Japanese Police Certificate for a Chef Visa: How to Apply

The Japanese police certificate (hanzai keireki shomeisho) is applied for in person, with fingerprints, at the police headquarters for the prefecture where the chef is or was last registered as resident, never at a local police station or by post. In Japan it is usually ready in one to two weeks; applying from abroad through a Japanese embassy takes two to three months. The employer's part is supplying a document that shows why the certificate is needed, such as an offer letter, employment contract or assignment order, in the chef's name.

1. What the certificate is

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the "travel certificate" (toko shomeisho), the "certificate of criminal record" and the "no criminal record certificate" are the same document. It is printed in five languages (Japanese, English, French, Spanish and German), issued in a sealed envelope, and free of charge (Tokyo MPD, Kanagawa Prefectural Police).

It is issued only to people who have been asked to submit one by a foreign public body, such as an embassy or immigration authority. An employer cannot request it as a general background check, and whether your chef's visa actually needs one at all is a question for police certificate from Japan for a visa, not this page.

2. Who applies, and where

The application goes to the police headquarters of the prefecture where the chef is registered as resident, never a local police station. At the Tokyo MPD, applicants must be either registered as resident in Tokyo, or living abroad with their last Japanese resident registration in Tokyo. Kanagawa Prefectural Police state plainly that applications cannot be made at police stations; the counter is the identification division at prefectural headquarters. The Tokyo MPD accepts applications at its travel certificate section on the ground floor of its headquarters.

Fingerprints are taken at the time of application, so the chef must attend in person; there is no postal application in Japan. Both the Tokyo MPD and Kanagawa Prefectural Police ask applicants to phone in advance, since acceptance can depend on the receiving authority and the stated reason.

3. Documents: what the employer provides

For a Japanese national registered in Tokyo, the Tokyo MPD lists three requirements:

1. A valid passport (no copies)
2. Proof of name and registered address (a residence record issued within six months, a My Number card, or a driving licence matching the registered address)
3. A document showing why the certificate is needed

For the third item, the Tokyo MPD gives examples: "a request for issuance from an embassy, an invitation letter, a school acceptance letter, a notice of employment, an assignment order or an employment contract" bearing the applicant's name. What is accepted differs by requesting country and reason, which is why both forces ask applicants to enquire first.

As the employer, prepare an offer letter or employment contract in the chef's name, or an assignment order for a secondment, before the chef goes to the counter. If the immigration process itself has produced a document requesting the certificate, give the chef that too; without proof of need, a chef can travel to the counter and still be turned away.

4. Timing and collection

Unless a proxy collects it, the chef needs at least two visits: one to apply, one to collect. Neither prefecture posts the certificate, so a chef living outside Tokyo or Kanagawa should build travel time for both visits into the schedule, and every other prefecture should be assumed to follow the same no-post rule until confirmed otherwise with its own police headquarters.

5. When the chef is already abroad

A chef already living abroad applies at a Japanese embassy or consulate there; Kanagawa Prefectural Police directs applicants to ask the local mission about its own procedure. As an example, the Embassy of Japan in the United States describes this process: the applicant collects a fingerprint card in person at the consular section and has fingerprints taken by a local police agency, which charges its own fee; the certificate is then produced by Japan's National Police Agency and takes two to three months from application; only the applicant, or someone named at application, can collect it; and for purposes other than US or Canadian permanent residence, applicants should enquire first about whether it can be issued at all.

Applying from abroad is almost always slower than applying in Japan, so when hiring a chef who already lives abroad, check early in the visa process whether a certificate is needed at all, using police certificate from Japan for a visa. According to the Tokyo MPD, once someone has applied through a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad, the same application cannot also be made in Japan.

6. Common problems

• Passport renewal: the certificate carries the passport number. Renewing the passport afterwards changes the number (Tokyo MPD), so renew first if a renewal is due.
• Name mismatch: the Tokyo MPD does not accept applications where the family register name differs from the passport; update the passport first.
• Opening the envelope: the certificate is issued sealed. Submit it unopened unless the receiving authority's own instructions say otherwise (some, like IRCC, tell applicants to open, scan and upload it).
• Official seal certification or apostille: if the receiving authority asks for one, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handles it, not the police; whether it is needed depends on the receiving country.
• Children under 14: applications from under-14s are not accepted, since acts by those under 14 are not punishable under the Penal Code. Check with the receiving authority if certificates are requested for accompanying children.

7. Employer checklist

1. Confirm the visa authority actually wants a police certificate and how recent it must be (see police certificate from Japan for a visa for country rules).
2. Check the guidance of the police in the prefecture where the chef is, or was last, registered.
3. Give the chef an offer letter, employment contract or assignment order naming them, using the model wording in section 3.
4. Check whether a passport renewal is due and that the passport name matches the family register.
5. Allow one to two weeks in Japan; allow two to three months, and a local fingerprinting fee, when applying from abroad.
6. Confirm whether official seal certification or an apostille is needed, and whether the receiving authority wants the envelope opened.

General information, not immigration or legal advice. Eligibility, documents and timing differ between prefectural police forces and embassies and can change. Check the official sources below, verified in September 2026, and contact the police headquarters or embassy before applying.