U.S. Visa Application in Japan

YOKOYAMA

[Important]: As of May 2023, there are no more interview appointments available at the US Embassy and Consulates in Tokyo and Osaka (Kobe). Please note that we will not accept new cases until the appointment situation improves.

The Yokoyama Legal Service Office would like to explain in detail about the application for a tourist visa for a foreign national residing in Japan to visit the United States of America.

Visitor visas to the United States for foreign residents in Japan

In this article, we will explain what to do if you are a foreigner living in Japan with a visa but not a Japanese visa and you wish to travel to the United States of America.

Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Filipino, Brazilian, Peruvian and Russian nationals living in Japan are required to obtain a VISA before travelling to the USA.

Please note that if your nationality (passport) is from one of these countries, you will need a visa even if you are a permanent resident of Japan.

On the other hand, Japanese nationals (Japanese citizens), as you know, can enter the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), authenticated by the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).

In addition to Japanese passport holders, passport holders from the following countries (regions) can apply for ESTA in the same way as Japanese nationals. (Only countries in the Asian and Latin American regions are listed here).

• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Singapore
• Brunei
• Chile

What types of tourist visa are available?

Now, the B2 visa (tourist) is what ordinary passport holders from these countries apply for if they are applying for short-term tourism purposes.

How long is the tourist visa valid?

In the case of the USA, the visa validity period means the period during which you can apply to enter the USA at an airport or other US entry/exit point. It is not the expiry date of your permit to stay in the USA. Therefore, even if you have only one day remaining on your visa, you can still apply to enter the country. If your application is successful and you are granted a six-month stay, you can stay in the USA for six months even though your visa has expired.

The period of validity of a tourist visa after it has been granted varies widely depending on nationality.

B2 visa (Tourist) by Country/region Duration of validity

• P.R. China　１２０ months
• Hong Kong　１２０ months
• Thailand　１２０ months
• Philippines　１２０ months
• India　１２０ months
• Mongolia　１２０ months
• Brazil　１２０ months
• Colombia　１２０ months
• Peru　１２０ months
• Indonesia　６０ months
• Bangladesh　６０ months
• Nepal　６０ months
• Pakistan　６０ months
• Sri Lanka　６０ months
• Egypt　６０ months
• Russia　３６ months
• Uzbekstan　１２ months
• Vietnam　１２ months
• Myanmar (Burma)　３ months
• Cambodia　３ months

Thus, there is a big difference between passport holders from countries such as China, Thailand and the Philippines, who are issued a visa valid for 120 months (= 10 years), whereas Myanmar and Cambodia passport holders are only granted a visa valid for three months only.

Note that the above validity period is calculated from the date the visa is issued. For example, if the validity period is 60 months, the visa is valid for 60 months from the date of issue and you must enter the USA on a trip within that validity period.

The visa is valid for 10 years (120 months), which is a long period of time, but that is not the length of time you are allowed to stay in the USA. Remember that it means that you can apply to enter the country as many times as you wish within the period of validity of your visa.

Can I change from a B visa to a green card (permanent residence)?

As the B visa is relatively easy to obtain, some people may wonder whether they could use it to come to the United States and pursue an immigrant visa (green card) in the US.

However, as the B visa was applied for and issued for the purpose of staying in the US in a non-immigrant status, your pursuit of permanent residence in the US means that you are admitting that your original application was false. This means that if you have a B visa and apply for a green card in the US, your application will naturally be rejected. In addition, you may be barred from re-entering the US for life, as this is considered a violation application. To avoid this, you can apply for a green card after changing your visa status to one that leads to a green card, such as an H-1B, L-1, O-1 or E visa, but if this is the case, it is better to obtain these visas in Japan before travelling to the US.

It is also obviously not possible to obtain a B visa for the purpose of working in the US. To work in the US, all but green card and certain visa holders need a Form I-766: Employment Authorisation Document (EAD card, US work permit), but only those with the following statuses can obtain an EAD card (the latest information may vary). The latest information may differ. Please check). B visas are not eligible.

• K-1 visa
• Spouses on E1, E2 and H1-B visas
• F-1 visas
• M-1 visas
• L-2 visas
• Refugees
• Persons subject to DACA (US immigration policy that defers deportation for undocumented immigrant youth who entered the country at a young age)
• Green card applicants who are in the process of applying for adjustment of status or awaiting a ruling
• Non-immigrant status holders in the U
• Nationals of Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands

Therefore, you should never apply for a B visa for the purpose of immigrating or working in the United States.

