I had gotten a lot of questions in the comments section of my first Japan Visa post, so I thought I’d do a follow-up summarizing some of the most frequently asked questions in the previous blog entry.
Do I need a Visa to visit Japan?
Yes, you need a Visa to enter Japan.
Is there an interview for Japan Visa applicants?
No, there is no interview for Japan Visa applications; all you need to do is submit the required documents.
Do I really need to submit a Letter of Invitation?
If you are not on a package tour, or if you are not shouldering all your expenses for the trip, then yes — a Letter of Invitation is required from your Guarantor in Japan.
What is a Letter of Guarantee?
A Guarantee Letter, also known as a Mimoto Hoshousho, is required from your Japanese Guarantor to assure the Consuls Office that some or all of your expenses while in Japan will be handled by him or her.
Alongside the Guarantee Letter, a Certificate of Income or Shotoku Shoumeisho, an Income Tax Return or Nouzei Shomeisho, and a Certificate of Bank Deposit or Yokin Zandaka Shoumeisho is also required from your Japanese Guarantor.
Do I really need to submit an ITR?
If you are employed or run a business in the Philippines, you are required to submit your Income Tax Return. Your ITR will be proof that you are earning enough to cover all your expenses while in Japan, as well as assure the Consuls Office that you will be returning to the Philippines once your fifteen days are up.
What is a Bank Certificate/Certificate of Deposit?
A Certificate of Deposit is a document you can request from your bank to indicate the amount deposited in your savings account. The suggested minimum amount of “show-money” is PhP 100,000 per single visa application.
The Japan Consuls Office uses the Bank Certificate in place of the Letter of Guarantee if you intend to shoulder all your expenses during your trip to Japan.
What other supporting documents can I submit to improve my chances of getting a Visa?
If you are a student, a Certificate of Enrollment from your school will help immensely. If you are already working, an Employment Certificate stating your position, your annual income, and your length of service to the company will also be very useful.
My boyfriend/fiance is Japanese/American/European/Australian and has assured me that he will handle all my expenses — do I still need to apply for a visa?
Yes — because you are not yet married to your Japanese boyfriend and are not included in his Family Registry or Koseiki Touhon, you will still have to apply for a regular Tourist Visa following all the required steps by the Japanese Embassy.
As for ladies with European, American, and Australian boyfriends (who are allowed visa-free entry to Japan for up to ninety days) — because you carry a Philippine passport you are still required to apply for a Tourist Visa, likewise following all the necessary steps indicated.
I am a Filipino working abroad and I plan to visit Japan– do I still need to apply for a visa?
Regardless of your Permanent Resident status or your valid Work Permit for a foreign country other than Japan, as long as you are carrying a Philippine passport you still need to apply for a Tourist Visa.
You can, however, apply for a Visa at the Japanese Embassy of your present location, and do not need to apply from the Japanese Embassy in Manila.
I plan to look for work in Japan — can I get a Work Visa even if I am not yet employed by a Japan-based company?
The Consuls Office does not issue Work Visas if you are not yet employed by a Japan-based company; many of the requirements and steps necessary to get a Work Visa are initiated by your employer and not you.
If you apply for a Tourist Visa and then enter the country with intention to find work, you are essentially an illegal alien and if caught, will be prosecuted to the full extent of Japanese law and deported back to the Philippines posthaste.
How much and how long will it take to process my application?
Direct application to the Embassy is strictly not allowed; you must apply via an accredited travel agent. Your visa, if granted, is free; however, you have to pay your travel agent a processing fee of about PhP 2500 depending on their rates.
It takes three to five business days to process applications; take note that the Consul does not accept applications during Wednesdays. To know the status of your application, get in touch with the travel agent who applied on your behalf, three to five business days after you have submitted all your requirements to them.
Why was my application denied?
The Consulate of Japan never discloses the reason for denying your visa application. If your application has been denied for any reason whatsoever, you need to wait another six months before you can apply again.
So this is everything I know about applying for a Tourist Visa to Japan, based on personal experience and a bit of research. Please take note that there may be mistakes and inaccuracies, as I am neither a travel agent nor an an employee of the Consulate of Japan.
If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to leave them in the comments box, and I’ll try to answer them to the best of my knowledge 🙂
Please note that this is a summary of our experience in applying for a Japanese visa. Mileage may vary with each individual. For more tips, you can also read How to Get A Japanese Tourist Visa in 24 Hours, How to Get a Japan Visa in Three Days, Getting a Japan Tourist Visa: An FAQ for Filipinos, and Tips on Obtaining a Japan Tourist Visa.
