Complete Guide to Required Documents for the Gijinkoku Visa｜Checklist by Category 1-4
Introduction
When applying for the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (Gijinkoku) visa, the required documents vary greatly depending on the Category (1-4) of the receiving company. If you misjudge the Category, you may submit too few or too many documents, leading to delays in screening or requests for additional submissions.
In this article, we organize the required documents for Gijinkoku by Category and compile them in a checklist format.
This article is based on the table for「Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services」in Appended Table I (2) of the Immigration Control Act, the Ministerial Ordinance on Landing Standards, and information published by the Immigration Services Agency. Since the documents to be submitted may change, please be sure to check the latest list of documents on the official website before applying.
First, Confirm the Category
The required documents for Gijinkoku differ across four classifications according to company size.
| Category | Main Target | Document Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Listed companies, public institutions, certain certified companies, etc. | Significantly simplified |
| Category 2 | Organizations/individuals whose withholding tax on employment income for the previous year was 10 million yen or more, etc. | Simplified |
| Category 3 | Organizations/individuals that submitted the Summary Table of Legal Records such as the withholding slip for employment income for the previous year | Detailed supporting documents required |
| Category 4 | Falling under none of the above (newly established corporations, etc.) | The most detailed documents required |
The lower the Category, the more documents demonstrating the company’s stability and the continuity of its business are required.
Documents Required in Common
Regardless of the Category, the following documents form the basis.
- Application form (the format corresponding to the procedure)
- Photo (prescribed size)
- Documents proving the Category
- Passport and residence card (in the case of change or renewal)
Additional Documents by Category
Categories 1 and 2
- Documents proving the Category (a copy of the Shikiho corporate guide, documents showing the withholding tax amount, etc.)
- Centered on the application form; documents demonstrating the applicant’s individual activities are simplified
Categories 3 and 4
Documents proving the applicant’s educational background, work history, and job content are required.
| Classification | Main Documents |
|---|---|
| Activity content | Notice of working conditions or employment contract, letter of explanation/reason for employment (optional but effective) |
| Education and history | Graduation certificate, academic transcript, certificate of employment showing work history, etc. |
| Company overview | Certificate of registered matters, copies of financial statements, documents clarifying the business content |
| Company scale | Summary Table of Legal Records such as the withholding slip for employment income (alternative documents when Category 4 lacks these) |
Key Point：The core of Gijinkoku is the「relevance between educational/work background and job content」. Documents showing the connection between the major and the job, and a letter of explanation/reason for employment that specifically describes the job content, are the keys to securing approval.
Note the Language Requirement from April 2026 Onward
Due to the system change taking effect on April 15, 2026, companies in Categories 3 and 4 are now required to submit documents demonstrating a certain level of Japanese language ability (equivalent to CEFR B2) when, for example, the work mainly involves interpersonal duties. Whether you are subject to this depends on the job content. For details, please see「Gijinkoku for Interpreter/Translator/International Service Roles｜CEFR B2 Interpersonal Duty Requirement」.
Pre-Application Checklist
- Have you correctly determined the Category of the receiving company?
- Have you prepared documents proving the Category?
- (Categories 3 and 4) Have you assembled documents showing the relevance between educational/work background and the job?
- Have you prepared the employment contract and notice of working conditions?
- Have you attached Japanese translations to overseas documents?
- Have you checked whether you are subject to the language requirement from April 2026 onward?
- Have you checked the latest official list of documents?
Our Office’s Support
Category determination and proving the relevance of education and job content can make or break a Gijinkoku approval. The Kaneko Hidetaka Gyoseishoshi Office provides consistent support, from selecting documents to drafting the letter of explanation/reason for employment.
- A 98% approval rate track record
- Supported languages: Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, English
- First consultation free