| Working holiday visa for Japan - QandA |
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The governments of Japan and Hong Kong reached an agreement on the implementation of a working holiday scheme on 1 January 2010. Please find below the answers to some frequently asked questions that the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong receives concerning the working holiday visa for Japan. |
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[QandA Content] |
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(General) |
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Q1: |
What kind of visa will be issued? |
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Q2: |
What is the limit on the number of visas that will be issued? |
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(Application requirements) |
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Q3: |
Are there any conditions for participating in the working holiday scheme and, if yes, what are they? |
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Q4: |
After I enter Japan under the working holiday scheme, do I have to stay in Japan for the whole one year? Can I come back to Hong Kong for a short time and then return to Japan using the same working holiday visa? |
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Q5: |
Is it possible to extend the period of stay of a working holiday? |
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Q6: |
Does the age requirement refer to my actual age (based on my date of birth) when I apply? |
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Q7: |
If I am 30 years old when I apply for a working holiday visa, can I stay in Japan for one year? |
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Q8: |
I am currently living overseas (outside Hong Kong). Can I still apply for a working holiday visa? |
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Q9: |
I am currently living and studying at a college in Japan, but I have almost completed my studies. Can I apply for a working holiday visa now? |
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(Application procedures) |
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Q10: |
How do I apply? What documents do I need to submit? |
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Q11: |
How much will the working holiday visa cost? |
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Q12: |
After I submit my visa application, how long will it take before I find out if I have been successful (i.e. before the visa is issued)? |
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Q13: |
Will I be interviewed during the visa application procedure? |
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Q14: |
If the number of visa applications exceeds the quota, what method will be used to select the successful applicants? |
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Q15: |
Is it necessary to possess any official Japanese language qualifications? |
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Q16: |
Do I need to find employment before I apply for a visa? |
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Q17: |
If my application is unsuccessful, can I apply again? |
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(Living in Japan on the working holiday scheme) |
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Q18: |
Are there any government agencies that provide contacts or information that can help applicants find accommodation and part-time jobs? |
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Q19: |
I have relatives in Japan. Can I live with them? |
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Q20: |
Are there any restrictions on the type and length of employment that I can take up? |
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Q21: |
Can I attend a language school during my stay under the working holiday scheme? |
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(General) |
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Q1:
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What kind of visa will be issued? |
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A1: |
A working holiday visa will be issued, which allows the holder to enter Japan. The visa is valid for three months from the date of issue and will expire if the holder does not enter Japan within that period of validity; the visa cannot be extended. When the holder arrives in Japan, an immigration office will examine whether the holder can be granted permission to land and stay in Japan. After receiving permission to land from the immigration officer, the holder will be allowed to stay in Japan for a period of up to one year from that date. |
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Q2:
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Is there a limit on the number of visas that will be issued? |
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A2:
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Yes. A quota of 1,500 visas per year has been set for both the Japan and the Hong Kong side. Depending on how the scheme progresses, this quota may be increased or decreased in the future. |
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(Application requirements) |
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Q3:
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Are there any conditions for participating in the working holiday scheme and, if yes, what are they? |
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A3:
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Yes. All of the conditions set out below must be fulfilled. To be eligible to take part in the scheme, applicants:
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must be ordinarily resident in the HKSAR and also residing in the HKSAR at the time that they apply for a working holiday visa; |
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must intend primarily to holiday in Japan for a period of up to one year from the date of first entry; |
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must be aged between eighteen (18) and thirty (30) years (both inclusive) at the time that they apply for a working holiday visa; |
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may not be accompanied by dependents unless those dependents are in possession of their own working holiday visa or other valid visa; |
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must possess a valid HKSAR or BNO (British National Overseas) passport; |
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must possess a return travel ticket or sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket; |
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must possess reasonable funds to guarantee their upkeep during the initial period of their stay in Japan; |
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must intend to leave Japan at the end of their stay; |
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must not previously have been issued with a working holiday visa for Japan; |
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must be in good health and have a sound background and no criminal record; and |
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must have adequate insurance. |
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Q4:
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After I enter Japan under the working holiday scheme, do I have to stay in Japan for the whole one year? Can I come back to Hong Kong for a short time and then return to Japan using the same working holiday visa? |
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A4:
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Q5:
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Is it possible to extend the period of stay of a working holiday? |
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A5:
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Working holiday status allows you to stay in Japan for up to one year. It is not possible to change your residency status or extend the period of stay. You have to leave Japan on or before the date that your period of stay expires. |
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Q6:
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Does the age requirement refer to my actual age (based on my date of birth) when I apply? |
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A6:
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You have to be between eighteen (18) and thirty (30) years old (both inclusive) at the time that you apply. |
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Q7:
