Since the new standards for the Business Manager Visa came into effect in October 2025, professional fees charged by Administrative Scriveners for immigration application services have been increasing.

We are sometimes asked:

“Why does it cost several hundred thousand yen?”

The Business Manager Visa is a residence status intended for individuals who establish a company in Japan and continuously operate a business.

Therefore, applicants are required not only to prepare application forms, but also to provide comprehensive evidence regarding their business plan and the formation of their investment funds.

In this article, we explain why professional fees for Business Manager Visa applications tend to be relatively high.

1. A Business Manager Visa Application Is Not Simply a Document Submission

For a Business Manager Visa application, it is necessary to explain from the perspective of the Immigration Services Agency:

• What type of business will be conducted
• Why the business can continue sustainably
• How the investment funds were accumulated

Preparing application forms alone is not sufficient.

It is important to organize the business activities and supporting financial evidence and present them in a manner that immigration officers can clearly understand.

2. Why Has Examination Become More Strict in Recent Years?

In recent years, applications involving companies without substantial business activities or investments lacking actual substance have become a concern.

As a result, the Immigration Services Agency has increasingly requested detailed explanations regarding:

• The source of funds
• The substance of the company
• The feasibility of the business plan
• The prospects for continuous business operations

Particularly in corporate applications, immigration authorities frequently examine:

• Corporate Registry Certificates
• Balance Sheets (B/S)
• Capital formation documents
• Contract documents

to verify the actual business activities and capital structure of the company.

3. The Level of Evidence Required Is Different Between the JPY 5 Million Era and the JPY 30 Million Era

Under the previous Business Manager Visa framework, an investment of JPY 5 million was one of the principal benchmarks.

However, since October 2025, corporate applicants have generally been required to demonstrate:

Capital or total investment of JPY 30 million or more.

Naturally, proving how JPY 30 million was accumulated is significantly more complex than proving how JPY 5 million was accumulated.

For example, applicants may need to explain, in chronological order:

• Employment income
• Investment profits
• Real estate sale proceeds
• Overseas fund transfers
• Tax records
• Bank transaction histories

Depending on the case, the supporting documents and application materials may reach a thickness of approximately five centimeters.

The role of an Administrative Scrivener is not simply to prepare application forms. Rather, it is to organize these extensive materials and present them in a way that immigration officers can readily understand.

4. A Business Manager Visa Application Is a Project Involving Multiple Professionals

Obtaining a Business Manager Visa is not a process that can be completed solely by an Administrative Scrivener.

In practice, cooperation with various professionals is often required, including:

• Judicial Scriveners (company establishment)
• Tax Accountants (accounting and taxation)
• Certified SME Management Consultants (business planning)
• Labor and Social Security Attorneys (employment matters)

This is because establishing a company in Japan, launching a business, and operating it continuously require expertise from multiple professional fields.

5. The Essence of Administrative Scrivener Fees Is Risk Management

Administrative Scrivener fees are not merely document preparation fees.

The key work includes:

• Identifying missing documents
• Organizing the capital formation process
• Supplementing insufficient explanations
• Identifying potential risk factors
• Responding to requests for additional documents from immigration authorities

For Business Manager Visa applications, the preparation stage before submission is critically important.

For this reason, Administrative Scrivener fees are more accurately understood not as document preparation fees, but as professional fees for organizing application risks and preparing appropriate supporting evidence.

About Our Support

At La Vie Administrative Scrivener Office, we provide support for:

• Organizing the capital formation process
• Reviewing business plans
• Reviewing and organizing supporting documents
• Immigration application procedures
• Responses to requests for additional documentation

We also work in cooperation with Judicial Scriveners, Tax Accountants, Certified SME Management Consultants, and other professionals to provide support tailored to each client’s business activities.

A Business Manager Visa is the starting point for doing business in Japan.

Our office carefully organizes the feasibility and continuity of your business and supports appropriate preparation for your application.

If you are considering starting a business in Japan, please feel free to contact us.