The right visa for your stay in Japan

Around 80% of all foreign employees in Japan have this residence status. It serves as a kind of catch-all category.
✔Engineers who work in engineering, physical sciences, etc.
✔Specialists in Humanities working in a field related to legal, economic, social or human sciences, etc.
✔International Services specialists work in translation interpretation, language instruction, public relations international trade, design, product development, etc.
➟ 技術・人文知識・国際業務 (ぎじゅつ・じんぶんちしき・こくさいぎょうむ)

For employees that get transferred to their company’s office in Japan from overseas. With this visa, one can bypass the usual requirements like a university degrees lengthy professional experience. To be eligible for the visa one only needs to have worked one year at the current company. So if your company has offices in Japan, this is definitely a good option.
➟ 企業内転勤 (きぎょうない・てんきん)

People with special skills. Here meaning, craftsman like jewelers, cooks, architects or civil engineers, who usually mastered a skill that is practiced in “foreign” countries. Also, other niche specialists like pilots, sports trainers, sommeliers, etc. fall into this category. In many cases, more than 10 years of relevant work experience are required to be eligible.
➟ 技能 (ぎのう)

The business manager visa is available for anyone who is starting, investing, or managing a business in Japan. This means CEOs or other company executives, factory managers, etc. To start a business in Japan physical office space and 5 million Yen capital are necessary.
➟ 経営・管理 (けいえい・かんり)

This　is　the　holy　grail　of　work　visas.　Your professional achievements are evaluated in a variety of categories. Each achievement has a certain number of points assigned. If added up you reach 70 points or more you are eligible for this visa as highly skilled professional. It also allows you to apply for permanent resident status faster than anyone else. It also offers more freedom in getting visas and work-permits for family members accompanying you.
➟ 高度専門職 (こうど・せんもんしょく)

Ambassadors, ministers, and consulate generals, short people on diplomatic missions get assigned this visa. This visa status extends to family members. These visas are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not by Immigration.
➟ 外交 (がいこう)

The visa for those entering Japan as representatives of foreign governments or international organizations. This includes employees of embassies or consulates and other people carrying out official assignments in Japan on behalf of international groups. This visa status covers family members, too.
➟ 公用 (こうよう)

The professor visa if for people teaching or doing research at universities, colleges, and similar educational institutions in Japan.
➟ 教授 (きょうじゅ)

The visa for foreign teachers at elementary, middle and high schools. Teachers at private institutions like English Language schools fall into the above “Specialist in Humanities/International Services.”
➟ 教育 (きょういく)

Artist visas are available for painters, writers, sculptors, photographers, songwriters, composers etc. This visa is only for established artists with years of experience under their belt. The condition is that you can earn enough money with your art to finance your life in Japan. You will either need a job offer in Japan or provide proof that your project requires you to be in Japan and that it generates enough income.
➟ 芸術 (げいじゅつ)

The visa for people staying in Japan in a religious capacity. Priests, missionaries, and other people who are teaching their faith in Japan. It is necessary to be a member of the respective religious organization in a foreign country. With this visa, you are allowed to work, as long as it is part of the social or missionary work that your religious group engages in (social work, language education, etc.)
➟ 宗教 (しゅうきょう)

Journalists with contracts with a foreign media organization. This includes freelance journalist, announcers, camera operators, etc. Since payment is made by a non-Japanese organization, nationals of countries with a visa-waiver agreement (visa-free short stay) do not need to apply for this visa if they stay less than 90 days.
➟ 報道 (ほうどう)

This visa covers attorneys, certified public accountants and other legal specialists. To be eligible you need to have acquired your qualification in Japan or get foreign qualifications recognized by the relevant professional institution in Japan.
➟ 法律・会計業務 (ほうりつ・かいけいぎょうむ)

Doctors, dentists and other medical specialists. Japanese qualifications are necessary, so eligible people need to make sure they are allowed to practice in Japan if they got their license in another country. While nurses are included in this category, caregivers, social welfare workers and others are not.
➟ 医療 (いりょう)

Researchers at public and private institutions in Japan. This generally means, not the researchers affiliated to a university but working at a company laboratory or the like.
➟ 研究 (けんきゅう)

The visa for everyone in show business, be it theater, musical performances, sports or anything else that qualifies as entertainment.　According to Japanese visa regulations anyone who is working in entertainment is not considered to be an artist.
➟ 興行 (こうぎょう)

This visa allows people with a background in specific industries to work in Japan for up to 5 years. To be eligible for this visa, candidates need to pass industry-specific skills and Japanese tests.
➟ 特定技能 (とくてい・ぎのう)

Visa for internships to learn specific technical skills. The technical internship visa is part of the “Technical Intern Training Program” and primarily aimed at young nationals of developing countries (but not restricted to them).
➟ 技能実習 (ぎのう・じっしゅう)

All students that are enrolled full-time at educational institutions in Japan (universities, vocational school, Japanese language schools as well as elementary/middle/high schools). You can apply for a student visa only via your school in Japan. Application periods are set, so take care to not miss any deadlines.
➟ 留学 (りゅうがく)

The visa for for trainees who will be trained in a specific technology, skill or knowledge during their stay in Japan. This visa is available at public and private institutions. There are no limitations on the industry or job, but it has to be an unpaid traineeship. It is similar to the intra-company transferee visa in that the trainee is being sent to Japan by their company.
➟ 研修 (けんしゅう)

This visa covers unpaid internships, the study, research and other engagement in cultural or artistic activities that are typical to Japan without getting paid. If you want to dive deep into Ikebana, Karate, or Calligraphy, then this is the would be the right visa. You will have to decide your program together with your host (organization or person) before coming to Japan, because a curriculum of the planned activity has to be submitted when applying for the visa.
➟ 文化活動 (ぶんかかつどう)

Spouse or kids of someone who stays in Japan. Availability depends on the residency status of that person. Typically, people on a working visa and also students can bring their married partner and kids. The downside is that when staying in Japan as “dependent” it is not possible to get a full-time job in Japan.
➟ 族滞在 (ぞくたいざい)

This is the standard visa for tourists. It covers activities such as tourism, sightseeing, visiting friends and family, attending seminars and conferences. Participating in business meetings, market research and PR activities, even rehabilitation at Onsen are also covered. The general condition is that you do not receive payment during your stay.
➟ 短期滞在ビザ (たんきざいりゅうびざ)

This visa is for activities that require special permission and do not fit in any of the above visa types. Eligibility is judged on a case by case basis. Students engaging in internships, participants in the working holiday program, housekeepers, etc. are considered to be “designated activities.” There is also a sub-category for long-vacation stays, but you would need 30 million Yen to be able to apply (so you can finance your stay without working).
➟ 特定活動 (とくていかつどう)

Refugees, descendants of Japanese nationals, foreign divorcees or those caring for children of a Japanese national.
➟ 住者の配偶者 (じゅうしゃのはいぐうしゃ)

Anyone who’s married to a Japanese or the child of a Japanese national is eligible for this visa.
➟ 日本人の配偶者等 (にほんじん・の・はいぐうしゃ・など)

The general rule is that if one has lived in Japan for more than 10 years and is able to support oneself one can apply to become a permanent residents. This will not change your nationality, you will still be considered a “foreign resident.” Permanent Residency does mean that you won’t have to worry about renewing your visa anymore, but it can be hard to get.
➟ 定住者 (ていじゅうしゃ)

Spouses and children of a foreigner having Permanent Resident status can receive this visa. The conditions are similar to those for family members of Japanese nationals.
➟ 永住者の配偶者等 (えいじゅうしゃ・の・はいぐうしゃ・など)