VISAS & IMMIGRATION

Understand your next immigration discussion in Japan.

Residence-status questions can affect business and family decisions. We help you communicate with appropriately qualified practitioners and understand what information they request.

Describe Your Situation → See project-wide budgets ↗

01 / What to think about before a consultation

What to think about before a consultation

Which current or intended status of residence is relevant?
What is the expiry or application timeline?
Is the concern a first application, change or renewal?
Have you already consulted an immigration professional?

02 / KIZUNA

How KIZUNA can help

Arrange interpretation for a meeting with a qualified practitioner.
Translate routine communications and help collect questions for the meeting.
Support scheduling and follow-up on instructions issued by that practitioner.

A MORE PRACTICAL GUIDE

Choose the correct residence pathway before planning the timetable

Incorporating a company does not grant a residence status. A qualified immigration practitioner must evaluate the intended activities, nationality, existing status and current eligibility rules, while KIZUNA coordinates the documented communications and milestones.

THE OPTIONS

Understand your options

Business Manager

For qualifying business management activities. Rules were substantially revised on 16 October 2025; do not rely on older ¥5 million articles.

Intra-company Transferee

May be relevant for eligible staff transferring to a Japanese presence of their employer; eligibility differs from Business Manager.

Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services

A different pathway for certain employment activities, assessed by the role and employment arrangements.

DOCUMENTS & INFORMATION

What to prepare initially

Passport and existing residence card or visa information, where applicable
Role description, qualifications, relevant management experience and employment documents
Company registration, business plan, premises and financial/asset evidence when relevant
Employee, language ability and professional assessment evidence where required for the current category
Dates for travel, intended start and status expiration

A professional will confirm the complete, case-specific document list. Please do not send passports or financial records in the initial inquiry form.

THE ROADMAP

What happens, step by step

Confirm the applicant’s circumstances

Collect current residence status, work duties, ownership or employment plans, family situation and travel needs.

Lead: Client + immigration professional

Choose pathway and build evidence

Qualified practitioner examines the current requirements and identifies the current application category and supporting documents.

Lead: Immigration professional

Submit the correct procedure

The authorised practitioner handles regulated immigration submissions within the permitted scope; KIZUNA coordinates messages and documents.

Lead: Immigration professional

Respond and track

Track additional requests, decision notifications, expiry dates and any follow-up steps; results depend on the authorities.

Lead: Immigration professional + KIZUNA

IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU COMMIT

Scope, timing and things that can change the budget

Revised Business Manager requirements effective 16 October 2025 include business capital/assets of at least ¥30 million and employing at least one qualifying full-time employee, plus other requirements. These are not KIZUNA service fees.
The revised framework also addresses Japanese-language capability, applicant education/experience, office and planning evidence; an authorised practitioner must review the complete rules and exemptions.
For certain pre-existing Business Manager residents, the immigration authority describes transitional treatment for renewal applications up to 16 October 2028. The specifics must be checked case by case.

See the estimated whole-project budgets →

Questions people ask before engaging

Can KIZUNA guarantee my visa?

No. Immigration authorities decide approvals. We coordinate work while an appropriately authorised specialist evaluates and handles the regulated application.

Can I use an older 2024 visa checklist?

No. Business Manager criteria were changed in October 2025. We link to official current guidance and ask practitioners to confirm the applicable application category.

Is the ¥30 million included in your visa-support price?

No. The measure concerns capital/business assets, not a fee payable to KIZUNA or the immigration adviser.

Sources for this guide

Checked against the linked official guidance on 24 October 2026. This is general information, not an individual legal, tax or immigration determination. Public rules and interpretations can change; a relevant licensed professional must review the current requirements before acting.

THE COMPLETE PICTURE

What might the whole process cost?

We estimate the whole standard project, including the qualified professionals and routine English-language coordination—without charging twice for everyday interpretation or translation.

INDICATIVE TOTAL CUSTOMER BUDGET¥590,000–¥750,000one standard application, including usual bilingual communication

Estimated project total covering an immigration specialist, potential success-related professional fee, KIZUNA bilingual coordination and application expenses.

ILLUSTRATIVE COMPLETE PROJECT BUDGET

Example: one Business Manager residence application

A single planning example covering the described standard scope, with routine bilingual support already included in the relevant service fee. Not a binding quote.

Immigration specialist: application + assumed success-related feeProfessional fee¥470,000

Official and incidental allowanceOfficial / incidental costs¥59,000

KIZUNA coordination + routine English supportKIZUNA (includes routine language support)¥40,000

Estimated consumption tax on taxable feesTax¥51,000

Estimated overall customer payment for this example¥620,000

An illustrative success-related fee is included in the potential budget, even if payable only after the stipulated outcome. Eligibility and final professional charges require case assessment. Immigration approval cannot be promised.

Not included in this illustration

Company incorporation, the capital or investment needed to meet eligibility requirements, office costs, employment, complex translations and additional applicants.

These are market-aligned budget examples, not a fixed quote or a guarantee of outcome. Ordinary English-language coordination, agreed meetings and routine correspondence are already included in the scoped service fees; exceptional or certified translations are quoted separately only if needed. Licensed professionals independently contract for regulated work. You receive an itemised total estimate before paid work begins.

Request a complete estimate →Compare service budgets ↗

Who is responsible for regulated work

Immigration eligibility, document preparation where legally restricted and application representation are handled by authorised professionals, not KIZUNA.

FAQ

Common questions

What changed for the Business Manager status in October 2025?

The Immigration Services Agency revised its requirements effective 16 October 2025, including financial and staffing criteria, with different transition arrangements for certain existing holders. Your eligibility must be assessed by a qualified professional using current official guidance.

Can you guarantee a visa?

No. Only the immigration authorities decide applications.

Are online consultations possible?

Interpretation and meetings can generally be remote, though application procedures depend on the individual circumstances.

Official starting points

Official guidance may change; check the issuing authority for the latest version.

JAPAN GUIDE