in the same situation:
If you want to bring your wife and child to Japan with you while you are studying Japanese here on a Student residence status, there a several pitfalls to look out for. First, the Japanese language school or university will never directly sponsor a visa for a dependent. They will only assist with the visa for the enrolled student. (Of course, if your wife also enrolls, then she could come on a Student status, too).
If your wife and child are not going to enroll in a Japanese language school, etc, themselves, then you have to come to Japan first on a Student Visa then, after you arrive and complete your residence registration, YOU can be the one to sponsor their visa applications.
However, again, there are complications. If you are enrolled at a Japanese language school, you are not allowed to sponsor a dependent visa for your family members, as I mentioned in the article above. You can only sponsor your dependents if you are a student at a university, college, junior college, or technical school.
So, the best option you would have for studying Japanese in Japan while also bringing your wife and child (assuming they will not also be students, themselves), would be to find a language program taught by a university/college.
Here are a few sites that lists a few such programs:
https://www.jpss.jp/en/feature/japanese/
https://www.shidai-rengoukai.jp/s_courses/english.html
Incidentally, the reason that MEXT Scholars have been able to sponsor their spouses to come to Japan while they were enrolled in the language program was because they were in preparatory programs taught by universities, like the ones on the site above. Since they were enrolled as university students, they were eligible to sponsor dependents.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good day
I have a SSW 1 visa. Is that possible for me to apply dependent visa for my spouse and child?
Thank you in advance for the response
Hi Jan-Jan Sevilla,
At the top of the article, there is a list of the types of residence status holders who are eligible to apply for a dependent visa for their spouse or child, so I recommend that you check your residence status against that list. Unfortunately, according to the information I could find from the Immigration Services Agency, Specific Skilled Worker status holders (1 or 2) are not eligible to sponsor their dependents to come to Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I want to apply for certificate of eligibility for spouse’s dependent visa. I want to know can supporter and guarantor be the same person for the application process?
Hi Gagandeep Kaur,
Yes, the supporter and guarantor can be the same person – and in the case of a Dependent Visa it should almost always be the case that the spouse living in Japan serves both roles!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Tran Senz,
I really got happy to see you are replying to each and every comment.
I hope I’ll get my answer too. My Question is my wife is going to apply for a Master’s degree
program at Japan University, let’s assume she got a student visa, Can she apply there spouse and children visa before traveling to Japan? Can she and her spouse and children fly to gather?
Hi Travel Squad,
Unfortunately, your wife won’t be able to apply for your Certificate of Eligibility to get a Dependent Visa until after she arrives in Japan. She first has to complete her residence registration there before she can sponsor your application. So, you wouldn’t be able to travel together to Japan unless you and your daughter were to enter on tourist visas, first. (Note: Under the pandemic, tourist visa holders are not being allowed into the country, so this would only be possible if the current border restrictions were completely removed.)
If you enter on a tourist visa first, though, there is a good chance that you would end up having to leave Japan again, return to your home country, apply for your Dependent Visa there, then return. So, you wouldn’t be guaranteed the ability to stay, but you could be living together in the meantime.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TranSenz,
Do you know if it possible for me to submit documents at the immigration bureau for my daughter’s CoE on my wife’s behalf?
My wife is a graduate student with a valid student visa and she wants to sponsor a dependent visa for our daughter. My wife and daughter are not in Japan now, but I am; so, would I be able to legally submit the paperwork for her? Sorry for the complicated question. The information in your blog has been really helpful for us.
Best,
JW
Hi JW,
For a dependent CoE, the acceptable proxies to submit the application include the person who will be supporting the applicant (your wife) or immediate family residing in Japan. So, as long as you are a resident of Japan, you should be able to submit the application paperwork for your daughter on your wife’s behalf. When you do so, in addition to the application materials, you will need official documentation that proves your relationship to your daughter (unless that is already proved by documentation that you have submitted for the application) as well as a photo ID.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Informative and very helpful. Thank you very much. If I may ask a question… . I understand that it would take up to 3 months for the COE to be processed. My question is, my visa will expire in May 2022. If I send the COE requirements for my husband this December 2021, will that affect the approval of the COE since I only have 5 months left in my visa? I will be extending my visa in February 2022 but I am planning to apply for COE for my dependent this December since, as previously mentioned, it takes time for it to be approved.
Thank you very much.
