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 The “Startup Visa (Business Startup Program for Foreign Nationals)” is a scheme specially authorized in order to encourage foreign nationals to engage in business startup activities in Sendai City, which is designated as a national strategic special zone. The eligibility requirements for the “Business Manager” status of residence, which is required for foreign nationals to launch a business in Japan, are relaxed for those who are to engage in business startup activities in Sendai City.

 For a foreign national wishing to start a new business to obtain the “Business Manager” status of residence, it is necessary, by the time of making an application to the immigration bureau, to satisfy such requirements as employing at least two full-time staff, or having at least five million yen as business capital or the total amount of capital contributions to the business, in addition to establishing a business office.

 With the “Startup Visa,” however, a six-month “Business Manager” status of residence may be granted even if such requirements are not met, in the case where the applicant submits the Plan for Business Startup Activities, etc. to Sendai City, Sendai City then confirms that the applicant is likely to fulfill the requirements, and then the immigration bureau assesses the applicant on the basis of such confirmation.

 Since foreign nationals have the six-month period to fulfill the requirements, they are able to complete the necessary procedures while preparing to launch their new business.

Application for the “Startup Visa”

 To obtain the status of residence concerned (Business Manager) under this scheme, it is necessary to prepare, and submit to Sendai City, the Plan for Business Startup Activities, etc. for the business that the applicant plans to start in Sendai City, and to receive Sendai City’s confirmation of business startup activities.

 The confirmation of business startup activities means that Sendai City assesses whether the applicant, based on the business plan described in his/her Plan for Business Startup Activities, etc., is likely to receive the ordinary status of residence (Business Manager) after a six-month period of stay. Acquisition of confirmation means that the applicant is regarded as likely to succeed in obtaining the status of residence concerned.

 The“Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activity” will be issued to foreign nationals who are granted the Confirmation of Business Startup Activities. Upon receiving the certificate, please apply to the Sendai Regional Immigration Bureau for a Certificate of Eligibility for the status of residence concerned (Business Manager).

Eligible persons

 Foreign nationals wishing to start a new business in Sendai City

Eligible businesses

 Eligible businesses are those which are expected to strengthen the global competitiveness of industries of Sendai City and/or to promote job growth in the city, and which fall within the following industrial sectors.

• Knowledge-creating industry (examples: semiconductor-related businesses, software development, content production, robot-related businesses,etc.)
• Industries related to health, medicine, public welfare,and education (examples: drug discovery venture businesses, medical technology development, regenerative medicine, development of welfare equipment,education-related businesses such as language education, etc.)
• Industries related to environment, energy, and disaster prevention (examples: development of clean energy, next-generation power-storing technology, provision of products and services associated with disaster-prevention, etc.)
• Industries related to trading and tourism (examples:businesses contributing to the development of sales channels of products made in Sendai City, businesses associated with attracting foreign tourists, etc.)

Documents to be submitted

 To apply for the confirmation of business startup activities, foreign nationals must prepare and submit all of the following documents.

 Please refer to the samples and Q&A when preparing these documents. In principle, please fill in the documents in Japanese. If it is difficult to fill in the documents in Japanese, please contact us for assistance in filling in them in English.

• Application Form for Confirmation of Business Startup Activities
• Plan for Business Startup Activities
• Time Schedule of Business Startup Activities
• Applicant’s Resume
• Documents clarifying where the applicant will be residing for six months after arrival in Japan (e.g. a copy of the lease contract/application form)
• A copy of the passport (the page showing the identification details)
• Documents showing the applicant’s cash deposit balance,such as a copy of the applicant’s bank passbook

Application form

(Appended Form No.1)Application Form for Confirmation of Business Startup Activities（ワード：23KB）

(Appended Form No.1-2)Plan for Business Startup Activities（ワード：31KB）

(Appended Form No.1-3)Time Schedule of Business Startup Activities（ワード：22KB）

(Appended Form No.1-4)Applicant’s Resume（ワード：36KB）

（PDF：84KB(Appended Form No.1-5)Written Pledge）（ワード：22KB）

(Appended Form No.1-6)Notice of Change（ワード：22KB） 

Related documents

leaflet（PDF：1,018KB）

Guidance on the Implementation of the Business Startup Program for Foreign Nationals inthe Sendai City National Strategic Special Zone（PDF：223KB）

FAQ（PDF：487KB）

Application desk　

• Place: Corporate Support Desk, Startup Support Section, Economic Affairs Bureau, Sendai City Government

  (Address: 9th Floor, Sendai Park Building, 3-6-1,Kokubun-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai)

• Office hours: 9時00分 to 17時00分 (closed on Saturdays,Sundays, public holidays, and any other non-business day of the Sendai City Government Office)

 *Please let us know in advance that you are submitting an application.

• E-mail: sendai-startupvisa@city.sendai.jp

• Telephone: 022-214-8278 (in Japanese)

   

   Please make sure that application documents are brought to the designated point of contact by either of the following persons.

(a) Applicant himself/herself

(b) An attorney at law or certified administrative scrivener(Gyoseishoshi) who has notified,through the bar association or certified administrative scrivener associationof the attorney at law or certified administrative scrivener, the director ofthe regional immigration bureau having jurisdiction over the area where such association is located. However, if the applicant is abroad, this person must be the one (or a staff member, in the case of a corporation) who has been entrusted by the applicant with the establishment of a place of business in Japan.

• If the application documents are to be submitted by a person falling under (b),please also submit documentation that shows the relationship between this person and the applying foreign national, and that verifies this person is insuch position.

 

Issuance of the Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities

 This is a certificate to be issued to foreign nationals who have been granted the confirmation of business startup activities. When the confirmation of business startup activities is granted, the Sendai City Government’s person in charge will contact the applicant at the point of contact stated in the application form. After being contacted, please come to the Sendai City Office to receive the certificate.

Application for a Certificate of Eligibility for the status of residence (Business Manager) to the Sendai Regional Immigration Bureau

 Upon receiving the Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities, please apply to the Sendai Regional Immigration Bureau for a Certificate of Eligibility for the status of residence concerned (Business Manager). For more information on visa procedures, please directly contact the Sendai Regional Immigration Bureau.

　Inspection Department, Sendai Regional Immigration Bureau

　Telephone: 022-256-6073

After receiving approval for the status of residence (Business Manager) (check of the progress of business startup activities)

 Foreign nationals who have received approval for the status of residence concerned (Business Manager) under this scheme are subject to checks conducted by Sendai City on the progress of business startup activities during the six-month period of stay. These checks will be conducted by officials of Sendai City, etc. three times during the six-month period of stay.

 For such checks, you may be requested to provide information such as your office lease contract, staff employment contracts, and bank passbooks. Furthermore, if the progress of business startup activities is not satisfactory, you may be instructed to return to your original country.

Related program

Startup Visa (Program Certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)