JPOP Manila 
Thanks po! 😉 But I still have to have the “show money”? I’m still minor. Right? Can I use my mother’s account? (:
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yes, you can use your mum’s account — all she has to do is create a document stating that she will be covering your expenses with the money she has indicated on the certificate of deposit 🙂
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thank you po for answering my questions! God bless you 🙂
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no worries — good luck with your visa! 🙂
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hi,i have a filipino boyfriend in japan he is only a contract worker and he wants me to visit him there.I am an landed immigrant of canada but not yet a citizen.do i need to apply a tourist visa?
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if you still hold a philippine passport you will still have to apply for a visa despite being a canadian immigrant. please get in touch with your local japanese embassy to sort out the detials. thanks!
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Hello Rose,
Got a situation here, my fiancee and i are planning to get married in Philippines, he is an American citizen working in Japan and he wants me to go with him after the wedding in July. What are the necessary things to be done, like documents, or do I still need a tourist visa?
Thanx a lot
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hi jayne — as long as you still hold a philippine passport you need to apply for a tourist visa for a fifteen day holiday. now, if your future husband intends for you to live with him in japan, you’ll need to sort things out with an immigration expert since that will require a great deal more preparation. good luck!
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Thanks a ton Rose..:)
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hello:)how can i go to japan?how can i get a tourist visa?where i could see my long time friend in Akihabara.I will just stay for just a week.Can anyone know how to do this?thanks:)
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please read the above post as well as this one to find out how to apply for a japanese tourist visa.
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this post is really helpful. thank you!
i have a couple of questions, do we need to book flights first before applying for visa? because they’re already asking in the application form your flight number and the date of arrival and departure.
another is, my mother is shouldering all our expenses and her passport doesn’t require her a visa anymore. what do i replace with the Bank certificate and such? Thank you in advance! 🙂
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yes, it is recommended that you have already booked your flight prior to application. sometimes they do grant visas without an airline ticket, but this is very very rare.
since your mum is paying for your trip, she should issue a letter stating that she intends to pay for all your travel expenses, as well as furnish documents that prove your relationship (your birth certificate, for example), and lastly — a certificate of deposit for all her bank accounts to back up the claim.
good luck with your application!
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wow. quick response! thank you for answering!
follow up question, if ever we failed to get visa (which i hope won’t happen) what will happen to our booked flights? i’m planning to book flights on cebu pacific. can we cancel it? will we be able to get our money back? i know this question is a bit silly. it’s my first time. i’m asking you just in case you have knowledge concerning this. thank you soooooo much! 🙂
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you can cancel flights on CEBU PACIFIC only if they are regular tickets and not promo fares (the cash credits can be used for other tickets, or wired back to your credit card). if you are unable to use promo fare tickets they’re unfortunately as good as gone 😦 sorry but that’s the way budget airlines work ^^;;
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you’re really helpful! i love you! thank you super much! 🙂 i’ll drop by again if i have more questions, if it’s okay.^^
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i’ve got another question ms. rose.
is this “a letter stating that she intends to pay for all your travel expenses” what they call “notarized affidavit of support” that looks like this http://www.berklee.edu/pdf/tuition/expenses_intl.pdf? or is it the letter of guarantee that looks like this http://www.atlanta.us.emb-japan.go.jp/letter_of_guarantee.pdf? because when i asked UHI, they said i need to submit an affidavit of support but i think it’s only for students. i’m only applying for a tourist visa.
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one more thing, i am still confused. the friend in japan we will be visiting there will not shoulder our expenses, my mom will. so does the friend in japan still have to provide us with letter of guarantee (plus the bank certificates etc.) or my mom is the one who’ll be providing the letter of guarantee (plus the bank certificates etc.)? the friend in japan will only let us stay in her house during our stay there.
i super appreciate your response.
thank you so much miss rose. 🙂
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okay, from what i understand, you wish to apply for a tourist visa with your mom paying for all your expenses. what you need to do now is to get your mom to submit as much financial documentation as she can — bank certificates, photocopies of credit cards, etc., as well as a letter stating that she will be covering for all your expenses while you are in japaan.
since your mom will be shouldering all your expenses, you do not need to ask for a guarantee letter from a japanese national. as long as your personal documents are in order, you do not need a japanese guarantor nor letter of guarantee. good luck with your application!