How can I apply?

The visa application procedure involves four steps;

For more information on the application procedure, see below.

What documents are required for a visa?

All documents required for the visa, with the exception of photographs, are to be prepared in advance of the interview and brought to the interview.

General required documents are listed below.

Of course, other documents may be required in some cases.

• DS-160 confirmation page (as submitted in the online application)
• Valid original passport
• Original expired passport issued within the last 10 years
• One certified photograph (5cm x 5cm), taken within the last six months, white background. No glasses allowed.
• Interview appointment confirmation page (booked online)
• Photocopies of both sides of the residence card
• If accompanying family members, copies of family register, marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc. and US visa
• If invited by the US, letter of invitation
• Financial proof that you can afford the costs of your stay in the US

etc.

When can I book an interview?

When can I get an appointment for an interview at a US embassy or consulate? You may be anxious about the question of when you can make an appointment for an interview at the US Embassy or Consulate, because of your travel schedule.

You can only make an appointment for an actual interview after you have completed your DS-160 application and paid the application fee, but you can find an estimate of how busy it will be on the United States Department of State’s website.

Enter ‘TOKYO’ for the US Embassy in Tokyo or ‘OSAKA’ for Osaka on this website to see the number of days you have to wait for an appointment if you are a Visitor Visa.

Make use of this information, as in some cases, an interview appointment may be booked up to a month in advance in Tokyo, but in Osaka, you may be able to book it next week.

Interviews can be conducted at any embassy. There is no jurisdiction based on current address. For example, a person living in Tokyo can be interviewed at the consulate in Osaka.

What questions will be asked in the interview?

The interview must be conducted in person.

It is not necessary to be fluent in English. There are consular officers who are fluent in Japanese.

What questions will I be asked?

Commonly asked questions are,

What is the purpose of your trip, who will accompany you, where are you going? Questions about travel to the USA, 

And,

Questions about your family and life in Japan (or your home country).

The US Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 assumes that all persons coming from abroad are immigrants and wish to reside permanently in the USA. US immigration law is based on the concept of two categories: ‘immigrants’ and ‘non-immigrants’. Non-immigrants are temporary travellers who do not intend to take up permanent residence. Therefore, it is important to prove that you are not an immigrant and that you intend to return home, which is a temporary trip.

You must show that you have a home to return to, a family and a job in Japan.

Conversely, if you have family in the US and no family in Japan. Conversely, if you have a family in the US and no family in Japan, and no job in Japan, there is a very high possibility that you will be considered an “immigrant”.

When will I get the results?

The result is given verbally during the interview with the consular officer.

If the visa is not granted, the passport will be returned at that point.

If the visa is granted, the passport will be kept by the embassy and a passport with the visa seal will be mailed to the designated mailing address at a later date (approximately one week).

From 15 March 2021, the method of returning passports has changed. The free delivery service will end on 12 March 2021 and you can choose either ‘delivery to your home or place of work’, which requires an additional fee, or “pick up at the CGI Federal Document Delivery Centre” (must be received within 15 days).

Normally, you will opt for mailing. Receipt at a delivery centre tends to be slower than by post.

Our office applies for a visa on your behalf of you.

We can assist with applications for your US tourist visas.

We can also apply for visas for students and others who have difficulty in being granted a visa.

お客様

Can you take care of all the VISA applications?

YOKOYAMA

To apply for a US visa, the applicant must go to the embassy or consulate in person for an interview (interview). Otherwise, written and online application support can be provided.

The personal information provided by clients when applying for a visa is highly controlled content, such as passport information, residence card information, family register information, etc. Gyoseishoshi Law Firms are state licensed and are obliged by law to maintain confidentiality.

• Confidentiality Statement

Tariff (Standard plan only)

Payment is made in a lump sum at the time of application. Please note that the payment is not divided into two payments for initiation and success fees.

*Re-application after refusal or special circumstances will be quoted separately.

If you have previously applied to our office for an Australian visa or other country visa, we will give you a discount.

Please feel free to contact us for more information.

YOKOYAMA

With an Australian tourist visa, there is no need to go for an interview. Visas are also issued smoothly. How would you like to travel to Australia?

Contact us

Other Question?

Please feel free to contact us for advice!

First, please call +81-3-6264-9388 or leave a message on our website with your inquiry. (Please contact us by phone or consultation page.)

TEL: +81-3-6264-9388

WeChat: visa_hengshan

Line ID: visa_yokoyama

Email: info@lawoffice-yokoyama.com

Back to main page.