Consular Services

(Update on January 13, 2021:　The frameworks of “Business Track” and “Residence Track” with all countries/ regions are suspended. )

Based on the decision of the Government of Japan on January 13, 2021, from 0:00 am (JST) January 14, 2021, the frameworks of Business Track and Residence Track with all countries /regions will be suspended, and the relaxation of restriction on movement during the period of 14-day quarantine through Business Track will no longer be permitted for Japanese nationals and foreign nationals with the status of residence until the state of emergency declaration is lifted.

Please refer to this page (PDF) for further details for the holders of valid visas.

The Government of Japan will start procedures for the use of the Business Track with Singapore from September 18, 2020. The Business Track enables limited business activities during the 14-day stay at home period (partially relaxes restrictions on such activities), immediately after arrival at Singapore or Japan, on condition that travelers accept additional quarantine measures such as submission of a “Schedule of Activities in Japan.” This framework is intended mainly for short-term business travelers. Particularly under the Business Track with Singapore, duration of stay in Japan or Singapore will be within 30 days.
(Note: Business activities must be limited to the necessary minimum, such as round-trip travel between home and the office, not using public transportation and avoiding contact with random people or crowds.)

For now, cross-border travelers prescribed below to be covered under the Business Track with Singapore.

• (1) Cross-border business travelers and others.
• (2) Persons, residing either in Japan or Singapore, and traveling on a flight between Japan and Singapore (Only direct flights if the person travels from Japan to Singapore).  (Business Track are available only for entry/exit through Narita, Haneda,  Kansai, Fukuoka and Chubu airports.) 
• (3) Duration of the stay will be within 30 days.

[!!Attention!!]

As the Government of Japan has removed Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Republic of Korea, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam and Taiwan from the designation of areas subject to denial of permission to enter Japan and additionally designated Myanmar and Jordan to countries subject to denial of permission to enter Japan, there are some changes on border control measures and necessary procedures for (re-)entry into/ return to Japan from these countries and regions. Please check this page for further information in this regard.

(1) Foreign Nationals(for special permanent residents, please refer to (2))

Note: Foreign nationals who are willing to enter ([P]or re-enter) Japan under this framework need either a new valid visa or a valid status of residence in addition to a certificate of pre-entry COVID-19 test results.

If foreign nationals with the status of residence do not choose to use the “Business Track” for re-entry from Singapore, there are no specific procedures to be followed under this framework. Please check this page for the required procedures for re-entry (in general) 

• The receiving company/entity  (company/ entity  that can assure observation of quarantine measures) is requested to fill in  “Written Pledge (Business Track)” (document for receiving companies/entities to commit to taking necessary measures to ensure that the additional quarantine measures are properly implemented) (Note) and “Schedule of Activities in Japan” (document to be attached to “Written Pledge” to declare in advance the schedule of activities of the traveler such as accommodation and destinations scheduled for 14 days after entering Japan). The copies of the original of these forms must be sent to the traveler. It is the responsibility of the receiving company/entity to have sufficient understanding about the additional quarantine measures and necessary documents and to explain the details carefully to the traveler. The receiving company/entity should keep the original of these forms for 6 weeks after the invitee enters Japan. If requested by the relevant ministry, please submit the original forms.
  • (Note: Phone number of the receiving company/entity must be filled in at the bottom of ”Written Pledge”. This number must be Japanese and valid, at which the Japanese authorities can certainly contact the responsible person of the receiving company/entity. Please note that, in case the number is not Japanese or the Japanese authorities could not contact the responsible person by this number, the “Written Pledge” will be considered as flawed and may not be accepted at the time of visa application or at the airport quarantine.)
• Daily temperature checks are required for 14 days prior to the departure. Should any common symptoms of COVID-19 including a fever of 37.5°C or higher, respiratory symptoms, strong feeling of weariness (fatigue) be recognized, it is necessary that the trip to Japan be cancelled. It is not necessary to submit the result of the health monitoring for 14 days prior to the departure before traveling to Japan. Instead, this result must be included on the “Questionnaire” distributed on the plane.
• The traveler must apply for a travel document required in each of the following cases (a)~(c). The Embassy will ensure that the receiving company/entity agrees to committing to the additional quarantine measures by checking “Written Pledge” (copy) and “Schedule of Activities in Japan”(copy). Then the Embassy will issue a “Cover Letter”, which will allow the approved applicant to take a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test in Singapore. If the traveler entered Singapore using the Business Track, he/she will be required to submit “Approval Letter” of Safe Travel Pass and will not need to obtain “Cover Letter”. However, if the traveler resides in Japan and has entered Singapore using the Business Track and the duration of their stay in that country/region is not more than 7 days, he/she can choose either obtaining a certificate of pre-entry testing result before departure or taking COVID-19 test conducted by a doctor after they arrive in Japan.

(a) Entry into Japan for foreign nationals（including holders of nationality of Singapore） residing in Singapore

• Please apply for a new visa. (Please refer to this page for the details.)

(b) Re-entry into Japan for foreign nationals with the status of residence

• No need to apply for either a new visa or “Re-entry Confirmation Letter

Note: As for the required procedures before departing from Japan, please refer to the website of Immigration Services Agency of Japan.)

• The traveler must obtain a certificate of pre-entry testing result in Singapore within 72 hours before departure (from the sampling time) at the authorized medical institution listed on the “Safe Travel” Website. (The traveler will have to reserve for the testing and will be requested to present “Cover Letter” or Safe Travel Pass (“approval letter”) to take the testing.) Those who reside in Japan and enter Singapore under the framework of “Business Track” and the duration of their stay in Singapore is not more than 7 days can choose either obtaining a certificate of pre-entry testing result before departure or taking COVID-19 test conducted by a doctor after they arrive in Japan.
  In the latter case, they must stay at home until they receive a result showing that they are tested negative (they don’t have to submit the certificate to the quarantine).
  (Note: Though the format for certificate of pre-entry testing result will be different in each institution, it must be issued in English with all the required information listed below. Please note that in case any of the information is missing from the certificate, the applicant may not use the Business Track (will be called on to stay at home or a place designated by the Chief of the Quarantine Station for 14 days after the entry into Japan). The traveler will need to ask the medical institution to include nationality and date of birth in the test result, as the standard format issued by the Singaporean medical institution will not include these information.
  (1) Personal information of an applicant (name, passport number, nationality, date of birth)
  (2) Proof of authenticity of the COVID-19 test result (test method (nucleic acid amplification test（real time RT-PCR）, sample (Nasopharyngeal Swab), result, date of the sampling, date of test result)
  (3) Information of a medical institution (the name and address of a medical institution /the name of a doctor/stamp seal (or sign by doctor)).
  In addition to original certificate (issued in print from), copy (issued and received electronically (such as by email)) is also acceptable. In any case, the certificate must be submitted upon arrival in print from. Please be sure that the certificate is printed on paper before arrival.
• The traveler must take out private medical insurance (including travel insurance covering medical expenses during their period of stay in Japan) before entering Japan unless they are registered with the public insurance system of Japan such as Health insurance and National Health Insurance.
• The traveler must submit the “Written Pledge (Business Track)” (copy), “Schedule of Activities in Japan” (copy) and “Questionnaire” to the airport quarantine office. The certificate of pre-entry test results (original or copy) needs to be presented at the airport quarantine office and submitted to the Immigration Office. Those who left/will leave Japan after 1st September 2020 with Acquisition of Receipt (referred above as (c)) need to submit Acquisition of Receipt to the Immigration Office
  (Note) Copies of the “Written Pledge” and “Schedule of Activities in Japan” must be in paper, which includes printed PDF of the original.
• The airport quarantine officer and the immigration officer will check the installation and set-up of the necessary applications (COVID-19 contact tracing and map applications). The necessary preparation must be completed by then.
  • The traveler must install the COVID-19 contact tracing application designated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to their smart phone by the arrival in Japan and make sure that the application remains active for 14 days after entering Japan.
  • The traveler must keep location date through map application for 14 days after entering Japan.

Cases such as the following are considered to be a violation of the commitment by the receiving company/entity. The name of companies/entities not respecting the commitment may be announced to the public and the invitees of these companies/regions may be subsequently refused entry to Japan under this framework.
-If the traveler is tested positive for COVID-19 and called on to cooperate with an investigation by the Public Health Center and it turns out that he/she did not install the COVID-19 contact tracking application or keep the location data properly.

• The traveler must report to the responsible person of the receiving company/entity for their health condition every day for 14 days after entering Japan

[Documents to be submitted]

• Eligible Visa
• Certificate of pre-entry test results issued within 72 hours (from the sampling time to departure time of the flight) (original or copy) Those who reside in Japan and enter Singapore under the framework of “Business Track” and the duration of their stay in Singapore is not more than 7 days can choose either obtaining a certificate of pre-entry testing result before departure or taking COVID-19 test after they arrive in Japan
• “Written Pledge (Business Track) (PDF) ” (updated on November 10) 2 copies
• “Schedule of Activities in Japan (PDF) ” (updated on October 30) 2 copies
• “Questionnaire” (distributed to every passenger on the plane)

[Procedures to be followed]

• 14-day health monitoring prior to departure
• Taking out private medical insurance (including travel insurance covering medical expenses during one’s period of stay in Japan) before entry into Japan
• 14-day health follow-up after entering Japan by the receiving company/entity
• Installing the COVID-19 contact tracing application
• To retain location data for 14 days after returning to Japan via the map application (PDF)

(Note) “Cover Letter” issued by the Embassy of Japan after the visa application process will substitute the Re-entry permit to Singapore. The traveler will be required to present the cover letter at the time of entry/re-entry to Singapore.

