Information on Japan Transfer VISA
Japan Transfer VISA (Japan Transferee visa) means a kind of status of residence to live in Japan when you are transferred (Tenkin=転勤) to Japan by your employer.
Let’s assume that you are working in India as one of director or an employee. Then the company has decided to expand its business to Japan.
In order to conduct market research, launch sales activity, obtain necessary license, you are transferred, dispatched to Japan.
So you will live in Japan for specific period.
You are not a president of the company of the head company. However you are one of director or employee.
In that case you can obtain status of residence of Intra-company transferee (“Japan Transfer Visa”).
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Merit of Japan tranferee visa
Content of Transferee’s work
Necessary amount of Salary
Establishment of Branch office
Necessary Documents
A lot of investment is not necessary to acquire Japan transfer visa
In the case you start your business in Japan newly, you need to obtain status of residence of business manager (Business Manager Visa=Investor Visa).
Then in order to obtain Business Manager Visa=Investor Visa, you need to invest at least five million yen and hire two Japanese employees basically.
And you need to prove that your business in Japan goes well with evidence issued by third party.
Even if you make beautiful brochure and detailed business plan, without such evidence, persons of immigration agency do not believe it.
However in the case of Japan Transfer Visa, you do not need to invest five million yen and hire two Japanese employees.
As far as you have been working in a company outside Japan for one year or more in skilled job, you can be transferred to Japan and obtain status of residence and live in Japan.
Your role in Japan to obtain Japan Transferee VISA
In order to obtain Japan Transfer VISA(=Japan Transferee VISA), your job description, your role should be Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International services”.
So the job needs to require some skills.
So simple labor is not available.
So if you hope to work as a sheet metal worker, waitress, house keeper, you can not obtain intra-company tranferee visa.
In the case of ordinary Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International services”, you need to have bachelor degree and/or work experience for several years are required.
However in the case of Japan Transferee VISA, bachelor degree, work experience of several years are not necessary.
On the other hand, in the case of Transferee VISA of Japan, the term of working in Japan should be limited.
So when the head company dispatches you to Japan, it needs to clarify term of staying in Japan is less than five years etc.
Then this term can be extended when it is necessary.
And you need to receive sufficient amount of salary to sustain your living in Japan.
So it will be more than 200,000 yen per a month.
In the case your employer established a new company in Japan, it will be difficult to make sales amount right away.
So in that case the head company can pay you salary and it will be easier to obtain Japan Transfer Visa.
If you have received salary from a head company for several years, you can provide such evidence to immigration agency.
Officers of immigration agency are interested in whether you can sustain your living in Japan without application for social welfare or not.
Establishment of Branch office or Subsidiary or Representative office is Necessary to get Japan Transfer VISA
In order that you obtain Intra-company transferee visa (企業内転勤ビザ), your employer needs to establish a branch office or Subsidiary or Representative office in Japan.
So you need to rent an office space in Japan.
(Or it may be easier to purchase a real estate. Because in order to rent an office space in Japan, Guarantor in Japan is necessary)
In order to establish Branch office of foreign company and register it with legal affairs bureau, Resident of Japan is necessary.
So you will obtain Japan Transfer VISA at first. Then, you will file registration of establishment of Branch office in Japan.
Or the head company will invest some money (Necessary amount to operate its business in Japan for a while) and make a subsidiary in Japan.
It will incorporate a LLC or KK company (Joint Stock Company) in Japan.
In the case of LLC, KK Company, resident of Japan is not necessary.
So representative director of the head office will become a representative director of LLC or KK company in Japan.
In the case of Representative office in Japan, registration with legal affairs bureau is not necessary.
(Application for tax office is necessary)
In the case of Representative office, you need to prove existence of the representative office by lease contract paper of office space etc.
(Because you can not provide certificate of company registration)
Necessary documents to obtain Japan Transferee VISA
In the case a foreign company (located outside Japan) sets up a branch office in Japan dispatch you to the Branch office, necessary documents are as below.
1)Letter of Transfer Order
(Head company makes a document that order you to transfer to Japan for specific period)
2) Document that certifies existence of branch office in Japan
3) Your resume that clarifies your work experience in head company.
4) Documents that clarifies job description in the branch office
(Again, evidence issued by third party is necessary)
5) Lease contract paper of office space.
6) Documents that clarifies your skill.
You need to prove that why the head company needs to dispatch you to Japan, other than other person.
The head office needs to have compelling reason to dispatch you.
And depending on situation, a lot of documents are necessary. In the case of visa process, there are not typical format of necessary documents.
Your every statement will require additional necessary documents.
So your patience is greatly appreciated.
You can also see this page. “How to make a branch office of foreign company in Japan and tax matters“
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