Team of Boldvoices · 15 November 2026 · Official guidance checked 15 November 2026
Choose the short-stay visa or the long-term category that fits your plans. Use the Japanese mission responsible for your address in India to confirm how to lodge the application.
Jump to your route
Study · Work · Official job openings · Visit · Join family · Settle
Opportunities and rule changes
The Japanese Consulate-General in Mumbai says it has used VFS Global to facilitate visa applications since 20 April 2026. For tourism eVISA and other short-stay routes, check Japan’s current eligible-resident list and application instructions for your consular area.
Student visa
Coordinate with your school on the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and collect the documents Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists for the Student category. If you intend to work alongside study, check the permission requirements separately.
Official job openings by industry
Verified total of open vacancies that support a work visa, by industry: No official total verified as of 15 November 2026. Where a portal displays a filtered count, use it as a count of results for that search and check individual adverts for overseas eligibility and visa support.
Use Japan’s official Specified Skilled Worker portal to find industry-specific recruitment and matching information. Check the field, any required tests, the employer and whether an event or vacancy accepts applicants from India.
Before counting an opening, check that the advert is active, accepts applications from overseas, and supports the specific work-visa route or provides the job offer needed for it. Count one advert once and record the number of positions separately if the employer publishes it.
Work and Specified Skilled Worker
Match your job to the appropriate status of residence and confirm how your employer will support the COE process. For the Specified Skilled Worker route, check the field’s skills and Japanese-language test rules, exemptions, and the steps required after obtaining an offer.
Tourism and short visits
Check whether your trip qualifies for Japan’s electronic tourist visa or requires a different short-stay application. Use the mission’s checklist for the itinerary and other evidence relevant to your purpose.
Joining family
The long-term visa directory distinguishes a dependant of a foreign resident from the spouse or child of a Japanese national. Confirm the appropriate status and the COE and relationship documentation for that route.
Permanent residence
Review the Immigration Services Agency’s current permanent residence guidelines for the residence category you hold. Check the required period of residence and the documents for your case before filing.
How to apply from India
Follow the mission’s India instructions and prepare the route-specific checklist. For eligible long-term routes, ask the school, employer or family sponsor about obtaining a COE in Japan. Submit to the instructed channel and watch for requests for additional evidence.
Fees and processing
Use your Japanese mission’s published India fee schedule in rupees and account for any application-centre service charge. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes processing guidance, and the embassy warns that processing can vary with application volume.
Common question
Does holding a COE guarantee a visa? A COE supports the long-term application. Follow the mission’s visa process and allow time for a decision.
Official sources
- Japanese Embassy in India visa instructions
- Mumbai consulate submission and fees
- Japan eVISA
- Student visa
- Work and long-term visa directory
- Specified Skilled Worker instructions
- Permanent residence guidelines
- Visa processing guidance
- Japan Immigration Services Agency Specified Skilled Worker portal
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