Perhaps the most popular article on this blog at this point is my guide on How to Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility and Spouse Visa for Japan. But I often get questions there about Japanese Dependent Visas, as well.
This article, I hope, will make that process clear.
How to Get a Dependent Visa to Bring Your Family to Japan
Of course, we all want to live together with our family. But when you first come to Japan, it can be hard to understand how to do that. If you have one of the Residence Status listed below, you will be able to apply for a Dependent Visa for your spouse and children.
First, let’s get clear on who you can bring to Japan on a dependent visa.
- Your (legally married) spouse
- Your (legal) children
Who Cannot be Your Dependent
You cannot apply for a Dependent Visa for a parent or other relative, regardless of whether or not they depend on you for income.
You cannot apply for a Dependent Visa for a fiance.
You cannot apply for a Dependent Visa for your spouse’s children from previous marriages if you have not legally adopted them as your own.
Statuses Eligible to Apply for Dependent Visas
Almost all international residents in Japan are eligible to bring their family to Japan as Dependents. As long as your Residence Status is in the list below, you’ll be able to apply.
- 教授 Professor
- 芸術 Artist
- 宗教 Religious Activities
- 報通 Journalist
- 高度専門職 Highly Skilled Professional
- 投資・経営 Investor/Business Manager
- 法律・会計業務 Legal/Accounting Services
- 医療 Medical Services
- 研究 Researcher
- 教育 Instructor
- 技術・人文知識・国際業務 Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services
- 企業内転勤 Intra-company Transferee
- 介護 Nursing Care
- 興行 Entertainer
- 技能 Skilled Labor
- 文化活動 Cultural Activities
- 留学 Student*
Additional Criteria for Student Residence Status Holders
If you are living in Japan on a Student status, then the type of school you are attending determines whether or not you can apply for a dependent visa for your family.
| Types of Schools that Can apply for a Dependent Visa | Types of Schools that Cannot apply for a Dependent Visa |
|---|---|
| Graduate School (Doctor, Master, or Research Student) 大学院（博士、修士、研究生） |
Advanced Vocational School (Specialized Course, Higher Course, General Course) 専修学校（専門課程、高等課程、一般課程） |
| University (Undergraduate, Auditor, Elective Course Student, Research Student, Japanese Language Course Student) 大学（学部生、聴講生、科目等履修生、研究生、別科性） |
Japanese Language Institution (Advanced vocational school of specialized course, preparatory courses, others) 日本語教育機関 （専修学校専門課程、準備教育課程、その他） |
| Junior College (Regular Student, Auditor, Elective Course Student, Japanese Language Course Student) 短期大学（学科生、聴講生、科目等履修生、別科性） |
Senior High School, Junior High School, Elementary School 高等学校、中学校、小学校 |
| Technical School 高等専門学校 |
You’ll see that there are several options for Japanese language, so if you are in Japan studying Japanese, you may wonder which applies to you. The simple answer is to look at your institution. If the institution is a university or junior college (i.e. if it also grants associates degrees or higher in other fields), then you would be eligible to apply for a Dependent Visa. If you are studying Japanese at an advanced vocational school or at a dedicated Japanese language school, you would not be eligible to apply for a Dependent Visa.
Other Residence Statuses
Someone who is living in Japan as a Dependent cannot have their own Dependent.
There are a few other statuses, such as Trainee and Designated Activities, that are not eligible to bring family members.
Other statues, such as Spouse of Japanese National, Permanent Resident, Diplomat, etc., have other methods to bring their family members to Japan and will not need the Dependent Visa process.
Can I Bring my Family With Me to Japan at the Same Time?
It depends on your employer.
Certain types of companies in Japan have special authorization to accelerate their Certificate of Eligibility application process for foreign employees and simultaneously apply for Dependent Visas for their spouses. Those companies are able to get Certificates of Eligibility for both the employee and the dependents within about 2 weeks from application.
If you are coming to Japan as a student, researcher, or working for anything less than a large enterprise, then you will not be able to bring your dependents to Japan at the same time as you. After you arrive in Japan, you will have to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for your dependents so they can join you Japan. That application process can take up to three months. Skip down to the instructions below.
What Companies Can Apply Simultaneously for Dependent Visas?
According to the Ministry of Justice, companies designated as Category 1 or Category 2 are eligible for the accelerated Certificate of Eligibility application process, provided that they are paying you enough to support your family members as well.
Category 1 and 2 companies must be “of a certain size” and make their present operating situation clear through public documentation. Specific examples include:
Category 1
- Companies listed on the Japanese stock exchange
- Mutual insurance companies
- National or regional public organizations (公共団体 kokyo dantai)
- Independent administrative institutions (独立行政法人 dokuritsu gyosei hojin), Special public corporations (特殊法人 tokushu hojin), Specially-authorized corporations (特別認可法人 tokubetsu ninka hojin), Public organization-authorized public service organizations (公益法人 koeki hojin)
- Tax-exempt public benefit corporations listed in Table 1 of the tax exempt corporations list.
Category 2: Individuals or organizations that paid over 15,000,000 yen in income tax during the previous fiscal year.
If you are to be employed in Japan and want to know if your company can apply simultaneously for your dependents’ certificates of eligibility, the best thing to do is ask them directly!
Applying for a Dependent Visa Yourself
If you have to bring your family to Japan yourself, you will need to start with applying for their Certificate of Eligibility. Approval can take up to three months, so get started as soon as you can after you arrive in Japan.
As usual with the Immigration Bureau, the information available in English is vague. The requirements below are translated from the Japanese webpage:
Dependent Certificate of Eligibility Required Documents
- Completed application form. You can download the form from the Immigration Bureau website.
- One ID-quality photo: 30mm wide by 40mm high, showing the applicant (your dependent) from the chest up, facing forward, with no hats or background.
Write the applicant’s name on the back and attach it to the application form in the designated spot - One self-addressed reply envelope with 392 yen in stamps attached.
- One of the following documents to prove your relationship:
- Family Register
- Certificate of acceptance of registration of marriage
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificate
- Any other document that can be accepted as meeting the requirements of the previous items
Note: Any documents in a foreign language must have a Japanese translation attached.
- Copy of the supporter’s (you) Residence Card or passport. (Submit copy of the Residence Card if you have it!)
- Proof of employment/activity and financial resources.
- If the supporter is engaged in business management or income-generating activities:
(a) 1 copy of certificate of employment or business license (must show supporter’s occupation); and
(b) Certificate of Residence Tax amount and payment showing one full year of tax payment. (Acquired from the City Hall where you resided as of Jan 1.
*If you have not been in Japan long enough to acquire a Certificate of Residence Tax showing a full year of tax, consult with the Immigration Bureau. A certificate of employment with salary may be sufficient. - If supporter is not employed or earning income through operating a business:
(a) A bank account balance statement in the supporter’s name or scholarship award statement showing the amount of award and period of payment.
(b) Documents equivalent in nature to (a) that show proof of sufficient finances for the applicant to be able to meet their expenses while in Japan.
- If the supporter is engaged in business management or income-generating activities:
- Proof of identity, in case of application by proxy.
It is acceptable to fill out the application form in English, but all documents submitted as evidence must be in Japanese or be accompanied by a translation.
Financial Resources for your Dependent
As a general rule, 80,000 yen per month is considered sufficient resources for one person. Since you will be living with your dependent, you don’t need to double that for each person, but count on adding at least 40,000 for a spouse and a little less than that for each child (depending on their age).
As an example, I know of MEXT scholars who were successful in bringing a spouse and two children to Japan with a total income of 145,000 yen.
The Dependent Residence Status does not allow your spouse or children to work in Japan, so you need to plan to support them from your income. Your spouse will be eligible to apply for a work permit (called “Permission to Engage in Activities Other than that Permitted Under the Status of Residence Previously Granted”), but they will be limited to working no more than 28 hours per week. This is not going to be enough for your spouse to support him/herself.
A dependent is able to search for a full time job and use that to apply to change to a working residence status. However, finding a full-time job in Japan is quite difficult without some level of fluency in the language.
All of that will come later, once your spouse is in Japan. But it’s a good idea to have a clear understanding of your financial situation in advance.
Applying for the Japanese Dependent Visa
Once you have your spouse and/or child’s Certificate of Eligibility, you will need to send it to them so they can apply for their visa in your home country.
I recommend making a photocopy first and sending the Certificate by a reliable courier service. Your spouse/child will need the original Certificate of Eligibility to apply for the visa. The photocopy can help you apply for reissuance of the Certificate if it gets lost in the mail.
Visa requirements vary by country, so be sure to check the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country!
Making Travel Arrangements
Once you have the Certificate of Eligibility, your spouse’s dependent visa is all but guaranteed, so it’s safe to start making his or her travel arrangements to Japan.
Your spouse/child must arrive in Japan within 3 months of the date of issue on the Certificate of Eligibility (regardless of whether the visa has a later expiration date or not).
Congratulations! Your family will be together in Japan soon!
As always, please leave any questions or comments below and I will reply as soon as possible.
Hi, may husband is working in japan and he
Is planning to apply for a coe for me and our 2
Sons. Is it required for him to get an apartment for us to apply for a COE Because right now he is renting an aprtment with his workmate. Thanks
Hi Klarice,
No, as far as I know, he does not need to have family lodging when he applies for your CoE, but his financial resources may be scrutinized to make sure that he will be able to afford the increase in rent from his current situation to housing for all four of you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
How long does it take to get spous visa in japan?
