Freshness tracker · JPJapan

Online Certificate of Eligibility application expanded to all categories

In force Visa & immigration

The ISA expanded the online Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application system to cover all categories of work and study visas from April 2025. Previously paper-only for several niche routes. Reduces typical COE processing time by 1–3 weeks for digitally-eligible applications.

Who it affects

Japanese employers sponsoring non-Japanese hires.

Sources

Primary: Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗

Corroborating: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan ↗

Verified 2026-04-19 · methodology · report a correction