As I’m from the UK, this article is based on my experience for applying for the Japanese working holiday visa as a UK citizen, I have included details on the variations on different countries options though, there are slight variations in requirements depending on which country you are coming from. Japanese working holiday visas (which entitle the owner to stay in Japan and gives them the legal requirement to work) are for residents from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark, France, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. With the exception of Ireland (which is 18-25) residents of these countries applying for the Japan WH visa must be between the ages of 18 and 30 (inclusive).
France, Germany, Korea, Denmark, Ireland and the UK are granted 1 year with no extensions possible. Six month visa’s are granted to the other countries. Australian and Canadian citizens may extend their visa twice (They can stay up to 18 months) while NZ applicants can extend it once (to maximum of 12 months). Please be aware this data is subject to change and you should check for current rules and reg’s on visa applications.
Currently only 1000 WH visa’s are allocated to UK residents per annum. This was recently increased from 400. Generally there isn’t as many people coming to Japan on a WH visa as Australia though, so this is not normally an issue. The visa year is September>September, so the best time to get one is around Sept/Oct every year when the 1000 spaces will still mostly be available.
You must also not have dependant children, be in good health, a good character (no criminal record), and not be with a spouse (unless they have the same visa status granted), have never applied for this WH visa before . The ‘spirit’ of the working holiday visa is you find work to supplement your travel fund as you go around, not have a job before you arrive (this is important to remember when applying). You also need ‘adequate’ funds (explained below) for your initial stay and intend to leave Japan at the end of your visa. This visa is also single entry, so you can’t leave and continue on the same visa rights (however this can be gotten around by getting a re-entry permit before leaving Japan – note this can not be done at the airport, it needs to be pre approved in a village before you leave – so bare this in mind if you have to make a trip – emergency or otherwise – out of Japan when staying in due to your WH visa).
Materials and requirements
The materials you need to submit in person (don’t send Mummy to do this – that isn’t allowed) are as followed and need to be done in your home country. You CAN NOT go to a Japanese embassy in any other country and apply for it, you need to be in the country that your passport is from. You usually have to go to your nearest consulate too. Scottish applicants are not to go to London Japan consulate for example – they go to Edinburgh one.
- A completed Visa application form
- A 35x45mm photograph taken within 6 months
- A personal history, resume or curriculum vitae typed on A4 paper
- A proposed itinerary for your stay in Japan
- A written personal reason for wanting to go to Japan, typed on A4 paper
- Either £2500 in cleared funds OR £1500 plus an onwards flight ticket out of Japan
- £20 cash for the visa application.
The above is for UK residents, some of the differences for different countries that I know are:
- Australians only need AU$2500 cleared funds there is no application fee.
- Canadians need a return flight ticket and CN$2500 in cleared funds, no application fee.
- Kiwis need Flight ticket home + NZ$3000 or NZ$5000 in cleared funds, no application fee.
- Danish applicants need 11,000DKK and return ticket home 22,000DKK, no application fee.
- French applicants need a medical certificate, €2700 + flight ticket home or €4000, and to fill out a stay program form, no fee.
- German applicants need €1200 with a return ticket or €2000 without, they also need to provide proof of insurance for their stay, no fee.
- Irish citizens have to be 25 or under (some exceptions – I don’t know what though) need €1600 euro + plane ticket, or €3200, travel insurance. No fee.
- Unsure about Korean applicants as I can not read the embassy website (linked).
- Taiwanese need to find out details on applying through the Interchange Association (Japan)
Please note that some countries allow you to apply as a married couple too which allows you to bring a different amount (i.e. in a shared bank account) for example this is NZ$8500 for the couple if you are from New Zealand.
General Tips
You DO NOT need a degree to get the working holiday visa (unlike a Japan work visa) but the visa does bar you from certain work opportunities. Mostly this is in the ‘entertainment’ industry. So if you’re a pop star singer, bar man or F1 driver, you can’t use the working holiday visa for these occupations (separate visa’s are issued for them). Many of the visa applications like to see Japanese language ability however it isn’t required.
‘Cleared funds’ means exactly that – credit card/s with large limits don’t count neither do any other sort of IOU. You need this in a bank account and to show them the funds. For UK you need to show previous 3 months bank statements, although I believe some others (Canada) you only have to show 1 previous month. Can you borrow the money from someone and make it look like you have it? Officially no.
In reality? Yes. I actually had a ‘financial dump’ which I borrowed off my parents to make up the £2500 requirement and it was on the statements. Did they ask about it? Yes. Because it is suspicious and it all of a sudden meets their requirements they WILL question it. I had to get my parents to fax in a statement to the consulate to prove that it was a gift and I owned the money to do whatever I wished with it. Of course once I got the visa I returned the money.
Akinhabara - AKA Electric city
Next the Itinerary. I suggest if you want to last over 6 months in Japan you be careful in what you write and try to pad it out. If you intend to stay 2-6 months and this is mentioned then they are unlikely to grant the visa as you can just have a tourist one (valid for 3 months) and no right to work. Break it down into sections saying what you will do in each period (I suggest 2-4 month periods). Don’t make it up, actually do some research into Japan attractions that you are likely to visit anyway and explain why. Something like ‘I want to go to Tokyo because I love manga’ is not good enough. Here is a sample paragraph from my own itinerary to give you an example:
Mid October – Min January
I plan to arrive in Tokyo and find a job while exploring the urban culture of Japan’s Capital, I will be looking for a job when I arrive to support my time in the city. I will visit local temples, shines and parks, Akihabara, Sega joypolis, and sumo wrestling . I will also look for a language exchange with a local. I want to finish off my period in Tokyo celebrating the new year.
You see I have mentioned the place/area of stay, that I am looking for work, some attractions I’m likely to visit and another activity (language exchange). This doesn’t have to be true but it does have to be believable. I actually found this process quite interesting and helpful for planning my time in Japan anyway.
For the statement, work with your plan and think about why you want to go to Japan. Again ‘because I love manga’ is not good enough – why do you love manga? Here is a part of my statement:
Ever since a child Japan had an influence. Starting off with a Sega Mega Drive and all the colourful creations across my screen raising my interest in Japanese art and technology.
I then went on to mention martial arts, Japanese cars and culture, all of which I have had a genuine interest in over the years. Again – it doesn’t have to be true, but if you are struggling to write a page (200-400 words) on why you want to go, then maybe you need to rethink things.
Got The Visa?
Please note once you arrive in Japan you MUST register for an alien (Gaijin) cards from the local village of where you are staying within 90 days of your arrival if you intend to stay longer than 90 days. This acts as your ID in Japan and overrides your passport in many cases, for example if you want to apply for a bank account. You can’t get a Japanese bank account without this card.
Also you have 1 year to enter Japan from when your visa was issued (up to 8 weeks, but it typically takes 2 after application). The visa starts from the date you arrive in Japan.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey,
great post :)regarding the bank statements, you say 3 months? well It takes a week from the date of the statements till you receive it
for example:
My bank statement runs from 11th to the 11th of every month, but I do not normally them it in the post for around 4-5 working days, I will go up the day I receive my statements but they will be 5 days old, does that make sense, will they want to see it right up to the date I apply, if so thats impossible as you cant get full statements from the bank they have to be ordered.
Thanks so much
I think not having it up to the exact day of application is ok. If you apply on say 15th of March and your bank statement goes to 14th of February then they might ask for a new one, but (baring in mind it takes a week or so to approve the visa anyway) I think them not seeing the latest week is ok.
I actually printed my statements off the internet and dont get them via snail mail so it did have up to the current day when I applied.
Great article Rob, really useful.
I’m planning on coming over to freelance for at least a year and trying to get hold of a working holiday visa.
To keep the cleared funds to £1500, do you know if it’s possible to provide a return flight ticket that is for say, 10 months later?
Thanks
Alex
Alex´s latest blogpost – 6 Basic Social Media ‘No Nos’ that are Stopping Freelancers from Winning Clients
Hi Alex,
You’re welcome, thanks for reading.
I’m pretty sure that is OK. It shouldn’t matter when your return flight is as long as it’s within the usual 12 month period for British nationals. They’d probably rather see a flexible ticket, but you can always contact them to double check anyway, as requirements always change.
Hi rob, cheers you’ve give me alot of help. I was wondering if you could help me a little more. I’m currently doing a Whv in Australia on my 2nd year extension which runs out in September. I’ve met a Japanese girl and planned to go on a Whv to japan straight from oz but after looking into it, it seems I gotta come home and apply in person from uk. I assume there is no way around this? Also if I come home and supply them with bank statements for 3 months will they be okay with my reasons that I transferred from australian account? And would it be wise to conceal my japanese girlfriend and plans once i am there? Any advice you can give me will be appreciated.
