Hello, this is Kou of IMS Legal Professional Corporation.
Breaking news! According to a recent article, the current guidelines for vocational school students in Japan stipulate that, “there must be a considerable degree of relevance between the major field of study and the work in which the student intends to engage.” The guidelines will be revised this fall, and international students attending MEXT-accredited vocational schools will now be treated as if they were university graduates. This means added flexibility in determining the relationship between the vocational school major and post-graduate work, expanding the range of employment opportunities for many vocational school graduates.
In today’s article, I will explain the period of stay that is allowed for repeated entry and exit on a Temporary Visitor visa. A Temporary Visitor visa is required for a short stay of up to 90 days for such purposes as sightseeing, visiting relatives, business, attending an academic conference, or short-term medical treatment. Those from countries that require a visa must apply for a visa in advance at their local Japanese embassy or consulate. Visitors from countries that do not require a visa will be granted a Temporary Visitor visa upon entry into Japan. The maximum period of stay is 90 days.
However, it is possible in Japan for 90 days on the first entry, leave the country, and then enter Japan again a few days later. This brings up a potential problem: how often can you repeat this process? In this case, I would like to bring up the “180-day rule”. This is not a legal provision, but it exists as a practical rule. In sum, the Temporary Visitor visa does not allow you stay in Japan for more than 180 days total in a single year.
The definition of “year” is not from January 1 to December 31, but rather, one year retroactively from the date of the current (or last scheduled) departure from Japan. Therefore, those who frequently enter and leave Japan on a Temporary Visitor visa should be aware of this 180-day rule. However, as this is only a practical rule, and the Immigration Bureau may approve a stay of more than 180 days for individual cases in special circumstances, such as humanitarian reasons.
The reason for the "180-day rule" is that the Temporary Visitor Visa is a visa only meant for short periods of stay in Japan, so the question arises whether a stay of more than 180 days per year constitutes a "short-term" stay. The Immigration Bureau considers "short-term" to mean, "a temporary stay in Japan with no intention of moving the basis of one's life or activities to Japan.” In other words, "not having a base of residence in Japan.” Therefore, if you are going to stay in Japan for more than 180 days per year, this will be considered a medium- to long-term stay, and you need to consider obtaining an appropriate status of residence that suits your needs.
For example, if you are coming to Japan to treat an illness and plan from the start to stay for more than 90 days, such as for hospitalization, you should consider the "Designated Activities (6 months or 1 year)" visa for medical stays.
Those who plan to stay in Japan with a Temporary Visitor visa and enter and leave the country repeatedly should pay attention to the 180-day rule.
For more information about Japan visas, U.S. visas, or Vietnam visas, please contact us below ↓
https://imsvisa.support/en/contact/
