Engineer Visa without CoE

7 comments

1. This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.

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   **Engineer Visa without CoE**

   Hello Moving to Japan, I hope you’re all doing well!

   I am seeking to move to Japan in 2024 using an Engineer Visa, however without using an employers CoE. **What documents would I require to do this?**

   The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website ([https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa1.html](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa1.html)) does say that this is possible:

   >A visa application for this type of visa could be made without COE. However, **the applicant will be required to submit a large amount of verification documents** and it could take a long time (several months) to process.

   Does anyone know exactly what these documents are? I assume they would include my University degree, would anyone know what else would be included? The months-long timeline isn’t an issue for me, however I am unsure how exactly to apply.

   For some background, I am interested in pursuing the Engineer Visa independently of an employer’s Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) primarily to make the process of internal transfer within my current company easier as they don’t always support Visa sponsorship. In addition, I would like to lower the barrier of entry for any other potential new employers, as I believe it would be an advantage to already have the Visa in hand prior to applying.

   I would greatly appreciate any information you could provide.

   Thanks!

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2. I’ve never heard of anyone doing that, but I don’t think you can assume that an application without a CoE is an application without a employer sponsor.

   Best to contact the embassy or immigration and ask about that route.

3. > primarily to make the process of internal transfer within my current company easier as they don’t always support Visa sponsorship.

   You’re gonna need all the same documents either way — Company registration document, a letter from your company explaining the scope of your duties, the form about what their profits and losses were from last year, all that stuff. The only real difference between doing the “Certificate of Eligibility” route vs. the “Do it yourself at the consulate” route is who has to stand in line at the immigration office(/consulate).

4. I’m a bit confused as to what you are trying to actually do here. Are you planning on working for your current company? The intra-company transfer visa is the easiest then.

   If you are seeking to move to a new company, you are going to need a sponsor or to self-sponsor. Are you planning on paying all your social obligations in Japan without company support?

5. > I am interested in pursuing the Engineer Visa independently of an employer’s Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) primarily to make the process of internal transfer within my current company easier as they don’t always support Visa sponsorship.

   That’s not how this works at all.

   The option to apply without a COE does not mean that your employer is not involved in the process. Like u/awh said: It just changes who needs to stand in line. You will ***absolutely*** still require the active support of your employer in the process, as they will still be sponsoring your visa.

   There’s no un-sponsored working visa.

   >In addition, I would like to lower the barrier of entry for any other potential new employers, as I believe it would be an advantage to already have the Visa in hand prior to applying.

   This also won’t help, as you would be applying for a visa sponsored by your current company. If you stop working for your current company or try to enter Japan employed by someone else your visa wouldn’t be valid anymore.

6. Thanks to everyone for your responses! I will likely be closing this post soon, as a few members of the community, in particular Dalkyr have provided very clear answers.

   TLDR: What I’m seeking to do here isn’t possible, as the sponsorship of a company is required for an Engineer visa.

7. Can you get a visa without a COE – yes it’s “Possible” but in my experience, what Japan says is “possible” also includes things that are fundementally impossible. So yeah, no COE, no visa.

   Push your employer harder, say you want it or you’re leaving. If you’re good enough i am sure they will want to sponsor you instead of lose you to a competitor. You will not be able to push the government of Japan to bend the rules for you.

   Consider working holiday, J SKIP or J FIND visa classes, maybe those would apply to you and enable you to get over there. Or worst case, english teach your way into Japan and then change visa’s over there.