Hi Sarita Sunar,
Are you asking about a Spouse of Japanese National Visa, or a dependent visa for a spouse of a foreign national living in Japan?
In theory, it should take 3 months for either one, but over the course of the last year, the Immigration Agency has been consistently missing that deadline. I have heard from other commenters here that their applications have taken over 4 or sometimes even 5 months.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for your time! 😊
Hi,
I’m a software engineer looking to relocate from United States to Tokyo Japan. I was wondering how hard would it be to get a work visa in this line of work, and would I be able to bring my wife and kids using a Dependent Visa? I also read that I may be able to bring my parents if I’m considered a Highly Skilled Foreign Professional. Is software engineering covered under this category?
Thanks!
Hi Andrew,
Work visas are not my area of expertise, because that’s something your employer will handle for you and not something you need to worry about on your own.
If you can find a job that will sponsor your visa, then it should be no problem.
Getting a dependent visa for your spouse and children would be possible with most working visa categories. Depending on your employer’s company classification, they might be able to apply for the dependent CoEs for you at the same time as they apply for your working CoE. However, if it’s a smaller company, you would have to come to Japan first, get set up here, then apply for CoEs to bring your family later.
I am not aware of any reliable way to bring parents with you to Japan, though, and have never heard of it being specially permitted for any residence status type. I would recommend that you check with wherever you heard that information in the first place.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi there.
My wife is currently on a student visa which expires in March and I am on a work visa (English teacher). We are trying to change my wife to a dependent visa but are confused what documents we need in order to prove my income. I haven’t been working full time long enough to get tax records from the ward office. So is my work contract sufficient? Or do I need my monthly wage slips? And if so, how many? I can only get 1 month with my full, none probation pay.
Hi Connor,
There is no “official” answer, so it is ultimately going to be up to the discretion of the immigration office where you file the application. But in my experience, I have found that a Certificate of Employment that shows your monthly salary should be sufficient.
Salary slips could also work. In that case, the immigration agency is going to be the ultimate authority on how many you need, but since only one shows your post-probation pay, I would recommend including a note to that effect with your application, saying which months you were in your training/probation period, so that it is obvious to immigration that your salary will be higher moving forward.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi me again. The immigration office have asked for more wage slips and an explanation for why my wages are different than my contract. My contract actually changed when my visa was issued due to staffing levels changing whilst I was waiting for my visa. So I was originally offered 23 hours, but now my contract is 18. My hourly rate is 2000 yen an hour
So firstly, is my new rate enough to support my wife’s dependent visa application?
And secondly, are the immigration going to be funny about my contract changing AFTER MY visa was issued? Like, are they going to think there is something suspect going on with my visa?
Many thanks
Hi Connor,
If your contract and wages had already changed before you applied for the dependent CoE for your wife, but you used the old figures, that would probably be looked at with some suspicion. Everything should be true and accurate as of the time you submit the documentation to the Immigration Agency. If your contract changed after you submitted the application, that could not be held against you.
With your reduced hours/pay, I can’t say for sure how Immigration will look at that. It’s fairly close to the borderline, depending on where you are living and what your anticipated expenses would be. In practical terms, I would think that one or the other of you is going to need to pick up another job.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for the reply. So all it was that during my visa application I was offered 23 hours. But since then I’ve dropped down to 18.
I just gave them the wrong contract for my wife’s dependent visa application. So they are questioning why my contract says one amount but my wage slip says a different amount.
My understanding is that with a letter from my company explaining why my hours have changed/are different, they should be fine…right? My wife was already planning on getting a job when she has her dependent visa and I’ll be picking up more hours as time goes by
Hi Connor,
I think I understand what you’re trying to explain about the contract changes. The letter from your company seems like it might be your best option at this point, though I can’t guarantee that it will work. It depends on how hard-nosed the reviewers are going to be about not having the correct document the first time.
Since there is no better choice that I can see at this point, I would certainly recommend trying with that letter!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I wanted to ask, I intended to apply for a COE for my fiancé once we’re married.
I’m worried because my fiancé’s visitors visa application was rejected last year. Do you think this might complicate things or give them a reason to reject or scrutinise the application?
I really hope not as there was no reason provided for the refusal of the visitor visa application.
Regards,
Gee
Hi Gee,
It would depend on the reason why your fiance’s temporary visitor visa application was rejected, but in general, that past rejection should not affect a Dependent CoE application later. They are two different processes and each has different justification and documentation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I would like to apply for Dependent visa for my husband. Do I need to submit Invitation letter and the letter of guarantee ?
Thanks in advance.
Kavita
Hi Kavita Deivasigamani,
You need to submit the documents that I described in the article (the exact documents depend on what your status is in Japan). But no, you do not need a letter of invitation or a letter of guarantee for the Certificate of Eligibility application.
Visa application requirements can vary by the country that you are applying in, so I would recommend that your husband check with the Japanese embassy in his home country to learn what else he needs besides the CoE.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you so much for the very informative post. I have a question!.
My wife got her dependent visa without any difficulty as I received a full scholarship for Master course and we have been living together in Tokyo. Now I plan to continue to Phd and it might not sure to get full cover scholarship but definitely I will be working as part-time research assistant. My wife visa will expire soon and to continue the stay, I guess I might not eligible to submit employment certificate with salary as per the first option ( Documents for financial proof) as I am not working full time job Or could you please let me know I need to choose the second option showing bank account balance statement. And is it possible for a student who have only part time job and just partial scholarship though the income might meet to the expenses. Thank you!
Hi Moe,
Thank you for your kind comments.
In your case, I would recommend submitting proof of all of your forms of income, including the scholarship and the research assistant job. If your wife is also working part-time (with a part-time work permit), you should submit proof of her employment and income, as well. If you have savings that you can show, certainly include records of your accounts, as well.
Ideally, you would need to show about 80,000 yen per month in resources to support your wife. Since the two of you are living together and would be sharing some expenses, you do not necessarily need to have 160,000 for two people, but at least 100,000 – 120,000 yen per month between the two of you would by my recommendation.
It is not a matter of choosing one option or another for support, you should indicate proof of all of the forms of income or financial resources you have to support yourselves in order to maximize your chances.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
In 2018 Dec i got a 1 year working visa and i started to work in that company after 3 month i applied dependent visa for my wife. And In 2019 June i left that company and started to work in another company i changed my company(after 6 months). Then my visas was going to finish so i reapply for my own visa from my new company then i got again 1 years visa but they rejected my wife COE.
So,what can i do to bring my wife . Can I apply again ?
Hi Vishal,
Did Immigration give you any idea why your application was rejected? For example, did they ask you for additional documentation, etc.?
You can, of course, apply again. But if you do not know why your application was rejected, then it would be difficult to figure out what you need to do differently this year.
Consistent employment and income from one company would probably help your application, but I do not know if there are any other factors, such as a lack of documentation, etc., that impacted your first application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank You for your reply.
There is not lack of document and they didnt ask for additional document.
I read the letter they send me that i quit my 1st job within 6 month so thats the reason they didnt send me COE. I showed that letter to my companies japanese member MEANING OF KANJI it was a little bit difficult for japanese too. They also told me that may be same reason that i quit my 1st job quickly. So, I got rejected letter in Oct and Now Dec so can i apply again or i have to wait for it? Is there any Time Duration for Reapply? And if I apply again then i have to apply like i apply for the first time ?
Hi Vishal,
There is no official waiting period after your application is rejected before you can apply again, but if the reason for rejection was that you left your first job too quickly, then you might want to build up a longer history with your current employer before applying again or risk facing the same result.
The application process would be identical to before.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I have selected for follow a master degree in Japan and is there any way to take my family straightaway(temporary visa etc) until i get the dependent visa. Because my child is too small.
HI Samanthika,
It is possible for your family members to apply for temporary visitor visas to be able to travel with you to Japan. But, in general, your family will not be able to transition residence statuses while in Japan. So, after you have applied for their Dependent CoEs, they would have to leave Japan, apply for their visas, and return. In general, temporary visitor visas are for a maximum of 90 days and the CoE application process (at least recently) takes longer than that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Husband can apply temporary visa for wife?
Hi Nill,
You do not need a CoE for a Temporary Visa, so the person applying for the visa should go on their own to the Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country to apply.
I recommend checking the embassy/consuolate’s website in advance for the requirements, since it can vary from country to country and you may need time to get everything together.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
It’s been 2 months yet my COE hasn’t arrived. Now, I can ask the immigration office why the COE delayed and can I know the reasons of problem the COE? why the delayed having, In this situation my husband visa will be renew 19 January 2020. My husband visa have a 1 month. Have a reason of COE can delayed?
Hi Nill,
Your CoE isn’t “delayed” yet. The standard processing time is 3 months, not 2 (this would be early for you to receive your CoE), and recently, I have heard that CoEs are taking much longer – sometimes 4 or 5 months.
Once three months has passed, it would be reasonable to call the Immigration Bureau, but even then, you might not get an answer.
As for your husband’s renewal, as long as he is processing it, that should not be a problem or pose any issue to your application. Again, your application is not late or delayed yet by any means.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I’m living in Mabashi,Matsudo.please can you advice me where is the regional immigration office near to me.
Hi Damila,
That’s in Chiba, right? Only the prefecture matters – there is generally one office per prefecture. If you know what prefecture you are living in, you can find the nearest regional immigration office using the map on their site, below:
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/soshiki/index.html
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Greetings,
Thank you for your reply.
I”m working as a translator in tokyo. I have work visa and i got sauriyo card also. now I need to bring my husband to japan at my earliest. please advice me which application form I need to fill for COE.
Best regards,
Damila.
Hi Damila,
You would need the CoE application form for a Dependent CoE (row 11 on that page), plus all of the required documents that I list in the article above.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your reply.
As per your article I have prepared all the documents. but I have one issue.
I’m working as a English translator in Alexsolutions inc at Minato-ku.I got employment verification latter from my company.Is it enough? or, do i need to attach two months salary slips with that documents?
Hi Damila Dilrukshi,
If your employment verification also indicates your salary, that should be sufficient, but if it does not, then I would recommend that you include the salary slips or reports from your bank account that show your payments from your employer. You do need to show how much income you have coming in for support.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Very exhaustive overview – where I can find the reference to regulation or official website regarding “You cannot apply for a Dependent Visa for your spouse’s children from previous marriages if you have not legally adopted them as your own”, if possible in English?.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Elena,
There isn’t so much a regulation saying that you cannot apply for the child of a spouse. The rules state that you can only apply for your spouse or your own legal child. When I wrote that you cannot apply for your spouse’s child from a previous marriage, I was just clarifying that you have no direct, legal relationship to that child, so that would not count as “your child” for the purposes of the application. In Japan, this would be obvious and not need saying, but it is less clear in other countries and systems, so I added the explanation.
If you want to bring your spouse’s child from a previous marriage, then you would need to establish a legal relationship by adopting that child as your own or help your spouse to obtain a residence status in Japan other than dependent (such as a working status or even student status) so that they could apply for a Dependent CoE themself.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, my husband has temporary resident card in japan. He is working there for more than a year already. Is he allowed to bring us in japan and live there with our 2 kids?
Hi Klarice,
If your husband has one of the residence statuses stated at the top of this article, he would be eligible to apply for Dependent CoEs for your and your children so that you could go live here with him.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, I applied for my wife’s COE by my authorized lawyer. Now if I want to know the update of the COE result, can I call to the immigration office directly? Or my lawyer has to call the immigration office?
Hi Didar,
In general, the Immigration Bureau never responds to requests to update the status of the application. They will only tell you to wait until they contact you.
If more than three months have passed since the application was filed, then you might be able to call and ask, but I think it is very unlikely that they will give you an answer.
The person who filed the application should be the one to contact the Immigration Bureau – that person will know the exact date it was filed as well as the processing number. And that person should also be the one who receives the results when it is complete (or the request for additional information if Immigration determines that more is necessary).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, 3 months 2 week has gone still I am waiting for the result from immigration. After 3 months I called to the immigration and ask for the update of my application. But they said nothing exactly about any deadlines. They said your application is in process please wait. I don’t know what to do further….
Hi Didar,
I am sorry to hear that it is taking so long, but I’m afraid that it is not unusual, especially for this last year. I have been hearing more and more often that applications are taking longer than 3 months to process.
At this point, all you can do is wait.
Did your family member(s) have an intended date to travel to Japan in the CoE application? In the past, I know that the Immigration Bureau tried to process CoEs at least a month before that date, but I do not know what the current situation is like.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis. Thank you for the reply. Intended date of arrival already expires. What kind of unprofessionalism is this, even they don’t know the deadline 4/5/6 months or more?
Hi Didar,
I agree that it’s frustrating. From what I have seen, this situation only started this year – right around the same time that the Immigration Bureau went through a significant reorganization. Immigration was expanded dramatically and given a lot more areas of responsibility. But I suspect that their staffing has not caught up to the new range or responsibilities and that is one reason why they are not able to process documents on time for now.
That gives me hope that the situation will improve as they hire more staff, but I can’t be sure.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, just to share you, today I got the certificate of eligibility for my wife. It took 4 months 3 days. I am very happy now. Thank you very much to give your valuable time for answering my queries.
Hi Didar,
Thank you very much for writing back to share your experience and timeline! That’s very helpful for others to know, as I continue to hear reports that CoEs are arriving later than the estimated time frame.
I can only hope that the Immigration Agency gets itself back on track soon.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Is the immigration office going too busy now? Please let me know
Hi Nill,
The immigration agency is never “not busy”. I just heard from another applicant that her application took over 5 months (though she did have to submit additional documents). I would recommend getting started sooner than later, and not waiting for a “less busy” time!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Please let me know, my husband’s visa will be expiry 2020.01.19 1 year visa. Now lets renew the visa. My husband applied for COE for me 38 days means 1 month has been 8 days but I have not received COE yet. Is the immigration office now delaying renewing my husband’s visa? My husband has applied for me for dependent visa. Please tell me why it’s late.
Hi Nill,
Your CoE is not late by any means. The standard processing time is 1-3 months, though I heard from someone yesterday that theirs took over 5 months. So, I would not be surprised if yours took quite a while longer.
I do not know of any reason why your husband’s residence status renewal would be a factor in the timing of your CoE. They should be processed as two individual cases. As long as your husband applied for his renewal already, you should not have any problems.
This process just takes a long time – from what I understand, the Immigration Agency is understaffed for its responsibilities.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
We are in the midst of preparing documents to apply CoE, it is necessary to notarized our documents or we just need to get the documents translated and certified?
Thank you
Anna
Hi Anna Chuah,
It is not necessary to notarize translations. Your original documents in the original language may need to be notarized if they are copies and not originals. But for the translations, a certified translation is all that you need.
You also only need a certified translation for official documents, such as records of your marriage. You would not need it, for example, for a translation of your bank account balance statement. (In that case, simply highlighting the name of the account holder and the final balance should be enough).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
So after waiting for 4 months and two weeks for an update for my COE, we finally received a letter from the immigration asking me and my husband (US) how we met and why we got married in Japan. Is that a good thing? and how long do you think we need to wait more after sending the additional documents? He received the mail Nov. 2 and we sent the letter Nov. 8. Thank you!
Hi Meadow,
I am sorry to hear that it took that long before you even got the letter asking for additional documents.
It is unusual, in my experience, for applicants for a Dependent CoE to be asked for the history of their meeting and marriage, but if you and your husband are of different nationalities and got married in Japan, as opposed to your home countries, it seems natural that the Immigration Bureau would follow-up for more information. Your situation could easily match a pattern of someone seeking a marriage of convenience for the sake of getting a visa. (Please understand that I am not suggesting that this is the case for you – just that if someone were to do that, it might look similar).
As long as your husband has submitted the documentation and reasoning, I would not anticipate any problems, just more delay as they process it. Based on what I have seen recently, I would anticipate it taking at least another month from the submission of the additional documents.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your quick response! I understand that and I took no offense. Im Filipina and I think they are more stricter for us. Especially I met my husband in Japan and got married there. But our marriage is genuine and in fact my husband already came here in the PH twice while waiting for the paper. One more thing Travis, They asked for a letter how we met but then we provided too our pictures (church wedding/ward office wedding and pics of him here in PH) and bookings of hotels and flights as well. Is that okay? I dont want them to give the impression that were giving more than what they asked for but we just thought that would help the process.
Hi Meadow,
Thank you for understanding! I am afraid there may be some prejudice or additional scrutiny for CoE applicants from the Philippines. Over and over again, I see that visa applications there seem to take longer. I think you are just the victim of people in the past who have abused the system.
It sounds like the evidence that you have to show that your marriage is genuine is more than sufficient, so I see no reason why your application would not be approved. (Actually, what you described is more or less what is required for applicants for “Spouse of Japanese National” CoEs – in that case, they ask for pictures, records of travel to one another’s countries, etc.). I think that submitting everything you mentioned would be perfect. You do not need to worry about giving them too much, unless you are uncomfortable yourself with sharing it.
With the documentation that you described, I have no doubt that your application will be approved as soon as they get around to reviewing that material your husband sent.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis! Just want to share that three weeks after sending the additional requirements, my husband finally received my COE! All in all my paper took 5 months and 1 week. Thank you for all your help and advices!
Hi Meadow,
Thank you for sharing your final processing time! I’m sorry to hear that you had to go through such a wait.
This will be a very helpful reference for me and other readers moving forward.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
The current company of my wife is officially blocked due to some reason. Thus, she is looking for a new company. She had contacted to previous company who allowed to work as part time job while she was student. They are ready to absorb but they asked my wife to change the profession first.
Is it possible to change the profession ?
Waiting for your reply.
Kind regards
Dipen
Hi Dipen Thapa,
I’m afraid I’m not quite sure what you mean about your wife’s company being officially blocked or about changing professions formally. I have never come across either of those situations before.
My area of expertise is in the CoE application process for dependents and spouses. I am not as familiar with employment rules, unfortunately.
I hope someone else can help with your situation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, i have question to ask please do help me.. may i know if the COE for wife/husband/child is also applicable for those in japan with intern trainee visa for 3 yrs? Do we have a chance to come with him?
Hi Heart,
I have listed the residence status types at the top of the article that are eligible to apply for a Dependent Visa.
Unfortunately, intern/trainee is not one of the qualifying types. You would need to clear through that program and obtain a working visa type from that table before you can apply for a dependent CoE for your family members.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TranSenz,
For application of dependent visa, if after we get the Certificate of Eligibility for the dependent (for my spouse), can we apply for the dependent visa within Japan, instead of our home country?
The idea was that my spouse will be traveling with me (I am on my work visa – Researcher), while she will be using her tourist visa, and to apply the dependent visa for her, while we are in Japan. We thought it might be the case that while she is still valid with her tourist visa, her Certificate of Eligibility will be approved somehow, hence applying the dependent visa right after that within Japan, instead of from our home country.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Leong,
If you get the dependent CoE while your spouse is in Japan, she may be able to apply for a Change of Status of Residence (not a “Visa”) within Japan, instead of having to leave the country.
In general, it is not allowed to apply for a change of status or residence from “Temporary Visitor” to “Dependent” from within Japan, but I have heard of cases were it was allowed with a CoE. Unfortunately, there’s no clear rule for whether or not to allow it, so it is up to the discretion of the individual Immigration office authority.
The potential problem is that recently, I have heard that it often takes more than 3 months for the CoE application to be processed and for the CoE to be issued. So, if you wait to apply for the Dependent CoE until after your spouse arrives in Japan as a Temporary Visitor (typically 90 days), there is a good chance that the CoE would not be issued in time. If you can, I would suggest starting the CoE application process as soon as possible and before your spouse arrives in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for your reply. It is very informative.
Now I have already got my CoE (it was issued within 1 month of my application). I will be departing to Japan by January 2020. My wife / child will be going together using their tourist visa first. Once we are there, we will apply for the dependent visa. Do you think this is a doable approach?
Best regards,
Leong
Hi Leong,
Wow! I haven’t heard of any CoEs being issued that fast lately. It seems like everyone who writes here has had their CoEs take longer than 3 months.
Regarding your wife and child, no, unfortunately I do not think that is a doable approach.
In general, it is not permitted to apply for a change from Tourist Status to Dependent Status within Japan. I have heard of some exceptions if the person had a CoE already, but there is no consistent rule there. It is a judgement call. And while your CoE was issued quickly, unfortunately I have heard that many CoE applications for dependents have been taking longer than 3 months lately (which is typically longer than the maximum stay for a tourist).
So, you need to be prepared for the possibility that your wife and child will have to leave Japan once, then apply for their Dependent Visas outside Japan and return. In the meantime, there is no problem with them staying in Japan on the tourist status, but based on my experience, I would expect them to have to leave once later.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you very much for your reply. It is very helpful.
Now we are more prepared for the application process of dependent visa.
All the best,
Leong
Hi Travis!
I would like to ask if you are aware of any revisions made for the processing or waiting time for COE Application process since it’s taking longer than usual. We thought that the COE would take up 3 months max but unfortunately, we have been waiting for our daughter’s COE application for 3 months already. My husband has permanent resident status while I have a spouse of a permanent resident status renewed for another year. Are there any factors we have to consider? Or we just have to patiently wait up until how many months or so? My husband and I are getting anxious about it because compared to my application last year, it only took us 2 months for the COE result. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks and Godbless!🙏
Hi Carol Cale,
I met with the Director of one of the Regional Immigration Bureaus recently and while I did not specifically grill him on why CoE processing has been taking so long this year (it’s not just you, I have been hearing this same complaint dozens of times over the last few months), I did get some information that I think helps explain the reasons.
As far as I can tell, it has nothing to do with the process or evaluation changing and has everything to do with the Immigration Agency being short-handed. With this fiscal year (starting in April 2019), the Immigration Bureau was reorganized into the Immigration Services Agency and given a much larger role, including overseeing the integration of international residents into Japan and providing services for them. But while they have taken on a larger role, they have not yet expanded personnel to meet that demand, so I think that is the biggest reason things are slow.
Since more than 3 months have passed, it should be fine to call the Immigration Office and politely ask for an update. If you have any particular “deadlines”, for example, pre-planned travel to pick up your daughter from your home country, etc., telling them that may help encourage them to speed up the process.
But unfortunately, in the end, there is probably little that you can do besides continue to wait . . . I know it isn’t easy to add “patiently” to that sentence! So far, most cases I have heard have at least been resolved within 4 months.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Apologies if you have already answered this question for someone else – I’ve skimmed through the comments but may have missed it. Do you know of any schools in Tokyo where you can study Japanese and that are classified as college/ precollege etc (ie you can apply for a dependant visa)? Or do you have any advice on search terms or classifications to look for?
Cheers,
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Unfortunately, I do not have any knowledge of the Japanese language school market. That’s not really my area of expertise and I wouldn’t know where to start.
It’s a huge field and I know that there are a lot of shady and questionable organizations out there, so you’ll want to be careful with your selection, but unfortunately, I do not have any specific information.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, no worries at all. I managed to get onto someone at the Immigration Bureau “Foreign Residents Information Center” on 81 3 5796 7112. They said I could not apply for a dependent visa if I was studying at a Japanese Language Institute or a Bekka course at a university. They said it had to be a 2 year course as a minimum, and that it had to be at a university, senmon gakko or tanki daigakku. Have you heard this before? Do you know why he may have told me this? Do the laws change quickly? I have seen some news articles about them cracking down on international students.
Hi Nancy,
I was aware that some types of institutions will allow you to apply for a dependent visa and some will not, but I had thought that a Bekka Course at a university was one of the situations that allowed you to apply. Your comment was the first that I’d heard that Bekka courses had been excluded. So, now, it sounds like you essentially need to be enrolled in a degree program in order to bring your family.
It is not necessarily correct to say that Japan is cracking down on international students. The Immigration Bureau is cracking down on the Japanese Language Institute industry and, to some extent, universities. Many of the language schools have been little more than shell organizations that students use to get visas just so that they can work in Japan. There was a whole industry of corrupt schools and agents who were essentially smuggling illegal labor into Japan. At least one university was found to have over a thousand “enrolled” international students that it had lost track of. They were technically students there, but were really working illegally.
That is one of the reason that the laws have changed over the past year or so. I will look to see what I can find out about the Bekka courses, though.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have applied for Dependent COE for my wife. It has been almost 2 months since I applied for it but still I haven’t yet received the certificate.
Is it possible to check the progress of the process?
I am a contract based employee so I had to change the my room and city from Osaka to Tokyo. So will it affect anything? Does the COE go to the old address that we have written on the envelope? Or will it come to my new address? Also I will have to change my room again within some days. I have already updated my address at the post office.
And if there is any problem in the application submitted, will they inform us about the mistake or will they directly reject the application. I had already taken the help of one of the employees working over there and also submitted all the documents that are required.
I know you have said that the process will take about 3 months time and also because of Rugby World Cup it may get delayed. But are there any chances of getting the certificate on time?
As I will be going back to my country to bring my wife to Japan. But if I do not get the COE on time then can I bring her on a tourist visa and then after getting the COE can I convert the tourist visa into dependent visa using the COE.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Indrajeet,
Unfortunately, it is not possible to check the status of your application. In my experience, the Immigration Services Agency never replies to progress requests, they just tell you to wait until it is issued. Typically, the processing time for applications is up to 3 months, but this year, I have heard that many applications are taking much longer, so I would not be surprised if you still had to wait for a while.
The Immigration Bureau will send the completed CoE (as well as any requests for additional materials that they might have) to the address you gave them when you applied. If the post office has your change of address paperwork, then that should get forwarded to you, but I would recommend that you contact them directly to tell them about your move and give them the updated address.
If there are any problems with your application, Immigration should give you the chance to submit additional documentation before they reject your application.
If you bring your wife to Japan on a tourist visa before her CoE is issued, it might be possible for her to change her status in Japan, once she has the CoE. In general, this is not allowed and only permitted in extenuating circumstances, so it is going to be a judgement call by the Immigration office where you apply and I cannot say for certain what the outcome would be.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I have applied for COE one month ago for my wife. Now waiting for the result. Now my company wants to transfer me their head office in Tokyo. But I applied for COE with my address in Tochigi, there is a branch of my company. Will it be any problem if I move to Tokyo before getting the COE result?
Hi Didar,
I would recommend that you call the Immigration Bureau and let them know that you are being transferred. It should not be a problem in terms of processing your application, as far as I know, but since the CoE is delivered by mail, you want to make sure that they know the correct address to send it to!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I applied by my authorized person. So far I know after issuing the result it should be sent to the authorized person’s address. In the meantime if I change my address is there any problem in processing of my application? Should I have to inform the immigration about my new address again?
Hi Didar,
If you applied through an authorized person, you should not need to inform the immigration bureau if your address changes (especially if you are living outside Japan). They should contact your authorized person/the CoE applicant, for all follow-up questions and to send the final CoE once released.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TravisI
Thank you for your kind reply!
The applicant is my wife and I am the supporter. My company has transferred me to the other branch from Tochigi to Shizouka prefecture in Japan. I’ll move to Shizouka prefecture on 30th Nov when the application lenth will be 3 months. I don’t know is there anything to do after changing the home and transfer the branch of the same company. Should I wait patiently until they contact my authorized person?
Hi Didar,
I am afraid I used unclear wording in my last comment. By “applicant” I meant the authorized person who submitted the application, not the person that the CoE was for.
All contact about the CoE and the final CoE, once completed, should go to that person. That person should, of course, know that you have moved!
If your authorized person is a lawyer or legal scrivener, they may have more advice for you, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
My wife got work permit 15 day ago . Now she work in a hotel . She is in japan ..can she apply a dependent visa within one month ? Japanese lawyer say this is ok with one month salaryshit. Do you have any idea what should we do ?
Hi Pramod Adhikari,
You said that your wife got a work permit, but without knowing what kind of residence status she has, I’m not sure whether or not she can apply for a dependent visa. If she has one of the statuses above, then she should be able to apply.
In terms of when she can apply, there is no “waiting period.” She can apply for your dependent CoE as soon as she can get all of the necessary documentation together. For example, she would not need to wait until she receives her salary if she can provide documentation from her employer showing how much salary she will earn. (This may be different if she is earning an hourly wage instead of a salary).
I would recommend that she start collecting all of the documentation she needs for the application process, including the translated proof of marriage from your home country, then take it to the Immigration Bureau as soon as she has it to start the process. (You really do not need a lawyer for this application. Your wife should be able to do it all herself.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I was student until Sep 26. Now I have a Professor visa. This is about my daughter dependent visa. She is newly born in India. I brought her to Tokyo via tourist visa. Now changing her visa from tourist to dependent. For that I applied COE on May 6 and received it in almost 3 months 10 days on August 14. After receiving COE I applied for change of visa status on August 16. So far I didn’t receive any document from visa office. When ask on phone they say that they don’t know what time I will receive a visa. I am worried about the vaccination of my baby now. She is missing her vaccination since last 3 months. I don’t know what should I do? Could you suggest me something?
Hi Shobhit,
I am happy to hear that the Immigration Bureau allowed you to apply for a Change of Status of residence in Japan for your daughter, without her having to return home to India to apply for a visa all over.
In general, when you apply for a Change of Status of Residence, they will stamp the date of application in your passport (your daughter’s passport). Then your daughter can stay in Japan until the date 2 months from when her original tourist stay would have expired. The Immigration Bureau should release the results of her application by then, but if it is getting close and you have not heard from them, it might be a good idea to consult with them about what you should do if the resultss do not arrive by that date.
In the meantime, you may be able to get vaccinations for your daughter anyway, though she would not be covered by insurance, so you would have to pay quite a bit.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi. My husband is a student in Japan and so we plan to apply for my dependent visa. I am already in Japan, using the 90-days-tourist visa. (Fyi, we’re both Malaysians)
After reading from few sources about applying visa, I want to make sure one thing.
Do I need to go back to Malaysia to apply the visa? I read that after getting COE, the applicant must apply the dependent visa in the home country.
Thank you.
Hi Nunu,
In general, after receiving the CoE, you must apply for the visa at a Japanese embassy outside of Japan. (In some cases, it does not necessarily have to be in your home country, but if you apply in another country, then there may be additional paperwork required).
However, I have heard recently about someone successfully applying for a “Change of Status of Residence” from tourist to Dependent withing Japan, once they already had their CoE. So, it might be worth a shot in your case, too.
Recently, I have seen that CoE applications have been taking longer and longer to process, with many taking more than the standard 3 months. If your CoE is not issued before your 90-day stay is up, then you would have to leave Japan. You cannot wait for it to finish processing.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi, im Arnel, from philippines. and i worked here in japan.
i would like to help my friend (girl) whose currently living with Japanese men (not yet married with 2 kids)… she brought her brother here in japan with a tourist visa. now, she is longing for a way to have is brother to stay for a long time and capable to work as well legally. is there any way for her to apply for a visa for her brother, if any, what kind of visa and how. (note that the Japanese men is willing to support and give all necessary help he can provide to grant his girl wishes)
thanks
Hi Arnel,
There are no visas I know of for siblings.
The best thing that your friend could do would be to help find a job or school for her brother. If she could find someone to hire him (and arrange for his visa) or if he were to apply and be accepted to a university, he would be able to get a working or student visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have 3 aunts in Japan who married to a Japanese national. Now, as I’ve read your post it is only limited to children and husband or wife. They’ve been there for a long time now. One is more than 10 yrs, the second one is now on its 5th year and the other one just got married. Now, they are planning to check if they can bring me and my mom to japan and request an immigrant visa sponsored by them. Is that possible? or is there a different visa to apply for? May I know some options because we have been searching and looking for information about this.
Hi Jeff,
The situation you described would not work for a dependent visa and I do not know of any other type that would match what you are trying to do. My best suggestion would be for your aunts to help you and your mother find work in Japan that would allow each of you to obtain working visas.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
My husband will start his PhD soon (we just got to Japan) and I will have to apply for the Dependent Visa. However, I have already received a job offer (I’ve lived in Japan before as a student). Will I still have to apply for the Dependent Visa first, or can I just go ahead and get a Working Visa directly?
Right now I do not have a visa, I have a temporary visitor status (tourist).
Thanks!
O
Hi O,
Congratulations on your move to Japan!
If your employer is willing to apply for a working CoE for you, then there is no reason that you would have to get a dependent visa first.
The other advantage is that it may be possible for you to apply for a change of status of residence from Temporary Visitor to working status without leaving Japan (though this is up to the discretion of the immigration bureau office), but it is not possible to apply for a change of status from Temporary Visitor to Dependent unless you already have your CoE. So, if you go the Dependent route, you would end up having to leave Japan to apply for your visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!! I find this site very helpful! I just wanna ask regarding the COE that me and my husband applied in Tokyo when I was still there. Im a Filipina and He is American works as humanities specialist and we got married in Japan. I was on a 90 days tourist visa when we got married and I am back now here in the phil waiting for the paper. We applied for my COE 6-18-19 and the report of marriage from philippine embassy came around July so we didnt include it in our application. Would that have an effect on our application? We gave our marriage cert, copy of our passports, my birth certificate and his coe from work as well as his salary and tax. As of now, we are very near our 3rd month and still hearing nothing from the immigration. We have the copy of the report of marriage and we can give it if they ask. any advice? Thank you in advance!
Hi Azxxy,
As far as I know, you do need to submit the official marriage documentation (in the case of the Philippines, the report of marriage submitted to the Embassy is sufficient) as part of the application process, so I am surprised that they haven’t contacted you to ask you to send it in already. They may just be that far behind on processing. I’ve heard repeatedly that applications over these last few months have been taking longer and longer, and they are frequently missing the three-month deadline.
In every case I am aware of, the Immigration Bureau would contact you to ask you to submit any documents that they deem missing rather than just rejecting your application outright. If they haven’t asked yet, I would recommend that your husband keep it on hand in Japan and ready to submit (along with a translation, if necessary) as soon as requested, if it is requested. Otherwise, I would suggest that you wait until September 18, the three-month mark, and then ask your husband to contact them for an update. At that point, he could specifically ask if anything additional was necessary.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis I would want to know am 18 getting to 19 next year and also my husband is 31. So I am legally married to my husband and my visa is dependent visa . So how long will it take if I start the process of bringing my husband to join me in Japan. And I like to know what documents I will need in Japan too. Thank you.
Sorry I mean’ Transenz’
Hi Givens,
If your residence status in Japan is “Dependent” (I’m assuming that you are a dependent child of a foreign national in Japan with another status), then I am afraid that you are not eligible to apply for a Dependent CoE for your husband. A Dependent cannot have their own Dependent.
If you want to be able to bring your husband to Japan, you would need to change your own status first to a working status, student status, or any of the other statuses I mentioned at the top of the article that are eligible to bring Dependents to Japan.
Additionally, since you are not a legal adult in Japan (age 20), I am not sure that you would be able to bring your husband as a dependent, even if you had a working status and a job here. So, I would recommend that you check with the Immigration Bureau office nearest you before you go through the whole process of changing your status to bring him here.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz,
I just received my working visa as engineer/specialist in Huminities/Int’l services and my salary is 200,000 per month. Can I apply for the eligibility certificate with this salary ? And after how many days I can apply for the eligibility certificate?
I forgot to write that I wanted to apply for my wife’s eligibility certificate.
Hi Didar,
As far as I can tell, there should be no problem with applying for your wife’s Dependent Certificate of Eligibility with your current residence status and your salary.
To the best of my knowledge, as soon as you can collect all of the required application documents, you should be able to apply right away.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
In that case, do I need to submit any bank statement includes 1/2 month salary with the application ? employment certificate from the company is enough?
Hi Didar,
I’m assuming you do not have tax records in Japan yet, so you will certainly need your certificate of employment (including your salary) and any other documents you can provide showing your financial resources would be helpful!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz, thank you for the information. One more thing, do I need to translate all the documents in Japanese when I will apply for certificate of eligibility?
Hi Didar,
Yes, all documents should be translated into Japanese (except for obvious things like passports). I have seen the Immigration Bureau accept partial translations of things like bank account balance statements – for example, if just “Account holder” and “final balance” are translated by hand, I have seen that work.
If it is a document that you produce yourself, then you can translate it yourself and do not need a formal translation, but for official documents like a government-issued marriage certificate, you would need that translated by a professional translator.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi ! After getting refused from refugee visa i came back to my home country but before that I married to my japanese boyfriend.currently we are waiting for my visa and its been 3 and half months since he applied for my visa,is there any chance for me to get a dependent visa???COE
Hi Yangki,
Based on what you’ve told me, I do not have any reason to think that you would not be able to receive your CoE and visa. What matters most is that you have submitted a complete and convincing application process, including the questionnaire, photos, and other relationship history. In your case, they might look at your situation extra hard to make sure that it is a genuine marriage and not just an arrangement that you made to stay in Japan when you couldn’t get your refugee visa. (Please understand that I’m not saying that I think this is the case, I am just saying that I could see them suspecting it based on nothing more than the timing).
The usual processing time for a Spouse Certificate of Eligibility is 1-3 months, but this summer, I have heard about many applications being delayed and taking more than 3 months. Since the usual processing time has passed, though, it might make sense for your husband in Japan to contact the Immigration Bureau office and inquire about the process.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Is there any possibility for asking information after 3 months and how do we come to know that they gave me visa? Thank you for you previous reply
Hi! My visa got cancelled.my husband said that they send 3 papers about rules of japan what does that mean and is it true that we won’t be able to re apply before 6 months from the rejection date.,,
Hi Yangki,
I am sorry to hear that your CoE application was not approved.
Unfortunately, this situation is well out my area of understanding. I am not an immigration lawyer and I only know about the basic application process for a Dependent CoE. So, for situations that get more complicated, I am afraid I do not have the experience or detailed knowledge.
The documents that they sent your husband should include the information you both need in order to move forward and apply again, but it is not something that I am familiar with, so I recommend that you refer to those and potentially consult a lawyer if you need to.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Yangki,
Yes, it should be possible to ask for information after three months if you call and give them your application number for the Certificate of Eligibility.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your response,
Once rejected from refugee visa i will be able to re enter in japan after one year thats why they rejected my visa…
Hi Yangki,
Thank you for sharing the reason!
I am not familiar at all with refugee statuses, so that is something that I never would have seen coming.
I wish you the best of luck when you are eligible to apply again!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I am working in a reputed IT firm in Japan and my salary is 400000 yen per month. Now I wanted to call my husband immediately and he applied for a tourist visa (me inviting him) and that got rejected. They dont give reason but we think our marriage documents were not enough. Now we have got a legal marriage certificate of our country. Should i immediately apply for his COE now or should i wait? If yes then how long?
Hi Saloni Goswami,
I have heard of similar cases where tourist visa applications were rejected if the applicant is married to someone living in Japan. My understanding is that it’s because the Immigration Bureau and Embassy want you to apply properly for a Dependent CoE and Visa, not come into the country as a tourist and try to stay that way without going through the screening. It’s also a measure to combat illegal overstays.
Just because your husband was rejected for a tourist visa, that should not have any effect on his ability to get a Dependent Visa. There is no reason that you should have to wait before starting the application for a Dependent CoE.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Thank you so much for your precious advice!
Now I see the reason of rejection.
However, there is one more issue. My company has sent me to Japan only two months back and I am on a work visa for 3 years. Saying that, I am not yet employed in Japan because the procedure takes some time. I am still an employee of my country’s branch of the same office as in Japan. I also dont have a bank account where I receive my salary in Japan. So, in this case, should I wait for a few more months to apply for COE? Or, should I apply COE now, and they will only check my documents when we apply for dependent visa (which is taking 2 months these days). Please reply if my query is complicated.
Hi Saloni,
As long as you are still continually employed by the overseas branch of the Japanese company, earning salary (even though it is going to an overseas account at this point), and have a valid working visa in one of the categories in the article above, you should be able to apply for the Dependent CoE now. As far as I know, there should not be any requirement that your bank account be in Japan.
They will check your documents when you apply for the CoE, not the visa, but even still, the documents that you have now should suffice as far as I can tell. You might want to contact the immigration bureau office in your area, though, to make sure with them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Thank you so much for your reply. One more thing, is the COE dependent on the work status of my husband? He is self employed. Does the dependent need to be necessarily non working??
Hi Saloni Goswami,
Since your husband will be your dependent, the assumption is that you will be working to pay for both of your needs, not him. So, his working status does not matter.
As a dependent, your husband will be able to apply for a part-time work permit and work up to 28 hours per week. But that really only applies to wage labor. If your husband is self-employed in the knowledge industry or a freelancer and will be able to continue that work in Japan, there should be no problem with that.
If your husband does eventually find a full-time job in Japan that he is interested in, he could always switch later to a full working status if that employer will help him, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Thanks a lot. This information helped a lot. You are really doing a great job by solving people’s queries.
Hi,
I really want to thank you for your time and efforts you have taken to update and reply each approaching for you help.
I have some queries regarding COE application. Grateful if you could assist me with my query.
My husband got working Visa in Engineer/ Specialist in Humanities/Int’l Services for 5 years and has moved to Japan in June 2019. Currently he is working in an Haken Kaisha (Agency Compnay) . They have provided him 採用条件通知書 Employment Condition Notice, which reflects his salary but doesn’t show his occupation. It shows employment status as Contract Employee. Will this be sufficient or does he have to acquire Certificate of Employment in particular. The company officials mentioned that my husband won’t be able to apply for dependent Visa for 1 year as per Japan Governement Rules and Regulations before coming to Japan. But through your blog we understood that we are eligible to apply for Dependent Visa.
As my husband doesn’t have Residence Tax, we are thinking to submit the application with above mentioned Employment Condition Notice along with other required documents.
Please let me know if this will be sufficient to apply for Dependent Visa
Hi Manu,
The Immigration Bureau’s website asks for a Certificate of Employment (在職証明書), which is different from the Employment Condition Notice. The most important difference is that The Employment Condition Notice is given to a worker before they start the job. It depends on the contents, but in general, I do not think that it serves the purpose of proving the worker’s current employment.
Did your husband’s company explain why he cannot apply for a Dependent CoE for you for a year? I could not find any information about that one way or another to say whether it was true. I have never heard of anything like that, but I also do not have any expertise in Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status, so I could be missing some information.
The best place to check would be the Immigration Bureau. I can tell you what the general requirements are, but I cannot guarantee that replacement documents will be accepted, so your husband should ask the office directly.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi
I apply for my family about 32 days ago, but yet no answer from immigration. My daughter wants to go to school in Japan and I noted in the application forms. Can I go to immigration to ask about my document or can I notice them about my situation or I must wait for their answer
Hi Babi,
The application process can take up to 90 days, officially, and I have almost never heard or results coming in as fast as 32, so it’s still very very early for you. I would not start worrying yet.
Actually, this year, I have heard that the Immigration Bureau has been particularly slow and that applications are taking longer than 90 days to process. If you still haven’t heard back from Immigration once three months have passed since your application, then it might be a good idea to contact them. Otherwise, in general, they will not give you an answer on your status before then.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks a lot for your attention
Hi Travis,
Thank you for your very informative website and fir dealing with this topic extensively. So my husband and son are here on dependent visa. They’ve been here for over a year now and my husband has the permission to work for 28hours and is looking to go to a different prefecture to work and earn more pay and hopefully get a full-time job there. So I’d like to know if the dependent visa allows dependents to work and live in a different prefecture. Thank you in advance.
Hi Alice,
As far as I am aware, what you suggested is not necessarily prohibited, but it is against the spirit of the residence status type and could result in problems when you try to renew your husband’s residence status. The purpose of his dependent status is for him to be living with you and for you to be supporting him financially. If he is living independently in another prefecture, he no longer meets that criteria. And if the Immigration Bureau becomes aware of that (as they would, because he would have to change his residence registration), they might not allow him to renew.
However, if he can change to a working residence status and start working full-time in that other prefecture, that would not be a problem, at all!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much for your response!
Hello Travis,
Your posts are really helpful. Thank you.
I am planning to study as a MEXT research student next year. Is it possible for my wife and son apply for a tourist visa /90 days/ at the same time?
Do they need a clear travel plan or invitation from relatives? Is there any chance that Embassy would deny their application because of my application of a student visa?
Also if I could get certificates of eligibility for them within 3 months, can they apply for a dependant visa in Japan?
Hi Tulga,
Thank you for your kind words!
For your wife and son, their temporary visitor visa applications really depend more on your home country than your MEXT scholarship application status. The process and requirements can be very different from country to country, as can the strictness of the checks. Your MEXT scholarship should not make the application process any more difficult for them, though. It might even make it easier, if they need someone to invite them to Japan and you are already there.
I heard recently that another reader succeeded in applying for a “Change of Status of Residence” for his spouse from Temporary Visitor to Dependent, since he already had a CoE for her, so it sounds like it is possible. It is not guaranteed that it would be accepted, though. There is no written rule, so the decision as to whether to accept the Change application or not is up to local discretion.
Either way, though, I would certainly recommend trying! Your wife and son will each need CoEs anyway, whether they change within the country or go back home to apply for a visa, so you don’t lose anything by trying to change.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your detailed response Travis
We will give it a try
I Applied for coe last april 8 2019.it is about 3month.. But no result yet.it is dependent visa. I m anxious about.
If u can share any information i can know.
Thanks
Hi Salina Akter,
I do not work for the Immigration Bureau and do not have access to individual application records, so there is nothing I could say about your application.
I have heard that application reviews have been slow this year and regularly taking longer than 3 months. I would recommend that you contact the Immigration Office where you applied, give them your application reference number, and ask if there is anything they can tell you about its status.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for ur attention.i got my coe today.it took 3month and 1week.
Hi Salina Akter,
Thank you very much for sharing your results. It seems like everyone’s results have been a little slow this summer. Every report back about how long it’s actually taking helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank u very much.For kind information.
Thank u very much for ur informatio.
Thank you for the information.
I had a query and I would be grateful if you can help.
I have applied for Change of visa from Student Visa to Engineer Visa On 1st April and now I’m expecting their result. My wife is currently in Japan on tourist visa. I wanted to know if I can apply for her dependent visa while she is in Japan or will she have to return to her country?
Hi Pushpak,
Unless your wife has a Certificate of Eligibility, she will not be able to change her status of residence while in Japan.
I would recommend that you start applying for her Certificate of Eligibility as soon as possible. If it is issued while she is still in Japan, she may be able to take it to the local Immigration Bureau office and apply for a Change of Status of Residence there without leaving the country. But even if that doesn’t work, or the CoE is issued after she leaves Japan, it is still the exact same document that she would need to apply for a visa from outside of Japan, anyway, so you lose nothing by starting the application soon.
Usually the Change of Status of Residence application should take only 3 months. It sounds like 4 have already passed in your case, so it might be worthwhile to check with the Immigration Bureau about your application’s status – especially before you start the application for your wife.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I wanted to apply as soon as possible but my Visa hasn’t been converted from Student Visa to Engineer Visa yet so wouldn’t I have to wait until my Visa is renewed.My visa has expired on 8th July but I can stay in Japan for 2 more months. Her departure date is 25th August so is there a similar case while changing from temporary visa to dependent visa that after applying she can stay in Japan until her result is declared? Or can I extend her tourist visa around 3 more months as I had read you can stay in Japan for 180 days per year on tourist visa. Thank you very much for your quick replies.
Hi Pushpak,
It sounds like you probably would have to wait for your new residence status to be approved before you can apply for the Dependent CoE.
Unfortunately, there is no application process that would allow your wife to stay in Japan while her case is being adjudicated (It’s deliberately set up that way). In general, a CoE application should be done while she is outside the country, anyway. The only exception to allow her to change within the country is if the CoE is already issued and she just happened to be in the country at that time.
There is also no way to extend a temporary visitor status, so unfortunately, she is going to have to leave Japan on her departure date, then wait for the CoE, apply for her visa, and come back later.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi
My name is Sonia work in Japan in a restaurant
Can my employer sponsor my family visa (husband and three kids). If yes what will be the process.
Thanks
Hi Sonia,
It depends on your employer. The size of the company and whether or not they are publicaly traded determines whether they are legally allowed to sponsor dependent visas for families. On top of that, the company may have it’s own policies on whether or not to support dependent visas.
My best suggestion to you would be to contact the personnel staff that you have been in touch with so far about your hiring and own visa process to ask them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sonia,
I realized after answering your question that I missed one important part – that you are already in Japan!
Since you are in Japan already, no, your employer would not support your family’s CoEs. You would do that yourself. You can apply for the Certificates of Eligibility for your family. (Since you’re in Japan already, your employer cannot do that anymore).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for all information I’m from nepal
I want to know about depending visa
My wife visa business in japan she
applying for depending visa for husband but today already 1 month 20 days gone still didn’t arrived visa why like that happen . How long it take a time for depending visa now still have chances for get visa or not
Hi Sudip Sapkota,
The Certificate of Eligibility application process typically takes 1-3 months, so it is still very early for your application. On top of that, I have been hearing that the Immigration Bureau has been late in many cases this year, so it would not be a surprise if it took longer than 3 months.
If there are any problems with the CoE application, the Immigration Bureau will contact your wife to ask for more documentation. But if you do not hear from them, you can assume it is proceeding well. It just takes a long time!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much for your such information. I have a few questions.
I came to Japan in April 2019. I got one year of COE and 1-year VISA. But, it will extend again as per my Company said. I got an Engineer VISA. I am working as System Engineer and full-time worker . Can I apply for my Wife and Daughter (3years) now? My Monthly salary is 336000yen.
I am confused. Though my company said to help me for any support. Please help me with suggestions.
Thank you very much
Hi Iftekhar Eather,
Once you have the engineer residence status, you will certainly be able to apply for the Dependent CoEs for your wife and daughter, but in the meantime, it depends on what your current status is. At the top of this article, I listed the residence statuses that are eligible to apply for a Dependent CoE. If you have one of those, there is no reason why you wouldn’t be able to apply. Your salary is also more than sufficient.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
My Residence status is Specialist in Humanities/International Services. Thank you very much for your such quick response and support.
Hi Iftekhar Eather,
In that case, you should be able to apply now!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
One of the thousand you helped out.
I just want to get back and say THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the information you gave last time.
My wife is now here with me as my dependent.
Also, We can confirmed that you can change your dependent visa status IN JAPAN upon receiving COE. Hope it helps for future reference.
*Back story
My visa: Engineer
Validity:1yr
Hi Mark,
Thank you very much for your feedback and your incredibly helpful comment! I had never heard of anyone successfully changing their status in Japan, even after receiving the CoE, so it is great to know that is possible.
Thank you and good luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi would like to ask if it’s okay to use my single name in my passport when applying for dependent visa for my husband? Or do i need to change my surname first? Also how much amount does my bank account should have? Thank you!
Hi Saiqui,
You do not need to update your name in your passport before applying for a CoE. As long as you have proof of marriage, the Immigration Bureau will not look unfavorably at your application just because you have different family names.
As far as your financial resources go, the general rule of thumb is that the Immigration Bureau wants to see that you have 80,000 – 120,000 yen per month available to support your dependent. Of course, since you will be living together, that will cut down on some costs, like rent, so the lower end of that scale is probably fine. Your resources can come from your savings, but it is better if you can show that you have the money coming in through a regular salary.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
we received our COE today, we are so happy. Its been 3 months and a week of waiting. Now we wanna book a ticket… should it be return ticket or just one way ?
Hi Dhey,
Thank you very much for letting me know!
I am very happy to hear that you finally received it, especially after I have been hearing that processing has been particularly slow this summer.
I think you should be find buying a 1-way ticket, unless you have a certain date that you will be leaving Japan. You can always extend your stay in Japan after arrival, if your situation allows for it, too.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis! I have a few questions about visa, but not dependent. Actually i am single mother, who is going to study in japan soon. I got a scholarship from JDS. I know that i can bring my son as a dependent. But i want to bring my mother too. I’ve heard that she can come with tourist visa. How do i extend the visa until my graduation?
Hi Khainaa,
Unfortunately, there is no way to extend a tourist visa. Your mother would have to leave Japan after the expiration of her 90 days and apply again for a visa.
There is no way I know of for a student to bring a parent to Japan as a dependent. I have heard of it being possible for working professionals who can justify that they are the sole source of income and support for the parent and that they cannot be separated, but even in that case, there is not a clear route, it is entirely a judgement call and would probably involve working with an immigration lawyer to make a case.
The only other thing I could think of would be for your mother to find a job or enroll in a university in Japan, herself, and get her own visa that way.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
First of all, thank you for your efforts in sharing information.
I have a doubt regarding processing of dependent COE. Please find below series of incidents happened in order
1. I got COE to work in Japan and travel to Japan.
2. Went back to home country, got married and return to Japan
3. Wife travel to Japan after processing dependent COE and visa.
4. Wife stayed with me for 1.5 months and went back to home country
5. I went back to home country after 4 months
6. After a series of unhappy incidents in our life, we decided to live separately and got divorce.
7. My COE expired and traveled again to Japan with new COE.
8. Went back to home country and got married again.
9. Came back to Japan and submitted documents to immigration office for new dependent COE.
It’s been over 12 weeks since I submitted the documents and I have not yet received any notification from the immigration. When inquired about the status, they said it’s under inspection. While submitting the documents, I included a copy of my divorce certificate also.
My queries are: –
1. Is there any additional step which I’m supposed to do in this scenario?
2. What could be the reason for a delay of more than 12 weeks
3. Do you think my current application will get rejected?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Ajeesh,
I am sorry to hear about your struggles. At this point, there is nothing you can do but wait for the Immigration Bureau to contact you. I have been hearing a lot of complaints on here about their processing being slower than usual lately.
Until they contact you, there is no point in sending additional documents, since you don’t know what the cause of the delay would be.
I really can’t say whether there is a chance that your application would be rejected or not. I have never seen a situation quite like yours. But as I mentioned above, I have been hearing that they have been slow, in general lately (perhaps it is related to all the visa applications related to the upcoming Rugby World Cup?), so it might not even have anything to do with you, in particular.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, i have a question.I am a student,i am planning to study in japan.Can i apply for dependent visa and can i bring my husband together?
Hi Lalita Shreea,
For a student visa-holder, it depends on the type of school you are enrolled in as to whether you can apply for a dependent visa for your husband or not. Please see the chart near the top of the article for more details.
In any case, you would not be able to bring your husband at the same time. You would have to come to Japan first then apply for a dependent CoE for him after you arrive and complete your residence and school registration.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
This is very Usefull blog.
I am Kumar. I have a question regarding COE and Visitor Visa. I came to Japan May 18th 2019 on working visa.
I have applied COE for my Wife on June 06 2019. Now 1 month over. I am afraid that it may take upto 3 months. So now can I apply Visitor visa in India and bring my wife to Japan and after getting COE, Can I change Visitor visa to Dependent Visa?
I want to bring her early So. Please let me know if you have any other option.
Thank you.
Hi Kumar,
Thank you for your feedback!
No, you cannot change a visitor residence status to a dependent residence status in Japan. Your wife would have to leave the country, apply for her Dependent Visa, then return.
Unfortunately, there is no way to accelerate the process. The best thing you can do is to avoid slowing it down by making sure you have all your documentation in order and submitted.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your information.
Its ok for me she can return back and get dependent visa.
My another question is, Is that possible to apply for Visitor visa, when COE is in progress ?
Why I am asking this is, Visitor visa will take only 5 to 6 working days. So i can bring her early.
Thank you
Hi Dekesh Kumar,
I’m afraid I don’t know whether she can apply for a Temporary Visitor visa in the meantime. If you are from a country where your wife would actually have to apply for that visa (rather than a country with a visa waiver program), there is a chance that she might be denied if her CoE is processing. I have heard of that happening in some cases, particularly with applicants from the Philippines. The best place to get a firm answer would be the embassy.
If she applies for the Temporary Visitor before you start the CoE application, though, there should be no problem.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dekesh. Yes you can apply. I did the same
Thanks for asking Dekesh Kumar. That’s what I want to know. I’m also same like you, cannot wait for more than 3 months by separating with family.
Hi Travis firstly my apology if my questions repetitive with the other. I am Sapto from Indonesia currently I am in the process to get COE and everything already handled by my company all required supporting documents I have submitted. I work for an Oil and Gas company and I believe my company listed in Japan Stock Exchange and will be relocated in Japan. My questions are: 1. does the COE apply for me only or also apply to my wife and daughter (11 year)? 2. Is the COE one by one for each or only one COE for 3 of us? 3. If one COE can cover 3 of us how is the process can it be processed together or me first then I can apply by myself for my dependents in Japanese embassy in Indonesia. Appreciate your prompt response. Thank you very much for your kind support.
Hi Sapto,
1./2. Your wife and daughter will require separate CoEs, so you should make sure with your company whether they are applying only for yours or for one for your family members, too. If the company is not deliberately applying for CoEs for each of you, then there would not be an automatic CoE for your family members.
3. Not applicable. Each person needs their own CoE and would have their own visa application.
If your company is not obtaining CoEs for your family members, then you would have to go to Japan first then apply for CoEs for them so that they could apply for their visas and come join you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Can I go as a dependent visa with my husband ..he will go for working visa can i go with my husband at the same time??
Hi Dewmini,
If your husband’s company is willing and able to apply for your Dependent CoE at the same time as your husband’s working CoE, then yes. But only some companies are allowed to do that (based on their size, etc.). If his company cannot apply for your CoE, then he will have to go first and apply for a Dependent CoE for you after he arrives in Japan so that you will be able to join him later.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi!
Thank you for this very useful and informative blog. I just a few questions 🙂
If I apply as dependent visa for my sons 11 and 13 yrs old.
1. Do they need to stay here and study?
2. What if there will be here for vacation for about 1-2 months and twice a year. Is it possible for dependent visa or just tourist visa?
Thank you.
DONNA
Hi Donna,
The purpose of a dependent visa is for your dependent children to live with you permanently in Japan. If you end up using it like a multiple entry tourist visa for them to just come to visit you from time to time, you may struggle with getting it renewed.
If your sons have a dependent residence status in Japan, then will be considered residents. You will be expected to enroll them in school here, not to mention things like the National Health Care plan. So, I recommend keeping that in mind.
1. That would be the expectation, yes.
2. A tourist visa would be more appropriate. Technically, if they have a Dependent status in Japan, then they can leave for a period of up to a year and come back, but based on what I have heard from others in the past, that can lead to long-term complications with renewals and could negatively impact future visas. I would recommend the tourist visa route, since that is more appropriate to your goals.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, my question is can I go japan as dependent if I am 22? Can I get the certificate of eligibility as dependent if I am 22 years old?
Hi Mimiko,
You can go to Japan as a dependent spouse at age 22, but not as a dependent child. By age 22 you are considered to be a self-sufficient adult and it not possible to justify that you need to live with your parent for financial support.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,my question is that I had applied for dependent visa one year ago and got rejected.I was 16 then and I am thinking applying again what do suggest me to do so I will not get rejected again?
Hi Abishan,
It all depends on the reason for your application being rejected in the first place. Without knowing that, or what you have done to address that problem in the meantime, I’m afraid it is impossible to guess.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis
I have a question. My father has been in Japan for more than six years and he already has two dependent in his name mY mother and my one and half years sister.And I also want to be there with them but the problem is my visa got rejected last year stating my father’s salary(180000yen).now after a year time we are again applying for it with 270000yen will it be okay or are there still things to do?can you help me please and I am 17 years old.
Hi Abishan,
The higher salary should certainly help your case. Your father’s income last time would have been very difficult to support a family of four, but it would seem to be more likely now.
I don’t know what else really goes into the screening judgement other than the financial means, but keep in mind that you can only stay in Japan as a dependent child until age 20, which is when you would be a legal adult (in Japan), so they may ask to see some kind of plan as to how you will achieve financial independence, or what you will do when that dependent period expires.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I just want to ask, if i can apply for a dependent visa for my daughter? she is now here in japan as a temporary visitor, but will go back to Philippines Next month. Can i apply for a dependent visa for her. i am married to a japanese national for 3years now, i have a job and complete with all the necessary documents. I just want to be the one to look after her. she is just 16years old.
THANK YOU
Hi Yokota Lyra,
I assume your Residence Status is “Spouse of Japanese National”, is that correct?
As a Spouse of Japanese National, you would not be able to bring your daughter to Japan as a “Dependent” (you’ll see that spouse is not one of the eligible residence statuses at the top of this article), but you can bring her to Japan as a “Long-Term Resident.” There is a status for unmarried, minor children of spouses of Japanese nationals.
Unfortunately, I could only find a detailed set of instructions for the application in Japanese, but I hope your spouse can help you with them:
http://www.moj.go.jp/ONLINE/IMMIGRATION/ZAIRYU_NINTEI/zairyu_nintei8_02.html
Either way, she is likely going to need to return to the Philippines while you apply for a CoE for her, then she would apply for a visa there and come back to Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Can I go japan as dependent I am 22
Hi Samara,
You can go to Japan as a dependent if you are married to someone who has a mid-to-long term residence status in Japan. However, as a 22-year-old, you would not be able to go as a dependent child of someone living in Japan, since you would be considered an adult already.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Can a child (21 Years old) can go Japan as dependent?
Can a child (21 Years old) can go Japan as dependent?
Hi Samara,
The legal age of adulthood in Japan is 20, so you would not be able to go to Japan as a dependent child if you are over that age. You would be able to go as a dependent spouse, though.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Samara,
The legal age of adulthood in Japan is 20, so you would not be able to go to Japan as a dependent child if you are over that age. You would be able to go as a dependent spouse, though.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, are you sure I can’t go Japan as dependent child because I am 21?
Hi Samara,
Yes, I’m sure. One of the requirements for a dependent visa is that you be a minor who is dependent on the parent living in Japan. At age 21, you are a legal adult, so you do not meet that criteria.
The only exception I can think of is if you have been legally declared incompetent (e.g. for development disorder reasons, etc.) and cannot be considered an adult. But the coherency of your posts here suggests that is not the case for you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
I am currently in the process of applying for COE for my wife and children so they can join me in Japan. I have a quick question, as I am applying for three people to join me do I need to include 3 self-addressed envelopes with 392 yen worth of stamps each one or can I just use one envelope?
Also, I am living in Kagoshima-shi, where do I need to go to make my coe application for them?
Regards
Darren
Hi Darren,
If you are applying for three CoEs at once, you should be able to include just one self-addressed stamped envelope. The Immigration Bureau will send all of the CoEs at once in that situation.
However, I would recommend that you check with them, directly before buying the stamps for the envelopes. They may give you different instructions or it may be the case that the weight of three CoEs in the same envelope would require more than 392 yen in stamps.
There should be an Immigration Bureau branch office in Kagoshima-shi, so you would submit your application there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis,
Sorry for the disturb. I have a question regarding visas. Im currently here in japan with tourist visa to visit my mother. She has permanent residency already and she is married to a japanese national. Is there a way i can change my cisa for longer stay or any advice on how i can stay longer with my mother and im already 23 by the way. Sorry for my long question but you answer will truly be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Carl Angelo Susada,
Unfortunately, there is no visa for adult children of permanent residents, so you cannot get a visa/residence status based on your family relationship. If you want to stay in Japan with her, my best recommendation to you would be to find a job or enroll in a university to get a working or study visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz