Status of Residence

01/15/2016 (mm/dd/yyyy)

About the Resident permit

Foreigners living in Japan must decide the following two things

  1. ”Resident status” (zairyu shikaku) The purpose of their coming to Japan.
  2. ”Period of stay” (zairyu kikan ) The length of their stay in Japan.

These two points are written in one's passport.
The work/activities that a foreigner may partake in whilst in Japan, are decided according to the resident status permit. Foreigners may not do any other kind of work other than as stated on their resident status permit.

Resident statuses that allow work

The following is a list of work fields that foreigners coming to Japan can receive resident status permits for

外交(gaikou)diplomacy, 公用(koyou)official business, 教授(kyoujyuu)professor, 芸術 (geijyutsu)arts, 宗教(shyukyou)religion, 報道(houdou)news reporting, 投資・経営(toushi ・ keiei)investment and management, 法律・会計業務(houritsu ・kaikeigyoumu)law and accounting services, 医療(iryou)medical care, 研究(kenkyuu) research, 教育(kyouiku) education, 技術(gijyutsu) skill and technology, 人文知識・国際業務(jinbunchishiki・ kokusaigyoumu) humanities and international services, 企業内転動(kigyoynaitendou) intracompany transfer, 興行(kougyou)performing arts, 技能(ginou) skilled labour, 技能自習 (ginoujishuu) technical training, 高度専門職(koudosenmonshoku) highly skilled professional

Resident statuses that do not allow work

  1. 文化活動(bunka katsudou) : For persons who come to Japan to study Japanese culture or to introduce foreign culture.
  2. 短期滞在(tanki taizai) : For persons who come to Japan for a short period of time
  3. 留学、就学(ryuugaku, shuugaku) : For persons coming to Japan, to study at a school.
  4. 研修(kenshuu ) : For persons coming to Japan to study technical skills for work.
  5. 家族滞在(kazoku taizai) : For persons coming to Japan in order to visit family.

Resident status that will allow work, after your application has been cleared

特定活動(tokuteikatsudou) Designated Activities

Resident statuses that allow work according to position

  1. 永住者(eijyuusha) : For persons who can permanently reside in Japan.
  2. 日本人の配偶者等(nihonjin no haiguusha nado) : For persons who are dependants or family of Japanese citizens.

Changing the period of stay

Period of stay (zairyu kikan)

There are nine different periods of stay, permitted in Japan: 15 days・30 days・90 days・3 months・ 6 months・1 year・ 2 years・ 3 years・5years.

If you wish to stay longer than the above mentioned periods, then you must fill out an application.

Extending the period of stay

If you wish to stay longer than the period of stay that has been allocated, you must fill out and hand in an application.

You apply for an extension of period of stay, two months before your current period of stay expires. Please enquire at the Immigration Office.

Link:http://www.moj.go.jp/nyuukokukanri/kouhou/nyuukokukanri07_00058.html

Overstay(fuhou taizai)

You cannot stay in Japan for longer than the period of stay stated in your passport.

If you do so, you will be arrested by the police for illegal stay(fuhouzanryu).

In the case of severe penalty for illegal stay in Japan, you may not be able to re-enter Japan for over 5 years.

In other cases, you will not be able to re-enter Japan for 1 year.

In the case of overstay, please seek the advice of the Immigration Office as soon as possible.

Special permission of stay (tokubetsu zairyu kyoka)

Even in the case of foreigners who have overstayed their period of stay, been arrested by the police and must leave Japan, there are special situations in which they may be permitted to stay in Japan.

If you fall into the following to categories, you may apply for special permission of stay

  1. You hold a permanent resident permit.
  2. The is a valid reason for your being in Japan.

If you apply and are granted special permission of stay, your passport will be stamped and the type of visa and length of stay will be decided.

If you are denied special permission of stay, you will have to leave Japan.

Please enquire for more information at the Immigration Office.

Changing ones resident status

In the case of changing work

Persons whose resident status falls under the categories of “Dependant of a Japanese citizen” (nihonjin no haiguusha ), “Long Term Resident”(teijuusha),  “Permanent Resident”(eijuusha) or “Dependant of a Permanent Resident”(eijuusha no haiguusha),

are able to do various kinds of work with no restrictions. Even if their place of employment and type of work changes, their resident status will not change.

Persons whose resident status falls under other categories, will need to change their resident status in the case of changing their employment.

Permanent Resident Permit (eijuu kyoka)

Persons wishing to reside permanently in Japan, please apply to the Immigration Office.

問題がない場合、 在留資格は 「永住者」に なります。

If your application is successful, your resident status will become Permanent Resident(eijuusha).

Permanent Residents are permitted to reside permanently in Japan, without having to change their nationality.

Permission for activities falling outside ones permit (shikakugai katsudou kyoka)

Foreign students studying in Japan, wishing to do part time work(arubaito), please apply to the Immigration Office.

You are able to work up to 28hours per week.

During periods of school holidays only, you are able to work up to 8 hours per day.

Re-entry Permit (sainyuukoku kyoka)

Persons who are not staying in Japan for a short period of time, need to apply for a re-entry permit, when they wish to leave and re-enter Japan.

If you do not apply for the re-entry permit, you will loose your current resident permit upon leaving Japan.

Receiving a Resident Permit

In the case of a child of foreign nationality being born in Japan, you must apply to the Immigration Office within 30 days of the child's birth.

Certificate of Qualification for Employment (shuurou shikaku shoumeishou)

Foreigners wishing to work at a company in Japan, must show this to the company.

You can obtain the certificate at the Immigration Office.

Link:http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/tetuduki/zairyuu/syutoku.html

For further enquiries regarding Resident Permits and Periods of Stay, please ask at the Foreigners Comprehensive Information Centre, at the Immigration Office.

Hamamatsu Brazil Consulate General

tel:053-450-8191
Motoshiro-cho 115-10, 5th floor Kyoudou Bldng. Chuou-ku, Hamamatsu

Nagoya Immigration Office,Shizuoka Branch

tel:054-653-5571
9-4 Tenma-cho, 6th floor Rai Bldng. Aoi-ku, Shizuoka

Nagoya Immigration Office,Hamamatsu Branch

tel:053-458-6496
Chuou 1chome 12-4, 1st floor,Hamamatsu Joint Government Building Naka-ku, Hamamatsu

Foreigners Residents Comprehensive Information Centre

tel:0570-013904 tel:(for IP phones, PHS and phone calls from abroad)03-5796-7112