Is the long-stay visa usable?

[vu7]

Hi there, anybody from any visitor visa exempt countries have used the long stay visa? Which is the visa that enables the stay from 6 months extendable up to one year, and requires 30 million yen worth of assets as proof? Is this visa actually doable if you have more than 30 million yen in assets? Is this status make you eligible for a Zairyu card? Because i know that temp visitors couldn't obtain a Zairyu.

 

[jt9258]

Hi there, anybody from any visitor visa exempt countries have used the long stay visa? Which is the visa that enables the stay from 6 months extendable up to one year, and requires 30 million yen worth of assets as proof? Is this visa actually doable if you have more than 30 million yen in assets? Is this status make you eligible for a Zairyu card? Because i know that temp visitors couldn't obtain a Zairyu.

A Residence Card is issued by immigration at the time you are issued with a status of residence, as visitors do not have a status of residence they are not issued with a residence card.

The long term stay category is only issued in special cases.

Where are you getting your information?

 

[vu7]

A Residence Card is issued by immigration at the time you are issued with a status of residence, as visitors do not have a status of residence they are not issued with a residence card.

The long term stay category is only issued in special cases.

Where are you getting your information?

Hi there, I think there are 2 categories, one is called the "long term residence" and the other is called "long stay for recreation purposes". Do you think it is even possible to get the second one as a US individual? Or it's very difficult. Because I noticed that a Certificate of Eligibility will be needed for the long stay visa. Can a certificate of eligibility be obtained without knowing an individual in Japan?

 

[jt9258]

Hi there, I think there are 2 categories, one is called the "long term residence" and the other is called "long stay for recreation purposes". Do you think it is even possible to get the second one as a US individual? Or it's very difficult. Because I noticed that a Certificate of Eligibility will be needed for the long stay visa. Can a certificate of eligibility be obtained without knowing an individual in Japan?

With the first category "Long Term Resident", its normally granted to those who have lived in Japan long term under a different category, such as Spouse of Japanese national and have either divorced or have lost a spouse through death and want to stay in Japan to maintain contact with children and or care for them.

The second category is as you have explained for (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation)
However the period of stay would be for 6 months, which means to stay longer you would need to apply to extend before the initial six months expires.

You would need to provide proof of savings such as a Bank Book of more than 30 million JPY (At today's rates that would be above US$267,000).

You do not need to provide a Certificate of Eligibility, but by not doing so you would need to provide further documents, which would include 1) Schedule of your stay. 2) Documents such as a Bank Book to prove you have savings above 30 million JPY. 3) Documents to prove that the applicant holds private travel insurance which covers death, injury, illness during stay.
4) (if you apply from outside of his/her own country) documents to prove that the applicant legally resides or works in the country where the application is made
Specified visa: Designated activities (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation) ｜ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

With the COE you would need a Guarantor residing in Japan.

Supporting documents for the Long Term Resident Status COE application are:-
1) A copy of the family registration, the marriage certificate, the birth certificate and other documents certifying the status of the foreign national concerned.
2) Documents certifying that the person concerned can defray all the expenses incurred during the stay in Japan. In cases where the expenses incurred during the stay in Japan is defrayed by another person, documents certifying the income of the person who intends to defray all the expenses.
3) A letter of guarantee by the person living in Japan.

 

[vu7]

With the first category "Long Term Resident", its normally granted to those who have lived in Japan long term under a different category, such as Spouse of Japanese national and have either divorced or have lost a spouse through death and want to stay in Japan to maintain contact with children and or care for them.

The second category is as you have explained for (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation)
However the period of stay would be for 6 months, which means to stay longer you would need to apply to extend before the initial six months expires.

You would need to provide proof of savings such as a Bank Book of more than 30 million JPY (At today's rates that would be above US$267,000).

You do not need to provide a Certificate of Eligibility, but by not doing so you would need to provide further documents, which would include 1) Schedule of your stay. 2) Documents such as a Bank Book to prove you have savings above 30 million JPY. 3) Documents to prove that the applicant holds private travel insurance which covers death, injury, illness during stay.
4) (if you apply from outside of his/her own country) documents to prove that the applicant legally resides or works in the country where the application is made
Specified visa: Designated activities (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation) ｜ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

With the COE you would need a Guarantor residing in Japan.

Supporting documents for the Long Term Resident Status COE application are:-
1) A copy of the family registration, the marriage certificate, the birth certificate and other documents certifying the status of the foreign national concerned.
2) Documents certifying that the person concerned can defray all the expenses incurred during the stay in Japan. In cases where the expenses incurred during the stay in Japan is defrayed by another person, documents certifying the income of the person who intends to defray all the expenses.
3) A letter of guarantee by the person living in Japan.

Wow thank you so much for your thorough explanation! I thought I wouldn't qualify for the long stay sightseeing visa no more because I wouldn't be able to provide a CoE.