EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF STAY
Every visa status in Japan (except for Permanent Residency) has its certain period of stay which is determined together with the Status of Residence.
If you wish to stay in Japan under the same visa beyond its authorized period of stay, it is necessary for you to apply for an Extension of the Period of Stay to the Immigration Office. This application should be made no later than the expiration date of the original authorized period of stay, and will be accepted from about 3 months prior to that date.
You may ask for duration longer than the previous one, but it may be rejected and you might receive less than expected. Also, please be aware that if your income tax is low, the extension will generally only be 1 year.
ATTENTION> In case you fail to obtain this permission and will stay beyond the authorized period of stay, you may be subject to punishment and deportation from the country!
Fees
Extension of Period of Stay
Any Visas
¥30,000
Special Cases
● If you changed your type of activity or company during your current visa period without reporting it to the Immigration Bureau, there may be a high risk that your visa extension will not be approved. You have to check whether you may stay in Japan under the same visa or not. In that case, we advise you to apply for a Certificate of Authorized Employement to the Immigration Bureau in advance. This certificate will proove that your new job stays under the same kind of activty covered by your current status of residence. Submission of this certificate to the Immigration will make your next extension application easier to get approved.
If your type of activity is different than your current status of residence (ex: Student → Engineer), we strongly suggest you to apply for a Change of Status of Residence instead.
● If you currently have a Spouse or Child of Japanese National visa but the marriage has ended, an extension of stay will not be approved. In this case, you will be requested to leave Japan or change your Status of Residence (to a working visa instead for example). However, if you have a Permanent Resident visa, the visa could not be revoked even after the marriage ended.
● If you obtained your visa as a Spouse but you are not currently living with your partner, an extension may not be approved. You will need to submit a Certificate of Residence (住民票/Juminhyou) that proves that you are both registered at the same address. If your marriage is suspected as a marriage of convenience, only a 6 months extension would be granted.
● If you have lost your job, you can request a consultation at the Immigration Bureau and be issued a 3 months temporary visa. You can try to find a new job within this period and then proceed with a Change of Status of Residence.
Necessary documents for the application
- Application form (provided by the Immigration Office or Minori Legal Consulting Office)
- Identity photo (4cm×3cm)
- Your Passport
- Your Residence Card
- A document that describes the reasons for the extension
If you are working, few documents will also be requested such as a certificate of the registered matters of the company, financial statements of the company, a certificate of employment, a certificate of tax payment (national tax as well as residential tax), etc. The most you can provide, the most smooth the procedure will go.
If you are a student, a certificate of school attendance and academic record might be requested.
Necessary documents varies depending on which Status of Residence the applilcant wishes to aquire. Please refer to the pages of each Status of Residence for the details of all the necessary documents for each type.
Please be aware that documents and materials which have been submitted will not be returned to you. If you have submitted any original copy of documents or materials which would be difficult for you to re-obtain, and would like to have them returned to you, please notify us in advance when you file your application.