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.
Hey, I want to go on a dependent visa of my dad, but there is problem with document, In my document my father’s name is with surname, but in my dad’s document my dad’s name is without surname. So Will there be any problem applying for dependent visa, and what should I do to resolve this problem if there will be a problem.
Thank You.
Hi Ashutosh,
I may have misunderstood your intention, but it sounds like you are applying for your father to come to Japan as your Dependent, which would not be possible. A Dependent CoE/Visa can only be used for a spouse or a child who is financially dependent on the parent in Japan (e.g. incapable of earning a living on their own). If I misread what you meant, I’m sorry.
If you are applying to come to Japan as your father’s dependent, then your documents must prove your relationship. There should only be one official legal way to write your father’s name (as shown in his passport), so I think that if his name appears differently in other documents, you would need to also show proof that he is the same person, such as evidence of a name change, etc., or other evidence that makes it clear that he is the same person, like tax records showing the same ID number with both names, official photo IDs with both names, etc.
My best suggestion would be to try to get the documents with the “wrong name” (i.e. “not full legal name”) corrected or obtain an official affidavit from a government official, etc., verifying that he is the same person.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanx for your reply Travis from TranSenz
I meant to go on my dad’s visa, sorry about that I wasn’t able to properly explain that.
and as you said i should get the document corrected or get document that state both are same person, exactely same i did and visa approved from japan but here in embassy they told me that that it won’t work. I don’t understand why that happen.
I got the document of my dad which corrected their full name (birth certificate), and visa approved from japan but problem in here India, they did not approve it.
And Thanku for reply.
Hi Ashutosh,
I’m sorry that suggestion didn’t work. The situation sounds a little complicated. I’m surprised you got the CoE but then the embassy rejected the Visa over the name. Visa application processes differ from country to country, so I’m not sure exactly what it’s like in India, but I didn’t think they would check that detail again at the visa application.
I’m afraid I’m out of ideas for what the problem might be or how to solve it. I hope the embassy gave you instructions on how to correct it!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanx for suggesting.
Yeah they suggested me to bring some document which can prove both are same so that’s why i got the birth certificate but now they’re are telling me that it won’t work, means really what the hell was the point of me to bring the certificate it’s really complicated some time. Means what the hell should i do now, after that lockdown came and my passport everything are in embassy now. They told me that they will do something but it’s been half an year. but there’s nothing.
Anyway thankyou a lot that you even gave me suggestion.
hi i am a long term resident in japan for one year i just recently got in japan but ive been working for almost a month when can i get my wife to go here in japan my wife and i have been together for almost 10 years i dont know the process to get a coe. whats the best advice to get my wife to japan and live wwith me?
Hi Shakiru,
That’s exactly what this article covers. If you follow the application advice here, you should be able to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for your wife to get a Dependent Visa to come to Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for putting this info together, very helpful and informative. I have a question you might help us with.
Currently, we are in Japan under my wife’s visa (HSP ) her company agreed to pay their immigration lawyers to apply for permanent residency and the process is ongoing (3 months on). We could not afford the legal fees to submit an application for the PR for the rest of the family, however, we were told that we could simply change our status ourselves (my own and the kids) from ‘dependent of HSP’ to ‘dependent of PR’.
Is this a mere change of residency process or do we need to submit documents for the application like in COE? Is it better to file an application for PR for the rest of the family? Many thanks
Hi Hector,
You don’t need a lawyer for any of these procedures. You can do it all yourself, as long as you have someone who can help you with the Japanese. That goes for the Permanent Resident application and Change of Status of Residence. The application fee is only 8,000 yen for Permanent Residency or 4,000 yen for a Change of Status of Residence.
From what I understand of the explanation on the Immigration Services Agency website, you and your children should be able to apply for Permanent Residence at the same time as your wife, and you would need to submit most of the same documents as she does for each of your applications.
https://www.isa.go.jp/en/applications/procedures/zairyu_eijyu03.html
You can also apply for a Change of Status of Residence to “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident.” The Change of Status of Residence application process is essentially the same as applying for a CoE, except that the application form itself is different, and you can apply without leaving Japan. The application process for a “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident” is similar to the application for a “Spouse of Japanese National” status that I have described in another article, so that might be a helpful reference as you prepare your application.
However, the instructions in the article above assume that you are applying for the first time or that you are changing from a completely different status. If you are changing your status of residence from Dependent to Spouse of PR because your wife is changing her status, the process might be simplified. If you can, I recommend that you consult directly with the local Immigration Services Agency office to see if they have any advice for your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Brilliant! Thank you for the detailed answer.
Hello! My husband doing job in japan. He is engineer. So my question is that is there any financial statement needed for applying dependent visa( how much salery for applying) Please must reply
Hi Saddaf Munir,
Yes, he does need to provide proof that he has sufficient financial resources to support you as explained in the article.
In general, he would need to be able to show that he can provide you with approximately 80,000 – 120,000 yen/month in support.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!,
Can my friend apply COE of my wife in japan? I have all the document which they are needed for COE.
Problem is that me and my wife are outside of the Japan right now, I have 5 years of visa with me, and in my country new COE application are not accepted for japan. so can on behalf of me my friend can submit the COE document?
Thanks in advance
Hi Mohnish,
Unfortunately, your friend cannot submit the application for you. Only certain people are allowed to submit your application as a proxy. In the case of a Dependent CoE, only a family member or a legal scrivener/lawyer who is qualified to act as a proxy for immigration procedures can submit the application on your wife’s behalf.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Thank you so much for this information!
My case is slightly different see if you could help me. My wife and I are already both in Japan with a Japanese language school student visa, and I just converted mine into a business manager visa.
What are the requirements for my wife to change her visa status from “student” to “dependent”? Thank you in advance for the help 🙂
Hi Stephen,
The requirements to apply for a Change of Status of Residence are the same as applying for the CoE, but you will fill in a slightly different application form, instead.
I would recommend that your wife not apply for the status change until she reaches the end of her studies, if she is receiving any sort of financial aid from her school. Most scholarships are only available to persons with a Student Residence Status.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello and thanks for writing this article! It seems to be the only place that contains this information in plain English on the entire web.
I have a question: In June I started working for a Tokyo based company as a software developer remotely from Italy (I am an Italian citizen) and I am now applying for the Engineer Working Visa CoE via the company, but at the same time I want to bring my wife (Italian citizen) with me in Japan. The company has no experience with Dependent Visa and they sent me the documents suggesting that they can do both procedures at the same time but your article suggests that not always the case. So here are my questions:
– is the Category1 and Category2 thing a requirement for bringing your spouse at the same time?
– what would happen if the company applies for both CoE without being in Category1 or 2?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Davide,
Yes, as far as I understand, it is a requirement that the company be in category 1 or category 2 in order to be allowed to apply for your spouse’s dependent CoE at the same time as they apply for yours. However, I am not a lawyer and the laws may have changed without my noticing, so I cannot be 100% certain.
If the company is not eligible to apply for your spouse’s CoE (category 1 or 2), then the application would be rejected. In that case, you would have to come to Japan alone first then apply for a CoE for your spouse after you arrive. (The company’s application’s rejection should not negatively impact any future application on your part.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Trevis, thanks for your reply! May I ask you for a reference link to the information about Category 1 and Category 2 companies as I would like to share the documentation with my current company? Thanks in advance
Hi Davide,
I was not able to find a reference on an official government site, but found a clear explanation (in Japanese) on the immigration lawyer’s site, below:
https://chikalina-legal.com/%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E4%BA%BA%E9%9B%87%E7%94%A8/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%86%E3%82%B4%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%EF%BC%91%E3%81%A8%EF%BC%92%E3%81%AB%E8%A9%B2%E5%BD%93%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E6%96%B9%E3%81%AE%E5%AE%B6%E6%97%8F%E6%BB%9E%E5%9C%A8%E3%83%93%E3%82%B6/
The explanation of Category 1 and Category 2 companies is in the まとめ section.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis and thank you again for your reply. I have read the article but my Japanese is not good enough to clearly tell if Category1/2 is mandatory or only recommended to get the expedite procedure (the ‘1o days’ they write about in the article). In the meantime, I have scheduled a call for next week with a lawyer to go through all my questions.
Thank you again for your help,
Davide
Hi Davide,
The article doesn’t mention any other categories of companies, but the gist is that that only Category 1 and Category 2 companies are able to apply for Dependent COEs at the same time as they apply for their employee. (The alternative to the expedited procedure is for you to come first to Japan and apply for a Dependent CoE for your spouse).
At least, that is the extent of my understanding. The lawyer should be able to give you much more detailed advice. Please let me know if the lawyer says anything that indicates that I am mistaken, so that I can update my information here.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I passed final screening of MEXT scholarship. It’s all thanks to your blog post, and ebooks. ☺️🙏
You are the best! 🤩
Now, I’m waiting for further procedures such as visa, departure date and so on.
I want to bring my 2years old son with me. But it seems I have to go alone first. To make his Certificate of Eligility process as fast as possible I’m going to prepare required documents beforehand.
For proof of employment as MEXT student, what kind of document is needed?
As for proof of relationship son and mother, does birth certificate enough? Or should I prepare additional documents?
Where should I refer to ask more about dependent visa, certificate of eligibility? University? Or Embassy?
