If you have been staying in Japan holding a RESIDENCE CARD, you are allowed to stay in Japan and engage in the activity based on the VISA STATUS until the date of expiry stated on your RESIDENCE CARD.
In case you want to continue to stay in Japan to engage in the same activity allowed under VISA STATUS granted, you can extend the period of stay by applying EXTENSION of PERIOD of STAY (VISA RENEWAL) before the expiry date of your current visa status.
If you fail to submit the application before your current visa status has been expired, your visa status will be invalid any more and your status will be considered as “illegally overstaying” in Japan.
WHEN and WHERE TO APPLY
When to Apply
You may apply for EXTENSION of PERIOD of STAY up to 3 months before the expiry date of your current visa status. Once you submit the application, you can keep staying in Japan under your current visa status until the EXCEPTION/SPECIAL PERIOD ends >> EXCEPTION/SPECIAL PERIOD
The Immigration Office may accept your application earlier than that (earlier than 3 months before the expiry date of your visa status) only when you have reasonable grounds.
Where to Apply
Your application have to be filed at the Immigration Office which have jurisdiction over your residence address.
BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Required documents are different depending on for what VISA STATUS you wish to extend.
Basically, you will need to provide documents to prove;
- you will keep engaging in the activity allowed under the VISA STATUS,
- you have paid taxes properly regularly and have no overdue taxes,
- you are financially stable enough to continue to make living in Japan.
you, as a work-type visa holder, have changed your job circumstance (e.g. change of employer) during the period of stay before the renewal application, you will need to provide the documents to certify your current employment and the employer – mostly it would be similar documents required for Change of Visa Status.
Jump to your VISA STATUS from LIST of VISA STATUS and check the required documents;
APPLICATION FEE
The Immigration Office charges Immigration Tax listed below;
* You don’t charge the Immigration Tax in case of denial.
- [application submitted by 31 March 2025] 4,000 yen
- [online application submitted on and after 1 April 2025] 5,500 yen
- [in-person application submitted on and after 1 April 2025] 6,000 yen
You will pay it when you pick up new Residence Card for VISA STATUS granted after approval of the application. In case you hire Immigration Lawyer, their fee and some actual expenses (for some certificates, postage, travel etc.) would be charged in addition to the application fee.
PROCESS of APPLICATION
Standard Processing Period
2 – 6 weeks after submission of the application.
Processing period may be different depending on the case, timing of application and congestion of application at the Immigration Office. Especially in case of application filed at the Tokyo Immigration Office, it will take twice the time or more of the standard processing period.
The Immigration Office never tells you anything about the schedule of screening and/or date of decision. There is nothing you can do but wait for a notice/call from the Immigration Office during the screening period.
Basic Process
- Check the required documents for the application.
↓ - Prepare and collect necessary documents; In case you hire an Immigration Lawyer, he/she will assist the whole process on behalf of you and your visa sponsor after confirming whether you satisfy the requirement. In case you obtain Permission to engage in other activity (Shikakugai-katudo Kyoka), you need apply for it again at the same of the application for Extension of Period of Stay.
↓ - You and your visa sponsor sign the application form and submit documents to the Immigration Office which has jurisdiction over your residence address.
[NOTE] You, as the applicant, have to be in Japan at the time of submission of the application. You can leave and go back to Japan for travel etc. during the processing period of application.
↓
Standard processing period: 2- 6 weeks
Additional documents might be requested by the Immigration Office, processing period will get longer in that case.
[NOTE] The screening period depends on each case and application, the seasonal reason, congestion of the application as well as the office/branch of the Immigration Office.
↓ - Approved: Notice of Approval (usually a postcard) will be sent to your residence address (or Immigration Lawyer in case you hire one).
* Denied: jump to IN CASE OF DENIAL below.
↓ - Go to pick up your new Residence Card to the Immigration Office by the end of the Grace Period. You need to present the original of your current Residence Card and Passport at the Immigration Office counter. Also, you need to pay Immigration Tax by revenue stamps – put relevant amount of revenue stamps on the Payment Statement and hand it in at the counter.
