Spouse Visa in Japan (日本人の配偶者等) — Requirements, Documents, Fees and Timeline, with English-speaking Support
The status of residence “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” (日本人の配偶者等) is for foreign nationals married to a Japanese citizen, and for children and special adoptees of Japanese citizens. It has no restrictions on the kind of work you can do. Climb (行政書士法人Climb), an immigration law office in Takadanobaba, Tokyo, handles around 1,000 visa and naturalization consultations a year and has English-speaking staff. This page explains who qualifies, what the immigration office checks, the documents, the fees from October 2026 and the timeline for bringing a spouse to Japan, changing status or renewing.
The first consultation (60 minutes) is free, in our office or on Zoom. Contact us by phone, LINE or the inquiry form.
Who qualifies
- Spouse of a Japanese national: a legally registered marriage is required. Common-law partners, fiancé(e)s, same-sex partners and divorced or widowed spouses are not covered by this status.
- Child of a Japanese national: a child whose father or mother was a Japanese citizen at the time of birth (including a child acknowledged by a Japanese parent), regardless of place of birth.
- Special adoptee (特別養子) of a Japanese national under Article 817-2 of the Civil Code. Ordinary adoption is not covered.
If your spouse is not a Japanese citizen, a different status applies: Spouse of Permanent Resident (永住者の配偶者等) for spouses of permanent residents or special permanent residents; Long-Term Resident (定住者) for spouses of long-term residents; Dependent (家族滞在, with work limited to 28 hours a week under a separate permission) for spouses of foreign nationals on work or student statuses.
Requirements
- The marriage is legally complete in both Japan and your home country.
- The marriage is genuine (not entered into for immigration purposes).
- You live together and support each other. Living apart without a reasonable explanation is a problem.
- Your household can support itself financially in Japan.
- Your conduct and immigration record are in order.
What the immigration office looks at
- Genuineness of the marriage: how you met, how long you dated, how often you met, the language you communicate in, and how you decided to marry. A short courtship, a large age gap, meeting through a marriage agency or previous divorces lead to closer questions but are not by themselves grounds for refusal.
- Financial stability: there is no published minimum income. The main evidence is the Japanese spouse’s tax certificates. The foreign spouse’s income, a job offer, savings and support from relatives can be explained together.
- Living together: in principle you must live at the same address. Reasonable exceptions (such as a work transfer or caring for a parent) are accepted with an explanation.
- Conduct and immigration record: overstaying, working beyond a permitted scope, missed notifications, and unpaid tax or social insurance count against you. If there is a past problem, explain it rather than hide it.
Three types of application and processing times
| Your situation | Application | Published standard processing time |
|---|---|---|
| Your spouse is overseas and will come to Japan | Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書, COE) | 1–3 months |
| You are in Japan on another status | Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更) | 1–2 months |
| You already hold this status | Extension of Period of Stay (在留期間更新; can be filed from 3 months before expiry) | 2 weeks–1 month |
A COE is valid for 3 months from issue; your spouse applies for a visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate with the COE and must enter Japan within that period. We file as certified application agents (申請取次行政書士), so you do not need to go to the immigration office yourself. Online filing is also possible.
(Source: Immigration Services Agency, procedure pages 16-1, 16-2 and 16-3 — checked 27 October 2026)
Documents (spouse of a Japanese national)
For a COE or change of status:
- Application form and photo (4 cm × 3 cm)
- Family register (戸籍謄本) of the Japanese spouse showing the marriage
- Marriage certificate issued by the foreign spouse’s country
- Tax certificates of the Japanese spouse (課税証明書・納税証明書), or substitute documents
- Letter of guarantee (身元保証書) from the Japanese spouse
- Resident record (住民票) of the whole household
- Questionnaire (質問書) on how you met and your married life
- Evidence of your relationship: photos together, messages, call records, visits
- For a change of status: passport and residence card instead of a return envelope
For a renewal: the marriage certificate, questionnaire and relationship evidence are not required, but if your circumstances have changed (living apart, lower income), add an explanation with supporting documents.
Certificates issued in Japan must be less than 3 months old. Foreign-language documents need a Japanese translation. The list depends on your case; the immigration office may ask for more.
Period of stay and fees
- The period of stay granted is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 6 months. A longer marriage and cohabitation, stable income, school-age children and a clean record of notifications and tax tend to be reflected in longer periods.
- Government fee (paid when a change or renewal is granted; a COE application is free). From 1 October 2026 the fee depends on the period granted:
| Period granted | At the counter | Online |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months | ¥18,000 | ¥15,000 |
| 1 year | ¥33,000 | ¥27,000 |
| 3 years | ¥64,000 | ¥56,000 |
| 5 years | ¥75,000 | ¥65,000 |
Online payment is by convenience store or bank transfer and carries a small settlement charge.
(Source: Immigration Services Agency, notice on the revision of fees effective 1 October 2026 — checked 27 October 2026)
Climb’s fees (tax included)
- COE application (bringing your spouse to Japan): ¥77,000 (no government fee)
- Change of status: ¥77,000 + government fee
- Renewal: ¥38,500 + government fee
- If the application is refused, you can choose either a refund of half of Climb’s fee or a free reapplication (conditions apply; see the fee page).
Fee page (料金): https://visanavi-law.com/visa/price.html
Common reasons for refusal, and reapplying
- The account of how you met and married is thin or inconsistent
- The questionnaire contradicts the certificates, photos or travel history
- Little evidence of contact between the couple
- No clear explanation of how the household will support itself
- Living apart without a reason, or different addresses on the resident record
- Past immigration violations, involvement in a sham marriage, or repeated short marriages and divorces
Reapplying is possible. We accompany you to the immigration office to hear the reasons for refusal, then prepare the missing documents and explanations before filing again.
After divorce, bereavement or separation
- You must notify the immigration office within 14 days of a divorce or the death of your spouse (Immigration Control Act, Article 19-16).
- If you do not carry out the activities of a spouse for 6 months or more without a justifiable reason, your status can be revoked even before it expires (Article 22-4).
- If you are raising a child of your Japanese spouse, a change to Long-Term Resident (定住者) may be possible. Ask us early.
Permanent residence and naturalization for spouses
- Permanent residence: spouses of Japanese nationals can apply after 3 years of marriage and 1 year of residence in Japan (currently). For applications filed on or after 1 April 2027, this becomes 5 years of marriage and 3 years of residence. Tax, pension and health insurance payments must be in order. See our English page on permanent residence: https://visanavi-law.com/visa/application-permanent-residence-en.html
- Naturalization: a spouse of a Japanese national can apply after 3 years of continuous residence in Japan, or after 3 years of marriage with 1 year of residence (Nationality Act, Article 7), instead of the usual 5-year residence requirement.
Frequently asked questions
Q．Can I apply while we are engaged?
A．No. The marriage must be legally registered first. A fiancé(e) usually enters Japan on a short-term stay, the couple registers the marriage, and the application is filed after that.
Q．My Japanese spouse has a low income or no job. Can we still apply?
A．Yes, an application is possible. The household’s finances are explained with the other spouse’s income, savings, a job offer or support from relatives. If the household receives public assistance, a careful explanation is needed.
Q．Can I work on this status?
A．Yes. There is no restriction on the type or hours of work, except for work prohibited by law.
Q．What happens if my period of stay expires while the renewal is being examined?
A．If you filed before the expiry date, you may stay until the decision is made, up to 2 months after the expiry date.
Q．Can you consult in English?
A．Yes. We have English-speaking staff. The first consultation (60 minutes) is free, in our Takadanobaba office or on Zoom. We also handle Chinese, Vietnamese and Nepali.
Contact us for a free consultation
Climb (行政書士法人Climb), Star Plaza Takadanobaba 8F, 1-17-16 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075
- Phone: 03-5937-6960 (weekdays 9:00–19:00 JST, closed on weekends and Japanese holidays)
- Inquiry form (24 hours; we reply within 2 business days, excluding weekends and Japanese holidays): https://visanavi-law.com/contact.html
- LINE: https://liff.line.me/1645278921-kWRPP32q/?accountId=776ekgtz
- Consultations in our office or on Zoom. Languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Nepali.
Supervised by Takashi Moriyama, Representative Gyoseishoshi Lawyer (代表行政書士), Climb (行政書士法人Climb). Member of the Tokyo Gyoseishoshi Lawyers Association, Shinjuku Branch (registration no. 11080978); certified immigration application agent (申請取次行政書士).
