✓Evaluates 26 visa pathways based on your situation
✓Questions adapt as you go (skips what doesn't apply)
✓Get your primary match, alternatives, and why you don't qualify for others
✓Includes official resources and next steps
Question 125 pathways still possible
How long do you want to stay in Japan?
Short-term (up to 6-12 months to try it out)
Long-term (1+ years, settle down)
Not sure yet
What do you want to do in Japan?
Work for a Japanese company
Work remotely for non-Japanese clients
Start or build a business
Study (language school, university)
Join family already in Japan
Just live there (retired/wealthy, no work needed)
Do you have a Japanese spouse, Japanese child, or spouse who is a Japan Permanent Resident?
Yes, I'm legally married to a Japanese citizen
Yes, I have a Japanese child
Yes, my spouse is a Japan Permanent Resident (not citizen)
No
Great news! This is a clear pathway. Just a few more quick questions.
Is your legal spouse currently in Japan on a work or student visa?
Dependent visa requires legal marriage - unmarried partners do not qualify
Yes, my spouse has a work or student visa in Japan
No
Not applicable / Not married
Do you have documented Japanese ancestry?
Parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who was Japanese - with documents to prove it
Yes, and I can document it
I think so, but I'd need to gather documents
No
Japanese ancestry may open the Long-Term Resident path.
What's your nationality?
This affects Working Holiday and Digital Nomad eligibility
How old are you?
Working Holiday has age limits that vary by country (18-30 for most)
Based on your age and country, you may not be eligible for Working Holiday. Verify with your local embassy/consulate. We'll show other options.
What's your highest level of education?
This affects eligibility for work visas, J-Skip, Professor, and other pathways
PhD / Doctorate
Master's degree
Bachelor's degree
Associate's / Vocational
High school / No degree
Currently studying
Do you have 10+ years of professional experience in a specific field?
This can substitute for a degree in some visa categories
Yes, documented and in one field
No
Do you have a job offer from a Japan-based employer?
Yes
Not yet
What's your Japanese language level?
None
Beginner (N5 level)
Basic (N4 level)
Intermediate (N3)
Business level (N2)
Fluent (N1)
Do you earn 10M+ yen annually from remote work for non-Japanese clients?
Required for Digital Nomad visa (~$65,000 USD)
Yes, 10M+ yen from foreign sources
No / Under 10M yen
Not applicable - I don't do remote work
Do you have private health insurance with 10M+ yen medical coverage?
Required for Digital Nomad and Long-Stay Sightseeing visas
Yes
No / Not sure
Do you (alone or with your spouse) have 30M+ yen in savings?
Opens Long-Stay Sightseeing (6-12 months) and meets Business Manager capital requirements (~$200,000 USD)
Yes, 30M+ yen combined savings
No
How much capital could you invest in a Japan-based business?
Business Manager visa requires ¥30M+ capital (~$200K USD). Don't have that yet? Startup Visa lets you build toward it over 1-2 years.
Under 5M yen
5M - 30M yen
30M+ yen
Not interested in starting a business
What type of work interests you?
Select all that apply - different industries have different visa pathways
Teaching / Education
Caregiving / Nursing
Food service / Hospitality
Agriculture / Fishing
Construction / Manufacturing
Office / Professional work only
Are you interested in living in rural Japan?
Some regions offer special visa support and relocation incentives
Yes, I'm open to rural areas
Maybe, depending on the opportunity
No, I prefer cities
Will you be bringing family members to Japan?
Important: Some visas (Working Holiday, Long-Stay Sightseeing, SSW Type 1) do NOT allow dependents
Yes, my spouse
Yes, my children
Yes, spouse and children
No, just me
Is your current employer transferring you to their Japan office?
Intra-Company Transferee visa is common for multinational company employees
Yes, I'm being transferred by my current employer
No
Did you graduate from a top-ranked university in the last 5 years?
J-Find visa allows top university graduates to job hunt in Japan for up to 2 years
Yes, top university graduate within last 5 years
No / Not sure if my university qualifies
What's your current or expected annual income?
Your income level affects eligibility for fast-track options like J-Skip (¥20M+ Japan income) and Digital Nomad (¥10M+ remote income)
Under ¥10M (~$65,000 USD)
¥10M - ¥20M
¥20M+ (~$130,000+ USD)
¥40M+ (~$260,000+ USD)
Are you planning to study traditional Japanese arts or do unpaid cultural research?
Cultural Activities visa covers tea ceremony, ikebana, martial arts, calligraphy, traditional crafts, or academic cultural research - all unpaid
Yes, I want to study traditional Japanese arts or do cultural research
No
What level of teaching are you interested in?
Professor visa is for university faculty; Instructor visa is for K-12 and language schools
University / College faculty or lecturer
Primary or Secondary school (K-12)
Language school / Eikaiwa
I'm not interested in teaching
Are you pursuing a research role in Japan?
Researcher visa is for research at institutes or company R&D (separate from Professor)
Yes, I have or am seeking a research position
I have research background but not seeking research role
No
Do you work in a skilled trade profession?
Skilled Labor visa is for foreign cuisine chefs (10+ years), traditional craftspeople, and other specialized trades
Chef (foreign cuisine - not Japanese cuisine)
Traditional craftsperson / Artisan
Other specialized skilled trade
None of these
How many years of professional chef experience do you have?
Skilled Labor visa for chefs typically requires 10+ years of documented experience in foreign cuisine
No professional chef experience
Under 5 years
5-9 years
10+ years
Do you have or will you secure a physical office in Japan?
Business Manager visa requires a real office (not virtual). If you're planning to start a business in Japan, you'll need to arrange this.
Yes, I have or will secure a physical office
Planning to, but not yet
No / Virtual office only
Will you hire at least one full-time employee in Japan?
Business Manager visa now requires hiring at least one full-time local employee (Oct 2025 change). This is a key requirement for the visa.
Yes, I plan to hire at least one full-time employee
Eventually, but not immediately
No / Solo operation
Which generation of Japanese descendant are you?
This determines which visa category applies - 2nd/3rd gen can get Long-Term Resident, 4th gen has a separate Designated Activities pathway
2nd generation (parent was Japanese)
3rd generation (grandparent was Japanese)
4th generation or further (great-grandparent+)
Not sure
Did you graduate from a Japanese university or vocational school?
Graduates of Japanese institutions can stay up to 1 year to job hunt on a special Designated Activities visa
Yes, I graduated from a Japanese institution
I'm currently enrolled at one
No
Do you have 5+ years of management or executive experience?
This affects eligibility for Business Manager visa (Oct 2025 rules) and J-Skip fast-track to PR
Yes, 5+ years in management/executive roles
3-4 years
No significant management experience
Where should we send your results?
We'll email you a detailed report with documents checklist and timeline.
Analyzing your situation...
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Your Visa Pathway
Based on your answers, here's your most likely path
Disclaimer: This tool provides informational guidance to help you explore potential visa options—it is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility. Immigration rules change frequently. Always verify requirements with official sources (MOFA, ISA) or consult a licensed immigration professional before making decisions.
This tool provides general guidance only and isn't legal or immigration advice. Visa rules change frequently — always verify eligibility with official sources (MOFA, ISA) or a qualified immigration professional.