SPOUSE OR CHILD
OF JAPANESE NATIONAL
Foreign nationals who married to a Japanese national, those who were born as a child of Japanese nationals or those who were adopted to Japanese nationals will acquire the status of residence called "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" in order to reside in Japan.
Holders of this visa are permitted to engage in all types of work, with no restrictions on work type or working hours (or may choose not to work if being supported or if there are other means of supporting his/her living). Under this visa, it is possible to apply for permanent residency earlier than work visa holders. This status of residence will be granted for periods of one or five years and is extendable, as long as you are married.
Criteria & Requirements
The Immigration Office will grant you the "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" visa for the following people:
- Foreigners who legally get married to Japanese nationals
- Children of Japanese national
- Foreign children adopted by Japanese nationals in accordance with the provisions of Article 817-2 of the Civil Code (by special adoption)
Regarding childrens of Japanese nationals, either the father or mother has to be a Japanese national. Even if this person died before the children was born, the applicant is still eligible. Thus, it does not matter whether you are born in Japan or not.
In case you have been married to a Japanese for 3 years and resided in Japan for 1year, you may apply for a Permanent Resident visa instead.
Period of Stay
Period of Stay in each case shall be designated by the Immigration Office. The period must be either of 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months.
If you wish to stay more years under the same Status of Residence you already have, you can apply for renewing your visa 3 months before the expiration of the period of stay.
Necessary documents for the application
You are required to prepare supporting documents which can certify that the contents of the application are true and correct. Supporting documents varies depending on the situation of each applicant. However, the following items would definitely be necessary:
In case the applicant is a spouse of Japanese
● Certificate of marriage (family register, marriage acceptance certificate, etc.)
● Certificate of residence mentionning the applicant and spouse (Juminhyou)
● Documents proving the occupation and income of the applicant and spouse (certificate of employment, tax certificate, etc.)
● Passport
● Residence card
● A letter of guarantee by a person living in Japan
● Two passport-size photos
You must prove that your marriage is legally official, truth and real. Please keep in mind that the required documents mentionned above are minimum, and further documents might be required by the Immigration Office. Please make sure that the documents you submit are sufficient in terms of quality and quantity. Whatever you state in the submission documents will be recorded in your file at the Immigration Office for future reference. You must avoid making contradictory statement.
In case the applicant is a child or adopted child of Japanese
● Certificate to prove the family relationship with the applicant and the Japanese parent (birth certificate or birth registration acceptance certificate, family register, recognition certificate, adoption certificate, etc.)
● Documents proving the occupation and income of the applicant's parents (certificate of employment, tax certificate, etc.)
● Passport
● Residence card
● A letter of guarantee from the Japanese national concerned or another person living in Japan
● Two passport-size photos
- Any certificate among supporting documents has to be issued within 3 months before the date of application.
- English translation written in foreign languages other than English would be necessary.︎
- Additional documents may be required during the examination of Immigration Office.