Immigration Services Agency of Japan
Visa Procedures
Please select the necessary procedures for Visa below.
- Continue Job-hunting in Japan: Designated Activities Visa
- CoE Application for Dependent Visa
- Notification of the Accepting Organization
- Useful links
Extension of Period of Stay
You must apply for extension before the expiry date of your period of stay. As applications are accepted 3 months prior to your expiry date, we recommend you to apply for it at your earliest convenience. Staying in Japan beyond your authorized period is subject to punishment and/or deportation under the Immigration Control Act. Int’l Student Affairs can submit certain types of application to the Immigration Services Agency on your behalf.
Required documents
*NUT processes visa extension applications online.
- Visa Extension Questionnaire Visa_Extension_Questionnaire_EN+JP
- Photo
The photo (in JPEG format) must have been taken within the last 6 months prior to submission and should be sent to us via email.
You cannot use the same photo on your residence card. - Your original passport
- Your original residence card
- Certificate of Student Registration
Regular Students may issue it yourself from the Certificate Issuing Machine. Gakumu-ka issues the one for Non-regular students. - Certificate of Student Graduation/ Completion
Transfer students entering the third year (B3) are required to submit certificates issued by their former schools. - Academic Transcript
Regular Students may issue it at Certificate Issuing Machine.
Transfer students entering the third year (B3) are required to submit certificates issued by their former schools. - Revenue stamp, Shunyu-inshi, 5,500JPY worth (online application), 6,000JPY worth (at the Immigration Services Agency)
This should be paid when your visa extension is approved. - Certificate of Research
For research students: issued by International Student Affairs - Scholarship Certificate (if you are receiving or promised to receive a scholarship)
You may have to ask your scholarship foundation to issue a scholarship certificate. Please consult your scholarship foundation. Ask Int’l Student Affairs for MEXT and JASSO scholarship with enough time in advance. - Notice of Success and Certificate of Expected Completion (Internal Promotion to M1/D1/GD1)
- Notifications of Accepting Organization (Left) & (Transfer)
If you attended a school (such as a technical college, language school, or another university) or worked in Japan before entering the Nagaoka University of Technology, please be sure to submit a [notification of change in your affiliated organization] to the Immigration Services Agency. - Students who are not completing the course within the regular period must have:
A) A letter written by your supervisor
B) A letter written by yourself stating clearly how long you would additionally need to graduate
Please specify the expected month and year of your graduation/completion in both letters.
(It is a free format, but you can get a sample format at Int’l Student Affairs. )
* If you plan to apply for your visa extension at the Immigration Services Agency independently, please contact the International Student Affairs.
* Application Form for KANJI Name on Residence Card
If you would like to add KANJI characters for your name on your residence card, please apply for it with this form. Once you get KANJI name on you residence card, you don’t have to renew it again.
Please be advised that this application cannot be submitted online. You are required to visit the Immigration Services Agency in person.
For more details, please refer to the website of the ISA.
* If any of the following apply, additional documents regarding method of support to pay for expensees while in Japan are required.
- Method of support has been changed from the last application
- When administrative guidance is received regarding Part-Time Work Permit
- When a supporter of the applicant is living in Japan If applicable, please contact the Section of Int'l Student Affairs.
Part-Time Work Permit
International students who wish to work part-time to supplement living expenses and school fees must apply for part-time work permit. Working without this permit is subject to punishment and/or deportation from Japan.
International students who are planning to participate in cultural communication events in local schools/organizations in the future are also required to apply for the permit, which will be necessary for you to receive reward from schools/organizations.
Starting from April 2025, the Section of International Student Affairs will only apply for your Part-Time Work Permit on your behalf when it is submitted together with your visa extension application. If you are applying for this permit for the first time, you are required to visit the Immigration Services Agency in person (located at Niigata Airport). If you urgently need this permit but are unable to visit the ISA in person due to certain circumstances, please consult with the Section of Int’l Student Affairs.
◆Only those who are entering Japan for the first time and permitted to stay for longer than 3 months under the visa status of "Student" are eligible to apply for a Part-Time Work Permit at the airport upon arrival. International students who are newly arriving in Japan and are interested in part-time work or participating in international exchange events are strongly encouraged to apply for this Part-Time Work Permit at the time of entry into Japan.
◆Each time you wish to start a new part-time job, you must obtain prior approval from your Supervisor (or Class-Tanto) and submit the designated form to Int’l Student Affairs.
A form of an approval from your supervisor
- You may work up to 28 hours a week.
- Up to 8 hours a day during school holidays. e.g. spring, summer and winter school breaks.
- You are not allowed to work in part-time jobs if you are taking a leave of absence. Or else you will be punished under the Immigration Law.
- If you are found working exceeding hours, you will be subject to punishment and deportation. Engaging in any business related to prostitution is also prohibited.
- The Section of Career Counseling, Counter #10 (ext. 9251/9252) has part-time job information for students.
- If you are going to receive monetary reward from participate in cultural exchange activities organized by local elementary schools/junior high schools, you will need this permit.
- Family members under a dependent visa may work part-time by obtaining this permit as well. The maximum hours allowed for them is 28 hours a week, even during the long holiday period of the university. Please note that Dependent visa and Student visa have different working hours. Int’l Student Affairs is not entitled to represent student’s family member; please do the whole application process by yourself.
- Students who attend the university’s internship program and receive payment from the company need a special permit. Please make sure to consult with Int’l Student Affairs to prepare beforehand.
Change of Visa Status
If you are to be employed in Japan after graduating from NUT, you must apply for change of status of residence at the Immigration Service Agency in person. Keep in mind that not all the applications of change of status are approved. Even if you have a remaining period of your student visa after graduation, you cannot continue to stay in Japan as a “student”. Continuing to stay in Japan without changing your visa status is subject to punishment and/or deportation under the Immigration Control Act.
To Be Employed
Necessary documents vary depending on the type of your employment. Please contact the Immigration Services Agency or visit their website for more details, and inquire with the company.
To Continue Job-hunting in Japan: Designated Activities Visa
If you wish to job-hunt in Japan after your graduation, you may apply for Designated Activities Visa and stay in Japan usually 6 months. Its extension is permitted only once for additional 6 months. You must take the application documents to the immigration office in person BEFORE your studentship at NUT ends. Nonregular students cannot apply for this visa.
Students who withdraw their studentship from NUT cannot apply for this visa. A recommendation letter from NUT is required when making an application for this resident status. To apply for this recommendation letter, please submit all the documents mentioned below to Int'l Student Affairs.
(It takes at least 3 days for Section of Int'l Student Affairs to issue you the letter.) You can work part-time job during the period, but please apply for the “part-time work permit” together with your visa application. You can work part-time up to 28 hours per week.
Required documents
- Request form for issuing a recommendation letter with supervisor’s seal
- Application for Permission to Change Status of Residence
- Your original passport and residence card
- Bankbook or other documents that certify your financial status
- Certificate of Graduation/Completion, or Certificate of Expected Completion
- Documents showing your job-hunt activities (interview appointments, results of screening, emails, etc.)
- Revenue stamp, Shunyu-inshi, 6,000JPY worth (application at the Immigration Services Agency)
This should be paid when the change of your status is approved.
CoE Application for Dependent Visa
International students with student visa who reside in Japan are allowed to accompany their family members under the residence status of “Dependent”. You will need to apply your family’s CoE by yourself at the Immigration Service Agency (at Niigata Airport). Be aware that the screening for CoE takes a long time.
Notification of the Accepting Organization
International students who are permitted to stay in Japan for longer than three months are required to notify the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) within 14 days if their accepting organization has changed due to enrollment, graduation, or other reasons.
- “Notification of the Accepting Organization (Left) & (transfer)”
When you enroll in or transfer to Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT) from a high school or another university in Japan, you are required to submit the [Notifications of Accepting Organization (Left) & (Transfer)] to the ISA within 14 days. - “Notification of the Accepting Organization (Left)”
When you graduate, complete your studies, or withdraw from NUT, you are required to submit the [Notification of Accepting Organization (Left)] to the ISA within 14 days.
If you plan to return to your home country right after graduation, you do not have to submit this form.
You can submit the notification via [Online Application] or [Postal Mail].
For first-time users, it is necessary to register your user information.
When entering information, please pay attention to input restrictions such as full-width and half-width characters.
◆Failure to submit a notification regarding your affiliated organization or submitting false information may result in penalties. It may also negatively affect future residence-related applications, so please make sure to complete the notification process without fail.