Which application applies to you

Where the foreign spouse physically is decides the form.

If they are outside Japan, the Japanese spouse files an application for a Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書) at the immigration bureau covering their own address. There is no fee. When it is granted the certificate is posted abroad, and the applicant takes it to a Japanese embassy or consulate, which issues the visa. The certificate is valid for three months, and entry must happen inside that window.

If they are already in Japan on another status -- Student, Engineer, Dependent -- the route is a Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請), filed by the applicant themselves. 6,000 yen is payable when permission is granted (5,500 yen if filed online). The 4,000 yen figure still widely quoted applies only to applications received on or before 31 March 2025.

If they already hold the spouse status and it is running out, it is a Renewal of the Period of Stay (在留期間更新許可申請), which can be filed from about three months before expiry.

A child born in Japan, or a person who has lost Japanese nationality, uses Acquisition of Status of Residence (在留資格取得許可申請), and must file within 30 days.