As more students choose to study in Japan, new policies have been introduced. Failure to pay attention to these changes may cause significant inconvenience to your study abroad experience. Below, we provide a detailed introduction to the key points to note under the new Japanese student visa policy.
1. Bank Statement Issues
Currently, a major reason for visa rejection is related to bank statements. First, the amount of the bank deposit may be insufficient; second, the bank statement may fail to verify the relationship with the student. Students preparing to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) must pay close attention to these two points. The bank deposit should ideally be at least 200,000 RMB, with 200,000 RMB being the absolute minimum. Furthermore, the bank statement must clearly demonstrate the source of funds. If your sponsor, such as a father or mother, is not a salaried employee with a stable monthly income, the probability of your bank statement being rejected by the Immigration Bureau is relatively high. It is best to obtain relevant certificates from major banks, as these are more readily accepted by the Immigration Bureau.
2. Sponsor Issues
According to documents from the Japanese Immigration Bureau, new regulations have been implemented for applicants heading to Japan starting from July 2018 for schools under the jurisdiction of the Tokyo Immigration Bureau. For applicants starting from July of this year, the family situation of the sponsor must be explained in an additional form, which must be signed by the sponsor in person. It is particularly important to note that if the sponsor is a relative other than a parent, specific reasons and evidence explaining why the parents cannot act as sponsors must be submitted. When parents act as sponsors, the sponsor's documents only need to be submitted to the school and do not need to be submitted to the Immigration Bureau. When parents are not the sponsors, the sponsor's documents and the applicant's parents' documents must be submitted to both the school and the Immigration Bureau. Unless there are special circumstances, it is still recommended that applicants have their parents act as their sponsors for their application to Japan.
3. Language Proficiency Issues
While Japanese language proficiency is not the primary reason for visa rejection, students with absolutely no foundation in the language still need to be very careful. Furthermore, after the 300,000-student plan is fully met, it cannot be ruled out that the Immigration Bureau may introduce new grounds for rejection. Currently, Japanese language study hours are no longer considered a reliable proof of language proficiency for online applications.
4. Other Issues
In the application for the Certificate of Eligibility, you must clearly state that your purpose is to study in Japan and specify the major you intend to pursue. Due to the increase in illegal residents using student status as a bridge, the Immigration Bureau will consider whether you are purely seeking an education or have other motives. Please pay attention to the issuance date of certificates or notarized documents; generally, the Immigration Bureau accepts specific certificates issued within the last 3 months. Documents or notarizations issued more than 3 months ago will not be accepted. Additionally, falsification of diplomas will also lead to visa rejection. Furthermore, the deadline for submitting supplementary materials has been changed from four weeks after the original application date to two weeks, and an explanation for why the supplementary materials were not submitted in a timely manner is required; otherwise, the supplementary materials will not be accepted.
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