Visa Information
This page provides information about visas required to study at GenkiJACS.
Most of the information here is taken from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs English website on visas.
Types of visa available:
| Type | Availability |
| Student visa | Not available for study at GenkiJACS |
| Visa waiver | Available automatically for stays of up to 3 or 6 months for students of most countries |
| Tourist visa | Available for students from countries without visa waivers, or for students staying longer than 3 or 6 months. |
| Working Holiday visa | Available for students from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Korea, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark. 1-year visa, allows you to work. |
Student Visa
As Genki Japanese school is not certified by the Ministry of Education for pre-college Japanese study (i.e., study to enter university), students are not eligible for a student visa. This is the case with virtually all conversational Japanese schools, other than those associated with universities.
Visa Waiver
Students coming to study Japanese from the following countries do not need a visa for entry to Japan, and so can easily study at GenkiJACS for the provided period. (Information valid as of April 2006.)
| Areas | Countries and regions | Term of residence |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | Singapore | 3 months or less |
| Brunei | 14 days or less | |
| Hong Kong (BNO, SAR passport) | 90 days or less | |
| Republic of Korea | 90 days or less | |
| Taiwan | 90 days or less | |
| Macau (SAR passport) | 90 days or less | |
| North America | Canada | 3 months or less |
| U.S.A | 90 days or less | |
| Latin America and Caribbean | Mexico | 6 months or less |
| Argentina | 3 months or less | |
| Bahamas | 3 months or less | |
| Chile | 3 months or less | |
| Costa Rica | 3 months or less | |
| Dominican Rep. | 3 months or less | |
| El Salvador | 3 months or less | |
| Guatemala | 3 months or less | |
| Honduras | 3 months or less | |
| Suriname | 3 months or less | |
| Uruguay | 3 months or less | |
| Barbados | 90 days or less | |
| Middle East | Israel | 3 months or less |
| Turkey | 3 months or less | |
| Oceania | Australia* | 90 days or less |
| New Zealand | 90 days or less | |
| Africa | Lesotho | 3 months or less |
| Mauritius | 3 months or less | |
| Tunisia | 3 months or less | |
| Europe | Austria | 6 months or less |
| Germany | 6 months or less | |
| Ireland | 6 months or less | |
| Liechtenstein | 6 months or less | |
| Switzerland | 6 months or less | |
| United Kingdom | 6 months or less | |
| Belgium | 3 months or less | |
| Croatia | 3 months or less | |
| Cyprus | 3 months or less | |
| Denmark | 3 months or less | |
| Finland | 3 months or less | |
| France | 3 months or less | |
| Greece | 3 months or less | |
| Iceland | 3 months or less | |
| Italy | 3 months or less | |
| Luxembourg | 3 months or less | |
| Macedonia | 3 months or less | |
| Malta | 3 months or less | |
| Netherlands | 3 months or less | |
| Norway | 3 months or less | |
| Portugal | 3 months or less | |
| San Marino | 3 months or less | |
| Slovenia | 3 months or less | |
| Spain | 3 months or less | |
| Sweden | 3 months or less | |
| Andorra | 90 days or less | |
| Bulgaria | 90 days or less | |
| Czech Rep. | 90 days or less | |
| Estonia | 90 days or less | |
| Hungary | 90 days or less | |
| Latvia | 90 days or less | |
| Lithuania | 90 days or less | |
| Monaco | 90 days or less | |
| Poland | 90 days or less | |
| Slovakia | 90 days or less |
Students staying longer than the visa waiver period for your country can switch to a tourist visa or renew a tourist visa by visiting nearby Korea. This takes only 3 hours each way by the fast boat, or can cost just 10,000 yen for the slow boat, including hotel for one night. We are happy to help with arrangements to visit Korea!
Tourist Visa
Students coming to learn Japanese from countries not listed above can apply for a tourist visa from the Japanese Embassy in your home country. In limited cases, GenkiJACS is able to aid you in the application process. However, we only provide visa documentation AFTER receiving full payment of tuition and accommodation fees. If there is a problem with receiving a visa after payment has been made, we are happy to refund fees as per the terms and conditions listed.
Students staying longer than the visa waiver period for your country can switch to a tourist visa or renew a tourist visa by visiting nearby Korea. This takes only 3 hours each way by the fast boat, or can cost just 10,000 yen for the slow boat, including hotel for one night. We are happy to help with arrangements to visit Korea!
Working Holiday Visa
The Working Holiday visa is available for people from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Korea, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark.
It is a one-year visa designed to give young people the chance to experience life in Japan. It gives them the right to work almost any job, as long as the job itself is not seen as the main purpose of their stay. The visa is only open to people up to 30 years old, and you have to be able to show proof of minimum funds - usually about $2000 USD - as well as the money to buy a plane ticket back to your home country. There's a good summary of the visa program on the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. While it's definitely more work than receiving an automatic 3-month visa waiver, the Working Holiday visa has the advantage of giving you more economic freedom during your stay in Japan, so we would definitely recommend it for students from eligible countries. If you need more information, ask the Japanese Embassy in your country, as application procedures vary by country. There is a Working Holiday office in Fukuoka, that can help you find a job after you arrive.
Renewing Your Visa
Students who will study for longer than the visa waiver or tourist visa period need to renew their visa during their stay. This is normally done by visiting nearby Korea. However, please note that you are likely to be asked for information about your plans when you enter the country. We provide long-term students with a Letter of Enrollment with all the necessary information, that you can show to the immigration officials. If you need another copy of this after arriving at the school, please feel free to ask.
There are two options to renew your visa waiver, or tourist visa:
A. Without leaving Japan:
1. Tell our office staff that you want the documentation required to renew your visa from within Japan. We will prepare some of the required documents for you.
2. Take these documents to the Immigration Office (入国管理局, “nyuukoku kanrikyoku”), outside Terminal 3 of Fukuoka Airport. Tell the staff there that you want to extend your visa: The staff should speak English, but just in case:「ビザを更新したい」 (“Biza o koushin shitai”). They will help you with the procedure.
3. In some cases, it may not be possible to renew your visa this way, as it is at the discretion of the Immigration Office.
B. Leaving Japan:
1. You can renew your visa by leaving the country once. The closest place is Pusan (or Busan), in Korea. It can be reached in 2.5 hours by hydrofoil, or 12 hours by ferry. Some travel agencies offer round-trip ferry+one night in a hotel for about 10,000 yen. Usually, the ferry itself costs about 10,000 yen one way.
2. No student has ever been refused a visa after going to Pusan, although if you do this more than once, they will warn you not to do it again. Don’t forget to bring your letter from the school with you!
3. We recommend you travel to Korea at least one week before your current visa runs out. This means booking your travel at least two weeks early.
If your visa expired:
If you forgot to renew your visa before it expired, you must go to the Immigration Office at the airport straight away! There is a chance you will be deported, but if you explain your situation, and take supporting documentation from the school, the chances are good that you will be allowed to extend your stay.