Pleas help me, I have no idea where to start. 😅
Hi Ozi,
Congratulations on earning the MEXT Scholarship! I am thrilled to hear that.
Regarding bringing your son with you, yes, you would have to go to Japan, first then apply for his CoE after you arrive.
As a MEXT scholar, you would not need proof of employment (you are not employed), but you would need a certificate of enrollment in the university (to prove your student status) as well as a certificate showing the amount of your MEXT Scholarship award, as proof of your financial resources. You should be able to get both documents from your university, but it may take a little while after your arrival to finish all of your registration paperwork so that you can get them.
A birth certificate should be sufficient proof of your relationship to your son, so that is something that you can prepare in advance.
For more information about the Certificate of Eligibility application process, you should contact the Immigration Bureau office in Japan once you arrive. You can also get the application form directly from them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much. ☺️
Thank you so much for all this important information!
I am currently in Japan with a 3 years Humanities visa (I have 2 years left). I got married this March with my boyfriend with whom I have been together for 10 years. Would this be a problem that the marriage certificate is so recent?
We are both French and my husband has lived in Japan before, as a student for 3 years. He speaks Japanese and wishes to find work here as soon as he gets back. Can he apply for the working authorization at the same time as applying for the dependent visa?
Also, do we still have to give a written pledge? My husband just received his Covid vaccine. Do we have to attach proof of the vaccines when applying for the visa?
Is it necessary for our foreign bank statements to be in Japanese or is English fine?
Finally, do we have to join a letter explaining our relationship and reason for him to join me in Japan,…
Sorry for asking so many questions.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Mati,
It should not be a problem that your marriage was recent. It makes sense that you would want to bring your spouse to live with you in Japan as soon as possible after your marriage.
Your husband would not be able to apply for the part-time work permit (up to 28 hours/week) until after he arrives in Japan. (As a student, it is possible to apply at the airport when he arrives in the country, but that special circumstance only applies to Student residence statuses). If he is able to find full-time employment after arriving in Japan, then his employer could help him change his status to a working status.
About the written pledge and vaccine, for now the Japanese borders are closed to new foreign arrivals, so it will not be possible for him to travel to Japan until they reopen. Once they do reopen, I think the government will determine the new policy for arrivals, including pledges, etc. The current policy is still from the last time the borders were open, which ended in January of this year. So, I recommend you check again once it becomes possible for him to travel to Japan.
Bank statements in English should be fine.
No, you do not need to attach a letter explaining your relationship, etc., that is just for the Spouse of Japanese national visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
We are in a Similar case but my husband (also recently married) does not have a university visa.
I want to bring him over as a dependant. My work also wants to hire him (though first part time) I think that’s possible after getting the permit. But if he wants to work full time is he allowed to change his visa to a working time visa since he has no university degree but the company would want to hire him?
Thank you in advance for the answer I really searched a long time but could not find it.
Hi A-san,
If you bring your husband to Japan on a Dependent Visa, then he will be able to get a part-time work permit to work up to 28 hours per week. If he can find an employer in Japan that is willing to sponsor him for a full working status, then he would be able to apply for a Change of Status of Residence without leaving the country.
I am not familiar with working visa/residence status rules, so I am not sure if a university degree is required for all forms. I don’t want to give you wrong information, so I would recommend following up with the person in your company who is responsible for working visas or someone else with more expertise in the field.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
HI,
Can I change my dependent visa to work visa?
Hi Josh,
Yes, it is possible, though you would need your employer to sponsor the work visa (status of residence) for you to be able to change.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis. Now,I am studying in university so I want to apply for the dependent visa.I have to shown the bank balance so I want to send money from my country to my personal account but there is requirements of some document to send the money.and now my country is in lockdown so they cant get the document in time .Because of this my relatives in japan will send me money in my account and my parents will send them to their family ..so it will became easier to apply for the visa in time.Is this way is good ??
Hi Sapu Magar,
When you submit your bank account balance to prove your financial resources, it does not have to be a bank account in Japan, you can use a balance statement from your bank account in your home country, as long as you can access that money from Japan.
But it sounds like you have already made arrangements to transfer the money to your account in Japan indirectly. That sounds like it should work!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Good day!
Thank you for this too informative article you made. It’s very helpful.
Like many others ,I also have a problem with regards to bringing my family to live with me here in Japan. I am here on medical visa for 6 years now[Nurse shunin]. My 2 sons, 26 and 20 years old are in the Philippines. They still totally depend on me financially. I send them financial support every month. My 20 years old is still a student. He can still continue his studies even if he will stay here because he is on E-learning. I want them to come and live with me here. What way is applicable for them to come? I hope to here from you. Thank you .
Hi Jops,
Unfortunately, there is no family-related visa that you can use to bring your sons to Japan at that age. The Dependent visa only applies to minor children and 20 is the age of adulthood in Japan.
If you want them to be able to move to Japan, then I would suggest that you help them find jobs or schooling in Japan that can provide a visa for them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello sir/mam.my husband is now japan in working visa.he applies my COE and i got my COE in april.when i submit my document in embassy,then “bank statement papers” is needed?? Actually my husband gives his sallery in hand cash.so that i ask you that if i can’t submit bank statement paper then how problem or not.thank you
Hi Anika,
As far as I know, the embassy will not ask for your bank statement when you apply for the visa. Checking your financial resources is part of the CoE application, so that step should already be complete.
Of course, you should check the embassy’s website in advance to see what documents are required to apply and make sure you prepare those, but if they do not specifically mention the bank statement, you should be fine.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, hopefully I will be coming to Japan on a instructor visa. I’ll be applying for my husband and minor child as soon as I arrive, my only concern is that my company only offer housing for a single occupant. Can this living arrangement affect my visa even though I’ll be making enough to support our family?
Hi Renae,
Your current housing arrangement should not affect your application, but they may ask you if you will be able to move to larger accommodations when your family arrives. As long as that is possible, you should have no issues.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Thank you for this informative website!
Currently, I’m looking out for jobs in Japan. I’m a single mom, is it possible for me to bring my daughter (5 years) and my mom (60 years) as dependents to Japan.
Thanks
Donna
Hi Donna,
It’s a challenging time to come to Japan right now, in general, the borders are closed to all new immigration, though hopefully that will change with the lifting of the State of Emergency in areas of the country that is anticipated in early March. I wish you luck in your search!
You would be able to bring your daughter to Japan on a Dependent Visa, but not your mother. Dependent visas are limited to spouses and children.
Also whether or not you can bring your daughter with you at the same time depends on your employer. Some employers (typically large or publicly traded companies) are authorized to apply for a Dependent Certificate of Eligibility when they apply for a working CoE for you at the same time. However, if your employer is not able or not willing to do so, then you would have to come to Japan alone first then apply for the CoE for your daughter so that she could come to join you later.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi ,
My husband is privately funded student in Kyoto college of Graduate studies for Masters with 50% of tuition fees reduction. He is having his own Accomadation outside to college. He will get 50,000 yen as monthly stipends by Jasso scholarship. He went to japan as a master student just one month before.
He wants apply for dependent visa. Will I be able to get a dependent visa.
What are the financial proof I should show.
Where should I show the bank details in japan or my country.
How much we should show and for how many months it should be back dated.
Please reply I am really concern in this matter. As I am leaving alone in my country.
Hi Mousoom Sum,
Unfortunately, due to Japanese immigration restrictions related to the pandemic, right now in addition to the financial issues, you also need an organization in Japan to take responsibility for you (such as your husband’s university) and guarantee that you will follow the immigration and quarantine restrictions, so your husband should check whether his university is willing to write a “Pledge Form” for you so that you can apply for a visa. (I am still a little uncertain about how this process works for dependents, but at least all of the guidelines I have seen so far seem to require an organization’s support).
Regarding the financial resources, as a general rule of thumb, the Immigration Bureau is going to want to see 80,000 yen of support available to you per month during your CoE application. That would be on top of the money that your husband needs to support himself. The number should be a little lower in your case, since you will be sharing some expenses like rent. The support can come from multiple sources, including your husband’s stipend, bank accounts belonging to either of you in Japan or your home country, and regular support from another financial supporter.
Bank account statements would have to be from within 3 months of the CoE application and any proof or regular income (scholarship stipends or income, etc.) should be recent, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSens
Thank you so much for your reply.
Can a lawyer or immigration firm in japan be a host for a dependent for the written pledge. Because most of the universities are not willing to sign the pledge. I think it’s the universities duty to handle the dependent visa on behalf of their students. After students getting COE’s for their dependent has undergone so many of struggles. at least the university can support by signing the pledge .
Please give us who can sign the Pledge for a Dependent of a student . Moreover can the company where the student works part-time sign it.
Hi Mousoom,
I think that the university could sign the pledge form, but I do not think that they will. Most universities in Japan (including the ones where I have worked) have a strict policy of only supporting the enrolled student and not offering any assistance for students’ family members, so I am afraid that would include the pledge form.
The Pledge Form puts quite a lot of requirements on whoever signs it and it is not easy to meet those obligations.
I honestly do not know who would be the best person to sign a pledge form for a dependent. My best suggestion would be to check if there is an organization in your city that supports international residents and see if they know of anyone organizations who would be able to do so.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I applied COE for my wife as dependent VISA, however the COE was issued with her old family name and she got new passport with new family name.
