Invitation of your friend for short-term visit to Japan

[Lennikov]

If you friend is not a citizen of the country with which Japan have visa exemption agreement he or she has to obtain proper visa to enter Japan. Invitation of your friend is fairly complicated since you have to prove your relationships and you will need Japanese guarantor who will take responsibility for your friend and his actions while he or she is staying in Japan.

You will be required to prepare the following documents and send them to your relative via express mail such as EMS.

1) Letter of Reason for Invitation – the simple document that state your relationships with Visa applicant and the reason for invitation. Please refer to the Letter of Reason for http://www.huisa.net/files/Letter_of...ion_sample.doc

1a) List of Visa Applicants – list of visa applicants is only required when you invite more than one person. (i.e. your friend and his/her spouse). Fill in personal information of the persons you inviting.

2) Visa application form to enter Japan (2 copy) – Beside filling the form you will need to glue colour photo of applicant 45x45 mm in size made within 6 months to the visa applicant to the form. Applicant must also sign the form before submitting it to the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country.
http://www.huisa.net/files/short_ter...cation_all.pdf

3) Letter of Guarantee – you will need to ask some Japanese person (i.e. your professor, scientific supervisor, Japanese friend) to sign guarantor papers. It is also required for Japanese guarantor to obtain:
-Certificate of Employment (zai-shokugyo-shoumeisho)
-Certificate of Tax Payment
-Japanese Resident's Card (Jumin-hyo)
Although there are English version of the Letter of Guarantee it’s highly recommended for your guarantor to fill in Japanese form since in some cases Japanese embassy and consulates does not accept the English version of guarantor letter filled by Japanese person. Therefore use mimoto_hoshousho file from the attached documents in this topic to fill in by your Japanese guarantor.
Please note: The amount of effort and responsibility of the Japanese guarantor makes it’s very difficult favor to ask.
http://www.huisa.net/files/mimoto_hoshousho.pdf

4) Certificate of the Registered Matters on the Foreign Registration (外国人登録原票記載事項証明書) Gaikokujin touroku genpyou saiji shoumeisho or shortened genpyou shoumeisho. - You can obtain this document at kuyakusho (ward office). Same place where you got your alien registration card. You can see the sample of the Certificate of the Registered Matters in the list of the attached files to this topic.
http://www.huisa.net/files/certifica...ed_matters.jpg

5) Certificate of your status (university student, researcher etc.) (在学証明書) “zaigakushoumeisho” – you can obtain this document in your faculty’s office or any Automatic Certificate Issuance Machine (ACM). It is better to go to the Office of Academic Affairs on your faculty because they will provide information of your funds (scholarship) in that Certificate (see p.6). You can see the sample of the certificate in the list of the attached files to this topic.
http://www.huisa.net/files/zaigakushomeisho.jpg

6) Schedule of stay – Japanese government wants to have information regarding the activities your friend will have in Japan for every day of his stay. Please refer to the Schedule of stay sample attached to this topic. Actually immigration authorities don’t really check if you are following the Schedule of stay stated in Visa application documents so feel free to change the detailes.
http://www.huisa.net/files/schedule ...y_template.doc

7) Prove of funds – submit the copy of your Bank account book (通帳) “tsuucho” Or if you are supported by Japanese government or any other grant provide prove of scholarship recipient. If you supported by Monbukagasho Scholarship this fact will be stated in your Certificate of university registration (Certificate of status) so you are don’t need any other Prove of funds (see above).
It is a reasonable advice to scan your passport, Japanise visa, Alien Certificate (both sides) and Student ID Card (Both sides) and send in the same packet with other documents to your country.

8) The proof of relationships – along with the document package the person you inviting have to submit the reasonable proof of your relationships such as:
-Photographs or video recordings with you and your friend
-Letters or postcards
-Bills from Telephone Company.

Please note that E-mails, internet based instant messaging systems (such as Skype) can not become sufficient prove of your relationships. Also remember it’s rather hard to prove your relationships with person if you do not have photographs or video-records.

If you can't find a guarantor there is a tourist company in Sapporo that can help you with that problem for 15000 yen. Send me a message if you interested in.

[yagnesh]

Yes it is complicated , especially the Second point is hard one. I think Its not easy to get the "Letter of Guarantee" and other details from Japanese prof..

Anton appreciate your work, you are making HUISA website is more resourceful for all international community.
Yagnesh

[Lennikov]

Invitation of the friend is a little bit compicated thing but it's absolutely possible. I did it once. The main problem is relationship with the person to be Gurantor for your frined. If you have some Japanise friends or collegue who can help you that friend invitation is no harder than invitation of the relative.

[chetan kambad]

do i need Guarantor for visitor visa also?
and can i have guarantor as non Japanese but permanent visa Phillipp person?

[yagnesh]

hmm, both questions are special.

On the first thought, for a visiting visa you may not need guarantor, you may be asked to show reason for visiting, and financial records. Although providing Guarantor will make sure chances to get visa. I came with visiting visa(temporary 90 days) to take an exam. That time my prof phone call made lot things easier for me.

I think in this thread the above rules applies for dependent visa.
Guarantor other than a Japanese(permanent) should be enough I guess.

Again, these are my thoughts only. Better to consult immigration office by phone.

Yagnesh.

[Lennikov]

do i need Guarantor for visitor visa also?
and can i have guarantor as non Japanese but permanent visa Phillipp person?

1. Yes, you need guarantor for visitor visa.
2. If this person, with permanent visa, have a full time job in Japan he can become a guarantor. However there is an always chance that immigration officer in Consulate or Embassy in your country will require some additional documents or Japanese guarantor, but you should try your permanent visa friend, since there is a good chance of success.

Yagnesh looks like our new forum is getting more and more attention from international students. I think it's really good.

[yagnesh]

hmm.. stats also getting better., thanks to you anton, all the good information you are putting in.


Yagnesh

[devdub]

This looks so stessful. I wonder if when we graduate and return home if it is easier to return to Japan for a visit or if you have to go through all of this as well.

[Lennikov]

This looks so stressful. I wonder if when we graduate and return home if it is easier to return to Japan for a visit or if you have to go through all of this as well.

Un... Yes Unfortunately.

[Rajini]

Hi! good day,

My boyfriend is not permanent yet in japan he just have a years contract working their with his mom. My bf likes to invite me and see what japan is. We are willing to grab this opportunity on someone who can provide invitation for me to apply tourist in japan. Is this offer really true..? can you pls. help us?
Thank you.