Basic Travel Requirements for Gambians visiting
Japan
Travelers are required to fulfill the following requirements in order to
apply for a Japanese Visa.
- A Gambian passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended arrival date and must have 2 blank pages for visa stamp.
- Duly completed and signed visa application form.
- If the applicant is a minor, the parents/legal guardians have to sign the form.
- Passport-size photographs (45 mm x 35 mm) taken in grey background.
- Proof of financial support.
- Proof of accommodation.
- Copy of return flight ticket.
- Documentation showing applicant’s ties to home country.
- Documentation confirming the purpose of travel.
- Copy of travel itinerary.
Japan Visa for Gambians
Facts about Japan
Japan is an island nation which features dense cities, imperial palaces, mountainous national parks and a plethora of shrines and temples. Tokyo, which is the capital is a popular destination for skyscrapers, shopping, and pop culture. Other popular tourist sites in the country are Onsen – a hot spring resort which features mineral baths, ski resorts such as Niseko in Hokkaido, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and Himeji Castle. Shops in Japan are famous for having the latest fashion trends, kimono gowns, and electronics. Sumo-wrestling, Kabuki theater productions, and karaoke bars are the forms of entertainment which tourists can pass time with. Child tourists in the country look forward to visiting Tokyo Tower which is considered Tokyo Disneyland.
The 21 World Heritage Sites make Japan one of the most visited countries in the world. Since 2011, the number of foreigners visiting the country has steadily been on the rise, a total number of 28.69 million foreigners visited Japan in 2017. The Japanese government hopes to receive 40 million foreign tourists every year by 2020.
Foreigners should desist from engaging in drug-related crimes as there are sophisticated methods of detecting drugs in Japan. Huge fines and lengthy sentences are handed out to anyone caught in the act.
Types of Japan Visa
| Types of Visa | Processing Time | Duration of Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | 5 working days | 90 days |
| Work visa | 5 working days | 1 year |
General Requirements for Japan Visa
- A Gambian passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended arrival date and must have 2 blank pages for visa stamp.
- Duly completed and signed visa application form.
- If the applicant is a minor, the parents/legal guardians have to sign the form.
- Passport-size photographs (45 mm x 35 mm) taken in grey background.
- Proof of financial support.
- Proof of accommodation.
- Copy of return flight ticket.
- Documentation showing applicant’s ties to home country.
- Documentation confirming the purpose of travel.
- Copy of travel itinerary.
Japan Tourist Visa Eligibility &
Requirements
- The Japanese visa is for Gambians traveling for sightseeing, exploration or adventurous purposes.
- This visa is valid for a period of up to 90 days.
- Applicants who want to extend their visa should apply for an extension at the nearest immigration office. You will have to pay an additional fee for the visa extension.
- Travelers carrying up to ¥1,000,000 or above should declare it upon entry.
- Japanese immigration officers may deny you entry if you appear to have no visible means of support.
- Visitors are required to have at least 15,000 yen per day to finance their stay in Japan.
- Use caution in all entertainment and nightlife districts throughout Japan, especially Roppongi, Kabuki-cho, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro.
- You are subject to Japanese law while you are in Japan. If you violate Japanese laws, even unknowingly, you may be arrested, imprisoned, or deported.
- If you are arrested in Japan, even for a minor offense, you may be held in detention without bail for several months or more during the investigation and legal proceedings.
- Overstaying your visa or working illegally may lead to fines of several thousands of dollars, and in some cases, re-entry bans can be as long as ten years, or indefinitely for drug offenders.
- Japan has a national health insurance system which is available only to those foreigners with long-term visas for Japan.
- Japanese authorities aggressively pursue drug smugglers and users, including recreational users with sophisticated detection equipment, “sniffing” dogs, blood tests, “stop and frisk” tactics, and other methods.
- Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking a drug that is illegal in Japan are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and fines.
- Please note that some drugs which may be legal in certain jurisdictions outside of Japan, including marijuana and synthetic drugs, remain illegal in Japan.
Japan Work Visa Eligibility &
Requirements
- Gambians traveling to Japan for employment purposes can apply for the Japanese work visa.
- Working visas are considered long-term stay visas and cover the kind of work that requires high-level professional knowledge or skills.
- The Japanese work visa is valid for 1-3 years but can be renewed.
- The work visa eligible for the following people:
- Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services Engineer- Engineers and Specialists in Humanities must have a university degree in their corresponding fields or 10 years of professional experience. International Services Engineers must have 3 years of professional experience in their field.
- Intra-company Transferee- This status applies to expats of foreign companies or the subsidiary companies of Japanese firms located overseas who have worked more than one year in the said office in overseas.
- Skilled Labor- Jobs involving foreign cooking, architecture or civil engineering characteristic to foreign countries, training animals, instructing sports, sommeliers, processing precious stones will fall into this status. It’s mandatory to have at least 3 years of professional experience in the field.
- Business Manager- Those who are going to start a business or invest in a business in Japan. It also applies to those managing businesses on behalf of investors.
- Highly-Skilled Professional- This visa aims to attract workers who are likely to contribute to the Japanese economy.
- The company of employment serves as the sponsor for the applicant. Hence, the company is required to present a letter stating the applicant’s intending position and expected salary to be paid.
- Applicants of this visa are required to apply for a residence permit.
- The company is also expected to ensure that the applicant is issued a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) as this is a vital part of the application process.
- The COE is issued by the immigration bureau under the jurisdiction of the Japan Ministry of Justice. A photocopy of the certificate is to be carried along with the original.
- Applicants are required to take their letter of employment and work contract to the embassy for application.
- For work applicants, a CV containing a proof of previous work experience should be submitted along with the contract letter.
Japan Visa Fees
Tourist visa
3000.00 (JPY)
Work visa
3000.00 (JPY)
Japan Visa Application Centres & Embassies in
Gambia
Banjul
Honorary Consulate of Japan — C/o Shyben A. Madi & Sons Ltd. No. 3A Liberation Avenue Banjul capital The Gambia
–
sam.madi@gamtel.gm
+220 422 7436 422 6666