She has all documents like old passport, old residence card with is matching with new COE name.
Can i still process the dependent VISA for her? or should i apply for new COE which will match with her new passport name.
Please let me know if you have any info..
Appreciate it
Hi Rajasekhar,
I would recommend that contact the embassy where she will apply to be sure. From what I have heard in the past, it should be possible for her to apply, even though she has changed her name and passport, but they will be able to tell you for sure and also let you know if you need to provide any particular documentation to indicate her name change.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Rajasekhar and Travis,
I would like to ask Rajasekhar how he managed to issue the COE with the current restrictions. More specifically, could you share if you were also requested to submit a Pledge Form with a Japanese organization/University taking responsibility for your dependant’s quarantine? If so, did your University agree to sign it?
I am struggling with this step right now so any insight you could share would be highly appreciated!
Thanks in advance
Hi Ayu,
You do not need a Written Pledge form when applying for the CoE, you need it when applying for your visa.
As far as I understand, a Written Pledge by an organization in Japan is still required, although right now all new arrivals to Japan have been disallowed until the end of the State of Emergency. (It’s supposed to end on Feb 7, 2021, but I think everyone is expecting an extension).
I haven’t yet heard directly from anyone who was able to obtain a Written Pledge to bring their dependents to Japan, but I will certainly share that information when I get it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!.
I am a MEXT doctoral Student in Kyoto. I just arrived in Japan since November and want to do document for my wife to come to Japan as Dependent Visa. However, when I ask my University International Affair Office, they said that the document needed from my side (Japan side) include a PLEDGE (Residence Track or Business Track) that need an organization or university to be the PLEGDE side for my wife.
My university does not want to be on the PLEDGE. And I myself cannot stand for the PLEGDE too (I am a person not organization).
To the extend of my knowledge, I think you may help me clear this. Can anyway I can skip this “PLEGDE” form? Thank you so much Traviz.
Hi Long Bui,
I have been trying to figure out how the Residence Track Pledge works for Dependent Visas, but so far I have only come to the same conclusions as you: It must be an organization that completes the pledge and takes responsibility for your dependent. As far as I understand, you cannot do so on your own. Unfortunately, the Pledge is required for your Dependent to apply for a visa and to enter the country, so it cannot be skipped. If your university is not willing to complete a Pledge for your wife (and, in general, I would expect all universities to refuse to complete Pledges for dependents), then I am afraid you would not be able to bring her to Japan as a dependent until Japan relaxes its immigration restrictions again.
If I learn anything new, I will certainly share it, but that is all that I have been able to find out for now.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for your reply. That is a pity to hear so.
However, the only thing I can do is wait for the time.
Sure, I will follow your posts for updated information in any case.
I hope you have a nice time. Your work helps so many people with many things.
Best!,
Long Bui
Hi Long Bui,
Thank you very much for your kind comments.
Yes, I hope that the rules get less restrictive soon and will share anything new that I learn.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
As others have said, thank you so much for the articles, they are very helpful and give much more information than the government websites.
I have a question though if you don’t mind..
Does this sound right to you? My wife (Japanese) and I (American) are living in NYC right now, she’s on a work visa but will be transferred back to japan in April (was born a d raised and also worked I. Japan fkr years), and I (and our baby born here in USA) want to move with her.
Should / Can we apply for the COE and Spouse / Dependent visa here in the USA and have her mother (living in Mie Prefecrure) act as the proxy in japan to get and send the needed documents?
I believe we have already added myself to her family tree to be formally registered married in,
Thanks so much!
Hi Austin,
Thank you for your kind words.
In your situation, you would be applying for a Spouse or Child of Japanese National CoE and visa. Neither you nor your baby would need a Dependent visa.
Actually, I am not directly familiar with the process of obtaining Japanese citizenship, but your son might be eligible for Japanese (dual) citizenship and be able to get a Japanese passport. You might want to look into that to make that process and the baby’s residence in Japan easier.
For your situation, at least, your plan sounds like a good one. If you can ask your mother-in-law to apply for a CoE on your behalf and obtain your visa before your wife returns to Japan, then you would be able to back together. You can only apply for a CoE from within Japan, so your mother-in-law would have to obtain the necessary documents for you and eventually submit the application on your behalf, as well, after you send her anything necessary from your end.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for running this great website which helps a lot of us! I will soon arrive in Japan with my husband (on a dependent visa). I wonder if you have a post introducing how a dependent can apply for a work permit (28 hours per week)? We just hope that we don’t miss any procedures we need to do at the airport. Thanks!
Hi Alice,
Thank you for your kind words. I am glad that this site is helpful!
Unfortunately, I do not have an article introducing the application for a part-time work permit, but if you are entering Japan on a Dependent Visa, you cannot apply for it at the airport, so you do not need to worry about missing anything there. (Only people entering Japan with a Student Visa have the option to apply at the airport on arrival).
You will need to go to the local immigration bureau after you have moved in in Japan to submit the application form.
That is a good idea to add as a future article, though. Thank you!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much, Travis! I wonder if my partner must have a job offer to obtain the work permit, or he can get the permit first and look for a job afterwards? I am really grateful for your help!
Hi Alice,
One of the required documents for the application is “documentation showing the the contents of the work to be conducted.” It is easy to produce this after your partner has a job offer and can get documentation from the employer, but there is no official format and it should be possible for your partner to write up a description of the kind of work they are applying for even before having an offer.
For example, I have known international students in Japan who applied for the work permit so that they could teach private English lessons and they wrote up a description of what they would be doing teaching. If your partner is applying for a job, then a copy of the job recruiting notice might also suffice.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!!
I’m wondering if my child would be applicable for the long-term resident visa and coe?
My mother’s sister (aunt) (permanent resident in japan),her japanese husband (deceased), and their son lives in Tokyo together. That aunt raised me and provided for me ever since I was a kid and was basically my mother, but she did not adopt me because my real mother is still alive but not really the best role model for me or my child
We talked about it around 3 months ago and decided to let our child (15 years old) live and study there in japan. We have found a school that would accept her even with her n4-n5 knowledge which provides support for foreign students that are staying in japan (usually dependents with their parents working at japan).
And tomorrow we would be sending the application form for my daughter’s coe with all the documents that the mofa.go.jp website states that would be needed for the long-term resident. And here lies the problem, apparently for the “long-term resident” visa you need to be of japanese descend (does not state anything other than that) or maybe a guarantor in japan who would provide the applicant’s needs in japan (im not sure on this one as it is not from the official mofa page.
My aunt will be hopefully pass the application form and documents by this wednesday and hopefully it arrives in 4-6 weeks max as the passing of the application form for the school and entrance exam is at mid-january. Therefore i really want any possible info and the peace of mind that even tho she isnt of direct japanese descent, that she would be able to pass the documents.
Thank you very much
Hi Ange,
I am not an immigration lawyer or officially related to the immigration process. I am someone who has gone through the Spouse Visa application process and shared my experience with that and, as an extension, has received a lot of questions about the dependent visa, so I have done some research on that topic, as well. However, Long-Term Visas are complex and there are many varieties. I have not done enough research in that area to be an expert, so in your case, I think you may be better served by seeking the advice of an immigration lawyer.
Unfortunately, as far as I know, your daughter would not be eligible for a Long-Term Visa. Again, I’m not an expert, but other than persons of Japanese descent or the spouse of someone of Japanese descent, which your daughter does not appear to be, the only other categories I am aware of are for biological children of permanent residents or adopted children under the age of 6, which also does not appear to be the case for your daughter.
I wonder, though, if she could get a student visa to study at that school. It would seem that she would be eligible for that type, if the school is willing to sponsor her.
On the other hand, my reply is coming rather late, so I hope you already have a solution by now!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
If I am in a legal relationship in my country (de facto is legally equivalent to marriage in Australia and considered spouse) and have a child then can my partner sponsor us both? We don’t really believe in marriage and I know of two same sex partners in Tokyo who got to sponsor their partners (one was the very first case of its kind)
Hi Penny,
If you have legal documentation of your relationship, your partner can use that to apply for your visa. I assume that your child’s birth certificate lists both of you as parents, so that would be enough for your partner to apply for a dependent CoE for your child.
I am not an expert on alternative documentation, so I think you might want to consult with an immigration lawyer if you do not have any government documentation of your union with your partner to find out more about what might be accepted.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
This happens to be the most informative website I have found so far. I am in a similar situation as Penny that am in a de facto relationship in my country (NZ) with no kids. My partner is on a work visa in Japan at the moment. We usually rely on 3 months tourism visa but since the pandemic we have been apart for 11 months now and still counting. I have been told Japan does not acknowledge de facto relationship therefore tourism visa is my only choice. But by reading the answer above, I wonder is there a thin chance I can apply for a different visa to visit my partner. It has been extremely hard after all the waiting for an unknown future, especially when the border will be opened again for tourism visa.
Hi Max,
I never heard back from Penny about their situation and whether or not there is any government documentation of their de facto relationship. As far as I know, that would be necessary, but you would really want to talk to an immigration lawyer since your situation falls outside the systems and processes that Immigration covers in their usual information.