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you’re an angel! thank you very much! 🙂
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Hi I have a problem with my birth certificate.
My birth certificate was registered twice. And so I already processed for the cancellation of the first one (which is erroneous). Unfortunately, NSO did not finish processing this. Hence, they cannot give a copy in SECPA Paper.
Will the certified true copy from the LCR suffice?
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unfortunately, they will need your birth certificate in the watermarked NSO paper 😦
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meron akong half japanese son.name Akira Totanes Watanabe his going 5years on dec 24.i ned helf para mapuntahan ang papa nya s nagoya.kaso d ko alam kng pano.wl akong alam n lalapitan pr makakuha ng visa!please send me a message kng sino pwedeng lapitan!thank very much!
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meron akong half japanese son. his name is Akira Totanes Watanabe and he is going to be 5 years old on dec 24. i need help para mapuntahan ang papa nya sa nagoya. kaso di ko alam kng pano. wala akong alam na lalapitan para makakuha ng visa! please send me a message kng sino pwedeng lapitan! thank very much!
you can approach an accredited travel agent to apply for a visa. everything you need to know is already here on this page, as well as this one: http://magnetic-rose.net/2009/04/tips-on-obtaining-a-japan-tourist-visa/
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hello rose! i’m back again to ask another question. 🙂
does the itinerary have to be strictly followed? for example, we passed the requirements with the itinerary that we’ll be staying in a hotel. but later after we got our visa, we decided to stay in a friend’s house and canceled our hotel booking. is that possible? will we be sued by the Japanese Gov’t or something?
thank you as always! 😉
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you can design a day by day itinerary that does not have to specify a lot of things so you can be flexible. for example: DAY 1 — SIGHTSEEING IN OSAKA, DAY 2 — SIGHTSEEING IN KYOTO, DAY 3 — SIGHTSEEING IN NARA, etc.
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but the sample itinerary for tourist visa provided the accommodation address plus the contact person. so is it alright not to include those details?
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there is no need to volunteer the information regarding your change of hotels if your original itinerary has been accepted. just follow the name of the hotel and their phone number for the contact details while being interrogated by japan immigration. you can always say to the immigration officer that the rooms you booked were canceled at the last minute so you were forced to look for alternatives: i.e. your friend’s house.
next time please make sure that all your trip details (flights, accommodations, etc.) are in order before you apply for a visa. making plenty of sudden changes to your itinerary may cast doubt over your application, and the consuls office may consider this as grounds to deny you a tourist visa.
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this post is really informative. I just want to ask about our situation. there will be 4 of us traveling to Japan for 6 days, but 2 of them will be going home at day 4..takas lang kasi sa work here in the Phils. scheduled leave was not approved by their managers. Is it possible for them to go home early? Or the four of us should travel back home?
thanks in advance ms. rose.
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yes, you may apply together for your tourist visas even if you have different itineraries. ang mangyayari kasi e lahat kayo fifteen days ang makukuha ninyong visa at hindi niyo kelangan ubusin lahat yun nang isang pasada — the members of your party may leave on the 4th day or the 6th day as scheduled.
isang pahabol lang: kapag gamit na yung visa kahit di pa ubos yung “bala” (kunyari apat na araw lang ang nagamit sa kinse na laman ng visa), hindi na pwedeng gamiting yung natitirang araw para sa isa pang dalaw, at kelangan kumuha ng panibagong visa kung may balak kayong bumalik 🙂
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hello. it’s me again.
tanong ko lang po. paano po mangyayari sa ticket date pauwi nung dalawa kong kasama? maaari bang magpabago nang date pauwi dun na mismo sa japan airport?
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you will have to contact your airline or your travel agent to get the ticket rebooked. only your airline can make arrangements for flight changes, the airport administration cannot do that for you.
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thanks po sa mga replies.
may I also ask. is it necessary to have a ready itinerary when you visit a travel agency?
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yes, you should have your itinerary ready since you will be attaching a copy to the visa application form.
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Hi, I’ve been to Japan last May 2010, I really want to thank you for the information I read this before applying. Thank you very much. ^____^
But I wanted to go back this September (i desperately want to watch a concert lol), is it possible for me to be granted another tourist visa within the year?
