Residence procedure documents

Build your draft using the following forms

Answer plain questions once. Your answers are written onto the Immigration Services Agency's own published forms, shown back to you in red so you can see exactly which box each one landed in, and left blank wherever the form requires your own handwriting.

Build your document

Pick the one closest to you. Which procedure that becomes is our problem, not yours — each says so underneath, and each links to the order things happen in and what usually goes wrong.

Your Japanese spouse already lives in Japan and you are still abroad most common The textbook case, and the one the Certificate of Eligibility was designed for. Your spouse is settled in Japan with an address, a job and a tax record; you are abroad waiting... Certificate of Eligibility · read this one in full

You are already in Japan on a work or student status and have married You hold Engineer, Student, Dependent or a similar status, you have married a Japanese national, and you want to switch to the spouse status — usually because it removes the... Change of status · read this one in full

Both of you are abroad, and you both want to move to Japan A common case: a US citizen married to a Japanese national, both living in the United States, who now want to relocate to Japan together. It looks like the simplest scenario... Certificate of Eligibility · read this one in full

You married while still a tourist You came to Japan on a short visit, married while you were here, and would rather not leave. This is an extremely common situation and the answer is not the one most couples hope for. Certificate of Eligibility · read this one in full

You already hold the spouse status and it is running out You are living in Japan on a spouse visa, the residence card expires soon, and the marriage continues. Renewal · read this one in full

You married abroad and have not reported it to Japan yet You held the wedding and completed the paperwork in the foreign spouse's country, and nothing has been filed on the Japanese side. Certificate of Eligibility · read this one in full

A child has been born to you in Japan You are a couple already in Japan and a child has just been born. There is a deadline on this one, and it is short. Acquisition · read this one in full

I already know which procedure I need

Outside Japan -- we need permission to come You will apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書). The Japanese spouse normally files it at the immigration office in Japan, then sends the certificate abroad so the foreign spouse can collect the visa. No fee. Already in Japan on another status You will apply to Change Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請) -- for example from Student or Engineer to Spouse of a Japanese National. 6,000 yen on approval (5,500 yen if filed online). Already a spouse visa holder, and it is expiring You will apply to Renew the Period of Stay (在留期間更新許可申請). Filing opens about three months before expiry. 6,000 yen on approval (5,500 yen online). A child was born in Japan, or someone lost Japanese nationality You will apply to Acquire Status of Residence (在留資格取得許可申請). This must be filed within 30 days of the event.