Unfortunately, even though it is possible now to apply for and travel with a dependent visa, in theory, Japan’s current immigration restrictions require that an organization (in your case, your partner’s employer) take responsibility for you. That organization has to guarantee that you will abide by the quarantine rules and requirements on arrival and agree to take responsibility for you. As you are talking to the immigration lawyer about the paperwork, your partner might also want to approach their employer to see if that employer would be willing to take responsibility for you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi traviz, i have a question.
I am a filipino who is married to a half japanese man.He obtained a visa of spouse/child of japanese national. I have a child in the philippines from my previous partner who is 10 years old now and i want to bring her here in japan. What visa should i file to get her?i hope you could help me with this. Thank you very much.
Hi Yumi,
I hope I understand your situation correctly. Your husband has applied for a Spouse of Japanese National CoE/visa for you, correct?
In that case, you can get a “Long-Term Resident 定住者” CoE/visa for your child.
I was not able to find detailed information about the Long-Term Resident application process in English, but here is the link to the explanation in Japanese. I hope your husband can help you with the paperwork!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis thank you for your response. Sorry if i got you a little bit confused about my situation.
My husband is a filipino/japanese,my husband’s father was a japanese. He was raised in the philippines and came in japan last 2016 with” spouse and child of japanese visa. “We got married few months ago but i have a child from my ex partner/boyfriend who is now living in philippines,is it possible for my child to live here in japan with me?
Thank you very much.
Hi Yumi,
Please pardon my slow reply.
I’m afraid that your question is out of my area of expertise. Neither you nor your child would be applying as a “Spouse or Child of Japanese Resident” or as a “Dependent”.
I think you may be able to apply for a CoE/Visa as the spouse of a second-generation Japanese descendent under the “long term resident” category, but I could not find a clear category that your child would fall into. I would recommend that you consult with an immigration official or perhaps an immigration lawyer.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, I am currently on a working visa in Japan. I want to bring my wife on a dependent visa. I did a court marriage in Nepal. To prove my relationship with her, marriage certificate and birth certificate are enough or not?
Hi Sumit Acharya,
Your marriage certificate (original or certified copy) and a certified translation should be enough to prove your relationship. I do not think you need a birth certificate to prove your marriage to one another, but you may need it for another requirement.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TranSenz,
I just want to ask if dependent visa is applicable to me and to my family, we are living here in the Philippines. While my mother is already a permanent resident in Japan. Is there a chance if my mother can apply me for a dependent visa or should I look for a company who can sponsor a working visa? for me to process also my family to be with me in Japan.
Any advice or suggestions on this please? I hope you can help on this.
Thank you!
Hi Princess Navarro,
A Permanent Resident cannot bring family members to Japan using the Dependent Visa system (please read the article for the list of residence types that can invite a Dependent to Japan).
Your mother could, however, apply for a Child of Permanent Resident CoE for you, provided that you meet the eligibility requirements. However, one of those requirements is that you would have to be a minor child depending on your mother for support. If you already have a family, I do not think that is the case – and she would not be able to invite them along with you.
I think your best shot at moving to Japan is to finding employment or schooling here for yourself so you can get a working or study visa, as appropriate.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I was wondering what are the requirements for changing my wife’s Designated Activities visa to a Dependent visa?
Hi Marti,
In your case, your wife should apply for a Change of Status of Residence. The application form is slightly different (you can get it from the Immigration Services Agency website or your local immigration office), but all of the other requirements should be the same as the application for the CoE that I describe in this article.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, as always the most informative site is still this one. Thank you for your effort !!!
I’ll arrive in Japan this month as a MEXT research scholar (non-regular). But I have a child (2 years) and a spouse left in my hometown. I need to know whether Japan accepts that kind of application during this COVID-19 days? I see that some restrictions are already denied (they are going to let in most Visa holders as long as it’s not a tourist).
I’m planning to arrive in Japan, then apply for their dependent Visa in the Immigration Bureau for getting their COE as soon as it’s possible. I have concerns about what if they do not accept that kind of application now, I mean it may take about 3 months, its near to April, I have also heard they are going to open borders for tourists for Olympics, from April. Maybe by that time, it can be possible to bring at least not my spouse but my child? Or for Immigration Bureau no matter is your child infant or teenager? I was thinking to write a special letter that I can’t let alone my infant child so please do some favor 😀 Will that work?
Too many questions… But even one answer will help me for further steps…
Thanks Travis for reading…
Hi Ani Hovyan,
Thank you very much for your kind words!
As of yesterday, October 1, Japan has started allowing new arrivals in mid-to-long term residence statuses, which obviously includes Student Visa applicants, but also includes Dependent Visas. Once you arrive in Japan and get the paperwork together, as you said, you should be able to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for your spouse and child so they can join you.
If your spouse and child are planning to stay with you long term, then they aren’t tourists, so they’re already in the category of eligible arrivals. You should not need an additional letter, etc. for them. In some of the articles I have seen about the relaxed restrictions, Dependent Visas were specifically listed as one of the newly eligible categories for new arrivals.
I am still gathering information on the new immigration restrictions and how new arrivals will work and I intend to post a new article about that as soon as I can.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you VERY MUCH, dear Travis,
After seeing your reply I’m finally relaxed that I can bring them… I’lll continue to explore possible uncertain circumstances, certainly, changes from Oct 1 are really important for us.
Sure, I’ll wait for another post.
Thank you for your effort, every comment has its reply that is invaluable !!!
Hello Travis i have one question, i live in Japan i have resident card and i want to bring my daughter from Romania to stay with me she have 16 years . What papers i will need? Thank you !Dany
Hi Dany,
If your residence status is one of the statuses I listed in the article that is able to apply for Dependent CoEs, then you just need to submit all of the paperwork I described in the article to apply.
Unfortunately, right now, due to COVID-19, I do not think Japan is allowing any new immigration/travelers from Romania (as well as 150+ other countries), so you would have to wait until international travel is possible again.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi can I ask something that I don’t know what to apply my son was in the registry of my husband as his adopted here in Japan,but we’re divorced I’m permanent here I have work here.how will I apply c.o.e to my son or how will I do or what I will do.than you good day
Hi Eli,
If you have Permanent Residence status, you should be able to apply for a CoE for your son as a “Child of Permanent Resident” provided that he is still a minor.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I have a student visa at the moment and my wife has a humanities visa. We are currently in Japan and we got married in Japan recently. So for now, we only have the Japanese marriage certificate.
We would like to apply for a dependent visa (for me) and we were wondering, when applying at the immigration, if a Japanese marriage certificate is enough or if we have to register our marriage in our respective country first and get the marriage certificate of those countries.
Best regards,
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
You would be applying for a “Change of Status of Residence”, not a Certificate of Eligibility or visa, since you are already in the country. The procedures and requirements are essentially the same, but the application form itself is slightly different.
In general, yes, you are going to need to provide proof of having registered your marriage with your respective home governments during the application process, if your home governments register marriages conducted abroad.
If you are from a country that takes a long time to complete that registration (for example, the Philippines comes to mind), proof of submitting the registration at your embassy or consulate should be sufficient. You would not need to wait the months-long process until that registration is formally logged in the system.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Traviz , im a Filipina with a 5 year working visa Specialist in Humanities/International Services, and my husband us also working here in Japan as Ambassador’s driver. I want to ask if I can bring my kids here with us, ages 23, 20, 19, 15, 13 and 9. May I ask what are the procedures and needed requirements? Thank you so much! God bless you more .
Hi Loradel,
With your visa type, yes, you can bring your minor children to live with you in Japan. However, you cannot use a dependent visa to bring children to Japan who have already reached adulthood, since they cannot be considered to be “dependent” on you.
I have described the necessary paperwork on this post and you would need to submit complete applications for each child to the local immigration services agency office. You can also find more about the procedures on immigration’s website.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for the reply Traviz, my residence card was address in nikko Tochigi. Where Immigration office should i submit all the requirements? And is it advisable to submit now still having a travel ban?
Hi Loradel,
You can find a list of all the Immigration Services Agency offices on their website. Select the branch office for the prefecture where you are currently registered as a resident from that list and submit your application there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I’m a permanent visa holder and I’m currently not staying in japan for half a year now. My mother asked me if i can comeback in japan so i can work there and to take care of her at the same time because she is sick. She has a anxiety and panic disorder so she’s having a difficult time alone in japan. My problem is i want to take my family with me going back to japan but i don’t have any idea if its possible and even if it’s not how long can we wait so i can apply them a visa. I want also to know if how many months, or how much salary a month do i need to earn for me to apply them a visa.
Hi Aika,
It depends on what country you are in now. If your country is currently under Japan’s immigration ban, it is likely that you will not be able to apply for a CoE and visa for your family.
If you left Japan six months ago, before the entry bans went into effect for the country where you are now, then you should be able to return to Japan, but they have not reopened to new entries, as far as I know. I would recommend that you contact the local Japanese embassy to be sure, though.
If you are a permanent resident, then you would be applying for a Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident status for your family members, I think. That process is more similar to Spouse of Japanese National, which I have written a separate article about. Typically, you or someone who can serve as your legal representative would need to be in Japan first to apply for the Certificate of Eligibility for your family members. But there’s no point in starting that process until you can be sure that entry to Japan from your current country is allowed yet.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello sir my name is Abhishek my wife have 3 year visa professional she can bring me Japan or not I can work in Japan or not please tell me thank so much wait for your reply
Hi Abhishek,
At the top of this article, I have a list of the visa types that can apply for a Dependent Visa to bring their spouses to Japan. Please understand, though, that if your wife is applying for you, she needs to move to Japan and start her residence here, first, before she can apply for your Certificate of Eligibility, so you would not be able to arrive in Japan until several months after her.
To work in Japan, you will need to apply for a Part-Time Work Permit after arrival (it’s officially called “Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted”). That will allow you to work for up to 28 hours per week.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have a quite a reluctant question. My mother is in Japan as a student. My sister and father are dependents. However, soon they all need to leave. My father wishes to stay longer after my mother and sister leaves the country. His health is more secure in Japan than in our home country and therefore, we were thinking it would be better to stay longer in Japan before pandemic weakens off back home. Anyways, can he do that? His residence card allows him to stay till summer 2021. However, if the main visa holder, my mom is leaving, can her depend at stay in Japan? I could find an exact response anywhere. Hope you can help.
Hi Naz,
This is out of my area of expertise, but based on the information that I have seen, it is possible to apply to stay in Japan up to an additional six months if the person is unable to return to their home country. In this case, your father would have to prove that it is not possible (as far as I understand, this should be an issue of actually being prevented from traveling, not a matter of convenience) for him to return. However, the fact that your mother and sister are leaving the country would seem to make it clear that it is possible to return.
The information I am referring to is here on the Immigration Services Agency website.
Another option would be for your father to find a way to change his residence status – for example, finding employment and changing to a working status.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, i have been working for more than 30 years here in japan. My daughter is now a adult but not a japanese citizen, she is a filipino citizen. So for next year (2021) I would like to bring my grandchild here to japan to live with me and to study here until maybe college. Would he need to apply for a dependent visa or something else? We have found a list of good schools to accept him as a student and he is around n4 in the jlpt.
We also have full support financially from me, and his parents about him transferring here. Thank you
Hi Fumiko,
The dependent visa is typically for immediate family members who are solely reliant on a resident of Japan for their support. If your daughter is a resident of Japan, she can apply for a dependent visa to bring her child to Japan. However, I am not aware of any case where a grandparent could bring a grandchild on a dependent visa. Perhaps if you were the child’s legal guardian and the sole source of financial support (e.g. there was nobody else in the Philippines that could support the child), it might be possible, but even in that situation, I am not certain.
I’m sorry I wasn’t able to help.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! I have 2 questions. Hopefully you can give some insight because I can’t find the information anywhere.
In the next 2 years I plan on applying to the JET program to come to Japan and teach English. If accepted, I would like to bring my boyfriend (soon to be husband) with me. He is still in college and depends on some of my income.
Question 1 : If I am granted a work visa through JET can we apply for the dependant visa before I leave to come to Japan? This way we can make the move together. Or must I already live in Japan and bring him over later? If I must wait how long would I need to wait?
Question 2 : Is there a certain amount of time you are required to be married for before applying for a dependant visa?
Hi Amber Griffis,
1. No, in your case you would need to arrive in Japan alone first and apply for a CoE for your husband before he would be able to join you. There is no particular waiting period, you just have to be residing in Japan to apply, so it would just take as long as you need to assemble all of the necessary documentation after you arrive.
2. There is no specific requirement for amount of time to be married.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for the info. I have a follow up question. It seems the Certificate of Eligibility is what takes awhile to get after applying for it. Is this something I myself am applying for that would contain all the information about my dependant? Or is my dependant applying for it themselves? Can we get the Certificate of Eligibility before I leave for Japan? (To save time) Or is it something that can only be done after I arrive in Japan?
Hi Amber Griffis,
You are right, obtaining the CoE is the longest part of the process. You, as the sponsor residing in Japan, would apply for it. Only someone who is a resident of Japan and has a legal relationship to the person that they are applying for can apply, which means that you have to move to Japan first and establish your residency at the city hall. Then you will be able to apply for your dependent.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
If my boyfriend have compamy in japan as a investor and recently become japan PR. Can he apply japan PR for me ?
Hi Yenhong,
A boyfriend is not a legal relationship, so right now, he cannot apply for anything for you.
If you get married, then he would be able to apply for a “Spouse of Permanent Resident” CoE for you. That application process is essentially the same as applying for a Spouse of Japanese National, which I have another article (and book) about. It’s a little more complicated of a process, but the Spouse of Permanent Resident gives you more rights in Japan, including full working rights!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
First of all, we (all the readers) couldn’t thank you enough for your help and your time. We are so grateful!
I’m currently on a student visa in a language school in Japan (non-university, just regular language school) and my wife to be is on a humanities visa. As soon as we get married (In Japan), we want to apply for a dependent visa (my wife to be for me). But I was wondering if it is actually possible considering the fact I’m already in Japan on a student visa. Is there any restrictions? (e.g I have to leave the country) or should I apply for a change of status. I read a lot of comments and it seems like nobody is in this situation so I have a doubt.
Thank you very much for your help.
Hi Walter,
I’m sorry this is coming so late and I suspect you may have found your answer already, but just in case:
As I understand it, you will become your wife’s dependent, correct? In that case, you would simply apply for a Change of Status of Residence to Dependent. The application is practically the same as applying for a CoE, but the application form is slightly different. All of the other required documents should be the same.
You can complete the application at the Immigration Services Agency office in your area – you do not need to leave Japan and apply for a new visa!
If you have a part-time work permit now as a student, you would need to apply again for a new one once you change your status to dependent, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Transenz,
I am on a refugee or designated activity visa. And my wife is on a student visa with full scholarship. I want to know if I can apply for COE while in japan and when issued I will return home and apply for visa
Hi Shadrack Ocran,
If you are already living in Japan, then you would typically apply for a “Change of Status of Residence”, not for a CoE. The requirements are essentially the same, though the application form is a little different on the first page.
A Change of Status of Residence would allow you to change your status to Dependent without having to leave Japan, so I think that would be the easier solution for you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I have a question on dependent COE application, regarding translation of my marriage certificate.
I just called Tokyo immigration office, they told that if marriage certificate is in English, no translation is required. As am living in Saitama prefecture, i need to submit application is in saitama office. So i just Called Saitama office, they need a Japanese translation. So I am confused.
Also, I can translate English to Japanese with the help of my Japanese friend. So , can I directly translate marriage certificate in a word document and sign? or any authorized authority should translate it?
Thanks
Arun
Hi Arun,
At present, I cannot seem to find a clear indication on the Immigration Services Agency’s website about translating your documents. It might well be an office-by-office decision, based on the ability of the staff there to interpret documents in other languages. Tokyo is going to have the widest array of support for international residents, so it’s no surprised that another regional office would be a little less capable to help.
In general, for translations, the requirement is that the translation be done by a “qualified translator”, but there are no specific standards for that. The translator has to attest on the translation that they are competent in both languages and capable of translating between the two, and that they have ensured that the translation is true and accurate. I would recommend that your friend sign, not you, as that will attract fewer questions. I know when I applied, Immigration would not accept a translation completed by either of the spouses, but we translated the documents together and had a translator double-check to ensure they were accurate then sign. (We did have to pay the translator for that, though).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I would like to ask one question regarding application for CoE.
As a MEXT scholarship student who entered Japan almost four weeks ago I applied for CoE for my wife in regional Immigration Office. According to the officer, all papers were sufficient to proceed, however, two weeks ago I received a letter from Immigration Bureau with an additional question. They requested the Scholarship Certificate with proper stamp from my University. As soon as I was officially enrolled (1st April), I applied for the Scholarship Certificate in the Univerisity Administration Office and it was issued today.
I went directly to the Immigration Bureau to Yokohama and talked to the person responsible for my wife’s case. The officer undermined my Scholarship Certificate because it was not written directly in Japanese that the amount of scholarship is 146,000 yen PER MONTH. In the same document, right few lines below, it was written in English that this monthly amount. I was requested to get a new Scholarship Certificate, so I decided to call my university and ask for help. I can speak Japanese quite fluently, however, in some nervous situations I feel pinned so I handed my phone to let my University Administration Office explain the essence of my Scholarship Certificate. The Immigration Bureau Officer finnaly accepted this document and told me to wait for the final decision.
From April to September I will be attending the language preparatory course at University A. From October to March 2022 I will be a Ph.D. Candidate at University B. I was granted with full two years of MEXT scholarship and I have valid residence card within this period. I applied for CoE for my wife for the same time, however, I did not expect the Immigration Office to ask for any MEXT Scholarship Ceriticate. I was thaught that the confirmation from the embassy of Japan in my country is enough to procced with CoE. The Scholarship Certificate which was issued today mentions only about scholarship during language preparatory studies (April-September). I wonder if the Immigration Bureau would soon ask for the second Scholarship Certificate (from October to March 2022) as they seem to be very unfamiliar with the whole MEXT Scholarship program. I have already asked University B to issue the Scholarship Certificate with the confirmation of the same amount monthly, but it seems that this is now impossible due to Japanese regulations. As a rule of thumb, you cannot apply for any certificates as long as you are not officially enrolled as a student. In my case it would be 1st October.
What do you reccomend to do? Do you have any experience with such cases?
Hi Mike,
I would recommend that you proceed with the application as you have started. I do not have any experience directly with your situation because I worked at a university that did not have its own language program, so the students I worked with who were applying for dependent CoEs for their family were doing so after moving to their full-time university and did not have the same complications you did. (In our case, the language program was in another prefecture, so it really didn’t make sense for students to bring their families during that program since they were often in temporary dorms and would have to move again shortly).
The scholarship certificate is certainly necessary, since that is your proof of financial resources to support your wife. They should take it at the value that it shows your support for now and, even if they do not understand the MEXT scholarship system (they ought to!), they should certainly understand the fact that it is not possible for you to get a scholarship certificate from a university that you are not yet enrolled in. If they ask for additional documentation for after October, you could possibly provide them with the documentation from MEXT saying that the award for PhD scholars is 146,000/month in general, coupled with documentation that you were accepted as a MEXT scholar for a PhD. Add in a written explanation that you will be enrolling in the PhD program at university B after finishing your language program at University A (include a copy of any official documentation you have, if possible).
Unfortunately, as far as I know, the Immigration Services Agency has suspended processing all CoE applications for the time being, due to the COVID-19 situation, so it could be a while before you see any results. That has nothing to do with your application, though. It is a blanket condition.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis for your answer, however, I do not share same opinions some of your statements, but I appriciate your hard work and will to help people.
I applied for CoE for my wife on 11 March, right before the implemented restrictions for EU, so as far as I know from Yokohama Immigration Bureau, the CoE procedure is not suspended in this case.
Moreover, my language university is located not far away from my “main” University, so I will be living in the same apartment (rented by my own) for next 2 years. I see no point in waiting half year to apply for a CoE for my wife as my accommodation and financial situation will not change at all. Many Japanese universities cannot offer accommodation for couples, so mostly you have to think independently about bringing your wife.
I visited and contacted the Immigration Bureau couple of times and nothing is obvious these days. Japan is willing to change some procedures, including prolonging the short term visitors stay for next 90 days or enabling the application for visa in Japan itself, so any tips from the past are now useless.
I was simply informed to wait and not worry, as all agencies are now trying to help people in their hard situation. 🙂
Hi Mike,
I know that when the immigration restrictions were placed on China and Korea (the first two countries to experience that), the Immigration Services Agency declared that all CoE applications from persons in areas affected by immigration restrictions would be put on hold. That included all ongoing applications. I have not seen anything that suggests that policy has changed as more countries have been added to the list of immigration restrictions, but if you have heard otherwise, please let me know.
As far as I have seen, Japan is taking steps to let people stay in the country when they cannot travel home, but they are also being pretty strict about not letting anyone new into the country. I hope the situation resolves quickly and your wife is able to join you.
Please ignore my comment about the language program being in a different prefecture – I was simply trying to explain why I had never worked with anyone in your situation in the past.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
10 minutes ago I received a letter with dependent CoE for my wife. I waited exatcly 38 days (less than 6 weeks) for the issue. To my great surprise, she was granted with full two years although I was able to deliver the MEXT scholarship certificate only for 2020 spring semester.
As she is now in Japan as a temporary visitor, we are planning to exchange COE for dependent visa in the local Immigration Office. We are aware about standard procedures (applying from overseas), but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Immigration Office told us to stay on place and as soon as possiblem exchange CoE for visa. Hope that everything will go quickly and smoothly.
Hi Mike,
Wow! That is great to hear. Not only that I was wrong about the freeze on application, but also that your wife’s CoE was processed in near-record time! Before COVID, I was hearing stories from applicants taking 4 months or more.
I’m also glad to hear that she got the full 2 years. That’s valuable information for other applicants in the same place.
Like you said, staying inside Japan and applying for the Change of Status of Residence is clearly the better choice at this point. I’m sure they’ll be responsive since you have the CoE and they’ve been making exceptions about not leaving the country due to COVID-19 for a while.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you very much for you help. I would like to ask you about the following. I’ve already applied for my husband’s dependent visa last March the 6th. He is here with me as a tourist, we do understand that in the course of normal action, he would have to return to our country (Argentina) and apply there personally for the visa. But we have a doubt whether the immigration office does any exception due to the COVID-19 today, and that all flights and boarders are closed. We haven’t received the COE yet, but do you have any information regarding this? Can we apply for a visa extension if he gets near the departure time? I appreciate it! thank you!
Hi Laura,
Unfortunately, I have not seen any information about making exceptions to the rule about being able to apply for a Change of Status of Residence within Japan or staying longer on a Temporary Visitor status. The only exceptions I have seen made are that CoEs validity period has been extended (you now have 6 months from the date of issue of the CoE to enter Japan instead of 3), and that there has been an extension to when you can apply for a renewal of period of stay for people who have a residence card.
Unfortunately, neither of those situations help you.
As far as I know, though, your husband would not necessarily need to go all the way back to Argentina to apply for a visa, he would just have to apply for one at a Japanese embassy or consulate outside of Japan. If Argentina has closed its borders (though in most cases, borders are still open to citizens, as far as I know), then he could go to another country, instead. I would just recommend that he makes sure that the Japanese embassy there will accept his application, first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank youvery much Travis! I’ll have to check because the only problem is that the nearest country to go from Japan is South Korea and it is quite complicated today. I know from the Japanese Embassy in Argentina that he must only do it from our country, but if he cannot leave nor enter due to the COVID-19…..well then I cannot immagine what to do. I will check in the Argentinian embassy in Japan and check what are the steps to follow. thank you so much!
HI Laura Tosi,
There are certainly no easy answers about where to go right now. Since I wrote my comment, Japan has closed borders and nullified visas for another 30+ countries (by the way, all visas issued in S. Korea and China were already nullified through the end of March and all entrants from those countries are subject to 14-day quarantine – now the same will apply to all of Europe, as well).
I hope the Embassy can give you some better advice. It might be that going home to Argentina is his only option until this COVID-19 situation settles down, but I hope that is not the case.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
you are right! When we get the COE, things might have changed again, I think the best it’s to wait and decide on the spot. Thank you very much!!
Hello Travis, I was rejected the dependt visa, we were not told why, we talked to a scrivener, someone who helped us understand the process but it wasn’t of much of a help because they didn’t disclose why was the real purpose, we are supposed to call the Sendai office….but it is in Japanese, and we do not speak a word unfortunatelly. One of the options they told us, is that I applied too soon – there wasn’t any bank balance yet from my job – and that the other is that he can sustain himself and he cannot be with me. We asked for reapplying if the case was my bank account but the lawyer told us it is one year, Another option he told us is that he gets his own job, which is very difficult. So far we only have the chance to apply for an extension due to COVID19 (and we need to check if that is going to be counted as the 180 allowance to stay). I have a Specialist in Humanities visa for one year. What are other chances we have so he do not have to leave and stay?? Are there any chances?? we are worried sick!! Thank you so much in advanced!!
Hi Laura Tosi,
I am sorry to hear about that!
It’s too bad the scrivener couldn’t call the Sendai office on your behalf, if the language is an issue.
Typically, financial reasons are the biggest cause I see for Dependent CoEs not being successful, unless there is some missing paperwork. So, the lack of bank balance or if your proof of salary was too low, those might have been causes. The immigration services agency didn’t contact you at any time during the application review to request additional documentation, right?
Your husband being able to support himself without your salary should not have been a factor – that is an issue for dependent children, but should not be for spouses, at least in my experience.
As for what you can do now, I understand that the Immigration Services Agency is allowing extensions of Temporary Visitor stays in Japan, like you mentioned. That is your best chance. It’s a tough time for the market, but if your husband was able to find a job in Japan in the meantime that would sponsor him for a working visa, that could also be a way to stay.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you so much for your hard work and continuous responsiveness.
I live in Dubai while my husband lives in Tokyo. He applied for a dependent visa for me since November 25th yet every time he asks the immigration bureau for an update they tell him to continue waiting. We are aware that this is the usual case, however, do you think the Corona virus outbreak is going to affect the issuance of COEs? Should we expect that we need to wait more due to this situation? It’s been over 3 months and the wait is getting very frustrating 🙁
Hi AA,
Your COE isn’t that far behind schedule, as far as these things go. I’ve heard of a lot of COEs lately taking 4 months or more. It’s not an ideal situation, but for what it’s worth, I wanted to reassure you that it should mean anything bad about your application, especially if your husband has not received any requests for additional documents.
I do think that the COVID-19 situation is impacting the Immigration Bureau, and hence slowing down their routine work like COEs. Immigration is involved in the responses to the disease, especially the attempts to stop it coming into the country, so they’re probably having to spend a lot more time in conferences on that subject and implementing plans, which is going to take away more time from their usual tasks.
I do hope that you hear back soon!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you so much for your previous response, it’s totally appreciated.
I am writing again to update and seek your advice. On March 26th, we received the reply for our application. It was rejected. The reason was that because my husband was on a student visa when he applied, and despite providing all proofs of his ability to financially support both of us, they claimed he wouldn’t be able to. His visa status has recently changed into a work visa and he now has a full time job.
Hence, after receiving the news, we immediately prepared our documents and on March 29th I applied for a family visit visa through the consulate here. They initially said it would be processed in 4 business days, but as the COVID-19 situation got worse, they informed me that they no longer knew when it would be ready. I am expected to wait a month or so.
What would you suggest in such case? Should I keep my visit visa application in progress? Or should we cancel it and apply again for the dependency visa?
Time is passing and I’m afraid we’re wasting it by waiting for a visit visa while we could apply again for a dependency one, yet even the latter is no longer guaranteed because I don’t know whether it’d get rejected again.
This is getting very confusing and depressing, and I currently know no one better than you to give the proper advice.
Thank you in advance.
Hi AA,
I am sorry to hear that your CoE application was rejected.
I do not know what country you are from, but if you are from one of the countries that is prohibited from entering Japan right now because of the COVID-19 situation, there is not much that you can do but wait.
Right now, to the best of my knowledge, the Immigration Services Agency is not accepting any new applications for Certificates of Eligibility for people living in any of the countries that are subject to the immigration ban, and I do not know how long this situation will last, but I am fairly certain that it will be more than a month.
Your Dependent CoE application should not meet the same obstacles as last time, now that your husband has a job and salary, so I would recommend that he start that application again as soon as he is able, but he should contact the Immigration Services Agency office near him first to make sure that they will accept the application at this time. In the meantime, there is no need to withdraw your family visit visa application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis. I just wanted to say thank you for your hard work. I was able to land a MEXT Scholarship partly due to Transez Japan web. Your information is/was very useful.
Regarding how to fill up the ‘application for certificate of eligibility’ form (PDF) from Immigration Bureau Website (immi) :
1. Can it be completed electronically? I could not find information about this in the immi web.
2. I (Student) would like to bring my husband (dependent abroad) to Japan.
When applying in behalf of my husband and filling up the form for the COE they ask for the applicant (dependent) address in Japan , Since he is not in Japan, should I put N/A? my address (at the Uni)? Leave it blank?
3. Is it possible to bring a dependent using as address a Sakura House/Hotel as long as it is also my current address?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Joanna,
Thank you very much for your kind words and feedback!
1. Yes, you can fill the Excel version of the application form electronically, then print and sign it.
2. In your case, you have to move to Japan first then start the application for your husband’s CoE. You will have to submit the application form in person at the immigration office.
In the application form, you would put your address (it is a condition of the Dependent CoE that your dependent reside with you, so it will be the same). You cannot leave it blank.
3. Even though your are living in the university residence and will have to move out when your husband comes, you should put your current address for now. You are not required to move out and secure family housing prior to applying for the CoE, though you will have to do so when your husband moves to Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Amazing! Thank you!
Dear Travis!
Thank you very much for your help and answers!
I would like to ask you about dependent visa process. Thanks to you I won Mext scholarship and I will be attending a 6- month Japanese language training program at the Jasso Tokyo Japanese Language Education center before studying as a research student ( maybe master ) at the university.
I have read that it might take several months before i can invite my husband and child. I want them come as soon as possible as my child only 2 years old. Would you please help me with these questions?
1) Can I still do CoE for my family while I’m at Jasso Tokyo Japanese education Center, not being enrolled my first choice University?
2) Is there anything I can do to quicken the process while I’m still in my home country? Maybe translating and notarization of documents ?!
3) Me and my husband had lived in Japan for several years before coming back in 2017. Are these facts helpful while applying for CoE?
Any information provided would be very appreciated!
Thank you very much and I look forward to hearing from you soon!
The best ,
Shah
Hi Shah,
Congratulations on earning the MEXT Scholarship, and thank you for your kind words!
Regarding the Dependent CoE, the problem is the processing time, which is supposedly 1-3 months but has in fact been taking quite a bit longer than that, in some cases lately. There’s not much you can do about that, though, and the ideas that you proposed are good ones to help accelerate the process as much as possible,
1. As far as I know, you should be able to. You will already be receiving your scholarship stipend and should be able to obtain proof of the scholarship and amount, plus proof of your enrollment. (I don’t have any direct experience working with someone who applied while at the language program, though, so I hope someone else might be able to comment too, to verify).
2. Yes, preparing any documents that you need from your home country in advance would allow you to submit your application earlier, so that’s a great idea. You will need originals or notarized comments of all the official documents (particularly documents that prove your relationship to your husband and child), plus certified translations. However, don’t prepare the documents too early – they should be no more than 90 days since issuance when you submit them. If you will have any financial support other than the MEXT Scholarship, collecting that documentation would be good, too.
3. That’s not really a factor. The only points that matter are: Is your financial support sufficient and is your relationship genuine. Both of those should not be a problem at all in your case. I have seen from past experience that MEXT scholars were able to invite their families on their stipends. The length of your relationship and presence of a child clears the other question without an issue, too.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you very much for your quick response and advice! Now that I have read your comment, I’m very relieved.
I hope everything goes smoothly. Looking forward to moving to Japan. Thank you very much again and always!
Shah
Hello Travis,
I have some questions for you, I’ll truly appreciate your time answering them.
1. What is the pros and cons in submitting a Family/Dependent visa application in Maizuru Port branch office compared in Tokyo immigration or Nagoya immigration? Will the processing time differ? Will you please suggest? I lived in Fukui prefecture and Maizuru Port branch office is the closest.
2. I don’t have much time to submit the application since I’m an ALT and schedule is very tight and the nearest branch office is quite far. Can I let my husband under visit visa do it on my behalf?
3. Is there a permit I can apply for my husband to stay longer after the visit visa ends while waiting for the COE under Family Visa?
Hi Rain,
1. You can only submit the CoE application at the immigration branch office that is responsible for where you live (where you have your Juminhyo), so you should not be traveling to any other city to do so. It’s not a matter of choice.
There is going to be some difference in processing time, but it can also depend on the time of year and when a particular branch office or regional authority is particularly busy.
2. Your husband should be able to submit the application paperwork, since the application is for him in the first place. In that case, he would sign the application but list your address in the form. If your husband does not speak any Japanese, I would recommend that a Japanese-speaking friend accompany him in case there are any questions.
3. No. In general, it is not allowed to change from a Temporary Visitor status to Dependent Status while in Japan, so there are no provisions to allow for an extension of stay while waiting on the result.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I trust you are well.
I recieved our family visa application result issued on July 2, 2020 that was lodged on March 17, 2020. Unfortunately, we are not granted the COE.
1. I would like to ask if how long should I wait to re-apply?
2. Could you tell me what to comply if the reason for denial would be:
2020年7月2日在留資格認定証明書不交付通知書殿国籍、地域フィリピン氏名2020年3月17日付け、申請番号名福認第R00000号）あなたの（上記の者に係る）在留資格認定証明書交付申請については、下記の理由により、下記の要件に適合しないことから不交付と決定したので、通知します。記（適合しない要件）申請に係る活動が「家族滞在」の在留資格に係る出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の下欄に定められている活動に該当するとは認められません。申請に係る活動が虚偽のものでないとは認められません。（根拠となる事実）扶養者の扶養能力からみて。本邦で安定的。継続的に「家族滞在」の在留資格に該当する活動を行うものとは認められません。提出資料の記載内容一（申請書）に矛盾が認められ、申請内容に信びょう性があるとは認められません。古屋名古屋出入国在留管理局裏国伝連絡先名古屋出入国在留管理局福井出張所（電話番号o776-28
I appreciate you help on this matter.
Hi Rain,
I am sorry to hear that your application was rejected. The message you copied in Japanese seemed to be a list of reasons why it was rejected, but I wonder if, in your case, any of them were circled? It looks like a template message where they would circle the reason that applied to you.
In any case the reasons for rejection are as follows (In each case, I have offered a translation as well as an attempt at an explanation). If any of them are circled, then only that one applies in your case:
申請に係る活動が「家族滞在」の在留資格に係る出入国管理及び難民認定法別表第一の下欄に定められている活動に該当するとは認められません。
According to your application, the activities that you wish to participate in in Japan do not correspond to the “Dependent” Status of Residence.
Explanation: Something in your application (perhaps a stated intent to work?) was inconsistent with the *Dependent” status of residence or you do not qualify for “dependent” status.
申請に係る活動が虚偽のものでないとは認められません。（根拠となる事実）
There is an undeniable possibility that the basis for your application was falsified.
Explanation: One of your documents appeared to be falsified.
扶養者の扶養能力からみて。本邦で安定的。継続的に「家族滞在」の在留資格に該当する活動を行うものとは認められません。
Based on the financial resources of your supporter in Japan, it is not possible to confirm that this person can securely and continually support you as a “dependent”.
Explanation: Your spouse’s financial resources are insufficient.
提出資料の記載内容一（申請書）に矛盾が認められ、申請内容に信びょう性があるとは認められません。
The documents you submitted appeared to contain a factual inconsistency, so your application cannot be believed.
Explanation: There is a problem with your documents contradicting themselves.
As for waiting to apply again, there is no need to wait. You can apply again as soon as you have resolved the issue that caused your application to be rejected.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis! I currently have a Spouse of permanent resident visa and went home here in my home country (Philippines) to process the visa (Child of a permanent resident) of our daughter however, due to the COVID-19, the visa processing agencies here in our country together with the Japan Embassy are closed until Last week of April or so. My question is, will it be possible that my husband would directly apply from the Japan Immigration for the visa on our daughter’s behalf with all the documents and coe or does it necessarily have to be applied here in our home country? I am concerned that the opening of classes will soon resume and we are hoping that our daughter can enter school once the opening of classes in Japan begin.
Hi Lady Cale,
Unfortunately, visa applications have to be completed at the embassy or consulate overseas, they cannot be completed in Japan, so you’re going to have to wait until the embassy can process visas again.
While this unfortunately means that your daughter will miss the start of the school year, she should be able to join into the ongoing year as soon as you arrive.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you in advance for this blog, it gave me a lot of information but i still have some questions regarding the dependent visa. My wife was accepted on a MEXT scholarship and she will have a monthly income of 144000 yen. In this conditions:
1. Do you think my dependent visa will be accepted as i cannot show a proof that i have enough to support myself in my bank account.
2. As a Dependent i cannot work for 3 months so i think her income will not be able to support us(as i will arrive there with almost nothing to help financially).
3. Her university classes will be in English and neither of us can speak/write Japanese so the possibility of getting a job will be much much lower then a Japanese speaking person.
Is it possible to get a visa in this case and is it possible to survive?
Thank you for your support!
Best Regards,
Paul
Hi Paul,
I have known MEXT scholars who brought a spouse and two children to live in Japan with them on Dependent CoEs with their scholarship stipend as their only income. It may depend to some degree on there you live, but her scholarship stipend should be enough for you both to live on.
1. Yes, I think your application should be accepted.
2. I hadn’t heard of the rule that you had to wait three months before and couldn’t find anything to indicate that was the case. Can you point out where you found that? Even if that was the case, your wife’s stipend should be enough to live (frugally) on and you could still find ways of earning income other than being employed, such as working over the internet as a language exchange partner, language teacher, translator, writer, entrepreneur, etc.
3. Finding employment with a Japanese employer will certainly be harder without any Japanese language ability, but there are some opportunities, depending on where you are. Anything from language schools to part-time work in restaurants might be an option.
I think it is very possible to get the visa and also to survive. You won’t be living a life of luxury, but you should be able to live.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you again for taking your time to help me.
Regarding no.2 i don’t know where that came from, but i remember reading it somewhere. One more question: If I will go with her as a tourist visa can i change my purpose of stay at the immigration bureau to dependent visa while in Japan? I can stay up to 90 days so i hope issuing the COE certificate(usually takes between 1 to 3 months) will take less than that, but is there any chance for them to change my status there(apply visa on my passport)?There is a possibility they will ask me to leave the country and apply for a visa at my home country embassy but we want to avoid that. I know this procedure is not normally done, only case by case, up to immigration office. Dependent Visa (COE + Visa) and Change of Status application are two different process? Do i need them both?
Thank you!
BR
Forgot to mention the city where we will live: Miyagi Prefecture – Sendai.
Hi Paul,
I haven’t heard of that 3-month rule, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not true. I work mostly with student residence status holders, and I know that they can apply for a work permit at the airport when they arrive (though that does not apply to dependents).
I would recommend that you try to apply for a work permit as soon as possible after arriving and see what the results are.
In general, like you said, you need to apply for your CoE and then use it to apply for a visa from outside Japan. I have heard that if you are inside Japan with a Temporary Visitor (tourist) status when your CoE is issued, that they will sometimes allow you to take that CoE and apply for a Change of Status of Residence without leaving the country, but there is no fixed rule about that process and it is ultimately up to the discretion of the Immigration Agency office where you apply.
One thing I have seen over the past year, though, is that it has been taking Immigration much longer to complete the CoE application processing than in the past. It is supposed to take less than 3 months, but I have heard several people posting here that their applications have taken over 4 or even 5 months. If your CoE is not issued while you are in Japan, then you would have no choice but to leave, so that is a risk you would have to take.
If you are able to change your status in Japan, yes, you would need to complete the COE application then apply separately for the Change of Status once you have the CoE. (The good news is that, in that case, the Change of Status application usually only takes a few days to process. . . and if the office isn’t busy, they can sometimes do it on the same day).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Is it okay to submit an original marriage certificate with an Japanese language translation?
Or do we have to notarize and apostille a copy of marriage certificate?
If we need to notarize or apostille a document, what is the effective period of such document or bank statement? I assume it 30 days, but please correct me if I am wrong.
Thank you and kind regards,
Tulga Sergelen
Hi Tulga Sergelen,
In general, you must submit an original or certified copy of your marriage certificate, plus a certified translation. Please be aware that you will not get any of the documents that you submit back, so if you only have one original marriage certificate, do not submit that!
If you only have one original marriage certificate, than a notarized copy would also be acceptable. You should not need an apostille.
In general, all documents must have been issued within the last 90 days as of the date of application, so that would include your bank statement, and the date of notarization of your marriage certificate, as well as the date of the translation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi i would like to ask for an advice . I’m 23 years old and im currently here ln japan for family visa/temporary visitor (3months only) . Can i change this to residence visa or anything so I can work in Japan and live here . My mother is permanent resident and she has a japanese husband . What should i do ? please help thanks 🙂
Hi Neile roldan,
Since you are a legal adult by Japanese law, unfortunately, you cannot apply for a residence status or visa based on your relationship to your mother.
Your best chance to get a CoE and visa for Japan is to find a job here with a company that is willing to provide you with a visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi
I WANT TO KNOW MUCH MUCH IS THE PROCESSING TIME FOR DEPENDENT VISA NOW A DAYS NORMALLY ?
MY STATUS IS Specialist in Humanities/International Services
My husband submitted my paper for dependent visa 23 October It has been almost 4 months but no updete has come yet. At the time of submitting my paper, my husband’s visa period was 2 months 27 days. On January 16, my husband renewed his visa and is submitting a photocopy of the renewal card to the immigration office. No updete has come yet. Please help me a little. What should I do now?
Hi Nill,
Unfortunately, there’s very little that you can do but wait.
The CoE application process is supposed to take 1-3 months, but over the course of the last year, I have regularly heard stories that it is taking 4-5 months. In the past, I recommended that applicants check with the immigration agency when three months had passed, to see if they could get a status update, but based on the responses I have seen, the immigration agency basically refuses and tells applicants to wait for their decision.
I can only imagine how frustrating this must be fore you, but remember that a delay does not necessarily mean bad news! They’re just slow.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Ari,
From what I’ve been hearing lately, it is still not uncommon for applications to take longer than 4 months or so. But then again, I suspect that if people are getting their CoEs in a timely manner, they might simply not be telling me about it. I think I only hear about the outliers.
I hope some others can comment here to add their experience.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi there,
My father has Permanent Resident visa and currently I am also in japan with holding temporary visiting visa for 3 months.Is there any possibility to me to apply a dependent visa from my father at the age of 25 years to me.
Hi Rupasinghe,
Unfortunately, since you are past the age of being a legal adult in Japan, you cannot get a Dependent Visa through your father.
The best thing he could do would be to help you find a job or school to enroll in in Japan, so that you could get a visa that way.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I’ve been working in Japan for 3 years now on an Instructor visa. I’m a married Filipina and my husband is still in the Philippines. I wanna know if I could get my husband a dependent visa, I’ve never heard of such case among Filipinos. I know it’s possible for permanent residents, for those who are married to Japanese citizens, and also to the who are US nationals but I’m not sure the same is true for Filipinos. I hope you could help me with this.
Hi Kylie Yan,
I do not know of any reason why you would not be able to get your husband a dependent visa.
The visas that you mentioned for spouses of Japanese nationals or permanent residents are “Spouse Visas”, and you would not be able to apply for one of those, but with an instructor residence status, you have the same right to apply for a dependent CoE for your husband as anyone else living in Japan with the same conditions. Your nationality is not a qualifying or disqualifying factor.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
My husbands COE was processed within 2 wks only. Maybe bec of the category of his company. Ive read somewhere that 2 wks is accelerated for Cat 1 and 2 company. His visa type is intracompany transferee – 12 mos.
He plans to apply for COE for us (spouse and minor child) however, we are waiting for the approval of the company which may take after 2 mos from now. We are waitinf for that bec of the benefits included with it. Meanwhile, my son is on vacation break from school and we plan to stay in japan for the duration of the vacation which is 2-3 mos.
Here is our dilema:
Tourist – 15 days max
Invited relative – 30 60 90 days
But if it gets disapproved, we have to wait 6 mos to apply again.
Which type of visa is the safest should we apply for now while we are waiting for the company to apply for our coe?
Hi Dang,
For an intracompany transfer working visa for a company of that size, it doesn’t surprise me that his processing was that fast. I don’t know as much about working visas as other categories, but I suspect that they go through a lot less scrutiny.
For your situation, I don’t understand why he needs to wait for the company before applying for your CoEs. Now that he is in Japan, he has to be the one to apply, the company can’t do it for him, anymore. And the CoE application, itself, will likely take several months to process. So, if he starts it now, you probably still would not be able to come to Japan within 2-3 months. I have heard of Dependent CoEs taking longer than 4 months, lately. (Besides, once a CoE is issued, you have 90 days from that date to enter the country, so you could always wait until the company finished whatever benefits paperwork it needed to do).
Unfortunately, I’m not as familiar with short-term stay visas and can’t really give you advice on those. I hope someone else here has more information on that process or advice!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz