Application and Acquisition of Visa

International students who receive an offer from Hokkaido University need to obtain a visa to enter Japan. To apply for and obtain the visa, a document known as a “Certificate of Eligibility” is required.

Certificate of Eligibility

You must apply for a Certificate of Eligibility as a first step in obtaining your visa. The Certificate of Eligibility is issued by a Regional Immigration Bureau in Japan, and it has the advantage of reducing the time required to obtain a visa and complete immigration procedures. Hokkaido University can act as a proxy for the application procedure to obtain the certificate. For further information, you should contact the Academic Affairs Section at the faculty / graduate school you wish to enter.

Note:

• It takes two to three months for the certificate to be issued. Please contact your faculty /graduate school well in advance.
• The expiration date of the certificate is three months from the date of issue. You must enter Japan within this period.
• You must show this certificate when you go through immigration upon arrival in Japan. Be sure to have it with you on the day.
• If you are a Japanese Government Scholarship Student, you do not need to apply for this certificate.
• Submitting a PDF file of COE has become accepted when applying for your visa and entering Japan. The original COE needs to be returned to the immigration office after you submitted the PDF file.

Visa

A visa is required to enter Japan. In order to obtain this, you need to apply to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in our country before your departure. The visa will be sealed into your passport. After obtaining the Certificate of Eligibility, please apply for a visa through the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in your country. Please be sure to have all other necessary documents with you at the Japanese Embassy.