Contents
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Key points
- If your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) was refused and a new employer will apply for you, the new application is examined together with your immigration file, including the refused application.
- The company that filed the first application can ask the immigration bureau why it was refused. Ask the company to do this right away.
- If you never saw what was submitted, ask the first company for copies, or request them from the bureau yourself, even from outside Japan.
- The COE application form asks how many times you applied before and how many were refused.
- Copies take 1 to 1.5 months or more. Start as soon as you accept the new offer.
- If you live outside Japan, we can request the copies for you.
1. Who this article is for
This article is for you if:
- A company in Japan (we will call it Company A) applied for your COE, and the application was refused.
- You now have a job offer from another company (Company B), which will apply for a new COE for you.
- You have not seen the documents Company A submitted.
If the same company is applying again, it already has the documents from the first application. Ask it to share them with you.
If you already live in Japan and are extending your period of stay or changing your status, see what to do when your employer or a previous agent filed your application.
2. Why your previous application matters
In practice, a new application is checked against the information already in your immigration file, and a refused application stays in that file. Company B will describe a different job, which is normal. But the facts about you, such as your education, your major and your work history, should match what was submitted before, or any difference should be explained.
The COE application form also asks about your history directly:
- Past entries into Japan: yes or no, the number of times, and your most recent stay
- Past COE applications: yes or no, the number of times, and how many were refused
Answer these questions accurately. If you are not sure about your past entries, see how to get your Japan entry and exit records.
3. Find out why it was refused
In practice, the immigration bureau explains the reason for a COE refusal when asked. You could also hear the reason in person at the bureau, but if you live outside Japan, this is rarely practical. The realistic way is to ask Company A, or the gyoseishoshi who filed for it, to ask the bureau.
The reason matters for Company B’s application. If the refusal was about Company A or the job there, it may not affect the new application in the same way. If it was about you, for example your education or work history, Company B’s application will need to address it.
Ask right after the refusal
Once the job with Company A falls through, it can become hard to stay in touch. Ask the company to hear the reason, and to send you copies of the documents, as soon as you learn of the refusal.
Copies of the documents show what was submitted. They may not tell you why the application was refused.
4. Get the documents
First, ask Company A for copies of:
- The application form
- The documents about you, such as your CV, diploma, transcript and certificates of employment
- Your employment contract or written terms of employment, and any description of the job
The company may not want to give you its own documents, such as its financial statements. You usually do not need those.
If Company A does not help, you can request copies from the regional immigration bureau where it filed the application. COE applications are covered, and you are the applicant, so you can make the request even though the company filed it. You can request from outside Japan by post, or through an agent in Japan. For the forms, the fee (¥300 per application) and how to identify the application, see how to get copies of your past immigration applications in Japan. For the ID you need from outside Japan and requests through an agent, see sections 4 and 6 of our article on entry and exit records.
5. Timing
There is no deadline for a new COE application, but Company B will usually want to apply soon. Ask for the copies as soon as you accept the offer.
- Copies of the application: by law, the decision on disclosure is to be made within 30 days, but this can be extended. Allow about 1 to 1.5 months or more.
- From outside Japan: allow extra time for international post.
- If you ask Company A first: do not wait long for a reply. If you get no answer, send the request yourself.
If Company B cannot wait
Tell Company B that your earlier application was refused, and make sure your education and work history are described accurately in the new application. Share the copies with the company when they arrive.
6. What to check and share with your new employer
When the copies arrive, check in particular:
- Your school, your major and your graduation date
- The companies you worked for, the dates and your duties
- The job and salary described in Company A’s application
- Your past entries into Japan, if any
Share the copies with Company B, or with the gyoseishoshi preparing its application, so the new application can be consistent and explain any change. If something in the earlier application was wrong, do not simply repeat it. Give the correct information and be ready to explain the difference.
7. Our Japan Immigration Records Request service
Our Japan Immigration Records Request service can make the request for you as your agent, including when you live outside Japan. A gyoseishoshi identifies the application, files the request and delivers the documents as PDF files with a summary table in English.
- B. Past Immigration Application Files (up to 3 applications): typically about 2 to 2.5 months from outside Japan.
- C. History + Application Files, if you do not know when or where the application was filed: typically about 3.5 to 4 months from outside Japan.
Actual costs (ISA fees and return postage) are charged separately. The service covers your own records, and you must be 18 or older. If you live outside Japan, you need a photo ID showing your address. See the service page for our fees, all plans and conditions. To apply, send us an inquiry.
If Company B would like us to handle the new COE application, it can send us an inquiry. We will tell you whether we can help and which of our services fits. For how the COE works, see how to enter Japan with a COE.
Sources
- Immigration Services Agency, “在留資格認定証明書交付申請書” (application form, Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency, “地方出入国在留管理官署が保有する個人情報の開示請求について” (Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency, “よくある質問” (disclosure requests, Japanese)
- e-Gov, Act on the Protection of Personal Information, Articles 76 to 84 (Japanese)
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general information only and is not legal advice on any individual case. The information is based on sources available as of November 4, 2026. Laws, guidelines and their application may change without notice. Processing times and how a request is handled may differ by bureau and by case. TKG Immigration Consulting Office accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this information. In case of any difference between our English descriptions and the original Japanese texts, the Japanese texts prevail.