Note: Japanese nationals and special permanent residents will be required to follow the procedures described in (a) below in order to use “Business Track” when they return to Japan (Note: This is applicable for those who reside in Singapore or those who reside in Japan and have traveled to Singapore using “Business Track”.). If Japanese nationals are NOT willing to use the Business Track when they return to Japan, only the current quarantine measures and immigration process will be applied. (For the detail of the current quarantine measures, please check the Website of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.)

(If the Japanese traveler has entered from Singapore to Japan without using the Business Track, he/she will not be able to use the Business track on the way back to Singapore.)

(a) Business Track

• The company/entity receiving the cross-border traveler (company/ entity that can assure observation of quarantine measures, hereafter referred to as “receiving company/entity” ) is requested to fill in  “Written Pledge (Business Track)” (document for receiving companies/entities to commit to taking necessary measures to ensure that the additional quarantine measures are properly implemented) (Note) and “Schedule of Activities in Japan” (document to be attached to “Written Pledge” to declare in advance the schedule of activities of the traveler such as accommodation and destinations scheduled for 14 days after returning to Japan). The copies of the original of these forms must be sent to the traveler. It is the responsibility of the receiving company/entity to have sufficient understanding about the above-mentioned applications and necessary documents and to explain the details carefully to the traveler. The receiving company/entity should keep the original of these forms for 6 weeks after the invitee enters Japan. If requested by the relevant ministry, please submit the original forms.
  • (Note: Phone number of the receiving company/entity must be filled in at the bottom of ”Written Pledge”. This number must be Japanese and valid, at which the Japanese authorities can certainly contact the responsible person of the receiving company/entity. Please note that, in case the number is not Japanese or the Japanese authorities could not contact the responsible person by this number, the “Written Pledge” will be considered as flawed and may not be accepted at the time of visa application or at the airport quarantine.)
• Daily temperature checks are required for 14-days prior to the departure. In the case duration of the stay in Singapore is under 14 days, the traveler must start to check the temperature while he/she is in Japan. If any of common symptoms of COVID-19 including fever of 37.5°C or higher, respiratory symptoms, strong feeling of weariness (fatigue) are recognized, it is necessary that the trip to return to Japan be cancelled. It is not necessary to submit the result of the health monitoring for 14 days prior to departure before returning to Japan. Instead, this result must be included on the “Questionnaire” distributed on the plane.
• The traveler must submit “Written Pledge”(copy) and “Schedule of Activities in Japan” (copy) to the Embassy of Japan in Singapore in order to receive a “Cover Letter” which will allow the approved applicant to take a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test in Singapore. If the traveler entered Singapore using the Business Track, he/she will be required to submit “Approval Letter” of Safe Travel Pass and will not need to obtain “Cover Letter”. However, if the traveler has entered Singapore using the Business Track and the duration of stay in Singapore is not more than 7 days, he/she can choose either obtaining a certificate of pre-entry testing result before departure or taking COVID-19 test conducted by a doctor after they arrive in Japan.
• The traveler must obtain a certificate of pre-entry testing result in Singapore within 72 hours before departure (from the sampling time) at the authorized medical institution listed on the “Safe Travel” Website. (The traveler will have to reserve for the testing and will be requested to present “Cover Letter” or Safe Travel Pass (“approval letter”) to take the testing.) if the traveler has entered Singapore using the Business Track and the duration of stay in Singapore is not more than 7 days, he/she can choose either obtaining a certificate of pre-entry testing result before departure or taking COVID-19 test conducted by a doctor after they arrive in Japan. In the latter case, they must stay at home until they receive a result showing that they are tested negative (they don’t have to submit the certificate to the quarantine).
  (Note: Though the format for certificate of pre-entry testing result will be different in each institution, it must be issued in English with all the required information listed below. Please note that in case any of the information is missing from the certificate, the applicant may not use the Business Track (will be called on to stay at home or a place designated by the Chief of the Quarantine Station for 14 days after the entry into Japan). The traveler will need to ask the medical institution to include nationality and date of birth in the test result, as the standard format issued by the Singaporean medical institution will not include these information.
  (1) Personal information of an applicant (name, passport number, nationality, date of birth)
  (2) Proof of authenticity of the COVID-19 test result (test method (nucleic acid amplification test（real time RT-PCR）, sample (Nasopharyngeal Swab), result, date of the sampling, date of test result)
  (3) Information of a medical institution(the name and address of a medical institution /the name of a doctor/stamp seal(or sign by doctor)). In addition to original certificate (issued in print from), copy (issued and received electronically (such as by email)) is also acceptable. In any case, the certificate must be submitted upon arrival in print from. Please be sure that the certificate is printed on paper before arrival.
• The traveler must take out private medical insurance (including travel insurance covering medical expenses during their period of stay in Japan) before entering Japan unless they are registered with the public insurance system of Japan such as Health insurance and National Health Insurance.
• The traveler must submit “Written Pledge (Business Track)” (copy), “Schedule of Activities in Japan” (copy) , “Questionnaire” and a certificate of pre-entry testing result to the airport quarantine office. However, if the traveler has entered Singapore using the Business Track and the duration of stay in Singapore is within 7 days, he/she can choose either obtaining a certificate of pre-entry testing result before departure or taking COVID-19 test conducted by a doctor after they arrive in Japan. In the latter case, they must stay at home until they receive a result showing that they are tested negative (they don’t have to submit the certificate to the quarantine)
• The airport quarantine officer will check the installation and set-up of the necessary applications (COVID-19 contact tracing and map applications). The necessary preparation must be completed by then.
  • The traveler must install the COVID-19 contact tracing application designated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on their smart phone before arrival in Japan and ensure that the application remains active for 14 days after returning to Japan.
  • The traveler must keep their location date via the map application for 14 days after returning to Japan.

