I want to run a company or shop in Japan. One of the things you need to do is get a status of residence, or a visa. In Japan, there is a basic law governing immigration management. This law is the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (hereafter referred to as the Immigration Act). According to this law, foreigners residing in Japan are required to have a status of residence in principle.
So, for example, if you want to run a company in Japan as a president, what kind of residence status do you need? It is called a “business manager visa.” In this article, you can learn about the following points.
- What is a business manager visa?
- Who should I ask to get a business manager visa?
- How much does it cost to get a business manager visa?
- When and how will the remuneration be paid?
Now, let me explain these points in detail below.
1. What is a business manager visa?
(1) Eligible activities
The purpose of the “Business Manager” residence status is to enable foreigners to engage in business management and administrative duties.
The activities that correspond to the Business Manager Visa are those that manage trade or other businesses in Japan or engage in the management of such businesses (see the lower column of the Business Management section of Table 2 of Appendix 1 of the Immigration Control Act). Specifically, it is easier to understand if you imagine the activities of an officer such as a president, director, or auditor. In other words, the activities are the decisions on important matters, the execution of business, or auditing in running a business. In addition, activities as a manager such as a department manager, factory manager, or branch manager also fall under this category.
So, if a person is employed by a company and engages in business management as a lawyer, does this qualify as a “Business Manager” status of residence? Such activities fall under the “Legal/Accounting Services” status of residence and are excluded from the above Schedule (see parentheses in the lower column of the “Business Manager” section of Schedule 1-2 of the Immigration Control Act).
(2) Whether or not a person can use another residence status
However, you may think, “I already have another visa, so I should be able to set up a company without the need for a business manager visa.” However, if you set up a company without a valid business manager visa and still have a residence status such as a student visa, you will be working illegally. Therefore, if such a foreigner sets up a company or opens a shop, they will have to obtain a business manager visa.
2. Who should I ask to obtain a business manager visa?
(1) Difficulty of obtaining a business manager visa
Although the conditions for obtaining a business management visa have been relaxed, the hurdles to applying for a business management visa are by no means low. In order to obtain a business management visa, it is necessary to collect the necessary documents and fill out the necessary paperwork, but the procedures are said to be more complicated and difficult to understand than other work visas.
It is a hassle to have to visit the Legal Affairs Bureau, Notary Public Office, Immigration Bureau, etc. many times. Moreover, even if you take the time and effort to apply, there is no guarantee that you will be granted permission to stay. If the requirements for permission are not met, permission will naturally not be granted. Some experts believe that the approval rate for the Business Manager Visa is lower than that of other visas.
(2) It’s easier and more reliable to rely on experts
In the circumstances described above, there are many people who want to obtain a Business Manager Visa as reliably and smoothly as possible. To do so, it may be a good idea to utilize a professional.If you ask a professional, you can get the necessary information smoothly and also receive advice tailored to your circumstances. When you think of a professional, you might imagine a lawyer, but there are also administrative scriveners who are experts in document preparation. There are administrative scrivener offices that can provide multilingual support, and offices that are particularly focused on supporting the acquisition of business manager visas, so it seems that you can find an administrative scrivener that is more suited to you.
(3) Support provided by Touch Legal Professional Corporation
Our office (Touch Administrative Scrivener Corporation) is an administrative scrivener corporation that specializes in visa applications and has a strong track record of supporting foreigners who wish to obtain a business manager visa. But that’s not all. Our office is confident in our support system for obtaining a business manager visa. Many administrative scrivener offices handle the business of supporting the acquisition of a business manager visa, but at our office, you can choose from three plans.
Therefore, you can choose the best plan according to your wishes and budget. What kind of support is provided specifically? For example, if you prefer a simple and affordable plan, you can receive support with documents for incorporation (preparation of original articles of incorporation and registration application documents, etc.) and support with business management visas (preparation of business plans, application on your behalf, etc.). If you choose the most comprehensive plan, they will also provide transportation to and from the airport when you visit Japan.
3. How much will it cost to obtain a business manager visa?
(1) I’m worried about how much it will cost…
Even so, if you ask a certified administrative scrivener, you may be worried about how much money it will cost. If you are worried that you will be charged a high fee or made to pay unknown fees, the process of obtaining a business manager visa may become a pain. Some people may even be worried that they will be deceived by unscrupulous companies.
Many of us probably have a good idea of the average prices of items we buy in our daily lives. However, not many people are familiar with the average cost of obtaining a business management visa. Therefore, in this article, we will clarify the approximate cost of obtaining a business management visa when requesting a certified administrative scrivener.
(2) Has a uniform price been decided?
First of all, how are the fees paid to administrative scriveners determined? In fact, there is no nationwide uniform price list for the amount of compensation that administrative scriveners receive when performing their work, and each administrative scrivener is free to set their own amount. How can you find out the amount? It may be listed on the administrative scrivener’s office’s website. In addition, the above amount of compensation is required to be posted in a conspicuous place in the administrative scrivener’s office. Therefore, you will be able to see it when you visit the office.
However, if the fees vary from one administrative scrivener to another, questions may arise, such as which administrative scrivener to hire, or whether the fee amount posted by that administrative scrivener is really reasonable. Therefore, the Japan Federation of Administrative Scriveners Associations periodically conducts a nationwide survey. According to the survey, the average, minimum, maximum, and most frequent values for the fee amount for each service are listed. Therefore, you can find out the market price for the fee amount from these values.
However, the above fees vary depending on the client and the case. Therefore, it is recommended that you inquire at a nearby administrative scrivener for details on the fees. There are some offices that will accept free consultations and provide estimates, so it is a good idea to make use of such systems.
(3) Average cost of obtaining a business manager visa
Next, let’s talk about the fee to be paid to obtain a business manager visa. If you take a quick look at administrative scrivener offices that have websites on the Internet, you will find several offices that charge from 200,000 yen for certification of a business manager visa. There may be some administrative scrivener offices that accept orders for around 100,000 yen, and some that charge over 300,000 yen.
If you also request company establishment, the cost may increase further. In any case, it seems that the fee will vary slightly depending on the administrative scrivener and the individual case.
To avoid regretting later that “this is not what I expected,” it is a good idea to check the fee directly in advance. At that time, it is even better to check what kind of services are provided and whether additional fees will need to be paid.
4. When and how will remuneration be paid?
(1) Preparations for payment of remuneration
From the above, we can see that the fee to be paid to an administrative scrivener when obtaining a business management visa will be a considerable sum. If that is the case, what you are even more concerned about is when and how you will pay the money. Ideally, you should clarify these points before requesting the services of an administrative scrivener, and prepare the expenses with time and mental space. You don’t want to be surprised when you are billed for money at an unexpected time.
(2) When will the reward be paid?
So, first I will explain the timing of payment. In conclusion, the timing of payment of fees to administrative scriveners depends on each administrative scrivener. That may be a little confusing, but don’t worry. In fact,Payment patterns can be roughly divided into three types:
The first is to pay in one lump sum when the work starts, the second is to pay after the work is completed, and the third is to pay a part of the fee at the start and the rest at the end of the work. If you find a good administrative scrivener for obtaining a business management visa, it will be smoother if you check in advance which of these patterns it is likely to be.
(3) How do I pay?
Next, the payment method. Again, this point seems to depend on each administrative scrivener. Specifically, cash, bank transfer, credit card payment, etc. are the most common. It is a good idea to check what payment methods the administrative scrivener you are planning to hire accepts, and then choose the payment method that is most convenient for you.
4 Summary
In order to obtain a business manager visa, it is said that the smoothest way is to make use of a professional such as an administrative scrivener. One thing to be concerned about at that time is the cost. Once you have a rough idea of the market price, you should contact an administrative scrivener’s office to clarify the fee.
