{ "$schema": "https://japanspousevisa.com/facts.json", "title": "Japan spouse visa: verified facts", "description": "Every volatile claim japanspousevisa.com renders, each with a primary official source, the date it took effect, the date the source was last re-read, and the date by which it must be re-verified. Free to cite and reuse with attribution.", "source": "https://japanspousevisa.com", "changelog": "https://japanspousevisa.com/changes", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "generated": "2026-10-19T07:14:57.669Z", "count": 46, "facts": [ { "id": "coe_processing_average", "label": "Official ISA average processing time for a spouse Certificate of Eligibility", "value": "about 110 days (~3–4 months)", "data": { "days": 110 }, "effective": "2026-06-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2026-12-28", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyuukokukanri07_00140.html", "note": "ISA publishes monthly averages since Oct 2024 (在留審査処理期間 page); Tokyo commonly 3–4 months, up to ~6. The spring spike held: May and June 2026 both 111.5 and July 106.5, so the trailing three-month average is ~110 days and the headline moved up from ~100 on Sep 14 2026. Re-checked Oct 19 2026: July 2026 is still the latest month the ISA has published." }, { "id": "extension_processing_average", "label": "Official ISA average processing time for a spouse-category extension of period of stay", "value": "about 7 weeks (the ISA monthly average has run around 40–50 days through 2025–26)", "data": { "days_latest": 45.2, "latest_month": "2026-07" }, "effective": "2026-06-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-01-19", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyuukokukanri07_00140.html", "note": "在留審査処理期間 page, 日本人の配偶者等 在留期間更新許可申請. The monthly average ranged ~38–50 days across Oct 2024–Jul 2026 (Jun 2026 = 49.8, the top of the range; Jul 2026 = 45.2). Far shorter than the COE because the relationship and finances are already on file; like all ISA averages it INCLUDES additional-document waits." }, { "id": "visa_processing_at_embassy", "label": "Standard embassy/consulate processing for the visa once the COE is in hand", "value": "about 5 working days", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-11", "staleAfter": "2027-03-09", "source": "https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/process.html" }, { "id": "coe_validity", "label": "Certificate of Eligibility validity window", "value": "3 months from date of issue", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-05-11", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/faq/kanri_qa.html", "note": "ISA Q&A Q6: the COE loses effect unless a LANDING application (上陸申請) is made within 3 months of issue — not the visa application. 在留資格認定証明書が交付された日から３か月以内に上陸申請をしないとその効力を失います." }, { "id": "visa_validity", "label": "Validity of the single-entry visa issued after the COE", "value": "single entry, valid 3 months from the date the visa is issued; cannot be extended", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-05-11", "source": "https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/procedure/validity.html", "note": "A separate 3-month clock from the COE's. The visa is consumed on landing. In practice the COE clock (landing within 3 months of COE issue) is the binding one. MOFA: 'The extension of period of validity of visa is not possible.'" }, { "id": "coe_no_guarantee", "label": "Whether approval is guaranteed after the COE", "value": "a COE does not guarantee a visa, and a visa does not guarantee landing; refusal reasons are not disclosed and a re-application for the same purpose is not accepted within 6 months", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-05-11", "source": "https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/visa/faq.html", "note": "MOFA visa FAQ 3-Q2/Q3 + ISA Q&A Q5. Refusal reasons withheld under 行政手続法3条1項10号. 6-month same-purpose bar has a humanitarian exception. Denial-after-COE is rare for spouses (practitioner consensus; no official statistic)." }, { "id": "visa_application_docs", "label": "Documents to apply for the spouse visa once the COE is issued", "value": "passport, one visa application form, one photo, and the COE (e-COE shown on a phone, or a paper original/copy)", "effective": "2023-03-17", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-02-23", "source": "https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/visa/chouki/visa10.html", "note": "Russia/CIS/Georgia nationals submit 2 forms and 2 photos. Chinese nationals add hukou copy, residence permit, and a questionnaire from the mission. Per-post lists control; some nationalities have extra requirements." }, { "id": "visa_jurisdiction", "label": "Where the post-COE visa application must be filed", "value": "apply at the Japanese mission in your country