↓ - After you receive renewed Residence Card, your VISA STATUS is renewed and valid until the expiry date stated on the renewed RESIDENCE CARD.
POINTS TO NOTE
- You (applicant) need to be in Japan at the time of both submission of application and receipt of the renewed renewed card even if you hire an immigration lawyer for your the process.
- In case of Online Application: Basically, every notice and request of additional documents from the Immigration Office will be sent by email during the screening period. You can receive the renewed card by registered mail in case you choose “by mail” and send the old card after you receive the email notice from the Immigration Office.
- In case you hire an immigration lawyer for your application: your immigration lawyer takes care of the whole process on your behalf. The Immigration Office communicates with your immigration lawyer when necessary.
- In case you need to travel outside Japan after the application: You can travel outside Japan during the screening of the application. However, you will need to pick up your new Residence Card until GRACE PERIOD ends >> GRACE PERIOD
- In case of any changes of information after the application : You must inform the Immigration Office about the change of the items in the application form and supplemental documents right away.
- Immigration Office cannot tell you when the screening of your application will be completed.
IN CASE OF DENIAL
If your application for EXTENSION of PERIOD of STAY is denied, the Notice of Denial will be sent to you or your visa sponsor (or Immigration Lawyer if you or your visa sponsor hired one for the case) instead of the Notice of Approval.
You should go to the Immigration Office with the Notice of Denial to ask the reason of the denial (Immigration Lawyer can be accompanied by you or the Immigration Office can tell directly to the Immigration Lawyer alone in some case). The Immigration Office would advise you what the major issue is. If the reason is not critical and it can be resolved, you can try the re-application as soon as possible by the date of expiry of your current visa status. If the reason is critical and it cannot be solved, you should consider whether you can find a way or you will leave Japan.
IN CASE YOUR CURRENT VISA IS ALREADY EXPIRED AT THE TIME OF DENIAL
When you go to the Immigration Office with the Notice of Denial, the Immigration Office will void the expired Residence Card and grant you a visa status called DESIGNATED ACTIVITIES for DEPARTURE to prepare for leaving Japan. The duration of the visa is generally 30 days or 31 days, you will not get overstayed until the expiration date.
In case you have 31 days of DESIGNATED ACTIVITIES for DEPARTURE or longer, you have a chance to apply for CHANGE of VISA STATUS by the date of expiry if you find a visa status which is suitable for your circumstances.
In case you have up to 30 days of DESIGNATED ACTIVITIES for DEPARTURE, there is no way but you leave Japan.
In case you leave Japan, you need to take necessary procedures for leaving Japan (e.g. at city/ward office, Nenkin/Pension Office, bank etc.). If you left Japan without doing necessary reports or fail to pay remaining taxes etc., it may cause a problem when you apply for COE again in the future.
BEWARE of SUSPENSION of JAPANESE BANK ACCOUNT!
In order to prevent criminal activity related to unlawful transfer of bank accounts, Japanese banks may suspend bank accounts of any foreign national whose visa is expired.
If your bank account is suspended, you won’t be able to withdraw money, transfer funds, make any payments using the account (in most cases, the account may still receives incoming payments).
CONTACT your BANK before the EXPIRY DATE
We recommend that you should contact your bank once before the expiry date of your visa even if you have already applied for the Extension of Period of Stay. At least, check the information on the bank’s website how to notify your renewed visa status. In case that you receive a written notice from the bank regarding your visa status around the visa renewal period, don’t fail to contact them right away (but beware of phishing scams).
After you contact your bank, most banks require you to submit a notification relating to the visa status to confirm that you will keep living in Japan. Process of the notification and necessary documents depend on the bank, so you should check with the bank directly first. Some banks handle it online.
Here’s some example documents you will be asked to provide to the bank;
EXAMPLE of NECESSARY ITEMS
- Residence Card
- Those who have received the renewed card already: new Residence Card
- Screening in progress (in case of application online): current Residence Card and a scanned copy of email,【在留申請オンラインシステム】申請受付番号のお知らせ sent from the Immigration Office to notify your Application Number
- Screening in progress (in case of application in-person): current Residence Card and 申請受付票/Application Receipt issued at the time of application
- Bankbook and/or Cash Card