Japan introduction of TB testing for certain visa applications

Introduction

The Immigration Services Agency is introducing mandatory Tuberculosis (TB) screening for certain visa applications in Japan. Screening will apply for visits of 3 months or longer and will be required for applicants from Asian countries where TB is prevalent. Those impacted will need to submit a certificate showing that they are TB free when applying for medium or long term visas.  

Impact:
Medium

What has changed?

The Japanese Health Ministry announced on the 26th December 2024, that Tuberculosis screening would become a mandatory requirement for medium or long term visa applications for certain nationalities. These restrictions are expected to start for the Philippines, Nepal and Vietnam towards the end of March 2025, the timeline for China, Indonesia and Myanmar is still being considered. 

Individuals required to complete the TB screening must be checked by a doctor and undergo a chest X-ray at a medical institution designated by Japan. The TB test certificate will need to be submitted as part of their Certificate of Employment (COE) application and also potentially during the entry visa application at their local Japanese consulate. The TB certificate will remain valid for 180 days following the date of issuance. 

Individuals of the aforementioned countries who currently live in another country or region and those re-entering Japan with a valid re-entry permit, will be exempt. 

Who is affected?

At this stage, the mandatory requirement will apply for mid to long term visas including digital nomad visas, government funded programs, nurses, social workers or helper visa applicants. For those coming from the Philippines, Nepal and Vietnam, the requirement will be implemented from the end of March and for Myanmar, Indonesia and China dates are still to be confirmed.

What you need to do:

For further information on entry requirements for visa applications for Japan, please contact the Sterling Lexicon immigration team at immigration@sterlinglexicon.com.