Applying for Japan Visa (Tourist) for Students
Hi! I'm posting this kind of stuff here because lots of people (in fandom) have been asking me how I applied for visa. Since I'm living in a country where it is needed to have a visa to enter Japan, it's a must to get one.
I'm going to tell about my background first so that you'll have an idea how confident I am in getting one. (Actually, I'm not. XnX)
I'm currently a medicine student and 2* of age hehe~ (I'm older than Chinen). It's my first time travelling abroad but I already have a passport for 2 years since I'm supposed to study in Brunei but things didn't work well. I also don't like to travel far since I prefer to stay in my comfort zone, reading books and flail.
I travelled with my fandom friends Eru (eruchaa), Maika (mori_kee) and Thea w/ her uncle and cousin.
Only Eru, Maika and I are together when we applied.
We planned our Japan trip for almost 8-9 months so you can say we’re prepared.
My first tip is that you should plan your trip a year ahead so that you can gather all necessary documents.
Here are the requirements for Japan Visa that we submitted. (Tourist Visa)
1. Passport
To travel abroad this is a very important document. Your passport needs to be valid for more than 6 months and signed. If you don't have a passport, better apply early since they tend to have limited slots now and prefer to have a reservation online. You can register in their website and just fill up necessary things and you can go in your preffered date.
Tip: There’s an ‘in case of emergency’ part in the last page of your passport. It’s better to fill it up! ^_^
2. Visa Application Form
You can download it here.
Tip: Make sure you write neatly and in all capital letters. Make sure you don't have any erasures! If you want to see how I answered mine, you can message me in my facebook~
3. Photo
1 copy of 4.5cm x 4.5 cm with white background is needed and pasted in your application form.
Tip: You need to have a collar shirt in the picture.
My friends and I went to Photoline in Robinson Galleria. We just said that we need a photo for our Japan Visa and they have the exact size of what's needed in the application form and they also have a collared clothes template. They just edit our photo so that it will look like we're wearing collared top.
4. Birth Certificate
Must be NSO issued and valied for one year with receipt.
Tip: You can have your birth certificate deliver to your house without going through lots of process. Just go to their website, choose what you need and then you can pay through bank deposit! Easy, right? Make sure to keep the receipt that's included in the birth certificate *w*/
5. Tour Itinerary.
I'm in charge in making the itinerary since I'm the oldest. But believe it or not, we didn't really follow it. Once you're in Japan, you'll just do things randomly hehe~ The embassy have an itinerary sample here. If you want to see the one that I made, you can pm me in my facebook account.
Tip: Just put what you think you'll do in Japan. Even though you submitted an itinerary in the Embassy it doesn't mean you're oblidge to follow it. Just put the places you're planning to visit during your stay in Japan, where you're planning to eat and the hotel details where you're planning on staying.
6. Bank Balance Certificate
If you're already 18 y/o and above it is better if you open a bank account of your own. Since you don't have any parental consent now that you're legal the embassy prefer that you have your own savings.
If you're still a student, you can use your parent's bank account and just write a letter saying that they'll fund your trip.
Bank Certificate is needed by the embassy as an assurance that you have enough money for the duration of your stay in Japan. They don't want you to be a burden in the country as much as possible. The show money in your bank account must be enough for your whole trip. I have a 6 digit money in my account while my friends have around Php. 50,000 to Php. 60,000 + in theirs for our 8 days stay.
Since we already booked a hotel and have plane tickets, the embassy will just think that the money we have is for our shopping spree which is more than enough.
You can get bank certificate in your bank. It only states how much is in there and the signature of the bank personnel. I got mine in BPI and I only waited for around 10 minutes and paid Php. 100.
7. Income Tax Return (Form 2316 or 1701) Original and Photocopy
I won't tackle the importance of this but since I'm a student, I'll tell you what we did for this.
Micah and I are still college students so obviously we don't have any work. What we did is we made a letter addressing to the embassy. We told them that reason why we don't possess one (we're students) and that our trip will be possible because of our savings and also with the financial help of our parents. We also told them that we'll be watching the concert of our favorite band which is a plus point since they really know our reason for going to Japan and we have a purpose to come back (because we're students). I also explained that this is my first outside the country trip and I chose Japan because I love the country.
We also attached our Dad's ITR since they'll somehow fund our trip. As a proof that we're students, we attached a colored photo copy of our school IDs.
For those who are working but don't have an ITR
Just attach your Certificate of Employment and make a letter why you don't possess an ITR.
Tip: Make sure you explain well your purpose of visit and assure there's a reason for you to come back.
If you want to see the letter I made, pm me in my facebook account.
To make things more believable, we attached our hotel bookings and plane tickets.
Regarding our hotel bookings, for our 8 days stay we only spend Php. 10, 000 for our hotel in Tokyo and Osaka which is already cheap. A comfortable room with our own private bath. We reserved through Agoda.com early and avail the promo. We paid using the credit card of Micah's Dad.
If you don't have any credit cards, there are hotels in Japan that offer a reservation and you can pay on the day that you'll come there.
Tip: Prices during peak season (Winter and Spring) are higher.
For our plane tickets, we purchased different dates since we want to avail the promo. We chose a budget airline which is Cebu Pacific.
Our Manila to Narita is around Php. 7000+ with 20kg luggage and our Kansai to Manila is around Php. 4000 with 20kg luggage.
After this, all our documents are done! We gather everything and applied at the same time in Friendship Tour 3/F Dusit Thani Manila, Ayala Center Makati~ We paid Php. 1,200 for the processing fees. We waited for their call around 5 longggg days for their call. We're not actually confident since two of us are first time travelers around Japan and still students. But the good news arrived! All our visas got approved! #squadgoals
It's better to travel and apply with your friends so that the embassy will be rest assured that you're just staying there for vacation~
I'm planning on traveling again around October next year or around the last concert dates of JUMP. If you want to come with me then it's okay *w* I'm already planning to go there with my other friends and the more the merrier!
If you have any questions, you can leave a comment or if you prefer to message me then don't hesitate to do so! ^_^
I'll be posting next some stories about my trip and summary how I got my concert tickets for JUMP concert! ;)
I'm going to tell about my background first so that you'll have an idea how confident I am in getting one. (Actually, I'm not. XnX)
I'm currently a medicine student and 2* of age hehe~ (I'm older than Chinen). It's my first time travelling abroad but I already have a passport for 2 years since I'm supposed to study in Brunei but things didn't work well. I also don't like to travel far since I prefer to stay in my comfort zone, reading books and flail.
I travelled with my fandom friends Eru (eruchaa), Maika (mori_kee) and Thea w/ her uncle and cousin.
Only Eru, Maika and I are together when we applied.
We planned our Japan trip for almost 8-9 months so you can say we’re prepared.
My first tip is that you should plan your trip a year ahead so that you can gather all necessary documents.
Here are the requirements for Japan Visa that we submitted. (Tourist Visa)
1. Passport
To travel abroad this is a very important document. Your passport needs to be valid for more than 6 months and signed. If you don't have a passport, better apply early since they tend to have limited slots now and prefer to have a reservation online. You can register in their website and just fill up necessary things and you can go in your preffered date.
Tip: There’s an ‘in case of emergency’ part in the last page of your passport. It’s better to fill it up! ^_^
2. Visa Application Form
You can download it here.
Tip: Make sure you write neatly and in all capital letters. Make sure you don't have any erasures! If you want to see how I answered mine, you can message me in my facebook~
3. Photo
1 copy of 4.5cm x 4.5 cm with white background is needed and pasted in your application form.
Tip: You need to have a collar shirt in the picture.
My friends and I went to Photoline in Robinson Galleria. We just said that we need a photo for our Japan Visa and they have the exact size of what's needed in the application form and they also have a collared clothes template. They just edit our photo so that it will look like we're wearing collared top.
4. Birth Certificate
Must be NSO issued and valied for one year with receipt.