Cases such as the following are considered to be a violation of the pledge by the receiving company/entity. The name of companies/entities not respecting the pledge may be announced to the public and the invitees of these companies/regions may be subsequently refused entry to Japan under this framework.
-If the traveler is tested positive for COVID-19 and called on to cooperate with an investigation by the Public Health Center and it turns out that he/she did not install the COVID-19 contact tracking application or properly retain their location data.

• The traveler must report to the responsible person of the receiving company/entity for their health condition every day for 14 days after entering Japan

[Documents to be submitted]

• “Written Pledge (Business Track) (PDF) ” (updated November 10) 1copy
• “Schedule of Activities in Japan (PDF) ” (updated on October 30) 1 copy
• Certificate of pre-entry test results issued within 72 hours (from the sampling time to departure time of the flight) (original or copy) Those who reside in Japan and enter Singapore under the framework of “Business Track” and the duration of their stay in Singapore is not more than 7 days can choose either obtaining a certificate of pre-entry testing result before departure or taking COVID-19 test conducted by a doctor after they arrive in Japan
• Certificate of pre-entry testing result (In the case duration of stay in Singapore is within 14 days, the Japanese traveler is NOT requested to present a certificate of pre-entry testing result when he/she enters Japan.)
• “Questionnaire” (distributed to every passenger on the plane)

[Procedures to be followed]

• 14-day health monitoring prior to departure
• 14-day health follow-up after returning to Japan by the receiving company/entity
• Installing the COVID-19 contact tracing application
• To retain location data for 14 days after returning to Japan via the map application (PDF)

(Note) “Cover Letter” issued by the Embassy of Japan after the visa application process will substitute the Re-entry permit to Singapore. The traveler will be required to present the cover letter at the time of entry/re-entry to Singapore.

(b) Not using the Business Track

• The traveler must submit “Questionnaire” to the airport quarantine office.

[Documents to be submitted]

• “Questionnaire” (distributed to every passenger on the plane)

For entry into the Singapore under the Business Track, the traveler must follow the procedures designated by the government of Singapore. For detailed information, please refer to the official websites of the Government of the Republic of Singapore or the Embassy of Japan in Singapore.

• Government of the Republic of Singapore (English only)
• Embassy of Japan in Singapore (Japanese only)

(Note: For travelers from Japan to Singapore, the receiving enterprise or government agency in Singapore will need to apply for a SafeTravel Pass via Safe Travel Website on behalf of the traveler for using the Business Track. Also, travelers are required to receive Safe Travel Pass (“approval letter”) from the receiving enterprise or government agency in Singapore and take a COVID-19 RT-PCR conducted 72 hours before the entry into Singapore at a medical facility listed on “Resister of Medical Institutions providing COVID-19 Testing Certificates” (please see the list on this page) and to obtain a document certifying a negative result. For further details about requirements for the document, please see the official websites of the Government of the Republic of Singapore or the Embassy of Japan in Singapore and consult a medical facility about the sample and testing method in order to obtain an appropriate certificate.)