Written Answer to Your Visa Questions

Many visa questions are not about filling in a form, but about what you are allowed to do and what will happen if you do it. Can I take this side job? Can my family stay while my application is pending? Which status should I switch to? A general article cannot always answer these for your situation. The written rules are only part of the answer; how they are applied in practice often matters just as much. The Written Answer gives you a reasoned answer in writing that you can keep and read again. Where the answer cannot be definite, we explain why and what the possibilities are.

1. What you receive

A written answer in English (PDF, usually 2–4 pages) with the following sections:

Where a point is unclear or opinions differ, we say so.

2. Examples of questions we answer

Questions that need a closer look

• I hold a Dependent visa. A company abroad has offered me web design work. What kind of permission do I need, and is there a limit on how much I can work?
• I hold an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa. I am thinking of moving to a job at a hotel. Can I change jobs on my current visa?
• I left my job on an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa, and my new job starts in three months. Can I stay in Japan until then, what must I report, and could the gap cause problems at my next renewal?
• My grandfather was Japanese. Do I qualify as a third-generation Japanese descendant, which status would apply to me, and what needs to be proven for each generation?

Questions involving several rules

• My permanent residence application is pending. I want to change jobs and take freelance work on the side. How could each step affect my pending application, and in what order should I do them?
• My employer is sending me to its overseas office for two years. What happens to my status, my family's Dependent status and our re-entry permits, and what should we do before we leave?
• I may qualify as a Highly Skilled Professional. If I change status, what would it mean for my spouse's work and for changing employers later, and when is the right time to change?

Statuses we cover

Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra-company Transferee, Highly Skilled Professional (except (i)(c)), Specified Skilled Worker, Skilled Labor, Professor, Nursing Care, Dependent, Spouse or Child of Japanese National and Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident (spouses), Student, Temporary Visitor, Designated Activities (for example, No. 46, working spouses of Highly Skilled Professionals and fourth-generation Japanese descendants), Long-Term Resident for persons of Japanese descent, and Permanent Resident (procedures after you have obtained permanent residence, for example re-entry permits).

3. One situation, up to five questions

One Written Answer covers up to five questions about one situation: the same person (or the same family matter) and the same procedure or event.

• One situation: “My spouse's Certificate of Eligibility is still pending. If I change jobs before it is approved, will that affect the application? Can my spouse wait in Japan as a temporary visitor? Will my own extension of stay affect the application?” (three questions)
• Two situations: “Can I change jobs on my current status?” and “Can my spouse work part-time?”

If your message is about more than one situation, or contains more than five questions, we will ask you before you pay to choose, or to request a separate Written Answer. Where two questions have the same answer, we answer them together.

4. What is not included

• Reviewing your application documents (please use our Document Check), or deciding whether your education meets the requirements for a work visa (please use our Education Requirement Assessment)
• Preparing, rewriting or translating documents (for example, letters of explanation)
• Submitting applications or dealing with the Immigration Services Agency on your behalf
• Consultations by phone or video
• A prediction of the result

We cannot answer questions about

• An assessment of your chances of permanent residence approval. If your application is pending, we can explain what you need to report and how a change (for example, a new job or lower income) may be considered, favorably or unfavorably, in the examination.
• Business Manager status, including Highly Skilled Professional (i)(c), and naturalization
• Long-Term Resident status other than for persons of Japanese descent (for example, after divorce)
• The reasons for a past refusal, or how to re-apply after a refusal
• Deportation, special permission to stay, overstay, detention or criminal cases
• Legal matters other than immigration procedures, such as divorce, custody, employment disputes or tax
• Cases where your period of stay or an application deadline is within two weeks

5. How it works

1. Request. Send us the inquiry form and choose “Written Answer”. Describe your situation and your questions (about 800 words or less). Please include your current status of residence and its expiry date, your nationality, the people involved (for example, your spouse or employer), the key dates, and any past refusals or problems. Our answer is based on the facts you write, so please do not send documents or any other files. Within 3 working days, we tell you whether we can answer it.
2. Terms and consent. If we can, we email you our Terms of Service and Privacy Notice (PDF). If you agree, you reply with a consent sentence.
3. Payment. The fee is paid in full in advance (see Fee).
4. Questions from us, if needed. We may ask you once to confirm the facts. If we do not hear from you within 14 days, we answer based on the facts you have given us and state what we have assumed.
5. Your answer, usually within 5 business days after your payment (and your reply to our questions, if any). Complex questions, or requests received around holiday periods, may take longer; if so, we will let you know.
6. One follow-up question within 14 days, about the meaning of our answer.

We accept a limited number of requests so that we can answer each one carefully. If we cannot take your request, we will tell you before you pay.

6. Fee

The fee includes 10% consumption tax, also for clients residing outside Japan.

Payment and credits

• The full fee is payable in advance, by bank transfer from an account in your name (bank transfer fees are paid by the sender). If a bank transfer is difficult for you, for example if you live outside Japan, you can pay by credit card in your name.
• If you request our Document Check or ask us to handle your application within one month after our answer, we credit the full Written Answer fee.
• The Written Answer fee is not credited toward the Education Requirement Assessment.

Cancellation

• Before we start preparing our answer: full refund.
• After we start preparing our answer: no refund.
• If we cannot answer your question within this service: full refund.

The full conditions are in the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice, which we send you before you pay.

7. Please read before you apply

8. Frequently asked questions

Is my first inquiry still free?

Yes. If you are not sure whether the Written Answer is right for you, send us an inquiry. Our free reply tells you whether and how we can help, and what it costs. It does not include advice on your individual situation.

Can't I find this information myself?

Many of the basic rules are public, but much of the detail is available only in Japanese, and how the rules are applied in practice is not written anywhere. Our answer applies the rules to your facts, based on our in-depth knowledge of immigration law and our experience with actual applications, and points out risks you may not see from the official materials alone.

Why a written answer rather than a consultation?

A Written Answer gives you a reasoned answer in writing that you can keep and read again, without scheduling a call. If you are considering asking us to handle your application, a consultation is available separately.

Can I send you my documents?

No. We do not accept documents or any other files. Our answer is based on the facts you describe. If the wording of a document matters (for example, your designation of activities), we may ask you to type out the relevant part in your email. If you would like us to review your application documents, please use our Document Check.

Can I ask about my family member's situation?

Yes, if it is about your own family, for example your spouse or child. We do not accept requests from companies or other organizations.

I live outside Japan. Can I use this service?

Yes. Everything is done by email, and if a bank transfer is difficult for you, you can pay by credit card in your name.

What if my situation changes after your answer?

Our answer is based on the facts at the time. If your situation changes, please request a new Written Answer.

My period of stay expires very soon. Can you help?

If your period of stay or an application deadline is within two weeks, a written answer may not reach you in time, so we cannot accept the request.

9. Request a Written Answer

Send us the inquiry form and choose “Written Answer” under “Visa type / Service”. Describe your situation and your questions (up to five) in about 800 words or less, including your current status of residence and its expiry date, your nationality, the people involved (for example, your spouse or employer), the key dates, and any past refusals or problems. Our answer is based on the facts you write, so please do not send documents or any other files. Within 3 working days, we will tell you whether we can answer it.

Request a Written Answer

Disclaimer: This page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice on any individual case. The information is based on sources available as of October 24, 2026. Immigration procedures, requirements and documents may change without notice. TKG Immigration Consulting Office accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this information.