Student Visa for Japan

You will be required to submit a copy of your passport and supplemental documentation to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE). Depending on your program, you may need to submit the copy of your passport when you apply to your study abroad program.

We will submit your CoE documents to the Japanese Immigration Bureau on your behalf. Once processed, you will then submit your passport, CoE, and other documentation to apply for a study visa.

You may have to attend an in-person appointment at your Japanese consulate.

Please note that the CoE process can take a few months.

In the United States, there are 15 Japanese consulates and one embassy in Washington, DC. Each consulate serves a specific geographic region called a "jurisdiction". The consulate that serves your jurisdiction is where you will apply for your Japanese student visa. Use the tool on the Japanese embassy website to determine your consulate.

Each consulate may have specific instructions on applying for a Japanese student visa that may differ from other Japanese consulates. This means that your visa application requirements may differ from another student's requirements if they are applying to a different consulate. When checking the application requirements for your student visa for Japan, always refer to your consulate's website.

• Anchorage
• Atlanta
• Boston
• Chicago
• Denver
• Detroit
• Honolulu
• Houston
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• Nashville
• New York
• Portland
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Washington, DC

You can expect to receive your Certificate of Eligibility approximately 3-4 weeks before the program start date. You will apply for your Japanese student visa after receiving your CoE.

We recommend that you apply for your Japanese visa immediately once you receive your Japanese CoE as it usually will take a week or more to process.

U.S. citizens are exempt from the Japanese student visa fee. Students of other nationalities may have to pay a fee to their consulate, which ranges from $8-$55.