So, I’ve been living in Japan for a year, and I’m on the “J-Find” (Future Creation Individual) visa. I also got it extended later from within Japan.
In this post, I’ll answer all the questions I usually get from people about it, so that I don’t have to answer them individually. 🙂
Huge disclaimer: This post is NOT legal or immigration advice, and I’m not in the business of helping people apply for visas or anything like that. My knowledge and understanding of this topic is entirely limited to my own personal experience, which may be unique and irrelevant to your case. I figured things out by making phone calls to the consulate etc and bumbling around, so I’m not an expert; please consult an actual expert if you need advice for your own situation.
Let’s get into it.
Q. What do you need to be eligible for this visa?
The official list is here.
But basically the whole application hinges on 3 things:
- You have graduated from one of the “top 50 universities in the world” (according to the list you can find on the official website) within the last 5 years.
- A plan for what you want to do in Japan (which aligns with the spirit of the visa being for “future creation” individuals), along with documentable evidence that your plan is credible and realistic.
- Proof of funds that you can sustain yourself in Japan.
Q. When did you apply?
Summer of 2023.
Q. How were you eligible to apply?
I had finished a Masters degree at Cornell University in the USA in 2019. Cornell is on the list of the top 50, and 2019 was within 5 years of 2023.
I’m an entrepreneur building a real tech company that has been incorporated and everything, so it was easy for me to show evidence of that and describe what I planned to do in Japan.
Q. How long can you be in Japan with this visa? What are you allowed to do?
I got a single-entry visa for 12 months. I could enter Japan within 3 months from when I got my visa.
I got a residence card printed and handed to me at immigration at Narita airport, which I then had to take to the local ward office to add my residence etc.
For me, the main purpose was to explore and set up a potential base for my company in Japan, hire people, etc.
But in my understanding, it’s a fairly “open,” do-whatever-you-want visa and you’re also allowed to use it to get a job or do market research for a business that you intend to start. (Though I don’t know what kind of evidence you’d have to show for that.)
I believe you’re not allowed to work in the entertainment industry or do anything “sketchy” (i.e. working as a host in one of those cabaret type places, being a porn actor, or a rent-a-boyfriend or something like that). But it’s up to you.
Later, I was also able to get an extension for the visa for another 12 months (which I’ll talk about later). I believe you can only get one extension, after which if you still want to stay in Japan, you’d have to switch to a different visa that’s more specific to what role you decided on in Japan, such as business manager.
Q. What kind of documentation did you show?
The basic documentation is the same as in the list on the official website.
The main rule of thumb here is that if they ask for 5 documents, give them 8-10 or more. The Japanese like to be thorough, and your application will be judged by a human being as opposed to a computer, so you want to offer as much evidence of your application’s credibility as possible.
There’s a key document in the application called “Description of Intended Activities.” Anything I wrote there, any claims I made there, I offered documentable evidence of it.
For example, I had been accepted to a startup incubator-like professional network in Tokyo, so I attached a copy of the acceptance email and details from the incubator’s website.
I mentioned that I’d be exploring setting up a Japanese base for my company, so I attached a copy of the incorporation paperwork and the company’s bank account statement etc.
A word about the “Certificate of Eligibility” (COE): I was really confused about this at first, and in the end, after many back and forth emails and phone calls, I learned that I did NOT need one. I simply showed the types of documents above. But if you have a job offer in Japan or something like that, you might have one. I’m still confused about the COE and I don’t understand how it works, so PLEASE consult an expert on this. I’m just thankful that I didn’t have to deal with it.
Q. How long did it take to get the visa?
For me, it was 2-3 months. I’ve read online (and heard from people) that if you have a CoE (certificate of eligibility), you can get it sooner, but I have no experience with that so I can’t confirm.
Q. What did you need to get the visa extended?
It’s almost the same as doing an entirely new application. You’ll again have to show a description of intended activities for the next year and proof of everything, but you’ll ALSO have to show proof that you WERE in Japan the whole time and doing what you said you originally would.
For example, I was recruiting people from universities here, and I attached the email threads to prove it. I had an apartment that I was paying rent for, so I attached proof of that. I was part of the incubator, so I attached a copy of my ID card. Etc etc etc.
I also recommend adding a sticky note on all such “extra” documents to explain why you’re including them (eg: this is proof of X, proof of Y, etc).
There’s a form for extension that my assistant filled out for me, but you can also get it at the immigration office when you go to file your application. They’ll also give you some envelopes and stuff that you just have to write your name and address etc on. Also bring a recent photograph — you can get it clicked at a booth at most subway stations.
After you fill the application, they’ll send you mail in the letterbox, either asking for more documentation or asking you to pay the fee. To pay the fee, I believe the most straightforward method is to buy a “Revenue stamp” at the post office, and send it to the immigration office in the envelope they show you. (In my case, I just visited the office to deliver stuff in-person every time because I didn’t want to take chances.)
Q. Did you need to speak Japanese to get the visa?
No. They didn’t ask for any documentation for it.
Q. Not related to the visa, but how much does it cost to live in Tokyo? What should I budget?
It varies for everyone of course. But in my observations of myself and other foreigners I’ve come across, for a single guy or gal, here are the different budget “bands”:
If you have only Â¥100,000 in expendable income per month, you’ll have a tough life in Tokyo. You’ll probably have a tiny room that’s fairly far from the city center or anywhere you’d like to go, or you might be sharing a bedroom in a sharehouse. You won’t be eating much (probably 2 basic meals a day), and have a little left over for transportation and other expenses. It probably CAN be done, but will be difficult.
As soon as your monthly budget goes up to ~Â¥130,000, you suddenly have much-needed breathing space and life in Tokyo is more “livable.” You’d still be living in fairly basic living quarters, but you can now at least get your own room within the city. You’ll eat a bit better, though ideally you’d be cooking most of your meals, and have some more money for shopping and commuting, occasional health expenses, and maybe even some hobbies / entertainment.
When you get to ~Â¥150,000 and up per month, you’ll be more comfortable and will have some money to enjoy life.
Basic living quarters in Tokyo (like a private room in a basic sharehouse, or a tiny apartment of your own) can be around ~Â¥75,000, and monthly groceries can be around Â¥40k – Â¥60k if you’re frugal.
If there are more questions, I’ll add the answers here. But all in all, I think that besides the COE, there wasn’t much that confused me.
If you have a legitimate intention to go to Japan and do “Future Creation” activities in the spirit of the visa, I’d only worry about attaching enough proof of everything and that’s it.