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yes, you may apply again. you may apply for as many tourist visas as you need in a year, but you can only apply for one each time you leave. have fun and good luck!
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if you’re traveling without any tour guides or japanese friends, what will you write in the CONTACT column of the Schedule of Stay?
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you may include your own contact details: input your roaming-activated mobile phone number and your personal e-mail, etc.
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Hi magnetic rose,
I really love how you complied information about getting Japan Visa. But I have still some few questions to ask 🙂
Can I still apply for Visa even if I don’t have 100K in my account? My dollar account only have $1K+. I worry too much afraid of getting denied lol. I plan to visit Japan as my boyfriend works there.
I’m a traveler by the way, but I love traveling to Philippines lol, and I’ve only been to Singapore and Macau. Do you think those stamps are enough?
I appreciate if you have any suggestions! 😀
Thank you so much and I will visit this blog post again to check for your reply 😉
Erica
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a USD account works in your favor, even if it falls below the recommended amount (but i’d still try to reach it if i were you to better your chances of getting approved). you already have two stamps in your passport which is good, but if you can try to squeeze in one or two more trips overseas before your japan holiday just to be sure. good luck!
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Thank a bunch magnetic rose! I plan to visit asian countries to make sure I got in one click. 😉 Again, thank you 😀
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elow poh! i have 300,000 in my account gusto ko sanang pumunta ng japan as a tourist for 1 week lang..mangangailangan parin ba nang garantor eh wala akong kakilala sa japan?gusto kulang talagang pumunta don kc pangarap ko talagang makapunta ng japan..
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you can apply for a tourist visa even without a guarantor, as long as you fulfill all the requirements such as furnishing a copy of your ITR, your bank certificates, etc. and filing your application with an accredited tourist agency.
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hello po,gusto ko po sanang magtanong about sa case ng friend kong japanese here in japan.2007 nakilala po nya ang filipino friend nya,na lagi po daw syang ipinapasyal sa twing bumibisita sya ng pilipinas,marami silang old and new picture.ask ko lan po kung my chance po ba na mainvite nya yung friend nyang pilipino as tourist here japan.slamat po na marami
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photos signifying proof of relationship are not the main document considered when applying for a visa; even if you have plenty of photos but no documents, your visa application will be denied.
the letter of invitation, letter of guarantee, proof of income, and other japanese documents issued by the japanese guarantor on behalf of the filipino invitee are more important for the consul than mere photos. please check above post again for the complete list. thanks.
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hi…i’m planning to go to japan for a week.completed all of my papers and i’m going to submit it to accredited agency…i don’t have a guarantor but i know it’s possible now…the only problem is,i just recently got my passport,and i haven’t went to abroad or anything,so i don’t have a previous travel visa stamped on my passport.Do you think it’s still okay?It’s going to be my first time to apply a tourist visa abroad.But I’ve saved enough for my travel in japan.
Thanks a lot….more power.
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magnetic rose,if i could just post this…
hey botz…I’ve read your post here.You said you’re going to a concert this september?Is that the NEWS concert?
I’m going there too!That is…If they’ll approved my visa.
See you at Tokyo Dome!(crosses fingers!)
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@nada travel history carries a lot of weight with visa applications. yeah, you can go ahead and apply for a visa with a blank passport, but your chances of getting approved are slim at best.
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hello gud pm! magnetic_rose..talagang pwede lang ba kahit wala akong sponsor or garantor 1 week lang naman talaga ako don! pls help me naman ohh…kung ano ang mga kailangan at dapat kung gawin..gustong gusto ko talagang pumunta don…pls pls pls
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yun lang talaga ang problema ko wala akong sponsor or garantor yun lang talaga!! may 300,000 ako sa bank ko.. at kukuha ko lang nang passport ko..and my next step is to get visa kaso yan talaga ang malaki kung problema natatakot kasi ako pag nag apply ako nang visa para japan di ako ma aprobahan..pls help me magnetic rose..sorry talaga if naka isturbo ako sayo..
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i mean kakukuha ko lang nang passport……..
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mika sinagot na kita dati pa — ang sabi ko pwede kang mag apply ng tourist visa kahit walang guarantor kung kumpleto ka ng papeles.
wag po sana tayong makulit. at kahit na magpumilit ka sa akin hindi kita matutulungan kasi hindi naman ako ang consul na namimigay ng visa.