Tip: You can have your birth certificate deliver to your house without going through lots of process. Just go to their website, choose what you need and then you can pay through bank deposit! Easy, right? Make sure to keep the receipt that's included in the birth certificate *w*/
5. Tour Itinerary.
I'm in charge in making the itinerary since I'm the oldest. But believe it or not, we didn't really follow it. Once you're in Japan, you'll just do things randomly hehe~ The embassy have an itinerary sample here. If you want to see the one that I made, you can pm me in my facebook account.
Tip: Just put what you think you'll do in Japan. Even though you submitted an itinerary in the Embassy it doesn't mean you're oblidge to follow it. Just put the places you're planning to visit during your stay in Japan, where you're planning to eat and the hotel details where you're planning on staying.
6. Bank Balance Certificate
If you're already 18 y/o and above it is better if you open a bank account of your own. Since you don't have any parental consent now that you're legal the embassy prefer that you have your own savings.
If you're still a student, you can use your parent's bank account and just write a letter saying that they'll fund your trip.
Bank Certificate is needed by the embassy as an assurance that you have enough money for the duration of your stay in Japan. They don't want you to be a burden in the country as much as possible. The show money in your bank account must be enough for your whole trip. I have a 6 digit money in my account while my friends have around Php. 50,000 to Php. 60,000 + in theirs for our 8 days stay.
Since we already booked a hotel and have plane tickets, the embassy will just think that the money we have is for our shopping spree which is more than enough.
You can get bank certificate in your bank. It only states how much is in there and the signature of the bank personnel. I got mine in BPI and I only waited for around 10 minutes and paid Php. 100.
7. Income Tax Return (Form 2316 or 1701) Original and Photocopy
I won't tackle the importance of this but since I'm a student, I'll tell you what we did for this.
Micah and I are still college students so obviously we don't have any work. What we did is we made a letter addressing to the embassy. We told them that reason why we don't possess one (we're students) and that our trip will be possible because of our savings and also with the financial help of our parents. We also told them that we'll be watching the concert of our favorite band which is a plus point since they really know our reason for going to Japan and we have a purpose to come back (because we're students). I also explained that this is my first outside the country trip and I chose Japan because I love the country.
We also attached our Dad's ITR since they'll somehow fund our trip. As a proof that we're students, we attached a colored photo copy of our school IDs.
For those who are working but don't have an ITR
Just attach your Certificate of Employment and make a letter why you don't possess an ITR.
Tip: Make sure you explain well your purpose of visit and assure there's a reason for you to come back.
If you want to see the letter I made, pm me in my facebook account.
To make things more believable, we attached our hotel bookings and plane tickets.
Regarding our hotel bookings, for our 8 days stay we only spend Php. 10, 000 for our hotel in Tokyo and Osaka which is already cheap. A comfortable room with our own private bath. We reserved through Agoda.com early and avail the promo. We paid using the credit card of Micah's Dad.
If you don't have any credit cards, there are hotels in Japan that offer a reservation and you can pay on the day that you'll come there.
Tip: Prices during peak season (Winter and Spring) are higher.
For our plane tickets, we purchased different dates since we want to avail the promo. We chose a budget airline which is Cebu Pacific.
Our Manila to Narita is around Php. 7000+ with 20kg luggage and our Kansai to Manila is around Php. 4000 with 20kg luggage.
After this, all our documents are done! We gather everything and applied at the same time in Friendship Tour 3/F Dusit Thani Manila, Ayala Center Makati~ We paid Php. 1,200 for the processing fees. We waited for their call around 5 longggg days for their call. We're not actually confident since two of us are first time travelers around Japan and still students. But the good news arrived! All our visas got approved! #squadgoals
It's better to travel and apply with your friends so that the embassy will be rest assured that you're just staying there for vacation~
I'm planning on traveling again around October next year or around the last concert dates of JUMP. If you want to come with me then it's okay *w* I'm already planning to go there with my other friends and the more the merrier!
If you have any questions, you can leave a comment or if you prefer to message me then don't hesitate to do so! ^_^
I'll be posting next some stories about my trip and summary how I got my concert tickets for JUMP concert! ;)