What is the difference between the new and old guidelines and how will they affect me?
The old guidelines with No. 8 . . .
What's this all about?
The old guidelines (see photo on left) were posted on a web page of the Ministry of Justice's site. Once we knew that Guideline No. 8 would be deleted, we archived the source code for this 'historic' file. The original guidelines consisted of two parts, the top section (without the numbers) and the bottom section (with the numbers). Non-compliance with any of the numbered guidelines would incur a mark against your visa application.
Please pay careful attention to the top section of the old guidelines. One line in particular mentions that you will be required to show your insurance card when applying for change of status or renewal ( note that this never applied to permanent residents, only non-permanent residents) and refers to Guideline No. 8.
All of these things are still true in the revised version - except that now there are only seven guidelines instead of eight (see photo on right). The 8th guideline requested that visa applicants (for renewal or change of status) present their Social Health Insurance cards at the application window. Before No. 8's deletion, failure to comply with the request would have meant a negative point against the approval of your visa application - but no more. Now let's take a look at the column on the right to see how things have changed.
The new guidelines without No. 8 . . .
What's changed?
Rather than being posted on a web page, the new guidelines are in the form of a PDF file. The MOJ provides a link on their menu page to download this file. You can also download it by clicking on the image above. And, in addition to the obvious deletion of No. 8, a new sentence has been added to the top section, stating: "Note) If an insurance certificate cannot be presented, a visa application for a change of residence status or for renewal of the residence period will not be rejected for that reason."
Like the top section of the old guidelines, the Immigration Bureau will still ask non-permanent residents to show their health insurance cards. But, instead of getting a mark against your visa application if you are not enrolled in public insurance, you 'might' get a promotional brochure - compliments of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare!
Our take on this? Show them a private insurance certificate!