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Hi it’s me again 🙂
Somebody told me kasi that me & my husband have a slimmer chance of getting a visa if kami lang dalawa… is this true?
also, just want to inquire if it’s okay to submit a bank certificate na joint account kami ni hubby. I have my own account too under my name, can hubby attach this also to his application?
Thanks in advance!
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the number of people applying as a group has no bearing on the approval.
there are even instances of some people in a large tour group getting approved while others are not, so it is not true that the more members in a tour group the better the chances of getting approved.
you may submit your joint account certificate, but it is also a good idea to include your own. financial documentation is a key factor in getting your visa application approved. good luck!
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another thing po : I have my own account too under my name, can hubby attach this also to his application?
thanks
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only minors are allowed to use financial documentation made out in other people’s name. unlike the joint account certificate that bears his name, your husband cannot use your personal account’s certificate because it has your name listed down and not his.
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helo, ask lang ako… may auntie kasi ako sa japan… married sya before sa japanese man tapos nag divorced na po sila.. so single na po auntie ko uli pero may permanent visa na po sya.. then she want me to go in japan by petetion… pero may prob. kasi di pa sya regular sa work nya… kasi require din daw yun.. so she decide na tourist visa nalang daw…ok lang ba yun? can i still get tourist visa? or petention? sorry for wrong grammar.. hope u understand..lol
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yes, it is important that your guarantor in japan have a regular job and a large income — even for just a tourist visa, so i’m afraid that your aunt petitioning for you to stay in japan to become a permanent resident is even more impossible.
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is there a greated likelihood of japanese visa approval for me? i’ve travelled in other asian countries and issued me a chinese visa before, do you think this would help me geta japanese visa approval?
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as far as i know, only schengen, US, aussie, and japan visas are given extra consideration by the consuls office when applying for a japanese visa…
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Hi rose!
If the agency told you, “kindly pick up your passport at our office” does that mean your application is accepted?
I’m sorry I’m just too excited/nervous because we’ll be getting our passports tomorrow at the agency and I’m not getting any response from them.
Thank you!
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no — it just means that you need to pick up your passport at the agency. once you claim it, check inside if the visa is already affixed.
if none can be found, it means that your application has been rejected. you need to wait six months before you can apply again.
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ATEH SANA ! MA APPROVED VISA KO !! 7-10 WORKING DAYS PO? KOMPLETO NAMAN PO LAHAT NG REQUIREMENTS KO PICTURE LANG PO ANG WALA. VISITING FRIENDS LANG PO AKO DOON. JAPANESE GUARANTOR PO FRIEND KO. TINGIN NIYO PO MAY PAG ASA MAKAPASA PO AKO ? SANA NGA. ATE KASI KOMPLETO NAMAN PO YUNG REQUIREMENTS EH PICTURE LANG WALA. PAANO PO YAN ?
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first of all, please do not type in all-caps; typing in all-caps is like shouting online. second of all, i am not the one making the decision to approve or deny applications — that’s the job of the consul.
third, the consul puts more weight on government-issued personal documents and financial certificates issued by the bank than personal photographs, letters, and other easily-faked “proof” so you should concentrate on more on getting your docs together than stressing over photos.
lastly, while i can give advise on how to increase your chances of getting approved, if the consul decides to deny you a visa that’s pretty much it, and no amount of POH ATEH POH PLZZZ OMG!!!! will change that. good luck with your application.
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MAY MGA LETTER NAMAN PO SIYA PINADADALA SAKEN YUN ANG PROVE NA MAGKAIBIGAN PO KAME PERO PICTURE WALA PO EH. 1YEAR FRIEND KO NA SIYA SINCE 2009 PA. CHAT FRIEND KO DI KASI SIYA MAKAPUNTA DITO KASI BUSY SIYA KAYA AYON AKO NA KUKUNIN NIYA KOMPLETO NAMAN PO LAHAT NG DOCUMENT PICTURE TOGETHER LANG PO ANG WALA TINGIN NIYO PO MAKAKAPASA AKO ATE HURHUR KINAKABAHAN AKO SANA NGA. MAKAPASA AKO.
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sorry naman po ate ! sorry kung capslock ! ano po sa tingin niyo po ? may chances po ba ako makapasa ? may show money naman po eeh almost 1million po? tapos kompleto po lahat. baka ma deny pa po ako nun. pasensiya na po. sorry po. picture lang po ang wala talaga kame.
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