of nationality or residence, not where you are merely travelling; third-country filing is refused in principle, with a discretionary exception after consulting the mission in advance", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-03-09", "source": "https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/visa/faq.html", "note": "MOFA visa FAQ Q6/Q7. An application at a mission outside your nationality/residence country is among the listed grounds for refusing to accept it." }, { "id": "residence_card_airports", "label": "Where the residence card is issued on landing", "value": "issued on arrival at 10 airports (New Chitose, Sendai, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Naha); elsewhere it is mailed after you register your address", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-02-23", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/faq/newimmiact_4_port-city.html" }, { "id": "address_registration", "label": "Address registration deadline after arrival", "value": "within 14 days of settling on an address, take the residence card to the municipal office and register", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-02-23", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/faq/newimmiact_4_port-city.html", "note": "Failure to register within 90 days without good reason is a ground for revoking residence status (ISA Q&A Q79)." }, { "id": "income_threshold", "label": "Financial requirement for the spouse visa", "value": "no statutory threshold; ~¥2.4–3M/year household income is the practitioner comfort zone", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-11", "staleAfter": "2027-06-08", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/spouseorchildofjapanese01.html", "note": "There is no official number. Any figure quoted anywhere, ours included, is a practitioner comfort zone and not a requirement." }, { "id": "fee_change_extension", "label": "Fee for change of status or extension of period of stay", "value": "¥6,000 at the counter / ¥5,500 online through September 30, 2026, then tiered by the period of stay granted from October 1 (¥10,000 to ¥75,000)", "data": { "counter_until_2026_09_30": 6000, "online_until_2026_09_30": 5500, "tiers_from_2026_10_01": [ { "period": "3 months or less", "counter": 10000, "online": 10000 }, { "period": "Over 3 months to 6 months", "counter": 18000, "online": 15000 }, { "period": "Over 6 months to under 1 year", "counter": 25000, "online": 21000 }, { "period": "1 year", "counter": 33000, "online": 27000 }, { "period": "Over 1 year to under 3 years", "counter": 48000, "online": 42000 }, { "period": "3 years to under 5 years", "counter": 64000, "online": 56000 }, { "period": "5 years or more", "counter": 75000, "online": 65000 } ] }, "effective": "2025-04-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-02-18", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/01_00644.html", "note": "Through Sep 30 2026 the 16-2 / 16-3 pages state 許可されるときは６，０００円（収入印紙）／オンライン申請の場合は５，５００円. The amending cabinet order (改正入管法施行令) takes effect Oct 1 2026 and makes the fee depend on the period granted, counter/online: 3 months or less 10,000/10,000; over 3 to 6 months 18,000/15,000; over 6 months to under 1 year 25,000/21,000; 1 year 33,000/27,000; over 1 to under 3 years 48,000/42,000; 3 to under 5 years 64,000/56,000; 5 years or more 75,000/65,000. Which amount applies is set by the FILING date: applications received by Sep 30 2026 pay the old fee even if permission is granted later. Online fees are paid by convenience store or bank transfer only (no revenue stamp) plus a transaction fee. Counter fees are still paid by revenue stamp, and the ISA now asks applicants to buy the stamps at a large post office BEFORE coming in to collect a result, because bureau kiosks and convenience stores hold limited stock, stamps are sold for cash only, and the larger tiers need multi-stamp combinations (01_00646.html). Re-verified Sep 17 2026 against the ISA announcement, the EN leaflet (001469201) and the stamp-purchase page: every tier unchanged. Re-verified Oct 19 2026, after the change took effect, against the 16-2 and 16-3 procedure pages (counter tiers) and the online-payment page 11_00107.html (online tiers): unchanged." }, { "id": "fee_permanent_residence", "label": "Fee for permanent residence application", "value": "¥10,000 through September 30, 2026, rising to ¥200,000 for applications filed from October 1", "data": { "until_2026_09_30": 10000, "from_2026_10_01": 200000 }, "effective": "2025-04-01", "lastVerified": "2026-09-17", "staleAfter": "2026-12-22", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/01_00644.html", "note": "The 永住許可申請 (16-4) page states 許可されるときは１０，０００円（収入印紙）; 在留資格取得の場合は手数料なし. The amending cabinet order effective Oct 1 2026 raises this to ¥200,000, a twentyfold increase, still under the ¥300,000 