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If I am 30 years old when I apply for a working holiday visa but will turn 31 within the year that I am allowed to stay in Japan, am I still eligible to participate in the scheme? |
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A7:
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The age limit only applies to your age at the time that you apply for a working holiday visa. You are still eligible for the scheme if you turn 31 after you apply for the visa or during your one year’s stay in Japan. |
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Q8:
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I am currently living overseas (outside Hong Kong). Can I still apply for a working holiday visa? |
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A8:
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The requirements state that applicants must be both “ordinarily resident in the HKSAR and residing in the HKSAR at the time that they apply for a working holiday visa”. If you are not living in Hong Kong at the relevant time, please submit your visa application after you return to Hong Kong. |
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Q9:
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I am currently living and studying at a college in Japan, but I have almost completed my studies. Can I apply for a working holiday visa now? |
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A9:
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Please see the answer to question 9 regarding the requirement that applicants must be living in the HKSAR at the time that they apply for a working holiday visa. Furthermore, in general only one type of visa is issued to a person at one time. So people who already have residency status in Japan under one type of visa (e.g. student visa) may not be issued with a new and different type of visa. After you complete your stay in Japan under your current residency status, please first return to Hong Kong and then submit your application for a working holiday visa. |
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(Application procedures) |
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Q10:
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How do I apply? What documents do I need to submit? |
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A10:
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Applicants must submit their visa applications with the required documents in person at the Japan Visa Application Centre. (Applications submitted at the Visa Section, Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong or by a proxy or by post will not be accepted. Please click here for the application procedures. ) |
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Q11:
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How much will the working holiday visa cost? |
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A11:
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Service charges will apply at the Japan Visa Application Centre. |
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Q12:
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After I submit my visa application, how long will it take before I find out if I have been successful (i.e. before the visa is issued)? |
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A12:
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It will take up to four weeks to examine the visa application after it has been submitted and before the result is announced (i.e. before the visa can be issued). Please click here for details. |
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Q13:
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Will I be interviewed during the visa application procedure? |
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A13:
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Applicants will be interviewed if necessary by a competent visa officer. |
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Q14:
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If the number of visa applications exceeds the quota, what method will be used to select the successful applicants? |
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A14:
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All applications will be thoroughly examined. When the number of visa applications exceeds the quota, we will consider the applications on the basis of the criteria set out above and select those who are most suitable in accordance with the principle and purpose of the working holiday scheme. With regard to matters related to the visa examination, e.g. selection criteria, we will not answer any questions or provide more details on the selection process or its results. |
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Q15:
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Is it necessary to possess any official Japanese language qualifications? |
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A15:
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Applications for working holiday visas will not be rejected solely because an applicant lacks proficiency in the Japanese language. However, if a large number of applications are submitted, we cannot exclude the possibility that Japanese language proficiency may be taken into consideration. |
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Q16:
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Do I need to find employment before I apply for a visa? |
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A16:
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As the main purpose of the scheme is to encourage youths to extend their holiday in Japan, it is not necessary to find employment before applying for a visa. In fact, it is not compulsory to take up employment during your stay in Japan. If you have the necessary funds, it is possible for you to spend the whole year on holiday. |
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Q17:
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If my application is unsuccessful, can I apply again? |
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A17:
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It is possible. |
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(Living in Japan on the working holiday scheme) |
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Q18:
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Are there any government agencies that provide contacts or information that can help applicants find accommodation and part-time jobs? |
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A18:
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There are no government agencies that provide this kind of service. Please note that it is your own responsibility to find accommodation and work. |
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Q19:
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I have relatives in Japan. Can I live with them? |
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A19:
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As long as the principles and policy of the working holiday scheme are complied with, there are no restrictions on where you may live and how long you may live there. |
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Q20:
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Are there any restrictions on the type and length of employment that I can take up? |
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A20:
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The scheme is based on the principle that any employment that you take up is intended to supplement your travel funds while you are on holiday. However, there is no particular restriction on how long you may work in any employment you find. On the other hand, with regard to the type of jobs you may take up, employment in the entertainment sector, such as in bars, pubs, cabarets, etc., or in the sex industry is not recognized as valid or permissible employment. Please also note that involvement in such employment may constitute a breach of the conditions of the working holiday visa. |
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Q21:
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Can I attend a language school during my stay under the working holiday scheme? |
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A21:
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You may attend short-term language-course activities as part of your holiday. However, if the main purpose of your stay in Japan is to attend an establishment as a college student, the working holiday visa is not the appropriate visa for you. |
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