To enter Japan, international students must have a valid passport issued by the government of their country, and receive a visa in advance at the Japanese embassy or consulate-general in the area where they reside appropriate to their purpose for entering Japan and their length of stay. Excluding short term stays, a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) is required when applying for a visa. Although the host university can apply for the CoE at the Immigration Bureau as a proxy for the international researcher him- or herself, the period from when the application is started to when the certificate is issued takes two to three months. Note: The valid period of a CoE is for three months from the date of issue. International students must enter Japan within this three-month period.
