Visa Status for International Talent
When you use international models or talent in ads or videos, the hiring company also has a responsibility to check their visa status. This page explains what companies should know and the checks Liliana carries out on your behalf.
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The hiring company’s responsibility
Having someone do work their visa status doesn’t permit can lead to charges of facilitating illegal employment. This applies not only to the talent but also to the company and production company that hired them, so checking in advance is essential.
When you book through Liliana, we carry out all of these checks. The following explains what they involve.
Work eligibility by visa status
“International model” covers both people living in Japan and people brought in from overseas, and the procedures are completely different.
Permanent resident, long-term resident, spouse of a Japanese national, etc.
No restrictions on work. They can appear regardless of the type of activity.
Student / dependent
Permission to engage in activities outside their status is required, and working hours are capped.
Entertainer
An invitation procedure is required and permitted activities are limited. Obtaining the status takes time.
Temporary visitor (tourism, etc.)
Paid activities are not permitted. This includes appearing in shoots.
What Liliana checks
We check at two stages: when members register, and when we propose them for each project.
Residence card check at registration
We check the residence card of every member at registration and keep a copy on file.
Permission for activities outside status
For members on student visas, we confirm that they have permission to work outside their status.
Managing working hours
We manage booking schedules so members stay within the limits of their permission.
Guidance on applications
We guide members who need permission through the application process.
Filtering at the proposal stage
At the proposal stage, we list only members who are eligible to appear in that project.
Checking against the project
If something needs checking because of the shoot content or media, we will contact you.
Bringing talent in from overseas
To use models or talent who don’t live in Japan, a visa status such as Entertainer is required, and screening takes time. Liliana is not a sponsoring organization, so we work with partner administrative scriveners and specialist agencies on the procedures. Travel, accommodation and visa-related costs are included in the quote for each project.
What clients need to provide
Clients don’t need to provide any documents for visa checks. Liliana takes responsibility for confirming each performer’s work eligibility.
Impact on schedule
For members living in Japan, projects run on a normal schedule. Only when talent is brought in from overseas do we plan the schedule around the screening period.
Frequently asked questions
- Do we need to check visa status ourselves?
- No. We check the visa status and work eligibility of every performer we propose.
- Can we get a document confirming the checks?
- To protect our members’ privacy, we don’t hand over copies of residence cards, but we can provide written confirmation that the checks have been done. Please ask when signing the contract.
- Can we use a friend who is visiting Japan on a short-term visa as a model?
- Temporary visitors can’t engage in paid activities. How it’s treated depends on the type of appearance and whether there is payment, so please consult us first.
- How far in advance should we contact you to bring someone in from overseas?
- Screening takes time, so please contact us earlier than for a domestic project. Tell us your preferred shoot date and we’ll let you know whether it’s feasible.
- Are there cases where extra checks are needed because of the shoot content?
- Depending on the media and activities, additional checks may be needed. If so, we will contact you; you don’t need to do anything.
- What about Japanese members?
- No visa checks are needed. The booking process and contract terms are the same as for international members.
This page summarizes general points to note when casting international performers and is not legal advice for any specific project. For accurate and up-to-date information on visa status, please refer to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