Thanks
Anthony
Hi Anthony,
Yes I’m afraid you’ll have to come home. I looked into this myself a bit as I was in Oz and wanted to go to Japan straight after (it saves a lot in flights not going via the UK!), but there doesn’t seem to be a way around it unfortunately.
If you show the account of where your money came from to your UK account to make up the minimum £2500 amount then I’m sure that will be OK. Especially as it is your money anyway. It doesn’t matter if you had multiple accounts or where they were based, at long as you can show the actual amount is from a legitimate source then it’s fine.
I wouldn’t mention your girlfriend on the visa in any way, for example living with her as a way of covering your expenses out there. You could say you met nice Japanese people in Australia which influenced your decision to go to Japan (they like people who have already got WH visa’s in other countries), but don’t say you’re staying with them, just visiting them.
Congrats on the girl anyway. I too have a Japanese girlfriend now, so will be heading back to Japan a couple of times this year, maybe see you there!
Ah rite cheers again mate. Think I best get saving until September then haha! If I’d of known 2 months ago I could of applied as I went home over Xmas just gone for a month..doh! Anyway hood luck with the traveling and of course your girl.
Rgrds
Anthony
No problem.
Just another note: When you get your visa approved you have one year from approval date to enter Japan. So if you was in the UK at Xmas, you could have got the visa then, spent this year until September in Australia, and fly straight to Japan from Australia after. You just need to be in your own country when you apply for the visa and have the money then too.
It’s not a great system but it’s how its done to enter in Japan anyway.
Hi Rob,
A very good read, in the last few weeks I’ve been interested applying for a WHV in Japan, I have a few questions, What kind of work (if any) did you undertake in Japan?, How long did you stay in Japan for? Off the topic of Japan, have you done a WHV in Canada? because that too interests me..
thank you.
Andy.
Hi Andy,
I worked as a receptionist at a British themed hotel. They also had work there as a waiter/bar worker too. Other options include ski resorts and summer beach resorts who all want English speakers (these are seasonal too).
After 7 months of that I did private English teaching, although as I was starting out I didn’t get very busy doing that over the remaining 5 months.
I’ve not been to Canada so can’t advise about their visa system I’m afraid.
Hey,
I have been to Canada on the WHV and an applying for another one. It is well worth the hastle of the application process.
However generally it is an expensive place to be.
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/united_kingdom-royaume_uni/experience_canada_experience/index.aspx?view=d
The processing period is around 8 weeks (sometimes longer)
and you need to have a police certificate.
The Japan Whv seems pretty stratightforward so I might give it a think over.
Thanks for all the info.
Just a question regarding jobs out there.
How easy would it be to find jobs to support yourself while you are there?
You said that you did private english teaching, do you have a TEFL qualification to promote yourself, or did you just say that you are fluent?
Finding jobs is easy, there are plenty around. Getting them is a lot more harder though. There is plenty of online places advertising jobs but it is most teaching English opportunity.
Japan is an expensive country to be in, so I wouldn’t want to live there long without a full time job. You can arrange work before you go but that’s another difficulty in itself.
I have a TEFL certificate, but it didn’t count for much, nor did I use it to promote myself. People want good teachers, and a load of qualifications doesn’t necessarily mean you are a good teacher. I seemed to find my forte with children rather than adults even though I’d thought I’d be the opposite at first. If the students are enthusiastic then it makes the job a lot easier.
Could you speak Japanese before you went to Japan? How did you organize accommodation whilst you were there? Did you rent an apartment or stay in a Gaijin house or just in a hostel?
Couldn’t speak Japanese before going.
I got a job and accommodation was part of my contract as well as food. All I needed to do was turn up for work. Got a wage too!
There are a few places which do this. Hotels can be year round, ski resorts for the winter months, and beach resorts for the summer months (you’ll be a receptionist/waiter/ski or surf instructor as a job in general).
How long does the visa generally take to get approved? Thanks
I think it’s maximum 8 weeks, but don’t quote me on that. 4-6 weeks is more normal though. I think mine was 4 weeks.
Good advise you got there, im interested in going to japan and learning how to be a sushi chef but would like to live there whilst im taught to get a feel for the culture and lifestlye too, any advise on how to pre arrange jobs or training schemes whilst not in that country?
That’s not something I’ve had experience in so can’t give you advice that would be that valuable.
Just check online forums for people living in Japan and you should find something suitable for you. Foreigners are called ‘gaijin’ or ‘gaikokujin’ in Japan. So some places are named with that in the title in order to help foreigners out. Places like GaijinPot have a load of options for jobs, accommodation, etc which maybe a good start.
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