Unable to Return Your Home Country due to COVID-19? “Designated Activities” Visa as a Special Measure

photo by Tony Webster

The Corona disaster, which had started at the end of 2019, spread all over the world in the blink of an eye, and many countries entered lockdown. At the moment, Japan is experiencing the second wave of COVID-19 and the situation is still tense. International travel is still restricted and international flights have been reduced by more than 90%. Consequently, the number of mid-to-long term residents (e.g. students, technical intern trainee, company employee) who are unable to return their home countries due to COVID-19 increased suddenly. Originally, foreign residents are required to depart from Japan before their visa is expired. However, there are many people who are unable to do so due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the Japanese government has temporarily introduced a special measure to relieve those who have difficulties to return to their home countries.

About “Designated Activities” Visa as a Special Measure

Mid-to-long term residents living in Japan are normally on visas such as “Student”, “Technical Intern Training”, other work visa, working holiday visa etc. They are required to renew their visas or depart from Japan before the visa expiry date. However, a number of mid-to-long term residents are unable to return their countries because of flight cancellation, travel restrictions inside and outside Japan. Also, there are many people who have had their plan to stay in Japan cancelled due to the Corona disaster. To solve such a problem, the Japanese government temporarily permit “Temporary Visitor (90 days)” or “Designated Activities (90 days)” for those people. Furthermore, in order to relieve this problem more efficiently, the government announced that “Designated Activities (6 months)” would be permitted for the following types of residents (working is permitted according to the current visa). 

How to apply

An application of “Designated Activities (6 months)” can be made by two methods: by mail or handing in. Note that, in the area of Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau, the number of applications is significant due to the large number of foreign residents. Therefore, in order to avoid a delay in process, application methods (mail/in person) are determined by the current visa status of applicants.

Person who is to apply by mail

Person who lives in the area of Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau*¹ and meet either of the following conditions is required to apply by mail. 

1. Person who is on “Student” visa and wish to remain in Japan due to the difficulty returning to his/her home country
2. Former international student (mid-to-long term resident) who is on “Temporary Visitor (90 days)” visa because of the difficulty returning to his/her home country
3. Spouse or child(ren) of the above 1 or 2 who is on “Dependent” or “Temporary Visitor” visa
4. Former technical intern trainee (including former foreign construction worker and former ship-building worker) who is on “Temporary Visitor (90 days)” or “Designated Activities (3 months)” visa

*¹ The area of Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau: Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Niigata, Yamanashi, Nagano

Address link (download an address label here) 

Application must be submitted by 30 September 2020

Person who is to apply in person

Person who does not meet any of the above four conditions, or person who live outside of the area of Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau.

Application procedures and required documents

Application procedures

1. Prepare all required documents
2. Submit the documents to Immigration Services Bureau by designated method (mail/in person)
3. Receive a result from Immigration Services Bureau (you will be instructed how to receive, mail or in person)

Required documents

• Passport (photocopy of passport if applying by mail)
• Residence card (photocopy of Residence card if applying by mail)
• Application form for change of status of residence/Extension of period of stay (attach ID photo)
• Written material that proves that an applicant has a difficulty to return to his/her home country
• Checklist of document *²
• Documents listed on the checklist (e.g. certificate of graduation, statement of reason for technical intern trainee, etc.)
• Stamped addressed envelope (mail application only)
• 4,000 yen revenue stamp

*² Checklist link
International student and his/her family, former international student and his/her family, Technical intern trainee or former technical intern trainee

Precautions

• Applicants who reside in the area of Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau must follow the designated application method. If you are required to submit a application by mail but visit the immigration office to make an application, your application will not be accepted, and vice versa.
• If you are on work visa or working holiday visa, you may be eligible to extend the period of stay of your current visa. Note that, if your period of stay is longer than 6 months but apply for this “Designated Activities (6 months)” visa, your period stay will be shortened.
• Special measures for status of residence under the Corona disaster is regularly changing according to the situation at the time. Therefore, it is important to check the website of Immigration Services Bureau regularly.

Stay strong against the Corona virus

As the corona disaster has not shown a sign of settlement yet, countries are still enforcing travel restrictions and boarder controls. There are still many foreign residents who are not unable to return to their home countries in Japan. The governments sent rescue charters to collect their nationals, though was not enough. If you have a difficulty to go back to your country with a short period of stay remaining on your current visa, think about applying for “Designated Activities” visa.