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Family status · 日本人の配偶者等

Spouse visa for Japan: Spouse or Child of Japanese National

One of the most open statuses in Japan: any work with no limits and a shorter route to permanent residence. Who qualifies, what immigration checks, the official forms and what changes for permanent residence from 1 April 2027.

Forms and documents

Route to permanent residence

Checked against the Immigration Services Agency of Japan on 7 October 2026 · Dependent visa · Permanent residency

WorkAny job, no limits

Period of stay5 y · 3 y · 1 y · 6 months

Permanent residence3 + 1 years; 5 + 3 from April 2027

Certificate of EligibilityFree · 1–3 months

Who qualifies

Who can get this status

Spouse or Child of Japanese National (日本人の配偶者等) is for the closest family of a Japanese citizen.

Spouse of a Japanese national

A foreign national in a legal marriage with a Japanese citizen. The marriage must also be registered in Japan, so that it appears in the Japanese spouse’s family register (戸籍).

Child of a Japanese national

A child born as the child of a Japanese national (the parent was Japanese at the birth), or a child adopted through special adoption (特別養子). An ordinary adoption does not qualify. A child born before the parent became Japanese gets Long-Term Resident instead.

Marriage only

Civil partnerships, de facto relationships and engagements do not qualify. Only a legal marriage registered in Japan counts.

Not the same status: the spouse of a foreign permanent resident needs Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident (永住者の配偶者等), and the family of a foreign worker or student needs the Dependent visa (家族滞在).

Evidence

What immigration checks

Proof of a real relationship

  • Photos of your wedding and life together
  • Messages and history of contact
  • Proof that you live together
  • Shared finances and tax documents

For spouses, ISA asks for 2–3 photos of the couple with faces clearly visible and, if possible, social-media messages and call history. Another required document is the questionnaire (質問書): how you met, how you communicate, the wedding and your life together. ISA publishes it in English too.

The key condition

The marriage must be genuine

Immigration checks carefully that the marriage is real — in our experience especially when there is a large age gap or the couple met only recently. A sham marriage for a visa is a crime in Japan, and both spouses are liable. Prepare honest and complete evidence of your relationship.

Forms and documents

How to get the spouse visa: forms and documents

The forms are the same for a spouse and a child; the document set is different. Documents from Japan must be issued within the last 3 months; foreign documents need a Japanese translation.

Two ways to get the status

  • You are abroad. Your spouse or parent in Japan applies for a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE); you then get the visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate. More: Certificate of Eligibility.
  • You are already in Japan on a work, student or other status: apply for a change of status to Spouse or Child of Japanese National.

Choose the procedure and whether you are the spouse or the child. Below are the forms from the ISA website, the letter of guarantee, the questionnaire and the full document list with the Japanese names.

Your relationship to the Japanese national:

spouse: Husband or wife of a Japanese national, in a legal marriage that is also registered in Japan.

child: A child born as the child of a Japanese national (the parent was Japanese at the birth), or a child adopted through special adoption (特別養子). Ordinary adoption, or a child born before the parent became Japanese, needs a different status.

Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) — you are abroad, your spouse or parent is in Japan

A relative who lives in Japan (usually the Japanese spouse or parent) applies as your representative — in person or online. Once the CoE is issued, you get the visa at a Japanese embassy and enter Japan.

Application formPDF · moj.go.jpApplication formExcel · moj.go.jpFilled-in examplePDF · moj.go.jpDocument checklistPDF · moj.go.jp
Application formPDF · moj.go.jpApplication formExcel · moj.go.jpFilled-in examplePDF · moj.go.jpDocument checklistPDF · moj.go.jp

Files open from the website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA). Forms are in Japanese and English; links checked 6 Oct 2026.

Documents

  1. Application for a Certificate of Eligibility 在留資格認定証明書交付申請書
  2. Photo, 4 × 3 cm 写真Glued onto the form; you can also print it directly in the photo box.
  3. Family register (戸籍謄本) of the Japanese spouse, showing the marriage 配偶者（日本人）の戸籍謄本（全部事項証明書）spouseIf the marriage is not yet in the family register (戸籍), add the certificate of acceptance of the marriage notification (婚姻届出受理証明書).
  4. Marriage certificate issued in your country 申請人の国籍国の機関から発行された結婚証明書spouseForeign documents need a Japanese translation.
  5. Family register (戸籍謄本 or 除籍謄本) of the Japanese parent 日本人の親の戸籍謄本又は除籍謄本（全部事項証明書）child
  6. Born in Japan: certificate of acceptance of the birth notification or of the acknowledgment of paternity 出生届受理証明書・認知届受理証明書childOne of the two, issued within the last 3 months. The acknowledgment certificate only if the acknowledgment was registered in Japan.
  7. Born abroad: birth certificate or a document on the acknowledgment of paternity 出生国の機関から発行された出生証明書・認知に係る証明書childIssued in the country of birth, with a Japanese translation.
  8. Special adoption: certificate of acceptance of the adoption notification, or the family court ruling 特別養子縁組届出受理証明書・審判書謄本及び確定証明書childA Japanese family court ruling — together with the certificate that it is final.
  9. Resident tax certificates for the last year (income and tax paid) — of the person who supports you in Japan 住民税の課税（又は非課税）証明書及び納税証明書From the city office of the address on 1 January; one certificate is enough if it shows both income and tax paid. If the certificates show no income (recent arrival, moved) — a copy of a bank passbook, a job offer letter from a Japanese company or similar documents.
  10. Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) 身元保証書spouseThe guarantor is the Japanese spouse living in Japan. The ISA form is in Japanese; an English version exists.form · PDFEnglish · PDF
  11. Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) 身元保証書childThe guarantor is a Japanese national living in Japan: usually the parent or adoptive parent.form · PDFEnglish · PDF
  12. Residence certificate (住民票) of the Japanese spouse — whole household 配偶者（日本人）の世帯全員の記載のある住民票の写しspouseWithout the My Number (マイナンバー); everything else in full. Issued within the last 3 months.
  13. Residence certificate (住民票) — whole household 住民票（世帯全員の記載があるもの）childIf you are a minor — the 住民票 of the person who supports you; if an adult — of the person you will live with in Japan. Without the My Number (マイナンバー).
  14. Questionnaire about you as a couple 質問書spouseQuestions about how you met, how you communicate, the wedding and your life together. ISA publishes it in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian.Japanese · PDFEnglish · PDF
  15. Photos of the two of you (2–3 snapshots) and other proof of contact 夫婦間の交流が確認できる資料（スナップ写真 ２～３葉）spouseThe two of you together, faces clearly visible, not edited in apps. You can add social-media messages and call history.
  16. Return envelope with your address and a registered-mail stamp 返信用封筒For paper applications. The CoE can also be received by email.

Immigration may ask for other documents too. Full list: the ISA checklist above and the status page.

Where to apply
The regional immigration services bureau for the place where you will live in Japan
Fee
Free
Standard processing period
1–3 months
Online
Yes — through the online residence application system (在留申請オンラインシステム)
Documents for my caseYour list for your category and family — with checkboxes and a PDF

Change of status of residence — you already live in Japan on another status

You apply yourself at the immigration bureau before your current status expires — for example, after marrying a Japanese national while you are in Japan on a work or student status.

Application formPDF · moj.go.jpApplication formExcel · moj.go.jpFilled-in examplePDF · moj.go.jpDocument checklistPDF · moj.go.jp
Application formPDF · moj.go.jpApplication formExcel · moj.go.jpFilled-in examplePDF · moj.go.jpDocument checklistPDF · moj.go.jp

Files open from the website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA). Forms are in Japanese and English; links checked 6 Oct 2026.

Documents

  1. Application for change of status of residence 在留資格変更許可申請書
  2. Photo, 4 × 3 cm 写真From 14 June 2026 a photo is needed for everyone aged 1 and over (before: 16 and over). You can print it directly into the photo box of the form.
  3. Family register (戸籍謄本) of the Japanese spouse, showing the marriage 配偶者（日本人）の戸籍謄本（全部事項証明書）spouseShowing the marriage, issued within the last 3 months. If the marriage is not yet registered — add 婚姻届出受理証明書.
  4. Marriage certificate issued in your country 申請人の国籍国の機関から発行された結婚証明書spouseForeign documents need a Japanese translation.
  5. Family register (戸籍謄本 or 除籍謄本) of the Japanese parent 日本人の親又は養親の戸籍謄本又は除籍謄本（全部事項証明書）child
  6. Born in Japan: certificate of acceptance of the birth notification or of the acknowledgment of paternity 出生届受理証明書・認知届受理証明書childOne of the two, issued within the last 3 months. The acknowledgment certificate only if the acknowledgment was registered in Japan.
  7. Born abroad: birth certificate or a document on the acknowledgment of paternity 出生国の機関から発行された出生証明書・認知に係る証明書childIssued in the country of birth, with a Japanese translation.
  8. Special adoption: certificate of acceptance of the adoption notification, or the family court ruling 特別養子縁組届出受理証明書・審判書謄本及び確定証明書childA Japanese family court ruling — together with the certificate that it is final.
  9. Resident tax certificates for the last year (income and tax paid) — of the person who supports you in Japan 住民税の課税（又は非課税）証明書及び納税証明書From the city office of the address on 1 January; one certificate is enough if it shows both income and tax paid. If the certificates show no income (recent arrival, moved) — a copy of a bank passbook, a job offer letter from a Japanese company or similar documents. Issued within the last 3 months.
  10. Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) 身元保証書spouseThe guarantor is the Japanese spouse living in Japan. The ISA form is in Japanese; an English version exists.form · PDFEnglish · PDF
  11. Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) 身元保証書childThe guarantor is a Japanese national living in Japan: usually the parent or adoptive parent.form · PDFEnglish · PDF
  12. Residence certificate (住民票) of the Japanese spouse — whole household 配偶者（日本人）の世帯全員の記載のある住民票の写しspouseWithout the My Number (マイナンバー); everything else in full. Issued within the last 3 months.
  13. Your residence certificate (住民票) — whole household 申請人の住民票（世帯全員の記載があるもの）childWithout the My Number (マイナンバー).
  14. Questionnaire about you as a couple 質問書spouseQuestions about how you met, how you communicate, the wedding and your life together. ISA publishes it in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian.Japanese · PDFEnglish · PDF
  15. Photos of the two of you (2–3 snapshots) and other proof of contact 夫婦間の交流が確認できる資料（スナップ写真 ２～３葉）spouseThe two of you together, faces clearly visible, not edited in apps. You can add social-media messages and call history.
  16. Passport — show it パスポート（提示）Must be shown even if someone else submits the documents.
  17. Residence card — show it 在留カード（提示）

Immigration may ask for other documents too. Full list: the ISA checklist above and the status page.

Where to apply
The regional immigration services bureau for your address
Fee
Paid only after approval. Applications received by 30 September 2026: ¥6,000 (online ¥5,500), even if the decision comes later. Received from 1 October 2026: the fee depends on the period granted — from ¥10,000 (up to 3 months) to ¥75,000 (5 years or more); online is cheaper except for periods up to 3 months. It can be higher if a specified residence card (特定在留カード) is issued with the permission. Full fee table
Standard processing period
1–2 months
Online
Yes
Documents for my caseYour list for your category and family — with checkboxes and a PDF

Extension of period of stay — Spouse or Child of Japanese National

You apply yourself, no earlier than 3 months before your period of stay ends and no later than its last day. The marriage (or family link) must still exist.

Application formPDF · moj.go.jpApplication formExcel · moj.go.jpFilled-in examplePDF · moj.go.jpDocument checklistPDF · moj.go.jp
Application formPDF · moj.go.jpApplication formExcel · moj.go.jpFilled-in examplePDF · moj.go.jpDocument checklistPDF · moj.go.jp

Files open from the website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA). Forms are in Japanese and English; links checked 6 Oct 2026.

Documents

  1. Application for extension of period of stay 在留期間更新許可申請書
  2. Photo, 4 × 3 cm 写真From 14 June 2026 a photo is needed for everyone aged 1 and over (before: 16 and over). You can print it directly into the photo box of the form. Not needed if the extension is for 3 months or less.
  3. Family register (戸籍謄本) of the Japanese spouse, showing the marriage 配偶者（日本人）の戸籍謄本（全部事項証明書）spouseShowing the marriage.
  4. Resident tax certificates for the last year (income and tax paid) — of the person who supports you in Japan 住民税の課税（又は非課税）証明書及び納税証明書Of the person who supports you; if you support yourself — your own. From the city office of the address on 1 January. If the certificates show no income — a copy of a bank passbook or similar documents.
  5. Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) 身元保証書spouseThe guarantor is the Japanese spouse living in Japan. The ISA form is in Japanese; an English version exists.form · PDFEnglish · PDF
  6. Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) 身元保証書childThe guarantor is a Japanese national living in Japan: usually the parent or adoptive parent.form · PDFEnglish · PDF
  7. Residence certificate (住民票) of the Japanese spouse — whole household 配偶者（日本人）の世帯全員の記載のある住民票の写しspouseWithout the My Number (マイナンバー); everything else in full. Issued within the last 3 months.
  8. Your residence certificate (住民票) — whole household 申請人の住民票（世帯全員の記載があるもの）childWithout the My Number (マイナンバー).
  9. Passport — show it パスポート（提示）Must be shown even if someone else submits the documents.
  10. Residence card — show it 在留カード（提示）

Immigration may ask for other documents too. Full list: the ISA checklist above and the status page.

Where to apply
The regional immigration services bureau for your address
Fee
Paid only after approval. Applications received by 30 September 2026: ¥6,000 (online ¥5,500), even if the decision comes later. Received from 1 October 2026: the fee depends on the period granted — from ¥10,000 (up to 3 months) to ¥75,000 (5 years or more); online is cheaper except for periods up to 3 months. It can be higher if a specified residence card (特定在留カード) is issued with the permission. Full fee table
Standard processing period
2 weeks – 1 month
Online
Yes
Documents for my caseYour list for your category and family — with checkboxes and a PDF

Acquisition of status of residence — the reason arose in Japan

For example, a child was born in Japan without getting Japanese nationality, or a person gave up Japanese nationality. Apply within 30 days of that event.

Application formPDF · moj.go.jpApplication formExcel · moj.go.jpFilled-in examplePDF · moj.go.jpDocument checklistPDF · moj.go.jp
Application formPDF · moj.go.jpApplication formExcel · moj.go.jpFilled-in examplePDF · moj.go.jpDocument checklistPDF · moj.go.jp

Files open from the website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA). Forms are in Japanese and English; links checked 6 Oct 2026.

Documents

  1. Application for acquisition of status of residence 在留資格取得許可申請書
  2. Photo, 4 × 3 cm 写真Not needed for a child under 1 (rule for residence cards from 14 June 2026).
  3. Document proving the reason: birth in Japan or loss of Japanese nationality 出生したことを証する書類・国籍を証する書類For example, 出生届受理証明書 from the city office; after losing Japanese nationality — a document proving your nationality.
  4. Family register (戸籍謄本) of the Japanese spouse, showing the marriage 配偶者（日本人）の戸籍謄本（全部事項証明書）spouseShowing the marriage, issued within the last 3 months. If the marriage is not yet registered — add 婚姻届出受理証明書.
  5. Marriage certificate issued in your country 申請人の国籍国の機関から発行された結婚証明書spouseForeign documents need a Japanese translation.
  6. Family register (戸籍謄本 or 除籍謄本) of the Japanese parent 日本人の親又は養親の戸籍謄本又は除籍謄本（全部事項証明書）child
  7. Born in Japan: certificate of acceptance of the birth notification or of the acknowledgment of paternity 出生届受理証明書・認知届受理証明書childOne of the two, issued within the last 3 months. The acknowledgment certificate only if the acknowledgment was registered in Japan.
  8. Born abroad: birth certificate or a document on the acknowledgment of paternity 出生国の機関から発行された出生証明書・認知に係る証明書childIssued in the country of birth, with a Japanese translation.
  9. Special adoption: certificate of acceptance of the adoption notification, or the family court ruling 特別養子縁組届出受理証明書・審判書謄本及び確定証明書childA Japanese family court ruling — together with the certificate that it is final.
  10. Questionnaire 質問書childJapanese · PDF
  11. Resident tax certificates for the last year (income and tax paid) — of the person who supports you in Japan 住民税の課税（又は非課税）証明書及び納税証明書From the city office of the address on 1 January; one certificate is enough if it shows both income and tax paid. If the certificates show no income (recent arrival, moved) — a copy of a bank passbook, a job offer letter from a Japanese company or similar documents. Issued within the last 3 months.
  12. Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) 身元保証書spouseThe guarantor is the Japanese spouse living in Japan. The ISA form is in Japanese; an English version exists.form · PDFEnglish · PDF
  13. Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) 身元保証書childThe guarantor is a Japanese national living in Japan: usually the parent or adoptive parent.form · PDFEnglish · PDF
  14. Residence certificate (住民票) of the Japanese spouse — whole household 配偶者（日本人）の世帯全員の記載のある住民票の写しspouseWithout the My Number (マイナンバー); everything else in full. Issued within the last 3 months.
  15. Residence certificate (住民票) of the Japanese parent — whole household 日本人の親又は養親の住民票（世帯全員の記載があるもの）childWithout the My Number (マイナンバー).
  16. Questionnaire about you as a couple 質問書spouseQuestions about how you met, how you communicate, the wedding and your life together. ISA publishes it in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian.Japanese · PDFEnglish · PDF
  17. Photos of the two of you (2–3 snapshots) and other proof of contact 夫婦間の交流が確認できる資料（スナップ写真 ２～３葉）spouseThe two of you together, faces clearly visible, not edited in apps. You can add social-media messages and call history.
  18. Passport — show it パスポート（提示）spouseMust be shown even if someone else submits the documents.

Immigration may ask for other documents too. Full list: the ISA checklist above and the status page.

Where to apply
The regional immigration services bureau for your address
Fee
Free
Deadline
Within 30 days of the birth or loss of nationality
Online
Yes
Documents for my caseYour list for your category and family — with checkboxes and a PDF

Period of stay and next steps

A shorter route to permanent residence

Period of stay

How long it is granted for

  • 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 6 months
  • Extended again and again while the marriage continues
  • Any work in any field, no permission needed

Permanent residence

Two rule sets, by filing date

Applications filed until 31 March 2027: a spouse can apply for permanent residence after 3 years of real married life and at least 1 year of continuous residence in Japan; a child of a Japanese national after 1 year in Japan — instead of the usual 10 years.

Applications from 1 April 2027 (ISA guideline revised on 1 October 2026): a spouse needs 5 years of real married life and 3 years of continuous residence in Japan; a child needs 3 years. Japanese at about CEFR B1 (roughly JLPT N3–N2) is taken into account as a factor, not a strict requirement.

The legal conditions of good conduct and sufficient income do not apply to spouses and children of Japanese nationals, but taxes and social insurance are checked as for everyone. Under the revised guideline the income requirement still does not apply to them, but it counts against the application if the family relies on public assistance now or realistically may need it (applications from 1 April 2027, and those filed from 1 April 2026 that were still pending on 1 October 2026). The permanent residence fee is ¥200,000 for applications filed from 1 October 2026 (¥10,000 if received by 30 September 2026), paid only on approval.

For a Japanese passport there is also naturalization, with easier conditions for spouses of Japanese nationals. All routes: Japanese citizenship.

Life on the status

What to know once you have the status

The status depends on your marriage or family link with a Japanese national. What to do and what to avoid.

Divorce or death of the spouse

Within 14 days, notify immigration (配偶者に関する届出) — online, in person or by post. Then move to another status before the current one ends — in practice Long-Term Resident (after a long marriage or if you raise a child who is a Japanese national) or a work status.

Live together

If a couple does not live as a family for more than 6 months in a row without a good reason, the status can be canceled. ISA names good reasons itself: escaping domestic violence, living apart for the children while sharing a budget, a long stay abroad with a sick relative on a re-entry permit, divorce proceedings in court.

Travel abroad

With a valid passport and residence card you can leave for up to 1 year without a permit (special re-entry, みなし再入国) — tick the box on the embarkation card. If your status ends sooner, return before it ends; it cannot be extended from abroad. Longer trips need a re-entry permit.

Children in a mixed family

A child whose father or mother is a Japanese national at the time of birth is Japanese and needs no status of residence. The father here is the legal father at birth: if he is not married to the mother and acknowledges the child only after birth, the child can acquire Japanese nationality later by notification while the child is under 18 (Nationality Act, Article 3). A child born abroad who also gets another nationality must keep Japanese nationality by a reservation (国籍留保) filed with the birth registration within 3 months, or it is lost. More: nationality for children.

FAQ

Spouse visa questions

Can’t find your question? Write to us — a real person replies.

Ask us a question

Who can get the spouse visa for a Japanese national?

Foreign spouses of Japanese nationals in a legal marriage, children born as children of Japanese nationals, and children adopted through special adoption (特別養子). A child born before the parent became Japanese gets Long-Term Resident instead. Civil partnerships and unregistered relationships do not qualify.

Yes, with no limits — any field, any job, no separate work permission. This is one of the main advantages of the status.

For applications filed until 31 March 2027: after 3 years of real married life and at least 1 year of continuous residence in Japan — much sooner than the usual 10 years. The revised ISA guideline (1 October 2026) sets 5 years of married life and 3 years of continuous residence for applications from 1 April 2027.

That the marriage is genuine: photos, messages, living together, shared finances and tax documents. A sham marriage for a visa is a crime in Japan, and both spouses are liable.

The basis for the spouse status ends. You report the divorce to immigration within 14 days, then usually move to another status — for example Long-Term Resident in certain cases, or a work status — or leave Japan.

From the website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA). ISA has separate pages for a spouse and a child, but the application form is the same for each procedure: CoE, change of status, extension or acquisition of status. The buttons on this page open the ISA files directly: the form in PDF and Excel, a filled-in example, the checklist, the letter of guarantee (身元保証書) and the questionnaire (質問書).

The Japanese spouse must register the marriage in Japan — at a city office or through a Japanese embassy — so that it appears in their family register (戸籍). Immigration asks for the 戸籍謄本 showing the marriage; if it is not there yet, also the certificate of acceptance of the marriage notification (婚姻届出受理証明書). Plus the marriage certificate from your country.

For a spouse — the Japanese spouse living in Japan. For a child — a Japanese national in Japan, usually the parent or adoptive parent. ISA publishes the letter of guarantee (身元保証書) in Japanese and English.

The Certificate of Eligibility and acquisition of status are free. A change of status or an extension filed from 1 October 2026 costs from ¥10,000 to ¥75,000 depending on the period granted, a little less online (filed by 30 September 2026: ¥6,000, online ¥5,500). The fee is paid after approval and can be higher if a specified residence card (特定在留カード) is issued with the permission.

If a couple does not live as a family for more than 6 months in a row without a good reason, immigration can cancel the status. ISA accepts reasons such as divorce proceedings in court or a spouse temporarily escaping domestic violence; such cases are judged individually.

Work in Japan

Jobs, pay, taxes and insurance on this visa

All topics: Work in Japan — the full guide

Sources

Where this information comes from

Facts and document lists were checked against the website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) on 7 October 2026. Form links come from a register of ISA files that our server refreshes every week: when ISA publishes a new version of a form, the button opens the new file.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Immigration decides each application and may ask for more documents. Where a rule is known only from practice, we say so.

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