Entertainer visa types and applicable occupations
Updated: July 2025, 12
List of types of entertainment visas and applicable occupations
There are three main types of entertainment visas.
Standard No. 1
Examples of eligible activities: Performances such as theatre, entertainment, singing, dancing, and musical performances. Performances at live music venues, domes, festivals, and theme parks.
Key points of revised requirements :
- The requirements are divided into three stages: acceptance by an inviting organization with a track record of proper implementation, new acceptance with few problems, and other cases.
- For example, "If the performance is held in a facility that serves food and drink (or a facility that has such facilities), it may fall under item 1."
Standard No. 2
Examples of eligible activities: Sports and entertainment events held as "shows" such as professional sports, martial arts tournaments, and e-sports. This also includes the activities of managers, coaches, trainers, and other people who have an inseparable relationship with the athletes.
Requirement points :
- The remuneration is required to be "equal to or greater than the remuneration that a Japanese person would receive if doing the same job."
- Compared to Category 1, the conditions are somewhat more lenient, such as not requiring a track record of invitations or the foreigner's past performance record.
Standard No. 3
Examples of eligible activities: Entertainment activities such as fashion show models and actors appearing on TV and in movies. Entertainment, advertising, filming, etc. that are not in the form of show business.
Requirement points :
- As with No. 2, "compensation equal to or greater than that of a Japanese person doing the same job" is required.
- The inviting organization's invitation record and past performance activities are often comprehensively recognized.
Examples of applicable occupations
The following are examples of occupations that qualify for an entertainment visa:
| singer/performer |
This includes concerts and live performances, event appearances, ongoing activities at clubs, bars, and cabarets, recordings, promotional video shoots, TV program appearances, and commercial shoots.
Also, singers and musiciansRegardless of genreBecause,Rock band, pop singer, DJ, soprano singer, violinist, /span> Band members, jazz musicians, etc.Also applies. |
| dancer |
From concerts and live performances to event appearances, continued activities at clubs, bars, and cabarets, Shooting promotional videos, appearing on TV programs, shooting commercials, etc.Applicable. In the past, there have been incidents where people have obtained entertainment visas claiming to be dancers and then been made to serve customers as hostesses, which has caused problems. For this reason, screening tends to be particularly strict when inviting guests to relatively small facilities such as cabarets. Also, the danceRegardless of genreBecause,ballet, ballroom dance, street dance,This also applies to modern dance, circus, etc. |
| Choreographer/Instructor |
In the case of choreographers and instructors, although they do not perform their own performances, they may fall under the "entertainment visa." |
| Actor/Actress |
The main focus will be appearing on TV programs, shooting commercials, filming movies, and promoting activities.Participating in plays and events at theaters, halls, etc.Also applies. |
| モデル |
The main focus will be still photography, TV program appearances, and commercial photography.Participating in fashion shows and eventsAlso applies. |
| athlete |
In addition to actual sports, it also includes competitive sports played through computer and video games. Please contact us for details on whether you qualify as an e-sports player.
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