Israeli and other foreign nationals’ application for visa, immigration procedures and quarantine requirements for short-term business stay in Japan
2020/11/23
Israeli and other foreign nationals’ application for
visa, immigration procedures and quarantine
requirements for short-term business stay in Japan
visa, immigration procedures and quarantine
requirements for short-term business stay in Japan
October 30, 2020
Embassy of Japan in Israel
Embassy of Japan in Israel
The Government of Japan announced that, from October 1, 2020, cross-border business travelers of all countries and regions will be permitted to enter Japan, in principle, under the condition that the person is hosted by a company/entity that can assure observation of quarantine measures. However, the number of people to be permitted to enter Japan for short-term stay might be restricted (see the last paragraph of 1(a) below before Notes).
As for the cross-border travelers to be permitted to newly enter Japan, all foreign nationals are entitled to apply for the entry visa, and they need to observe quarantine measures before and after the entry. [Note 1]
[Note 1] This page is only for Israeli and other foreign nationals who are planning to newly enter Japan from Israel for short-term business stay. Regarding other cases such as mid- to long-term stay, re-entry of those who already have their status of residence in Japan (zairyu-shikaku) or departure from other country/region, please contact the Visa section of our Embassy.
Outline of necessary procedure and requirements
1 Before Departure
(a) Visa for short-term business stay [Note 2]
To apply for a visa, please submit the required documents listed below to Embassy of Japan in Israel (EOJ). All the issued visas for short-term stay would be single-entry visas, and the visa fee payment may be required.
(i) Visa application form (with photo attached)
(ii) Passport
(iii) Certificate of Employment of the applicant
(iv) Invitation letter English (PDF) Japanese (PDF)
(v) Letter of guarantee English (PDF) Japanese (PDF)
(vi) Written pledge Japanese (Word) (2 copies) [Note 3]
(vii) Itinerary in Japan [Note 4]
(viii) Flight schedule
After the application has been successfully accepted, the visa would be issued at the Visa section of EOJ. The visa should be received by the applicant or his/her representative and is needed upon applying for landing permission.
In case the applicant’s planned date of arrival in Japan coincides with many other foreign nationals’ arrival date, to such an extent that Japanese airport immigration control and quarantine authorities would not be able to cope with them in terms of PCR testing capacity etc., that applicant might be required to change his/her travel schedule due to the introduction of the restriction on foreign nationals’ entry to Japan.
[Note 2] “Short-term” means within 90 days. A visa valid for the duration that covers the planned stay in Japan would be issued.
[Note 3] Please submit two copies of the pledge (such as the original scanned and printed electronic data in PDF format). One copy will be returned, so please submit it to the quarantine when you enter Japan.
The receiving company/entity is requested to fill in and sign (Electronic signatures or personal seals are not accepted. Please use the corporate seal of the receiving company/entity) “Written Pledge” (document for receiving companies/entities to commit to taking necessary measures to ensure that the additional quarantine measures are properly implemented). The copy of the original of “Written Pledge” must be sent to the traveler. It is the responsibility of the receiving company/entity to have sufficient understanding about the above-mentioned applications and necessary documents and to explain carefully to the traveler. The receiving company/entity should keep the original form for 6 weeks after the invitee enters Japan. If requested by the relevant ministry, please submit the original form.
EOJ will ensure that the receiving company/entity agrees on committing to the additional quarantine measures by checking “Written Pledge” (copy).
[Note 4] Please note that if the traveler enters transit countries, he/she will be refused entry into Japan.
(b) 14-day Health Monitoring
Daily temperature check is required for 14-days prior to the departure. If any of common symptoms of COVID-19 including fever of 37.5°C or higher, respiratory symptoms, strong feeling of weariness (fatigue) are recognized, it is necessary that the trip to Japan be cancelled. It is not necessary to submit the result of this health monitoring for 14 days prior to the departure before traveling to Japan. Instead, this result must be included on the “Questionnaire” distributed on the plane.
(c) COVID-19 Test (within 72 hours of the departure time)
The traveler arriving at Japan are required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result (original or copy) conducted within 72 hours of the departure time to an immigration officer.
This format (Word) filled and signed by a medical institution is considered to be valid. So, in principle, please use this format.
If the applicant cannot find a medical institution which accepts the above mentioned format, a document in an optional format with all the required information in English is acceptable, though omitting any of the information listed below may result in denial of permission to entry into Japan in accordance with the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.
