Kaye Chang
Japan is always on top of the list of every Filipino traveler’s bucket list. And we cannot blame them. Japan has a lot of things to offer: Breathtaking sceneries, fun amusement parks, delectable cuisines, and non-stop shopping.
However, there is one thing that stops Filipino travelers from reaching the Land of the Rising Sun: The visa. Getting a tourist visa to Japan is like finding a needle in the haystack. Not only do you need to present several documents to support your travel, but the process for the visa approval is meticulous too.
The news released by the Japanese Embassy in Manila will surely excite many Filipinos. According to the statement released to the media, Japan decided to relax their visa requirement for short-term stay for Filipinos traveling for business.
Thanks to the Tourism Vision Realization Program 2018 (also known as Action Program for Realization of Tourism Vision 2018), the visa requirement relaxation for Filipinos aims to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The visa relaxation will come into effect on August 1, 2018.
According to the embassy, the number of visa applicants who are eligible for multiple entry visas for a short-term stay will be expanded. Starting this month, the embassy will grant visa for 15, 30 or 90 days for short-term stay periods.
The validity period for multiple-entry visas is also improved. From the current 5-year validity, multiple-entry visas can now be extended up to 10 years. The validity of approved visas is now for one year, 3 years, 5 years, and 10 years.
“The above-mentioned relaxation of visa requirements is expected to contribute to the improvement of convenience for tourists and increase in repeat visitors as well as further advancement of people-to-people exchanges between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines,” the Japan embassy said.
Those who are eligible for multi-entry visas for a short-term stay in the country are Filipinos who are traveling to Japan due to business purposes. This includes government officials and cultural and intellectual figures.
Who Are Eligible?
Those who are traveling for business purposes and cultural or intellectual figures are eligible for the relaxed visa requirements of Japan. This includes their spouse and children.
Applicants With Business Purposes
- A regular employee of a public or government agency.
- A regular employee of a private company which is listed on the Stock Exchange (which includes Japan and other third world countries).
- A regular employee of a company listed in the Top 1,000 Philippine Corporations in terms of revenue.
- A regular employee of a Japanese-affiliated company with a management base in Japan and is a member of the Japan Chamber of Commerce.
- A regular employee of a joint venture company, a subsidiary or a branch office of a company listed in the Stock Exchange.
- A regular employee of a private company which has constant business transactions with a Japanese company which is listed on the Stock Exchange.
- A regular employee with a proven travel record to Japan traveling on business as well as travel records as a temporary visitor to any G7 countries, excluding Japan, for the last three years.
- A regular employee with a proven travel record of traveling to Japan for business for more than three times in the last three years.
Applicants Who Are Cultural or Intellectual Figures
- An artist, a specialist in humanities or a scientist with proven and relevant accomplishments.
- A lawyer, patent attorney, notary, judicial scrivener, certified public accountant or medical doctor with a national or international qualification and is currently working in the same position.
- A director or a person with a high position in a national or public research institution or a museum.
- A full-time professor, lecturer or assistant professor in a reputable university or college.
- An amateur sports player with proven and relevant accomplishments.
- A government official, loyal assemblyman or Diet member.
What Are The Japan Visa Requirements?
The documents needed when applying for a Japan visa for the eligible people listed above are lesser and easier to accomplish.
All documents must be original unless specified.
- Philippine Passport. The passport must be signed and have at least two blank visa pages.
- Duly Signed and Completed Visa Application Form. The form must be filled out correctly. If an item is not applicable, put N/A. The Japanese Embassy might not accept your application form with blank items, no date, and no signature.
- Photo. The photo must be taken within the last three months. It should have the size of 4.5 cm by 4.5 cm and with a white background. Write your name and birthdate on the back side of the photo before attaching it on the application form.
- Employment Certificate. The Employment Certificate must contain the applicant’s salary, the tenure ship in the company, and the position being handled.
- Document Providing The Applicant Is Qualified. You may submit a copy of your ID issued by the Profession Regulation Commission.
- Explanation Letter For Requesting For A Multiple Entry Visa. This may be a letter of travel requisition by your employer or a letter of mission for business purpose.
- Documents To Prove Kinship. If traveling with a spouse or child, you may present a birth certificate, marriage certificate or a copy of their passport.
If you want to learn more about the relaxed visa requirement for people traveling to Japan for business, you may visit the Japanese Embassy’s website.
Also Read:
- How to Apply for a Japan Tourist Visa for Filipinos
- Summer in Japan: Where to Go, What to Do and What to Buy
