In order to move to Japan from USA, American citizens will need to apply for a residence permit that is suitable for their purpose of stay.
US citizens do not need a visa to enter Japan for short periods of time, either for tourist or business purposes, provided that the period does not exceed 90 days.
However, for the purposes of company formation in Japan, for which the business owner may require more time or wish to remain in the country, applying for a visa will become a necessity.
Investors who immigrate to Japan from USA do so for various business opportunities, given the fact that the country is one of the world’s leaders in technology and innovation.
American entrepreneurs who wish to open a company in Japan can benefit from the experience of our team, as well as our dedicated services for business relocation, including setting up an LLC.
Discussing your entry options, the availability of the residence permit and the documents needed for your application is a valuable step and one that will allow you to rest assured that your application will be processed accordingly and without delay due to incomplete or insufficient data. Our immigration lawyers in Japan offer assistance to US applicants interested in long-term stays.
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The main steps required to move to Japan from USA
Longer stays in Japan are permitted with a right type of visa, for example, a work visa.
The following types of visas are available for long-term stays, meaning that they are applied for by those who wish to move to Japan from USA, depending on their qualifications and purpose in the country:
- Highly skilled professional visa: for those with special qualifications, valid for 5 years; can be joined by a spouse or child or parents under care;
- Working visa: for those who immigrate to Japan from USA for skilled labor, specific skilled workers, intra company transferred and those with other professions (nurses, professors, artists, researchers, journalists, business managers, etc.); issued for 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months in most cases;
- Start-up visa: issued for 6 months for investors who have a project approved by the Ministry or Economy, Trade and Industry; our team can give you more details;
- General visa: for cultural activities, students, training, or for dependents (family reunification); the visas can allow for different periods of stay (starting with 3 months to 4 years and 3 months for the student visa, for example).
An important step once you arrive in the country of you move to Japan from USA is to register the address at which you will be staying with the residence’s municipal office. Afterward, you will receive a resident card.
Our team can give you more details about each of the types of visas above.
Moving to Japan from America with our help
Our team can help you apply for a business visa, or any of the other visas described in this article.
While we focus on company formation in Japan, we are well aware of the country’s attractiveness towards foreign investors and are fully capable of assisting US citizens who wish to do business in Japan.
Our agents have the following recommendations:
- · it is advisable to apply for the visa 1.5 months prior to your departure to Japan;
- · the visa processing time is usually 5 business days;
- · US citizens are exempt from visa fees; if you are a US resident, you will be subject to the standard fee for single entry of USD 28 or 8 USD for Indian passport holders.
Our team will assist you during the visa application process when you immigrate to Japan from USA.
Although you have to visit the Embassy of Japan in your area of residence and submit the documents in person, we will make sure that you prepare all the necessary documents once you decide to move to Japan from USA.
Once you submit the application, the Embassy will inform you of the data on which you will pick up your passport and visa.
If you want to immigrate to Japan from USA, our team will answer all your questions before you submit the application for a visa with the Japanese Embassy.
You can contact us if you want to move to Japan.
If you are already in the country and need other types of services, we can help you with accounting services in Japan.