In short: To study in Japan as an international student you apply for: Student (ryugaku) status: Certificate of Eligibility, then Student visa. CoE: regional immigration bureau covering the intended residence or the school. Standard CoE processing is 1 to 3 months. Every line on this page was read on an official page, which is linked beside it; the facts were last checked on 6 October 2026.
| Visa or permit | Student (ryugaku) status: Certificate of Eligibility, then Student visa |
|---|---|
| Application fee | Not stated on the official pages we read |
| Money to show | A financial support statement (keihi shibensho form) or scholarship certificate is required; no fixed amount is stated on the ISA page. (moj.go.jp) |
| Processing time | Standard CoE processing is 1 to 3 months. (moj.go.jp) |
| Where you apply | CoE: regional immigration bureau covering the intended residence or the school. (moj.go.jp) |
| Last checked |
Authority: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (Ministry of Justice); visa by Japanese diplomatic missions (MOFA). Official portal: Japan MOFA - Visa.
Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) for Student status, for people newly entering Japan, supported by the admitting school's confirmation documents.
Source: moj.go.jp · checked on
Source: moj.go.jp · checked on
A financial support statement (keihi shibensho form) or scholarship certificate is required; no fixed amount is stated on the ISA page.
Source: moj.go.jp · checked on
CoE: regional immigration bureau covering the intended residence or the school. Visa: Japanese embassy or consulate abroad.
Source: moj.go.jp · checked on
The school or another proxy in Japan first gets a Certificate of Eligibility from the Immigration Services Agency. The student then hands in the visa application form, passport, photo and the Certificate of Eligibility at the Japanese embassy or consulate for their area, or at an accredited agency or visa centre if that mission uses one.
Embassy or Consulate-General of Japan (consular section), an accredited agency, or the Japan Visa Application Centre, as specified by the mission: mofa.go.jp · form: Visa Application Form
Source: mofa.go.jp · checked on
The visa fee is paid in the local currency of the country where the Japanese embassy or consulate issuing the visa is located. No fee is charged if the visa is not issued; an accredited agency may add its own handling fee.
Source: mofa.go.jp · checked on
About one week once all requirements are met. It can take longer if the mission must consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo.
Source: mofa.go.jp · checked on
The Japanese embassy or consulate, or the accredited agency that took the application, tells the applicant the result. How the passport is collected is set by each mission.
Source: mofa.go.jp · checked on
The mission may ask for more documents case by case, and the applicant must supply them for the application to go forward.
Source: mofa.go.jp · checked on
Steps as read on the official pages; checked on 15 September 2026.
Pre-entry TB screening applies to nationals of the Philippines, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar and China; certificate submitted with the CoE application.
Source: mhlw.go.jp · checked on
With permission, up to 28 hours per week; up to 8 hours per day during the school's long vacations.
Source: moj.go.jp · checked on
A spouse or child supported by a Student status holder can hold Dependent (kazoku taizai) status.
Source: moj.go.jp · checked on
Register your residential address at the municipal office within 14 days of establishing it.
Source: moj.go.jp · checked on
We did not find these on the official pages we read for Japan: the application fee, health insurance, a language requirement, fingerprints and photo, a police certificate. That means "not stated on the pages we read", not "not required": ask the authority above, or check the official portal, before you apply.
The official pages say more for applicants in: Pakistan.
ForiForeign prepares your student visa application with you and guides you through each step: the documents, the forms and the order to do them in. You file the application yourself with the authority named above, and that authority decides. ForiForeign is not a visa office or an agent of Japan, and no one can promise a visa. Rules, fees and dates change: confirm each one on the official page linked beside it before you pay or travel.
The same facts for software and AI assistants: /facts/visa/jp.json.
ForiForeign.com · admin@foriforeign.com · WhatsApp +92 310 5048760 · Information drawn from official sources shown on each rule; not legal advice.
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