(i) personal information of an applicant (name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, sex)
(ii) proof of authenticity of the COVID-19 test result (test method (only limited to the test method mentioned in the format), test result, date (and time) of sampling, date of test result, date of issuance of the certificate)
(iii) information of a medical institution(the name and address of a medical institution/the name of a doctor/stamp seal(or sign by doctor))
In any case, the certificate must be submitted upon arrival in printed form. Please be sure that the certificate is printed on paper before arrival.
When travelers are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result by airline staff at the port of departure, please follow the instruction.
2 Upon Entry (At the Airport)
(a) Necessary Documents
The traveler must submit “Written Pledge (copy) and “Questionnaire” (distributed on the plane) to the airport quarantine office. The certificate of pre-entry test results (original or copy) needs to be presented at the airport quarantine office and be submitted to the Immigration Office.
The traveler must take out private medical insurance (including travel insurance covering medical expenses during their period of stay in Japan) before entering Japan.
(b) PCR Test
The traveler from Israel are subject to conducting of PCR tests. Please follow the instruction of the airport quarantine office.
(c) Preparation for 14-day Quarantine
The airport quarantine officer and the immigration officer will check installation and set-up of the necessary applications (LINE, COVID-19 contact tracing and map applications) for the health follow-up after the entry (see 3(b)). The necessary preparation in this regard must be completed by then.
3 After Entry
(a) Quarantine Measures
All nationals arriving from all regions are called upon to wait 14 days at a location designated by the quarantine station chief such as hotels and to refrain from using public transportation for 14 days including transportation from the airports.
(b) Health Follow-up
The traveler must report to the responsible person of the receiving company/entity for his/her health condition every day for 14 days after entering to Japan. (The responsible person is required to report the traveler’s health condition through the LINE application installed in advance.) In case the traveler is able to interact in Japanese and has a smartphone operated in Japanese domestic phone number, the traveler may install LINE and report their health condition on their own.
The traveler must install the COVID-19 contact tracing application designated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to their smart phone by the arrival in Japan and ensure that the application remains active for 14 days after entering to Japan. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/cocoa_00138.html
The traveler must retain their location data through map application data for 14 days after entering to Japan.
Cases such as the following are considered as violation of the commitment by the receiving company/entity. The name of companies/entities not respecting the commitment may be announced to the public and the invitees of these companies/regions may be subsequently refused entry to Japan under this framework.
-If the traveler does not report their health condition every day via LINE.
-If the traveler is tested positive for COVID-19 and called on to cooperate with an investigation by the Public Health Center and it turns out that they did not install the COVID-19 contact tracking application or properly retain the location data.
Contact
The Visa section, Embassy of Japan in Israel
Reception Hours and Contact Information
Monday to Thursday 9:30-12:30 and 14:00-16:00; Friday 9:30-12:30
E-Mail: visa@tl.mofa.go.jp ; Tel. 03-6957292
(a) Visa for short-term business stay [Note 2]
To apply for a visa, please submit the required documents listed below to Embassy of Japan in Israel (EOJ). All the issued visas for short-term stay would be single-entry visas, and the visa fee payment may be required.
(i) Visa application form (with photo attached)
(ii) Passport
(iii) Certificate of Employment of the applicant
(iv) Invitation letter English (PDF) Japanese (PDF)
(v) Letter of guarantee English (PDF) Japanese (PDF)
(vi) Written pledge Japanese (Word) (2 copies) [Note 3]
(vii) Itinerary in Japan [Note 4]
(viii) Flight schedule
After the application has been successfully accepted, the visa would be issued at the Visa section of EOJ. The visa should be received by the applicant or his/her representative and is needed upon applying for landing permission.
In case the applicant’s planned date of arrival in Japan coincides with many other foreign nationals’ arrival date, to such an extent that Japanese airport immigration control and quarantine authorities would not be able to cope with them in terms of PCR testing capacity etc., that applicant might be required to change his/her travel schedule due to the introduction of the restriction on foreign nationals’ entry to Japan.
[Note 2] “Short-term” means within 90 days. A visa valid for the duration that covers the planned stay in Japan would be issued.
[Note 3] Please submit two copies of the pledge (such as the original scanned and printed electronic data in PDF format). One copy will be returned, so please submit it to the quarantine when you enter Japan.
