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US visa planning for a Japan passport: 25 hours per week for 40 weeks

Choose your passport country, class hours and course length to see the guidance for your course.

Showing guidance for a Japan passport holder considering 25 class hours per week for 40 weeks.

  1. 1

    A passport from a Visa Waiver Program country does not establish personal eligibility. Other entry routes and nationality exceptions also exist.

  2. 2

    United States

    This directory lists US programs only. Other countries have different rules. Compare country guidance

  3. 3
    25hours per weekCourse hours

    Get the actual instructional hours from the school. Fewer hours do not automatically make a course recreational or permit study as a visitor.

  4. 4
Individual review needed

Your course alone exceeds the VWP stay limit

A 40-week course spans about 280 days before any extra travel. That already exceeds the VWP's 90-day maximum stay. Ask the school whether this language program requires F-1 status and an I-20; a visitor visa is not a workaround for ordinary study.

  • Ask the school whether this specific course requires F-1 status and a Form I-20.
  • Confirm your purpose of travel, course credit and immigration circumstances with the relevant consulate before paying or booking.
  • Ask the designated school official whether this schedule meets the full-course requirements for your program. Do not reduce hours to try to qualify as a visitor.
  • The Visa Waiver Program permits stays of up to 90 days. A B-2 visa is not an automatic alternative for a longer course.
  • Do not plan this course around ESTA. Confirm the school and program are eligible to enroll F-1 students before paying.
Browse programsF-1 student visa guide

If this is a short recreational course during tourism, also read the US visitor-study guide. Ask the school about this exact course with the school email template; use the document checklist before applying.

Email me this checklist

Select or calculate your information, then enter your email.

This tool is general guidance based on published rules, not legal advice. Always confirm with the school and relevant embassy or consulate before booking travel.

Sources checked 2026-09-29: Department of State student guidance / Visa Waiver Program requirements

Browse example passport, hours and duration combinations

More Japan planning examples

Compare other class-hour and course-length combinations. These examples organize questions to confirm; they do not determine personal eligibility.