statutory cap. Set by the FILING date: file by Sep 30 2026 and you pay ¥10,000 even if permission comes later. At the counter the ¥200,000 is paid as two ¥100,000 revenue stamps, bought for cash, which the ISA asks applicants to obtain at a large post office in advance (01_00646.html). Re-verified Sep 17 2026 against the ISA announcement, the EN leaflet (001469201) and the stamp-purchase page: unchanged." }, { "id": "fee_reentry", "label": "Re-entry permit fee, and the free special (みなし) re-entry permit", "value": "¥4,000 single / ¥7,000 multiple at the counter (¥3,500 / ¥6,500 online), but most spouse-visa holders pay nothing, because the free special re-entry permit covers trips under one year", "effective": "2025-04-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-03-23", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/16-5.html", "note": "再入国許可: ４，０００円（一回限り）／７，０００円（数次）at the counter, ３，５００／６，５００ online; pre-Apr-2025 was ３，０００／６，０００. みなし再入国許可 (special re-entry): a resident (other than short-stay) who re-enters within 1 year of departure needs no re-entry permit, so it is free and the usual case for spouse-visa holders. Re-checked Sep 14 and Oct 19 2026: unchanged, and re-entry is NOT part of the Oct 1 2026 revision, which covers only change of status, extension and permanent residence." }, { "id": "fee_embassy_visa", "label": "Embassy or consulate visa fee (MOFA), after the July 1, 2026 revision", "value": "about ¥15,000 for a single-entry visa and about ¥30,000 for a multiple-entry visa, raised from about ¥3,000 and ¥6,000 on July 1, 2026", "data": { "single_entry": 15000, "multiple_entry": 30000, "single_entry_until_2026_06_30": 3000, "multiple_entry_until_2026_06_30": 6000 }, "effective": "2026-07-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-02-23", "source": "https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/procedure/pagewe_000001_00391.html", "note": "領事官の徴収する手数料に関する政令 (Cabinet Order on Fees Collected by Consular Officers) was amended and took effect July 1 2026. Cross-checked Sep 14 and again Oct 19 2026 against the EN and JP MOFA pages, both still dated June 24 2026: 一次有効査証 approx 15,000円, 数次有効査証 approx 30,000円 (EN: pagewe_000001_00391.html; JP: https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/visa/tetsuzuki/pagew_000001_02672.html). Which amount applies is set by the date the mission ACCEPTS the application: applications accepted by June 30 2026 paid the old approx 3,000円 / 6,000円 / 700円 transit, still listed at https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/visa/tetsuzuki/tesuryou.html. Amounts are approximate because the fee is paid in the local currency of the country where the mission sits. Unchanged: the fee varies or is waived by nationality and purpose, and nothing is charged if the visa is not issued. This is a MOFA fee and is separate from the ISA fee revision of Oct 1 2026." }, { "id": "fee_law_2026_caps", "label": "2026 fee law: the statutory ceilings, and the cabinet order that set the real amounts", "value": "The May 2026 law raised the statutory ceilings (¥100,000 change/extension, ¥300,000 permanent residence), and the cabinet order setting the amounts actually charged has now been issued: the new fees take effect October 1, 2026, below those ceilings", "effective": "2026-10-01", "lastVerified": "2026-09-17", "staleAfter": "2027-01-26", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/01_00644.html", "note": "Resolved Sep 14 2026: the 改正入管法施行令 was issued and takes effect Oct 1 2026. Change of status and extension become tiered by the period granted (¥10,000 to ¥75,000 at the counter); permanent residence goes ¥10,000 to ¥200,000. Both sit below the statutory ceilings the May 2026 law set, so the ceiling figures are still not what anyone pays. Reduction and exemption measures exist for applicants in 生活保護-level hardship and for humanitarian cases, with published guidelines: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00273.html. The ISA Q&A (applications/faq/01_00650.html, read in full Sep 17 2026) sets out what a reduction is worth: a change or extension granting over 3 months can be reduced to ¥10,000, permanent residence to ¥20,000. Both conditions must hold together, hardship at the 生活保護 要保護者 level AND a humanitarian ground (4 hardship types and 12 humanitarian types are listed); meeting only one does not qualify." }, { "id": "pr_three_year_route_sunset", "label": "End of the \"3-year period of stay counts as the longest period\" PR handling", "value": "the treatment of a 3-year period of stay as the longest period of stay for permanent residence ends April 1, 2027, with a one-time transitional measure for those holding a 3-year period of stay on March 31, 2027", "effective": "2027-04-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-01-26", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/eizyuu_00001.html", "note": "ISA