Immigration

October 10, 2017

Is a child born in Japan automatically Japanese?

Under the citizenship by parentage system, as long as one of the child’s parents is Japanese, the baby is entitled to receive Japanese citizenship.  The birth of the baby must be registered with the local government office or, if overseas, at the Japanese embassy or consulate.  However, simply being born in Japan is not enough for a baby without Japanese parents to acquire Japanese citizenship.
October 4, 2017

Is it possible to reapply for a Japanese visa immediately after an application is rejected?

In Japan, most visa applications that are immediately re-submitted after a denial will not be accepted by the Japanese immigration department.  This is because, if the applicant immediately reapplies, the circumstances that led to the denial of the first visa application are not likely to have changed.  Reviewing the same application for a second time would simply lead to the same result.  Therefore, applicants who have had their visa application denied generally wait for 6 months before reapplying.
September 14, 2017

Does marrying a permanent resident of Japan allow the spouse to receive a visa?

There are two types of spousal visas in Japan, one for spouses of Japanese citizens and one for spouses of permanent residents of Japan, although both visas are substantially the same.  Therefore, it is possible for a foreign national to receive a visa to enter Japan even if his/her spouse is only a Japanese permanent resident.
August 18, 2017

What are the requirements to maintain a spousal visa in Japan?

Spousal visas in Japan allow the holder to work freely in almost any profession.  Therefore, upon marrying a Japanese national, many foreign nationals decide to switch their visa status to a spousal visa.  The main requirement for a spousal visa is that the visa holder continue to engage in activity as a spouse.