Who Can Apply for a Visa in Japan?

When is it Required to Apply to the Immigration Agency?

It is required to apply to the Immigration Agency when you want to get a visa or a certificate of eligibility, when you want to change your visa, when you want to extend your visa, when you want to get an approval to work while your visa is not a working visa or when you want to get a certificate of working permission.

Is it Required to Attend the Immigration Agency when Applying for a Certificate of Eligibility.

The applicant for a certificate of eligibility is principally needed to attend a regional office of the Immigration Agency by itself unless an legally authorized agent attends to the regional office on behalf of the applicant.  

Who can apply for a Certificate of Eligibiity?

It is almost impossible for an applicant in overseas to apply to the Immigration Agency in Japan for a certificate of eligibility.

The ministry of justice regulates who can apply for a certificate of eligibility on behalf  of an applicant for each type of visa, such as an employee of a company or an institution which an applicant is to work for or a relative of an applicant who is living in Japan. 

Also an immigration lawyer ("gyoseishoshi") or an attorney at law("bengoshi") registerd  to the Immigration Agency can apply on behalf of an applicant for a certificate of eligibility.

Who can Apply for other Permission or Application on behalf of the Applicant?

If an applicant is a small baby or a child, its statutory agent like its mother can apply on behalf of its baby.

If an applicant is to work for a company in Japan, an employee of the company can apply for the expected newcomer to the company.

For any permission or application, an immigration lawyer ("gyoseishoshi") or an attorney at law("bengoshi") registerd to the Immigration Agency can apply on behalf of an applicant.