notice (eizyuu_00001.html): 令和9年4月1日 the operational handling that treated a 在留期間「3年」 as 「最長の在留期間」 is abolished, so from then PR requires the genuine longest period of stay (5 years for 日本人の配偶者等, per 施行規則 別表第二). ただし、令和9年3月31日時点で在留期間「3年」を有する者からの永住許可申請は、当該在留期間内に処分を受ける場合、その初回に限り従来どおり「最長の在留期間」とみなす. So: hold a 3-year card on Mar 31 2027 and you get one final PR application under the old rule. Restated as note 4 to 第2の5(6) of the 令和8年10月1日改定 guideline (10_00279.html). That measure covers only the period-of-stay point: an application filed from Apr 1 2027 is otherwise judged under the revised guideline, including the longer spouse residence periods (see pr_spouse_fast_track)." }, { "id": "pr_payment_due_dates", "label": "PR Guidelines (rev. Feb 24, 2026) payment-history requirement", "value": "taxes, pension, and health insurance must have been paid by their original due dates", "effective": "2026-02-24", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-01-26", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyukan_nyukan50.html", "note": "永住許可に関するガイドライン (令和8年2月24日改訂), 国益要件: 公的義務（納税・公的年金・公的医療保険の保険料の納付・在留関係の届出）を適正に履行していること。Verbatim caveat: 申請時点において納付済みであっても、当初の納付期間内に履行されていない場合は原則として適正履行とみなさない (paying late, even before applying, still counts against you). The spouse PR checklist (zairyu_eijyu01.html) asks for 3 years of tax records and 2 years of pension/health-insurance records." }, { "id": "pr_spouse_fast_track", "label": "Permanent-residence fast-track for the spouse of a Japanese national", "value": "a spouse of a Japanese national can apply after a genuine marriage of 3+ years plus 1+ year of continuous residence in Japan if the application is filed by March 31, 2027, or after 5+ years of marriage plus 3+ years of continuous residence if it is filed from April 1, 2027", "data": { "until_2027_03_31": { "marriage_years": 3, "residence_years": 1 }, "from_2027_04_01": { "marriage_years": 5, "residence_years": 3 } }, "effective": "2027-04-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-03-18", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00279.html", "note": "Applications filed through Mar 31 2027 fall under the 永住許可に関するガイドライン (令和8年2月24日改訂), 原則10年在留に関する特例(1): 日本人、永住者及び特別永住者の配偶者の場合、実体を伴った婚姻生活が3年以上継続し、かつ、引き続き1年以上本邦に在留していること (their biological children: 1+ year). The 令和8年10月1日改定 guideline, which the ISA applies to applications filed from Apr 1 2027 (eizyuu_00001.html), changes 第3の1 to 実体を伴った婚姻生活が５年以上継続し、かつ、引き続き３年以上本邦に在留していること (children: 3+ years). The application date decides which applies. Practitioner reading: the genuine-marriage period can include time the couple lived together abroad; the residence piece is continuous residence in Japan. You also generally must already hold a longer period of stay; see pr_three_year_route_sunset." }, { "id": "pr_spouse_requirements_waived", "label": "PR requirements waived for spouses/children of Japanese nationals", "value": "for a spouse or child of a Japanese national, the good-conduct and independent-livelihood requirements are waived, and only the national-interest requirements apply (public obligations paid on time, holding the longest period of stay, the residence period, and the household not being a burden on public funds)", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-06-22", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyukan_nyukan50.html", "note": "永住許可に関するガイドライン: 日本人、永住者又は特別永住者の配偶者・実子等については (1)素行善良要件 と (2)独立生計要件 に適合することを要せず、(3)国益要件 のみ。So the foreign spouse need not independently pass the livelihood test (judged on household basis; see livelihood_guideline) and an unemployed spouse can qualify if the household supports them and public obligations are paid; the national-interest requirement (tax/pension/insurance on time + longest-period-of-stay) still fully applies. The 令和8年10月1日改定 guideline keeps the waiver (第2の2) but adds a national-interest factor that reaches spouses, 第2の5(7) 公共の負担とならないこと: where the household is currently a public burden, or realistically at risk of becoming one, without special circumstances, that may count against the application, judged with weight on family stability and humanitarian grounds. The ISA applies (7) to applications filed from Apr 1 2026 and to everything filed from Apr 1 2027." }, { "id": "pr_guideline_2027_new_factors", "label": "New considerations in the October 2026 PR guideline revision, applied from April 1, 2027", "value": "Japanese ability at CEFR B1 level or above, a check of the applicant's understanding of Japan's rules and systems, and, for a parent, whether school-age children attend elementary or junior high school, all weighed for permanent residence applications filed from April 1, 2027", "data": { "japanese_level": "B1" }, "effective": "2027-04-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-04-20", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00279.html", "note": "永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和8年10月1日改定）, 第2の5 国益要件: (8) 日本語能力, 「日本語教育の参照枠」 Ｂ１相当レベル以上 as a consideration, not required where it is unnecessary or inappropriate, e.g. highly skilled professionals and their families, 6+ years of Japanese primary or secondary schooling, or certain children of permanent residents (spouses of Japanese nationals are not among the listed examples); (9) 我が国の制度・ルール等への理解, checked by a method the ISA Commissioner designates, centred on the 生活・就労ガイドブック; (10) 学齢期の子の就学. 