Hi Caroline Jose,
As far as I know, you can still apply for a CoE for your husband even if you only have a few months left on your own residence status. In most cases, it should be assumed that you will be applying separately to extend your own residence status as soon as you are eligible to do so.
They might ask you to show proof that you will continue to remain in Japan under your current residence status, such as a document from your employer saying that you are not on a fixed-term contract ending in May (if you are on a working status), but that would be up to the Immigration Services Agency’s discretion, so the only way to know for sure would be to contact the office where you will apply directly.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your time answering my question. 🙂
Such an informative post and you seem to be so abrupt when responding to most of the questions !
I’d be so grateful if you could help me out with my concern.
I am a Filipina with Spousal Visa married to a Japanese National.
I’m just wondering if we could possible invite my mother and my brother in Japan with the type of visa that I have.
I am fully aware of the restrictions of the boarders due to the pandemic,
I’d just like to know the chances of them visiting Japan. of course given that the restrictions are eased and airports are opened.
I appreciate if you could help me with this.
Regard,
Hi Manh,
Thank you for your kind words!
Unfortunately for your situation, the recent loosening of border restrictions applies to business travel, workers, internships, and international students primarily. (Essentially, business and those who will be staying in Japan for a long time – and even in that case, not all are eligible).
The only visa type that your mother and brother could use to visit you in Japan would be a Temporary Visitor (aka Tourist) Visa for visiting family. You cannot bring siblings or parents to Japan on a Dependent visa, it is only for spouses or dependent minor children.
At this time, tourist visas/temporary visitor visas to visit family are not included in the loosened restrictions so I am not aware of any way for your family members to come visit until we see more relaxation in the border restrictions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I got working visa on 27th September and currently working in one of the reputed companies in Japan. Could you please let me know by when I can apply for my spouse (dependent visa)? As i have heard that, we need to wait at least for 3 months of my visa issuance so as to strong documentation during application procedure.
I am looking forward to your kind response.
Thank you.
Hi Maharjan Suraj,
There is no requirement to wait three months after your arrival in Japan before applying for the Dependent Visa for your spouse. As soon as you have arrived in Japan, completed your residence registration, and obtained all the required documents, you should be able to start the application right away.
The documentation that you have to submit for this visa process does not get stronger over time. You simply have to prove that you are married and that you have the financial means to support your spouse while in Japan.
That said, the Certificate of Eligibility application can take up to three months and then there is the time required for your spouse to apply for her visa and travel to Japan, so you should assume that it will be at least three months or more between when you apply and when she can come to Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much for this detailed information; it is helping me greatly as I plan in advance to work toward biringing my family to Japan once I get there as a MEXT scholar. I have a couple of questions related to the application form for COE – I’d be very grateful if you could help me.
The application form mentions “date of entry” of the applicant in Japan, which of course is dependent on the reception of the COE. Should I provide an approximate date about a month or two following my arrival in Japan?
Also, under my “Place of Employment”, which will be my university, there is a field for “corporation number” – do universities have such numbers, or should I leave it blank?
Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
Iglika
Hi Iglika,
You will not be able to file the CoE application until you arrive in Japan and complete your residence registration. You will also need to get a certificate of scholarship receipt from the university, so assume that it will take a couple weeks after your arrival before you will be able to apply.
Factor those weeks in when you decide on the “date of entry” for your family members. Also consider that the processing time for a CoE is 1-3 months, after which you will need to send them to your family in your home country so that they can apply for a visa.
Considering all of that, I would recommend that you put in an approximate date 3-4 months after your arrival in Japan. It does not need to be an exact date, by any means, and they are not restricted by that date. Your family members will be able to use the CoE to arrive in Japan any time within the 3 months from the CoE issue date.
Since your status is “Student” you are not expected to have a place of employment. Your university is not hiring you and is not your “place of employment”. You should fill in “N/A”.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
i have biological sister in japan, she is married to a japanese and has to 2 children, she probably a holder of japanese citizen because she complied all requirements as i know, i am her biological brother and my question is, is there any possible way i can ask her a visa that allow me to work in japan? i already visited her once for 30 days family visit.
Hi Steven,
Unfortunately, no, your sister is not able to apply for a CoE to get you a visa. Dependent CoEs only apply to spouses or children.
The best thing she could do would be to help you look for potential jobs in Japan that you could apply for from outside the country. An employer is the only person that can help you get a working visa, so if she can help you find an opportunity and that employer agrees to hire you and apply for a visa, then you could come to Japan with a working status.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz