Entry and residence

Chapter 1 Procedures for Entry/Residence 1 Residence Card A residence card is an ID for foreign residents in Japan. It shows your identification information, the period you can stay in Japan (period of stay) and the activities that you can conduct in Japan (your status of residence), and so on. • A person who is 16 years and over needs to carry his / her residence card at all times. • It can also be used as an ID card for municipal procedures, contracts, etc. Persons to Whom a Residence Card Is Issued A residence card is issued to a person who stays in Japan over three months. (Such person is called “mid-to-long-term resident”.) Six cases where a residence card is not issued i. A person granted permission to stay for three months or less ii. A person granted “Temporary Visitor” status of residence iii. A person granted “Diplomat” or “Official” status of residence iv. A person who has one of the following “Designated Activities” statuses of residence • Staff members and his/her families of the Japanese office of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, etc.). • Staff members and his/her families of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine in Japan who have “Designated Activities” status of residence • Digital Nomad (a person who stays in Japan for the purpose of international remote work, etc.) and his/her spouse/children v. A special permanent resident vi. A person with no status of residence

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence 1-1 Issuance of Residence Card A residence card is mainly issued at the following time i When a new landing permit is given at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Chubu Airport, Kansai Airport, New Chitose Airport, Hiroshima Airport, and Fukuoka Airport ➡ A residence card is issued at the airport. ii When a new landing permit is given at an airport or a port not mentioned above ➡ After entering Japan, submit a “Notification of Place of Residence (Moving In Notification)” to the municipality in which you live. After that your Residence Card will be delivered to your house by mail. iii When you receive permission for extension of the period of stay. ➡ Please apply for extension of period of stay (cf. 2-1) at the Regional Immigration Services Office before your period of stay expires. A new residence card will be issued if your application is permitted. iv When you receive permission for change of the status of residence ➡ If you need to change your status of residence, please apply for change of status of residence at the Regional Immigration Services Office (cf. 2-2). A new residence card will be issued if your application is permitted. v When you receive permission for acquisition of status of residence ➡ If a child is born in Japan without Japanese nationality and wishes to continue his/her stay in Japan beyond 60 days after he or she is born, it is necessary to apply for acquisition of his/her status of residence at the Regional Immigration Services Office within 30 days from the date of birth (cf. 2-4). A new residence card will be issued if his/her application is permitted. 1-2 Moving in Notification A person who has had been issued his/her Residence Card need to register his/her address / place of residence (file moving-in notification) within 14 days after his/her residence has been determined. As his/her Residence Card (in the case of 1-1 i) or passport (in the case of 1-1 ii) is required to file the said notification, please make sure to bring either of them. See: Chapter 2-1, 1-1 Notification of Address 1-3 Loss of Residence Card You need to apply for reissuance of your residence card at the Regional Immigration Services Office within 14 days of the day when the loss is found. Necessary Documents • Passport • A photograph (4 cm long × 3 cm wide, taken within six months, not required for persons under the age of 16)

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence • Documentation that proves reasons for loss of the Residence Card (Certificate of Lost Property Report, Report of Theft, Disaster Victim Notification, etc.) • An application for reissuance of a Residence Card See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri10_00010.html 1-4 Return of Residence Card You need to return your residence card to the Regional Immigration Services Office in the following circumstances: Leaving Japan Re-entry Nonreserving (leaving Japan after finishing your activities) • Please return your residence card to an Immigration officer at an airport or seaport when you leave Japan. • When a family member or someone you live with died • If you left Japan with re-entry permission and special re-entry permission but did not return to Japan within the validity period of the re-entry permission and special re-entry permission • When you were naturalized as a Japanese citizen In the cases above, please return your residence card within 14 days by either of the following methods. • Bring the residence card to the nearest Regional Immigration Services Office. • Send the residence card by mail To: Online Inspection Department Odaiba Branch Office, Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Office Tokyo Port Joint Government Building 9F, 2-7-11 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064 (Please write “Return of the Residence Card” on the front of the envelope) See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri10_00020.html

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence 2 Procedures relating to status of residence 2-1 Extension of period of stay (renewal of period of stay) If you wish to continue your stay in Japan beyond your currently authorized period of stay, you need to apply for an extension of period of stay at a Regional Immigration Services Office. Necessary Documents • Passport • Residence Card (if you have already been issued one) • A photograph (4 cm long × 3 cm wide, taken within six months, not required for persons under the age of 16) • An application form for extension of period of stay and documentation that specifies your planned activities, etc. https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-3.html Change of status of residence (Change of purpose of 2-2 residence) If you wish to stay in Japan and change your present purpose of residence, you need to apply for change of status of residence at a Regional Immigration Services Office. Necessary Documents • Passport • Residence Card (If you have already been issued one) • A photograph (4 cm long × 3 cm wide, taken within six months, not required for persons under the age of 16) • An application form for change of status of residence and documentation that specifies your planned activities in Japan etc. https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-2.html ○Search by status of residence○ https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/index.html

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence 2-3 Permission for permanent residence Those who wish to reside permanently in Japan need to apply for permanent residence. If permanent residence is granted, you can engage in any activity in Japan and stay in Japan as long as you like. Furthermore, you do not have to carry out procedures to extend your period of stay or change your status of residence. Necessary Documents • Passport • Residence Card • A photograph (4 cm long × 3 cm wide, taken within six months, not required for persons under the age of 16) • An application form for Permanent Residence • Other necessary documents See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-4.html Permission to acquire status of residence (If you 2-4 gave birth to a child in Japan) If a child is born in Japan without Japanese nationality and wishes to continue his/her stay in Japan beyond 60 days from his/her birth, it is necessary to apply for acquisition of his/her status of residence at a Regional Immigration Services Office within 30 days from the date of birth. * As a birth certificate (Shussei todoke kisai jikou shoumeisho, or “Certificate of Entry items in Birth Notification”) and other documents (see the following for details) are required, please register a birth at an office of municipality before applying for acquisition of a status of residence at a Regional Immigration Services Office. See: Chapter 4 2-1 Notification of a birth. Necessary Documents • Passport (if one has already been issued) • An application form for permission to acquire status of residence • Certificate of entry items in birth notification (It is available at office of municipality) or other documents that proof birth • Documentation that specifies the child’s planned activity in Japan https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-10.html • A copy of your Certificate of Residence or Certificate of entry items in Resident Register (You can get it at office of municipality)

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence Permission to engage in activities other than those 2-5 permitted under the status of residence previously granted If you wish to work with a status of residence that does not permit you to work (status of residence of “Student”, “Dependent” and so on), or to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence previously granted, you need to apply for permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence previously granted at a Regional Immigration Services Office. (See Chapter 3-1 1-1 to confirm which activities are permitted under your status of residence.) Necessary Documents • Passport • Residence Card • An application form for permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence previously granted • Documents to certify the activity by which you intend to earn income or receive remuneration See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-8.html 2-6 Notification to Regional Immigration Services Office If you have one of the statuses of residence below, and if something changes regarding the organization you are affiliated with, you need to notify the Regional Immigration Services Office of that change. (1) Notification of the accepting organization Status of Residence Professor, Highly Skilled Professional (i)(c), Highly Skilled requiring Professional(ii) (limited to cases of engaging in the activities listed notifications in (ii) (c)), Business Manager, Legal/ Accounting Services, Medical Services, Instructor, Intra-company Transferee, Technical Intern Training, Student or Trainee Matters to be • Change of the name of the accepting organization notified • Change of the location of the accepting organization • Extinguishment of the accepting organization • Left from the accepting organization • Transfer from the accepting organization Notification period You are required to notify within 14 days. See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri10_00014.html

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence (2) Notification of the organization of affiliation Status of residence Highly Skilled Professional (i)(a), Highly Skilled Professional (i)(b), requiring notifications Highly Skilled Professional (ii) (limited to cases of engaging in the activities listed in (ii)(a) or (b)), Researcher, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Nursing Care, Entertainer (limited to cases of engaging in activities based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan), Skilled Labor, Specified Skilled Worker Matters to be notified • Change of the name of the organization of affiliation • Change of the location of the organization of affiliation • Extinguishment of the organization of affiliation • Termination of the contract with the organization of affiliation • Conclusion of a contract with a new organization of affiliation Notification Period You are required to notify within 14 days. See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri10_00015.html (3) Notification of relationship with spouse Status of residence Dependent, Spouse of Japanese National or Spouse of Permanent requiring notifications Resident who has a status of a spouse Matters to be notified • Divorce your spouse • Bereavement of your spouse Notification Period You are required to notify within 14 days. See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri10_00016.html Electronic notification by internet is possible for these notifications, other than bringing to the service counter and mailing. See the following URL for details of electronic notification: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/materials/i-ens_index.html

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence Preferential treatment for highly-skilled foreign professionals Foreign nationals who are expected to contribute to the economic growth of Japan with their advanced capabilities and qualities are preferentially treated with regard to their activities and period of stay. This is a points-based system where points for foreign nationals are calculated based on their “academic background,” “professional career,” “annual income,” etc.. When foreign nationals apply for a status of residence in this system at Regional Immigration Services Offices and get 70 points or more in total, they are admitted as “Highly- Skilled Foreign Professionals” and are given the following preferential treatment. • Permission to engage in activities covering multiple statuses of residence • 5 years stay • Relaxation of requirements for permanent residence concerning the period of stay in Japan and so on See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/materials/newimmiact_3_index.html A new system called "the Japan System for Special Highly-Skilled Professionals" (J-Skip) was introduced in April, 2023. It applicants meet specific academic background requirement, professional career requirement, and exceed specific annual income, they are regarded as "Special Highly-Skilled Professional" and are eligible for additional preferential treatment. This is a separated system from the point-based highly-skilled foreign professional system above. See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/materials/nyuukokukanri01_00009.html 3 Re-entry Permission (re-enter Japan with currently admitted status of residence) If a foreign national in Japan wishes to temporarily leave and return to Japan within authorized period, he/she can re-enter Japan with his/her currently authorized status of residence and period of stay unchanged by using a re-entry permit. (1) Special re-entry permission (returning to Japan within 1 year) If the foreign nationals return to Japan within 1 year (or until the date of expiration of period of stay when the date of expiration comes earlier than 1 year from the date of departure), re- entry permission procedure at Regional Immigration Services Office will be exempted as long as they have Residence Card and valid Passport. When leaving Japan, please fill out the ED card for re-entry and present it to the immigration inspector together with your passport (and residence card).

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence (2) Re-entry permission (returning to Japan after more than 1 year) If foreign nationals apply for a re-entry permit at a Regional Immigration Services Office nearby, they can re-enter into Japan with their currently admitted status of residence and period of stay (up to 5 years at the maximum. Or up to the date of expiration when the date of expiration of the period of stay comes earlier than 5 years). When leaving Japan, please fill out the ED card for re-entry and present it to the immigration inspector together with your passport (and residence card). See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-5.html 4 Refugee and Other Recognition Procedures Japan is a member of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees and recognizes refugees as defined in the Convention, as well as persons under complementary protection as defined in the Immigration Control Act. We are committed to providing prompt and secure protection to refugees or persons under complementary protection. 4-1 Definition of Refugees The term “Refugee” is those to whom Article 1 of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees applies and defined as follows: • A person who, owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country etc. Definition of Persons under Complementary 4-2 Protection Persons under complementary protection are defined as follows. • A person who is not a refugee under the Refugee Convention (see 4-1) but meets all requirements other than being at risk of "persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion."

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence Application for Recognition of Refugee Status or 4-3 Eligibility for Complementary Protection • Application for recognition of refugee status or eligibility for complementary protection is a system for those who have fled their home countries (See: 4-1) and seek protection from Japan. A foreign national residing in Japan can apply for this status. Foreigners who are recognized as refugees are issued with a Certificate of Recognition of Refugee Status, and those who are recognized as persons under complementary protection are issued with a Certificate of Recognition of eligibility for complementary protection. In either case, as a general rule, the status of residence of “Long-Term Resident” will be granted. • A foreign national who has been recognized as a refugee, based on his/her application, will receive a refugee travel document in place of a passport. • A foreign national and his/ her family recognized as a refugee or a person under complementary protection can benefit from the Settlement Support Program, which includes Japanese language education, guidance for living in Japan and job placement. See the following URL for details: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-6.html 4-4 Request for Administrative Review A foreign national who has an objection to a disposition denying recognition as a refugee or a person under complementary protection may submit a request to the Minister of Justice for an administrative review. When the Minister of Justice makes a determination on the request, the Minister must hear the opinions of the refugee examination counselors who have an academic background in law or international affairs. See the following URL for details: About Request for Administrative Review https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/refugee/procedures/nanmin_00001.html#midashi04 5 Deportation Order etc. 5-1 Major Grounds for Deportation • Remaining in Japan after the period of stay (Please note that even a stay for just one day beyond your authorized period will constitute overstaying and subject you to deportation.) • Engaging in an activity that is not permitted under your status of residence, and receiving remuneration without permission to engage in an activity other than those permitted under the status of residence previously granted • Receiving a certain criminal punishment

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence 5-2 If You Are Deported If you are deported, in principle, you will not be allowed to enter Japan for 5 or 10 years. If you are deported due to receiving a certain criminal punishment or some other particular grounds, you will not be allowed to enter Japan anymore. Even in cases where deportation has been finalized, the period of denial of landing may be shortened to one year upon application if the applicant is permitted to leave the country at his/ her own expense. 5-3 Departure Order System If all of the following requirements are met, an overstayer will be allowed to leave Japan through simple procedures without being detained. When you leave Japan by the departure order system, in principle, you will not be allowed to enter Japan for one year. Requirements for the Departure Order System Those subject to the departure order system need to fulfill the following requirements. (1) Either (a) or (b) must be satisfied. (a) Before the investigation of the violation began, the foreign national voluntarily presented himself/herself at a Regional Immigration Services Office with the intention of departing Japan. (b) After the investigation of the violation has started, the foreign national has expressed his/ her intention to leave Japan promptly to the immigration inspector or immigration control officer before receiving the notification of recognition by the immigration inspector. (2) There is no reason for deportation other than illegal overstay. (3) The foreign national has not been sentenced to imprisonment or imprisonment without work in Japan for certain crimes such as theft. (4) The foreign national has never been deported or has never left Japan under a departure order (5) The foreign national is expected to leave Japan promptly. 5-4 Special Permission to Stay in Japan Even if subject to deportation procedures, special permission to stay in Japan may be granted by the Minister of Justice in consideration of the situation for which the foreign national has settled down in Japan, his/her family situation, etc.

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence 6 Contact for information about Procedures for Immigration and Residence Regional offices of Immigration and Residence Control Sapporo Regional Sapporo 3rd Joint Government Building 12-chome Odori-nishi 0570-003259 Immigration Services Bureau Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi Hokkaido 060-0042 (IP/ from overseas: 011-211-5701) Sendai Regional Immigration Sendai Second Legal Affairs Joint Government Building TEL 0570-022259 Services Bureau 1-3-20, Gorin Miyagino-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 983-0842 (IP/ from overseas: 022-256-7025) Tokyo Regional Immigration 5-5-30, Konan Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8255 TEL 0570-034259 Services Bureau (IP/from overseas: 03-5796-7234) Tokyo Regional Immigration Yotsuya Tower 13F, 14F, 1-6-1, Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo TEL 0570-011000 Services Bureau 160-0004 Yotsuya Branch Office Status of Residence Notices related to overseeing TEL 03-5363-3032 Registration Office agency,notices by the overseeing (main number) agency Online Inspection Status of Residence Online TEL 03-5363-3030 Department Application Procedures Information Processing Examination Record Management TEL 03-5363-3039 Department Narita Airport Branch Second Terminal Building 6th floor 1-1 Aza-Furugome, TEL 0476-34-2222 Furugome Narita-shi Chiba 282-0004 (main number) TEL 0476-34-2211 Haneda Airport Branch 2-6-4 CIQ Building Haneda Airport Ota-ku Tokyo 144-0041 TEL 03-5708-3202 Yokohama Branch 10-7 Torihama-cho, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama-shi Kanagawa TEL0570-045259 236-0002 (IP/from overseas: 045-769-1729) Nagoya Regional 5-18 Shoho-cho, Minato-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 455-8601 TEL 0570-052259 Immigration Services Bureau (IP/ from overseas: 052-217-8944) Chubu Airport Branch 1-1 CIQ Building 3rd floor CENTRAIR Tokoname-shi, Aichi TEL 0569-38-7410 479 - 0881 (main number) Osaka Regional Immigration 1-29-53 Minami-kohoku, Suminoe-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka TEL 0570-064259 Services Bureau 559-0034 (IP/ from overseas: 06-4703-2050) Kansai Airport Branch Senshukukonaka 1, Tajiri-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 549-0011 TEL 072-455-1453 (main number) Kobe Branch Kobe Regional Joint Government Building 29 Kaigan-dori, TEL 078-391-6377 Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 650-0024 (main number) Hiroshima Regional Hiroshima Legal Affairs General Office Building 2-31 TEL 082-221-4411 Immigration Services Bureau Kamihatchobori, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima 730- (main number) 0012 Takamatsu Regional Takamatsu Legal Affairs Joint Government Building (General TEL 087-822-5852 Immigration Services Bureau Affairs Division, Enforcement Department) 1-1 Marunouchi, (main number) Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa 760-0033 Takamatsu Regional Hamanomachi Branch Office (Judging Section) 72-9 TEL 087-822-5851 Immigration Services Bureau Hamanocho, Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa 760-0011 (main number) Hamanocho Branch Office Fukuoka Regional Fukuoka First Legal Affairs General Office Building 3-5-25 TEL 092-717-5420 Immigration Services Bureau Maizuru, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 810-0073 (main number) Naha Branch Naha First Regional Joint Government Building 1-15-15 TEL 098-832-4185 Higawa, Naha-shi, Okinawa 900-0022 (main number) Higashi-Nihon Immigration 1766-1 Kuno-cho, Ushiku-shi, Ibaraki 300-1288 TEL 029-875-1291 Center (main number) Omura Immigration Center 644-3 Kogashima-machi, Omura-shi, Nagasaki 856-0817 TEL 0957-52-2121 (main number)

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC) Foreign Residents Support Yotsuya Tower 13F, 1-6-1, Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160- TEL 0570-011000 Center 0004 (IP/from overseas: 03-5363-3013) Foreign Resident General Information Center, etc (for foreign residents consultation) Visit consultation The immigration control offices in the various regions mentioned above. (Except for Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Office Yotsuya Branch Office, each Airport Branch Office and each Immigration Control Center) Telephone consultation TEL 0570-013904 (IP/PHS/from overseas: 03-5796-7112) 7 Information Transmission from Immigration Services Agency 7-1 Immigration Services Agency’s Official Website The Immigration Services Agency’s Official website provides guidance on the procedures for immigration and residence, etc. In addition to Japanese, we provide machine translated information in over 100 languages. Immigration Services Agency’s Official website: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/index.html *Fees for immigration procedures will be revised on April 1, 2025. https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/01_00518.html Immigration Services Agency’s Official Social Media, 7-2 etc. The Immigration Services Agency opened various types of social media, etc. to provide guidance on new systems and transmit information that would be useful for daily life of foreign residents. Immigration Services Agency’s X (formerly Twitter) account: https://x.com/MOJ_IMMI Immigration Services Agency’s Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/ImmigrationServicesAgency.MOJ/

1 Procedures for Entry/Residence Immigration Services Agency’s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/isa__Japan/ Email distribution service: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/publications/mail-service.html Regional Immigration Services Bureaus’ X (formerly Twitter) accounts provide information on how busy their service counters are. Regional Immigration Services Bureaus’ accounts: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/publications/nyuukokukanri01_00184.html 7-3 Portal site to support foreign residents living in Japan This is a website that informs foreigners of what is necessary and important to live in Japan safely and comfortably. Information from the government, written in various languages, can be found on the site. Portal site to support foreign residents living in Japan: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/portal/index.html 7-4 Videos for the Daily Life Orientation We have created videos for the Daily Life Orientation that introduce Japanese lifestyle rules and other information to help foreign nationals who are considering living in Japan or who already live in Japan to join Japanese society smoothly. These videos introduce basic information and rules necessary for living in Japan, such as lifestyle rules, work, and taxes, in multiple languages. Videos for the Daily Life Orientation: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/coexistence/04_00078.html