第6: the revision applies to applications filed from 令和9年4月1日. How the B1 level is to be evidenced and how the rules check is run are not yet published on the guideline page." }, { "id": "us_affidavit_change", "label": "US affidavit notarization change for marrying in Japan", "value": "US Embassies/Consulates stopped notarizing the Affidavit of Competency to Marry on September 1, 2025; use the embassy's downloadable sworn-statement PDF or US remote online notarization", "effective": "2025-09-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-11", "staleAfter": "2027-06-22", "source": "https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/marriage/" }, { "id": "photo_validity", "label": "Application photo recency rule", "value": "taken within the last 6 months", "effective": "2023-03-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-06-08", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/photo_info_00002.html", "note": "Photo standards page: 提出の日前６か月以内に撮影されたもの." }, { "id": "reapplication_wait", "label": "Wait before reapplying for the same purpose after an embassy visa refusal", "value": "6 months", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-06-08", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/", "note": "This is the MOFA *visa* rule: after an embassy refuses a visa, a same-purpose re-application is not accepted for ~6 months, barring special/humanitarian circumstances (corroborated by the coe_no_guarantee MOFA-sourced fact). A COE that was NOT issued by the ISA carries NO published waiting period — it can be re-filed once the case is strengthened. Keep the two stages distinct." }, { "id": "reasons_not_disclosed", "label": "Whether immigration discloses the reason for a refusal", "value": "immigration refusals state no detailed reason, because entry/residence dispositions are carved out of the Administrative Procedure Act's duty to give reasons (行政手続法 第3条第1項第10号)", "effective": "1994-10-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-05-25", "source": "https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/405AC0000000088", "note": "行政手続法 第3条第1項第10号 excludes 「外国人の出入国、出入国管理及び難民認定法…に規定する難民の認定…又は帰化に関する処分及び行政指導」 from the Act, so the reason-giving duties (第8条/第14条) do not apply. A COE non-issuance notice (不交付通知書) and an embassy visa refusal both arrive with no stated reason; staff sometimes give a limited verbal indication if asked in person. Verified against e-Gov 405AC0000000088 on 2026-06-13; MOFA's visa FAQ states the same for visas." }, { "id": "renewal_window", "label": "When a renewal (extension) application can be filed", "value": "from 3 months before expiry", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-11", "staleAfter": "2027-03-09", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-3.html" }, { "id": "spouse_periods_of_stay", "label": "Periods of stay available for the Spouse or Child of Japanese National status", "value": "5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 6 months", "data": { "periods_years": [ 5, 3, 1, 0.5 ] }, "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-05-25", "source": "https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/356M50000010054", "note": "出入国管理及び難民認定法施行規則 別表第二 (昭和五十六年法務省令第五十四号): 日本人の配偶者等 → 五年、三年、一年又は六月. A first spouse visa is most often granted for 1 year (practitioner observation, not a rule); the period is at ISA discretion, with 3- and 5-year periods more common at renewal as the marriage's record lengthens." }, { "id": "tokutei_zairyu_card", "label": "特定在留カード availability", "value": "launched June 14, 2026 (optional combined residence card × My Number card)", "effective": "2026-06-14", "lastVerified": "2026-09-14", "staleAfter": "2026-12-22", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/tokutei.html", "note": "Confirmed Sep 14 2026: operations began June 14 2026, with applications accepted at regional bureaus from the next business day. Holding one is optional; you may keep carrying a separate residence card and My Number card." }, { "id": "pr_revocation_enforcement", "label": "Enforcement date of the 2024 PR revocation amendment", "value": "April 1, 2027 (downgrade to 定住者 status, not