Applying for Japan Tourist Visa
Anything could happen.
It’s not true that Filipinos are exempted from getting a
visa when visiting Japan. The good news is, for those of
you who wants to apply for a tourist visa, Japan has relaxed its visa rules for
Filipinos which started last 2014 (around September I guess). But this doesn’t
mean that the process will be very easy. You still have to accomplish all the
requirements to be able to get a visa.
Below are the requirements you need to accomplish when
applying for a Japan visa.
1.) Philippine Passport.
Of course this is the basic-est of all the
basic requirements when applying for a visa. Make sure that it is still valid
for at least 6 months and should be in the best condition. And remove those
fancy passport holders please.
2.) Accomplished Visa Application Form.
Note: Do not leave anything blank, put N/A
for those that are not applicable to you.
3.) 4.5 cm x 4.5 cm photo in white background and must
be pasted on the application form.
4.) Birth Certificate issued by NSO.
For those sloths like me, you may request
for a copy online at e-Census. And it will be delivered at your door, no need
to queue at the NSO office.
5.) Marriage contract if married. If you’re single
like me, then skip to #6.
6.) Daily schedule in Japan.
This doesn’t need to be
very detailed; a simple itinerary would be fine.
Below is a
sample itinerary.
7.) Bank Certificate.
Yeah! Show them what you got babe! You
really don’t have to have a hundred thousand in your bank account for you to
support yourself in Japan; you just need to show them that you have that amount
before going there.
Tip: Be very friendly and nice, and then
borrow from friends. J
8.) Income tax return (form 2316). Original and
photocopy.
Once you completed those, you’re 80% done. Why? If you want
the visa, try to provide all additional proofs that you think will make them
give you a visa! Below are the documents I provided along with the requirements
stated above:
1.)Certificate of Employment/Approved leaves. This
is to prove that your main purpose of visiting Japan is purely entertainment.
And to let your boss know that you are still going back to work and won’t be
applying there.
2.) Roundtrip tickets. I only recommend this if the
tickets are on-sale (piso fare). Regular fare is kinda expensive, it would be
best to inquire for reservations. Then proceed on buying the ticket once you
get your visa.
3.) Hotel Reservation.
Search through tripadvisor, airbnb, and couchsurfing.
4.) Lastly, statement of account (postpaid plan, credit card etc.). I don’t
know why but my friend highly recommends this.
Now, you’re all set. The next thing you should do is to file
your application through an accredited agency.
List of accredited agencies to process your application:
We chose Reli Tours at SM Megamall to handle our
application; the handling fee was Php 1200.00. I’m not sure if the applicant is
required to submit the requirements in person but in my case I was asked to
appear in person.
Once you submitted all the documents, go home and drink
coffee or tea to reward yourself for what you have accomplished. Do not think
of anything that has to do with your visa application because you’re just going
to have a bad time. Just relax and wait and be optimistic.
Visa application process usually takes 3-7 days. Waiting for
my visa was one of the longest 2 weeks of my life. We applied the week when the
Pope visited the country so the processing time took a bit longer. A week after
we submitted our applications, we were asked to submit a bank certificate
again. Our travel agency told us that our account balances might not be enough.
So I borrowed from my office mates and submit my bank certificate again. After three days of waiting, we
finally got our visa. And of course, I returned the money I borrowed from my
friends.
And that kids is how I got my Japan visa. Hoping for the
best on your application!
-goodnight-
donna