The receiving company/entity is requested to fill in and sign (Electronic signatures or personal seals are not accepted. Please use the corporate seal of the receiving company/entity) “Written Pledge” (document for receiving companies/entities to commit to taking necessary measures to ensure that the additional quarantine measures are properly implemented). The copy of the original of “Written Pledge” must be sent to the traveler. It is the responsibility of the receiving company/entity to have sufficient understanding about the above-mentioned applications and necessary documents and to explain carefully to the traveler. The receiving company/entity should keep the original form for 6 weeks after the invitee enters Japan. If requested by the relevant ministry, please submit the original form.
EOJ will ensure that the receiving company/entity agrees on committing to the additional quarantine measures by checking “Written Pledge” (copy).
[Note 4] Please note that if the traveler enters transit countries, he/she will be refused entry into Japan.
(b) 14-day Health Monitoring
Daily temperature check is required for 14-days prior to the departure. If any of common symptoms of COVID-19 including fever of 37.5°C or higher, respiratory symptoms, strong feeling of weariness (fatigue) are recognized, it is necessary that the trip to Japan be cancelled. It is not necessary to submit the result of this health monitoring for 14 days prior to the departure before traveling to Japan. Instead, this result must be included on the “Questionnaire” distributed on the plane.
(c) COVID-19 Test (within 72 hours of the departure time)
The traveler arriving at Japan are required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result (original or copy) conducted within 72 hours of the departure time to an immigration officer.
This format (Word) filled and signed by a medical institution is considered to be valid. So, in principle, please use this format.
If the applicant cannot find a medical institution which accepts the above mentioned format, a document in an optional format with all the required information in English is acceptable, though omitting any of the information listed below may result in denial of permission to entry into Japan in accordance with the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.
(i) personal information of an applicant (name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, sex)
(ii) proof of authenticity of the COVID-19 test result (test method (only limited to the test method mentioned in the format), test result, date (and time) of sampling, date of test result, date of issuance of the certificate)
(iii) information of a medical institution(the name and address of a medical institution/the name of a doctor/stamp seal(or sign by doctor))
In any case, the certificate must be submitted upon arrival in printed form. Please be sure that the certificate is printed on paper before arrival.
When travelers are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result by airline staff at the port of departure, please follow the instruction.
2 Upon Entry (At the Airport)
(a) Necessary Documents
The traveler must submit “Written Pledge (copy) and “Questionnaire” (distributed on the plane) to the airport quarantine office. The certificate of pre-entry test results (original or copy) needs to be presented at the airport quarantine office and be submitted to the Immigration Office.
The traveler must take out private medical insurance (including travel insurance covering medical expenses during their period of stay in Japan) before entering Japan.
(b) PCR Test
The traveler from Israel are subject to conducting of PCR tests. Please follow the instruction of the airport quarantine office.
(c) Preparation for 14-day Quarantine
The airport quarantine officer and the immigration officer will check installation and set-up of the necessary applications (LINE, COVID-19 contact tracing and map applications) for the health follow-up after the entry (see 3(b)). The necessary preparation in this regard must be completed by then.
3 After Entry
(a) Quarantine Measures
All nationals arriving from all regions are called upon to wait 14 days at a location designated by the quarantine station chief such as hotels and to refrain from using public transportation for 14 days including transportation from the airports.
(b) Health Follow-up
The traveler must report to the responsible person of the receiving company/entity for his/her health condition every day for 14 days after entering to Japan. (The responsible person is required to report the traveler’s health condition through the LINE application installed in advance.) In case the traveler is able to interact in Japanese and has a smartphone operated in Japanese domestic phone number, the traveler may install LINE and report their health condition on their own.
The traveler must install the COVID-19 contact tracing application designated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to their smart phone by the arrival in Japan and ensure that the application remains active for 14 days after entering to Japan. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/cocoa_00138.html
The traveler must retain their location data through map application data for 14 days after entering to Japan.
Cases such as the following are considered as violation of the commitment by the receiving company/entity. The name of companies/entities not respecting the commitment may be announced to the public and the invitees of these companies/regions may be subsequently refused entry to Japan under this framework.
-If the traveler does not report their health condition every day via LINE.
-If the traveler is tested positive for COVID-19 and called on to cooperate with an investigation by the Public Health Center and it turns out that they did not install the COVID-19 contact tracking application or properly retain the location data.
Contact
The Visa section, Embassy of Japan in Israel
Reception Hours and Contact Information
Monday to Thursday 9:30-12:30 and 14:00-16:00; Friday 9:30-12:30
E-Mail: visa@tl.mofa.go.jp ; Tel. 03-6957292