deportation)", "effective": "2025-10-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-11", "staleAfter": "2027-06-22", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/" }, { "id": "coe_application_fee", "label": "Fee for the Certificate of Eligibility application", "value": "free: no fee at any stage of the COE application", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-10-19", "staleAfter": "2027-04-20", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-1.html" }, { "id": "coe_form_current", "label": "Current COE application form for Spouse or Child of Japanese National", "value": "Appended Form 6-3 (別記第六号の三様式): bilingual JP/EN, three applicant sheets for the spouse (T) category, items 1–28", "effective": "2026-06-12", "lastVerified": "2026-09-14", "staleAfter": "2026-12-08", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/spouseorchildofjapanese01.html", "note": "PDF: /isa/content/930004054.pdf, Excel: /isa/content/930004055.xlsx, official filled-in example: /isa/content/001459547.pdf. No revision date is printed on the form." }, { "id": "coe_photo_spec", "label": "Photo requirements for the COE application", "value": "4cm × 3cm, taken within 6 months of submission, name written on the back, or printed directly into the form's photo box", "effective": "2023-03-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-12", "staleAfter": "2026-12-08", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/photo_info_00002.html", "note": "Retouched/app-edited photos are rejected." }, { "id": "guarantor_obligations", "label": "What the 身元保証書 guarantor undertakes (common form, 2022 revision)", "value": "living expenses, repatriation travel costs, and compliance with Japanese law; a moral commitment with no legal enforcement (ISA Q&A)", "effective": "2022-06-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-12", "staleAfter": "2027-01-19", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/faq/kanri_qa.html", "note": "Forms: JP /isa/content/001373949.pdf, EN /isa/content/001373950.pdf. For the spouse COE the checklist names the Japanese spouse residing in Japan as guarantor — but publishes NO rule for the spouse-abroad case; accepted practice (verified June 13, 2026) is a Japan-resident relative, typically a parent-in-law, signing instead, with closer scrutiny. The ISA Q&A definition of guarantor is role-based, not spouse-based." }, { "id": "questionnaire_version", "label": "The spouse-visa questionnaire (質問書) current version", "value": "8-page 質問書 (format of June 6, 2017, still current), published in 11 languages, completed and signed by the spouse", "effective": "2017-06-06", "lastVerified": "2026-06-12", "staleAfter": "2026-12-08", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/spouseorchildofjapanese01.html", "note": "JP /isa/content/930003288.pdf, EN /isa/content/930003535.pdf; also Chinese (×2), Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Indonesian. The English form states the spouse must complete it independently." }, { "id": "coe_mail_submission", "label": "Mail-in COE applications", "value": "not accepted: the ISA explicitly says do not mail application forms; submit in person or online", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-12", "staleAfter": "2027-02-09", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-1.html" }, { "id": "coe_online_filing", "label": "Online COE filing eligibility for relatives", "value": "a spouse, child, or parent residing in Japan can file the COE online with a My Number card (both electronic certificates); new RASENS system since January 5, 2026", "effective": "2026-01-05", "lastVerified": "2026-09-14", "staleAfter": "2026-12-22", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/online/onlineshinsei.html", "note": "The foreign applicant abroad cannot use the system themself. Eligibility matrix: /isa/content/001369137.pdf; system: https://www.rasens-immi.moj.go.jp/rasens-u/ Re-checked Sep 14 2026: the online-filing page is live and still lists relatives in Japan (spouse/child/parent) with a My Number card." }, { "id": "financial_docs_required", "label": "Financial documents the spouse-COE checklist requires", "value": "the supporter's 住民税 taxation (or exemption) certificate and tax-payment certificate for the most recent year, showing the year's total income and tax-payment status", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-01-19", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/spouseorchildofjapanese01.html", "note": "Checklist wording: 申請人の滞在費用を支弁する方の直近１年分の住民税の課税（又は非課税）証明書及び納税証明書（１年間の総所得及び納税状況が記載されたもの）. They are the SUPPORTER's certificates, not the applicant's." }, { "id": "financial_docs_substitutes", "label": "ISA-listed substitutes when the supporter has no Japanese tax certificates", "value": "bank statements or passbook copies, internet-banking transaction records, or an employment offer (内定) from a Japanese