Japan Business, Conference, or Cultural Exchange Visa Requirements

Check current official requirements before submission.Documents and procedures may change. TaraVel can help you organize the applicable checklist.

Practical training requires a Certificate of Eligibility regardless of the length of stay.

Passport

Original valid passport with the applicant’s signature, including any old passport with a previous Japan visa. The passport should be valid for at least six months and contain at least two blank pages. Remove passport covers.
Provide a colored scanned copy of the full passport biographical page.

Application form

Computer-completed Japan visa application form printed on A4 paper and originally signed. Complete every item; enter N/A where a question does not apply.

Photographs

Two recent color photographs, 45 mm x 35 mm, with a white background, taken within the last three months. Do not wear a white top, eyeglasses, or jewelry. Eyebrows and ears should be visible and teeth should not show.
Write the applicant’s name and birth date on the back. Digitally processed or modified photographs are not accepted.

Civil registry documents

Original PSA birth certificate and, for a married female applicant, marriage certificate issued within one year. An exemption may apply to an applicant with a previously used Japan visa who has no guarantor.
Attach the PSA receipt when available, especially for certificates issued from April 2025 onward.
If unreadable, also submit the corresponding Local Civil Registrar certificate. For late-registered births, include a baptismal certificate and school record (Form 137). If PSA has no record, provide the LCR certificate and PSA Certificate of No Record.

Core supporting documents

Draft day-to-day itinerary or activity schedule in Japan using the Japan Embassy form.
Original agency letters of authorization for representatives.
Copy of another valid ID bearing the applicant’s original signature.
Japan visa notice or waiver using the agency form.
For a multiple-entry request, complete the relevant request form; approval remains discretionary.
Signatures on the passport, application form, authorization letters, and ID copy should match.

Applicant employment or business evidence

Employees: original certificate of employment stating position, hiring date, salary, and HR or signatory contact details; bank certificate showing six-month ADB; and latest income tax return or BIR Form 2316 with supporting tax record. Government employees should include a travel order or dispatch letter.
Business owners: applicable mayor’s permit, DTI, SEC, and GIS documents; bank certificate showing six-month ADB; and latest applicable tax return with proof of payment.

Inviter or organization in Japan

Invitation letter and itinerary using Japan Embassy forms.
Company registry document (Tokibo-Tohon), company brochure, pamphlet, or organization details. A listed company may use its latest quarterly report where allowed. If the inviter is an individual, provide employment certification or a business license.
Proof of activities in Japan, such as a contract or meeting materials, conference or seminar materials, or a training acceptance letter and detailed training schedule.

If a Philippine guarantor will pay

Original Japan Embassy letter of guarantee.
Guarantor’s bank, employment or business, and tax documents.

Official Embassy of Japan checklistOpen Embassy of Japan checklist