This article is written by a Japanese local.
While waiting for the results after applying for a work visa or spouse visa in Japan, there are cases where an inspector from the Immigration Services Agency suddenly calls, or an investigator visits your workplace or home directly.
It is not uncommon for applicants or corporate HR managers to panic, thinking, “I haven’t done anything wrong, so why am I being suspected?” However, Immigration investigations are not conducted randomly. They are executed with a clear intent only when “contradictions with objective facts” or “legal doubts that need verification” arise within the submitted documents. This article thoroughly explains the logic behind sudden phone calls and on-site investigations, the fatal risks of denial caused by incorrect answers born from panic, and the logical approach to handling the situation appropriately based on facts.
1. Why Does Immigration Call? (3 Main Reasons)
Phone calls from Immigration generally fall into one of the following three categories.
1. Resolving “Contradictions” and “Unclear Points” in Submitted Documents
This is the most common reason. If there is a contradiction between the application form, the Statement of Reasons, and the attached official documents (such as tax certificates or corporate financial statements), the inspector will call to verify the facts. For example, if the Statement of Reasons says “Monthly salary of 300,000 yen,” but the employment contract shows an “Hourly wage calculation,” you will be asked to explain directly because the legality cannot be determined from the documents alone.
2. Suspicions and Verification of Fake Residency (Fake Marriage/Fictitious Employment)
This frequently occurs with spouse visas and work visa applications at small-scale companies. To dispel doubts such as “Are they really living together?” or “Does this company actually have the physical space and business operations to hire a foreign national?”, inspectors will call the applicant, their spouse, or the company’s HR manager separately to test for discrepancies in their answers.
3. “Outer Moat” Investigations of Former Employers or Related Institutions
Sometimes, calls are made not to the applicant or the current employer, but to a former company or Japanese language school. Questions like “When did this foreign national leave your company?” or “Did they resign for personal reasons?” are asked to verify through an objective third-party institution whether the past resume or resignation certificate submitted by the applicant is forged.
2. The “Worst Responses” During Phone Investigations and Legal Risks
If you panic during a sudden call and respond in the following ways, you will effectively create a decisive reason for your application to be denied, even if it originally had grounds for approval.
Guessing When Your Memory is Vague
Out of fear that “If I don’t answer immediately, I’ll be denied,” making up numbers (sales figures, dates you met, working hours) when your memory is unclear is fatal. The inspector already has the objective documents in hand. If your verbal answer contradicts the numbers on the documents, it will be processed as a “false declaration (lacking credibility).”
Uninvolved Staff Answering Based on Assumptions (For Companies)
During a work visa investigation, a part-time worker or receptionist who answers the phone might unknowingly say, “We don’t have anyone named X here” (because the applicant hasn’t joined yet) or “I haven’t heard anything about hiring foreign nationals.” This drastically increases the risk of being judged as having “no employment reality.” While an application is pending, the entire company must be informed that a call from Immigration might occur, and a system must be in place to ensure such calls are always escalated to the HR manager.
3. The Reality and Targets of Surprise Inspections (On-Site Investigations)
If Immigration decides that phone verification is insufficient to guarantee credibility, investigators (such as immigration security officers) will conduct an “on-site investigation” by directly visiting the location. This is done without prior notice (a surprise inspection).
Home Visits (Investigating Cohabitation Reality for Spouse Visas)
This is conducted when a fake marriage is suspected for a “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” visa. Investigators will suddenly visit the home early in the morning or in the evening to physically confirm traces of daily life, such as:
- The number and size of shoes in the entrance (Are there shoes for both a man and a woman?)
- Clothes in the closet, the number of toothbrushes in the washroom.
- Asking neighbors (“Does a foreign and Japanese married couple live in this apartment?”)
Workplace Visits (Investigating Work Reality for Work Visas)
This is conducted on newly established corporations or companies that have had illegal employment troubles in the past. Investigators will visually confirm the structure of the workplace to see if there is physical space (desks, PCs, phones) to perform the desk work required for the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa, or if the company is actually trying to make the applicant do manual labor in a factory or kitchen.
4. A “Lawful and Logical” Response Procedure to Investigations
When contacted by Immigration, remaining emotionless and dealing with the situation logically and lawfully through the following steps is an absolute requirement to proceed safely through the screening.
Step 1: Convey Only the “Facts” Concisely
Answer only what is asked, stating objective facts. Attempting to add unnecessary information to “make yourself look better” will only create new contradictions.
Step 2: If You Cannot Answer Immediately, Put it on “Hold” and Call Back
If asked about specific dates, amounts, or contract details and you do not have the documents on hand, state clearly: “My memory is vague on that point, so to avoid giving an inaccurate answer, I will check the documents and call you back.” A posture of trying to confirm the facts accurately is evaluated much more highly than answering randomly.
Step 3: Prove It with “Written Documents (Additional Materials)” Rather Than Orally
If an explanation becomes complex over the phone, or if you feel the inspector still harbors doubts, proactively propose: “In addition to this verbal explanation, may I submit additional documents (photos, contracts, email histories, etc.) and a written statement to prove the facts?” Switching to verification based on objective documentary evidence is the most reliable legal response.
5. Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)
Q. I happened to be out during a surprise home visit. Will I be denied?
A. You will not be immediately denied simply because you were absent. If an absence notice was left in your mailbox, promptly call the designated number, logically explain why you were out (work, shopping, etc.), and schedule the next visit date.
Q. The inspector strictly pressed me on the phone, saying, “Your submitted documents are strange.” What should I do?
A. First, stay calm and accurately listen to exactly which part they are doubting. Then, carefully examine whether there was an error in your application documents or if it is a misunderstanding of facts by the inspector. If it is difficult to argue based on your own judgment, you should immediately share the situation with a qualified professional familiar with immigration practices and take recovery measures, such as drafting an additional Statement of Reasons based on legal grounds.
6. Conclusion: Investigations Are an Opportunity to Prove the “Facts”
Sudden phone calls and surprise inspections from Immigration are by no means meant to trap the applicant. They are a “process to confirm doubts that appeared on paper before making a final decision (approval or denial).” In other words, if you can correctly prove the facts here, the path to approval will open.
The most dangerous thing is to panic and tell makeshift lies or repeatedly give inaccurate answers based on guesswork. During the visa application period, always assume that you might be contacted and perfectly grasp the contents of the copies of the documents you submitted. If your company’s or your own situation is complex and likely to be targeted for investigation, the safest and most reliable approach is to consult a qualified professional in practical affairs before applying, to construct sophisticated and logical documents that leave no room for doubt.