Hello, this is Kuwahara of IMS Legal Professional Corporation. Once again, measures are being taken to restrict travelers from all over the world from entering Japan. Currently, foreign nationals who are able to enter Japan fall into one of two categories.
① Those re-entering Japan with a re-entry permit (including a special re-entry permit)
A "re-entry permit" is granted to those who have applied for and received a re-entry permit from the Immigration Bureau. It is recommended that those with a valid mid- to long-term status of residence (visa) for one year or more obtain a permit if they will be absent from Japan for at least one year and the special re-entry permit period (see below) is exceeded.
There are two types of re-entry permits: a one-time permit, and a multiple-entry permit that allows the holder to enter and leave Japan as many times as necessary during the permit period.
※The "Special Re-Entry Permit" is for those who have a valid mid- to long-term status of residence of one year or more, and will be absent from Japan for a period of one year or less. You can obtain this permit by checking the box on your Re-Entry Departure Record (Re-Entry ED Card) at the airport. Essentially, this says that you are leaving Japan temporarily and plan to re-enter, and thus you are presenting the card to the immigration officer to indicate your intention.
If you fall into this category, you must obtain a pre-departure inspection certificate in the country you are departing from before you can re-enter Japan.
② Those for whom special circumstances are recognized in accordance with individual circumstances, such as circumstances that require special humanitarian consideration
This may apply, for example, when a foreign national staying in Japan for a medium to long period of time is in a life-threatening condition and their family is trying to Japan. This application should be made directly to the Japanese diplomatic mission abroad.
If a foreign national who was planning to re-enter Japan as described above is affected by the coronavirus, is unable to re-enter Japan before the expiration date of their period of stay, and their resident card has expired, they will need to start over by applying for a Certificate of Eligibility at the Immigration Bureau. However, the Immigration Services Agency has announced that the necessary documents will be simplified and the examination will be expedited. For more information on the required documents and procedures, please click here (Japanese only).
The above guide also states that the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is valid until three months from the issue date. (Normally, the COE is valid for three months from the date of issuance, but as a special measure, those issued between January 1 and January 30, 2021 will be valid until July 31, 2021. COEs issued after January 31, 2021 will be valid for six months from the COE issue date.
Additional Information
If you have a Permanent Resident visa, and the validity period of your resident card has expired, you can apply for a visa for "Long Term Resident" status at the Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country of residence. Then, you can obtain a new resident card for "Permanent Resident" status after entering Japan. Please refer to the above URL for more information.
The special measures are very complicated and wide-ranging. If you have any concerns, please contact us.
For more information, please contact us below ↓
https://imsvisa.support/en/contact/