employer", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-01-19", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/spouseorchildofjapanese01.html", "note": "Checklist wording: 入国後間もない場合や転居等により、(1)の資料で滞在費用を証明できない場合は、以下の資料などを提出して下さい — offered for recent-entry/relocation cases, and the list is explicitly non-exhaustive (など)." }, { "id": "tourist_change_rule", "label": "Change of status from 短期滞在 (temporary visitor)", "value": "not permitted in principle: Article 20(3) proviso requires やむを得ない特別の事情 (unavoidable special circumstances), and the ISA FAQ adds that a COE issued during the stay does not by itself qualify", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-03-23", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/faq/kanri_qa.html", "note": "Statute: 入管法20条3項ただし書 (e-Gov 326CO0000000319): 短期滞在の在留資格をもつて在留する者の申請については、やむを得ない特別の事情に基づくものでなければ許可しないものとする. ISA FAQ A55: 原則として認められません + （注）単に本邦に在留中に在留資格認定証明書が交付されたことをもって、やむを得ない特別の事情に該当するものではありません. No official definition of the special circumstances is published anywhere." }, { "id": "tokurei_kikan", "label": "特例期間: staying past expiry while a change/extension application is pending", "value": "if the application is filed before the current period of stay expires, you may legally remain under the old status until the decision or 2 months past expiry, whichever comes first, except holders of periods of stay of 30 days or less", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-05-25", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/tokureikikan_00001.html", "note": "Statute: 入管法20条6項 (三十日以下の在留期間を決定されている者から申請があつた場合を除く). A 90-day temporary visitor qualifies by the text; 15/30-day visitors do not." }, { "id": "short_stay_extension_rule", "label": "Extending a 短期滞在 (temporary visitor) period of stay", "value": "granted in principle only for truly unavoidable humanitarian circumstances or equivalent special circumstances; the ISA's example is needing medical treatment", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-03-23", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/temporaryvisitor.html", "note": "Page wording: 原則として、人道上の真にやむをえない事情又はこれに相当する特別な事情がある場合に認められる. The ISA publishes nothing about whether a pending COE/change application supports an extension; practitioners disagree." }, { "id": "livelihood_guideline", "label": "The 独立生計 item in the ISA change/renewal guidelines", "value": "assessed on a household basis (世帯単位で認められれば足ります), and even a public-burden case is weighed against humanitarian reasons rather than auto-denied", "effective": "2026-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-03-23", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyuukokukanri07_00058.html", "note": "在留資格の変更、在留期間の更新許可のガイドライン, established 2008, last revised January 2026 (now HTML, not PDF). Item 5 verbatim quoted in the source. The guidelines also state the decision is 専ら法務大臣の自由な裁量 and that meeting every listed factor still doesn't guarantee permission." }, { "id": "originals_return", "label": "Return of original documents", "value": "in principle, submitted materials are not returned, so request the return of hard-to-reobtain originals at the time of application", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-02-09", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/spouseorchildofjapanese01.html", "note": "Checklist wording: 原則として、提出された資料は返却できませんので、再度入手することが困難な資料の原本等の返却を希望する場合は、申請時に申し出てください。" }, { "id": "cert_freshness", "label": "Freshness rule for Japanese certificates (koseki, tax certificates, 住民票)", "value": "issued within 3 months of submission", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-02-09", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/spouseorchildofjapanese01.html", "note": "Checklist wording: 発行日から３か月以内のものを提出して下さい — attached to the koseki, tax certificates, and (for acquisition/change) the 住民票." }, { "id": "couple_photos_spec", "label": "Relationship photo evidence on the official checklist", "value": "2–3 snapshot photos showing both of you with faces clearly visible; app-edited images are explicitly not accepted; SNS and call records may be added", "effective": "2020-01-01", "lastVerified": "2026-06-13", "staleAfter": "2027-06-08", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/spouseorchildofjapanese01.html", "note": "Checklist wording: スナップ写真（お二人で写っており、容姿がはっきりと確認できるもの。アプリ加工したものは不可。）２～３葉; その他: ＳＮＳ記録・通話記録." }, { "id": "ecoe_email", "label": "Electronic Certificate of Eligibility", "value": "since March 17, 2023 the COE can be issued as an email (e-COE) and forwarded to the applicant abroad, with no mailing of paper needed", "effective": "2023-03-17", "lastVerified": "2026-06-12", "staleAfter": "2026-12-22", "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/10_00136.html", "note": "A copy/scan of a paper COE is also accepted for the visa application and landing since the same date." } ] }