Japan Work Visa Requirements for Indians: 2026 Checklist

This checklist covers Japan's working visa statuses, such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, for Indians hired by a Japanese company. All details are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For tourist and business visas, see our Japan visa guide for Indians.

Why does the COE come before the visa?

Japan splits a work visa into two stages. First, your employer (or another proxy in Japan) applies to a regional immigration office in Japan for a Certificate of Eligibility. The Immigration Services Agency's standard processing period is 1 to 3 months, and the COE carries no fee. Only then do you apply for the visa itself in India.

Two cautions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA): a COE does not guarantee that the visa will be issued, and applying without a COE is possible but needs a large number of verification documents and can take several months (MOFA working visa).

MOFA's working visa covers these statuses: Professor, Artist, Religious activities, Journalist, Business manager, Legal/Accounting services, Medical services, Researcher, Instructor, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, and Nursing care.

What does each VFS jurisdiction want in a work visa file?

The core is the same everywhere: passport, one completed and signed application form, one photograph and the COE (original or a copy; an e-COE printout is accepted). The job documents differ by checklist:

Arrange documents in checklist order and make every photocopy on A4 paper. Documents you submit are not returned, except the passport.

Which Japanese office handles your state?

• Embassy of Japan, New Delhi: Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh, the North-East states and others. No prior appointment is needed at New Delhi and the other Delhi-jurisdiction centres.
• Consulate-General, Mumbai: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu. From 19 October 2026, VFS Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Goa take applications by prior appointment only.
• Consulate-General, Chennai: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Puducherry (VFS Chennai, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Cochin; appointment required).
• Consulate-General, Kolkata: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha (VFS Kolkata or Bhubaneswar; appointment required).
• Consulate-General, Bengaluru: Karnataka (VFS Bengaluru by appointment; Mysuru without one).

Do you meet the Engineer/Specialist landing criteria?

For the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status, which covers many technical and office roles, the Immigration Services Agency's landing criteria require:

• Education or experience: a university degree (or equivalent education) in a related subject, a related course at a Japanese vocational school, or 10 years' practical experience. IT workers with a designated IT qualification are exempt from this.
• Foreign-culture jobs (translation, interpretation, language teaching, PR, overseas trade, design, product development): at least 3 years' related experience, except university graduates doing translation, interpretation or language teaching.
• Pay at least equal to what a Japanese national would receive for the same work. No yen minimum is set.
• No age requirement.

Since 15 April 2026, if your employer is in Category 3 or 4, the application must include a declaration about the employer's representative. For work mainly using language skills, such as translation or hotel front desk, you also need proof of CEFR B2-level ability in the working language; JLPT N2 or above counts for Japanese (Immigration Services Agency). Periods of stay are 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months.

What will the visa cost, and how long does the visa stage take?

These visa-stage times are indicative and start only after the COE exists. Photo size differs by centre: Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata state 45 mm x 35 mm, while Mumbai and Chennai state 2 x 2 inches, on a plain white background, taken within 6 months.

Before you submit: mistakes to avoid

• Booking a flight before the visa is issued. MOFA says a single-entry visa is basically valid for three months from issue, so you have time after approval.
• Using a photo from a previous visa at Kolkata, which asks for one not used before.
• Applying at the wrong consulate. Each office decides only for residents of its jurisdiction.
• Rushing a weak file. After a refusal, MOFA will not accept a new application for the same purpose for six months, except in narrow humanitarian cases, and it does not give the reason.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Certificate of Eligibility guarantee a Japan work visa?

No. MOFA states that a COE does not guarantee the visa will be issued. The consulate still assesses your application, but the COE makes the visa stage much faster than applying without one.

Is there an age limit for a Japanese work visa?

The landing criteria for Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services set education, experience and pay conditions but contain no age requirement. The J-Find visa for recent graduates requires applicants to be 18 or older.

Can Indian graduates go to Japan to look for work without a job offer?

Only through the J-Find visa if their degree is from a university on the Immigration Services Agency's eligible list, awarded within the last 5 years. That list (as of January 2026) includes no university in India, so most Indian-educated graduates do not qualify.

What does my spouse need to join me in Japan?

Bengaluru's VFS long-term checklist asks dependants for a COE, an invitation letter, a copy of the working spouse's residence card and passport, and a marriage or birth certificate. Check the checklist for your own consulate before applying.