Visa Information

1-Year Student Visas

Individual applicants wishing to study full-time in our weekday intensive classes for a year or longer and who do not already possess a long-term visa for entry into Japan (through work, relation to a national, etc), may be eligible and are recommended to apply for a student visa through SNG.

*Student visas are not available to applicants studying less than one year.*

In order to qualify for a student visa, the applicant must have a guarantor resident in the Kanto region of Japan (Greater Tokyo/Yokohama area) for contact purposes. In the event of proceedural or legal difficulties, said guarantor must come to SNG in person for an interview, before an application will be considered.

*Applications are only given directly to guarantors after a successful interview*

Furthermore, due to a rash of student visa abuses in recent years, the Ministry of Immigration typically refuses visas to applicants who do not fit their image of a college student, to prevent visa abuse. As such, applicants over 25, or who have been out of school for a number of years, and who do not have a significant and particular reason for wishing to study in Japan (outside of a desire to learn the Japanese language) are typically rejected. As a result, they are required to apply for a visa on their own.

Non-Student Visas

Individual applicants wishing to study for a period of less than one year, or who are are ineligible or are unlikely to qualify for a student visa, are required to obtain a visa on their own, without any assistance or documentation from SNG.

90-day "Temporary Visitor" Visas
^{AKA: "Tourist Visas"}

To applicants not applying for a student visa, we recommend applying for a 90-day "Temporary Visitor" visa.

In most cases, a 90-day visa can be obtained at Narita Airport, upon arrival in Japan. However, it is important to note that 90-day visas can neither be changed, nor extended, so it will be necessary to leave Japan for a short-period (for as short as one day in some cases), then re-enter Japan with a new 90-day visa between terms, should you decide to continue your studies.

Generally this is effective for two to three entries into Japan, but immigration officials may ask that you apply for a different type of visa if you use this method many times.

In any case, applicants are advised to state thier purpose as "tourism."

If you state the purpose of your visit to Japan as "study," the embassy officials will refuse your entry into Japan and demand that you apply for a student visa.

For more information on visas, you may wish to read the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs visa guide and/or contact the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate.