Residence Card holders (* see EXCEPTION below) are allowed to travel outside Japan and reenter Japan during the period of stay granted under their visa status.
However, to reenter Japan while your visa status remains valid, you must obtain a reentry permit before leaving Japan. You are also required to carry your Residence Card with you when traveling abroad.
(* EXCEPTION: Holders of a Temporary Visitor visa and any visa with a period of stay of 3 months or less.)
There are 2 types of reentry permits, depending on the duration of your stay outside Japan:
- SPECIAL RE-ENTRY PERMIT (みなし再入国許可)
- RE-ENTRY PERMIT (再入国許可)
SPECIAL RE-ENTRY PERMIT
What Is It?
The Special Re-entry Permit (みなし再入国許可) allows a Residence Card holder to leave Japan and reenter before the earlier of the following dates:
- The day one year after your departure from Japan,
- The expiry date (満了日) of your current visa as stated on your Residence Card, or
- The day that the Grace Period ends if you apply for a Change of Visa Status or an Extension of Period of Stay before departing Japan.
If you plan to stay outside Japan for more than one year and with to reenter, you must apply for a regular RE-ENTRY PERMIT at the Immigration Office in your area before departing Japan.
NOTE: You cannot convert a Special Re-enter Permit into a regular Re-entry Permit while you are outside Japan. If you wish to obtain a regular Re-entry Permit, you must apply for it at the Immigration Office before departing Japan.
How to Process
The Special Re-entry Permit can be issued at the airport when you depart Japan. You don’t need to apply for it at the Immigration Office in advance of your departure.
When departing, you must present your Residence Card at the immigration counter and indicate your intention to use the Special Re-entry Permit on ED Card (Embarkation Card for Re-entrants / 再入国EDカード). This allows you to reenter Japan within the period described above.
The Special Re-entry Permit is free of charge.
Those Who are NOT Eligible
The following persons are not eligible for a Special Re-entry Permit:
- Persons whose visa status is in the process of being revoked.
- Persons whose departure is subject to confirmation hold.
- Persons who have been issued a written detention order.
- Persons applying for a Designated Activities visa as a refugee.
- Persons recognized by the Minister of Justice as either:
- being at risk of committing acts that may harm Japan’s interests or public security, or
- having reasonable grounds to be subject to a regular Re-entry Permit.
If you fall under any of the above categories, you must apply for a regular Re-enter Permit instead of a Special Re-entry Permit.
RE-ENTRY PERMIT
What Is It?
The regular Re-entry Permit (再入国許可) is required if you plan to stay outside Japan more than one year and wish to reenter. It allows reentry before the earlier of the following dates:
- The day five years after your departure from Japan, or
- The expiry date (満了日) of your current visa as stated on your Residence Card.
There are 2 types of regular Re-entry Permit:
Single Re-entry Permit: This allows you to reenter Japan only once within the validity period of the permit (up to 5 years or until your visa expires).
Multiple Re-entry Permit: This allows you to repeatedly enter and leave within the validity period of the permit (up to 5 years or until your visa expires).
How to Process
You must apply for a Re-entry Permit at the Immigration Office in your area in before departing Japan. In general, the permit is issued on the same day you submit your application.
The Immigration Tax (government fee) is charged depending on the type of Re–entry Permit you apply for:
Immigration Tax for Single Re-entry Permit
- [Online application submitted on and after 1 April 2025] 3,500 yen
- [In-person application submitted on and after 1 April 2025] 4,000 yen
Immigration Tax for Multiple Re-entry Permit
- [Online application submitted on and after 1 April 2025] 6,500 yen
- [In-person application submitted on and after 1 April 2025] 7,000 yen
What to bring
- Residence Card and Passport
- Completed Application form (available at the Immigration Office)
- Payment for the Immigration Tax (cash or revenue stamp)
For more details, jump to the following page of the Immigration Office website >> APPLICATION for RE-ENTRY PERMIT
Extend a Re-entry Permit at a Japanese Embassy
You can extend a regular Re-entry Permit up to a maximum of 6 years (or 7 years for Special Permanent Residents) at a Japanese Embassy/Consulate-General outside Japan without returning to Japan, as long as your visa is still valid.
NOTE: You cannot extend a Special Re-entry Permit.
If you wish to extend your Re-entry Permit, you must apply for an extension at the Japanese Embassy/Consulate-General in the country where you are staying before your Re-entry Permit expires.
IMPORTANT NOTE
- You cannot apply for a Special Re-entry Permit or a regular Re-entry Permit while outside Japan. If you leave Japan without obtaining the appropriate permit, you cannot reenter under your current visa status, and your Residence Card will become invalid.
- You cannot extend the period of a Special Re-Entry Permit, nor convert a Special Re-entry Permit into a Re-entry Permit after you have left Japan.
- Your SPECIAL RE-ENTRY PERMIT or regular RE-ENTRY PERMIT will become invalid once your current visa status expires. You must return Japan before the expiry date of your current visa if you wish to continue your activities permitted under your visa status.
If you plan to travel outside Japan using either type of re-entry permit, but your period of stay will expire soon, you must renew your visa status before departing Japan. - Your current visa status will become invalid, regardless of the remaining period of stay, if you fail to reenter Japan before your RE-ENTRY PERMIT (or SPECIAL RE-ENTRY PERMIT) expires. If you wish to return to Japan to engage in the same activities under the same visa status, you will need to apply for a new Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
- If you fail to obtain a Re-entry Permit or Special Re-entry Permit before leaving Japan, you will no longer be able to enter Japan under your current visa status. Your current visa status will become void and, you will be granted a Temporary Visitor visa at the airport upon arrival. In the worst case, you may be refused entry to Japan. If that happens, you will have no choice but to return to your country of residence without entering Japan.