Dependent Visa

What is a Dependent Visa, Application Process, Required Documents for Application, Key Points for Dependent Visa, etc.

For customers who

☑Are working in Japan, but want to invite my wife (husband) from her home country to live with me.
☑Applied for a Dependent visa on my own and was denied…
☑Want to change my visa status from a college student visa to a Dependent visa because I married a fellow international student.
☑Whose deadline for applying for a Dependent visa is approaching.

What is a Dependent Visa

The Dependent Visa is a status of residence for family members of a foreign national who is working or studying in Japan to live with that person in Japan. This visa is intended to prevent family members from being separated by work or other commitments in Japan.

Those who can obtain approval for this Dependent Visa are those who fit either (1) the spouse and children of a foreign national working in Japan on a work visa such as an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa, or (2) spouse and children of a foreign national enrolled in a Japanese school on a Student visa.

In addition to the Dependent VIsa, there are other visas for living together in Japan, such as the “Spouse or Child for Japanese National,” the “Spouse or Child for Permanent Resident”, the ” Long-Term Resident,” and the “Designated Activities Visa” for family members or parents of highly specialized workers.
However, the “Spouse or Child for Japanese National ” is for foreign family members of Japanese nationals (e.g., foreigners married to Japanese nationals), The “Spouse or Child for Permanent Resident ” is for foreign family members of a person with resident status (such as a foreigner married to a permanent resident), The “Designated Activities Visa” is for foreign family members who have the status of residence of a highly skilled professional and meet certain points/requirements, The “Long-Term Resident” is limited to Japanese nationals and dependent family members of third-generation Japanese Americans, spouses, etc. of Japanese nationals, spouses, etc. of permanent residents, and special permanent residents, etc., respectively.
Therefore, many foreign family members generally apply for this Dependent visa.

• Dependent Visa Requirements

 

It should be noted that parents or siblings of a person who is granted a visa under the condition above in ① are not permitted on a Dependent Visa. If you wish to bring your parents or other family members with you, you will need to consider whether you can obtain a Designated Activities Visa or other visas.

• What you can and cannot do in Japan with a Dependent VIsa

Application for Dependent visa

This section provides an easy-to-understand explanation of the application process, required documents for application, and the average processing period when applying for a Dependent visa.

Application Process

Let’s take a look at the actual application process for ” Certification,” “Change,” and “Extension” of a Dependent visa.

For more information on the Immigration Bureau (Immigration Bureau) and the Immigration Agency (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Agency), please click here(currently in preparation) for a detailed explanation.

Required Documents for “Certification” Procedure

The following is a guide to the basic required documents for the approval of a Dependent visa (application for issuance of a certificate of eligibility). The required documents listed below are the basic ones, and further supporting documents may be necessary depending on the applicant’s situation and other factors.

It often requires specialized knowledge and experience to prepare the necessary documents for the applicant’s situation. Rather than spending a lot of time and effort and receiving unwanted results, it is better to consult with a specialist (please feel free to use our “free consultation” service).

*1 Please submit a certificate showing the occupation of the dependent.

*2 Issued by the ward office, city hall, or town hall of the municipality in which you reside as of January 1.

*2 If the certificate shows both gross income and tax payment status (i.e., whether or not taxes are being paid) for the year, either one is acceptable.

*2 If your ward office, city hall, or town hall does not issue the certificate soon after your entry into Japan or because you have moved to a new address, please contact the nearest regional immigration office.

You can also download the “Application for Certificate of Eligibility” (PDF and Excel) and other documents from the website of the Immigration Bureau (Immigration and Naturalization Service), so please check it out.

Required documents for “Extension” procedure

The following is a guide to the basic required documents for the Extension of a Dependent visa (application for permission to extend the period of stay). The required documents listed below are the basic ones, and further supporting documents may be required depending on the applicant’s situation.

It often requires specialized knowledge and experience to prepare the necessary documents for the applicant’s situation. Rather than spending a lot of time and effort and receiving unwanted results, it is better to consult with a specialist (please feel free to use our free consultation service).

*1 Please submit a certificate showing the occupation of the dependent.

*2 Issued by the ward office, city hall, or town hall of the municipality in which you reside as of January 1.

*2 Either one is acceptable, as long as the certificate shows both gross income and tax payment status (whether or not taxes have been paid) for the year.

*2 If your ward office, city hall, or town hall does not issue the certificate soon after your entry into Japan or if you have moved to a new address, please contact the nearest regional immigration office.

You can also download the “Application for Permission to Extend Period of Stay” (PDF and Excel) and other documents from the website of the Immigration Bureau (Immigration and Naturalization Service), so please check it out.

Required documents for “Change” procedure

The following is a guide to the basic required documents for a change of status of residence visa (application for permission to change status of residence) to a Dependent visa. The required documents listed below are the basic ones, and further supporting documents may be required depending on the applicant’s situation.

It often requires specialized knowledge and experience to prepare the necessary documents for the applicant’s situation. Rather than spending a lot of time and effort and receiving unwanted results, it is better to consult with a specialist (please feel free to use our “free consultation” service).

*1 Please submit a certificate showing the occupation of the dependent.

*2 Issued by the ward office, city hall, or town hall of the municipality in which you reside as of January 1.

*2 If the certificate shows both gross income and tax payment status (i.e., whether or not taxes are being paid) for the year, either one is acceptable.

*2 If your ward office, city hall, or town hall does not issue the certificate soon after your entry into Japan or if you have moved to a new address, please contact the nearest regional immigration office.

You can also download the “Application for Permission to Change Status of Residence” (PDF and Excel) and other documents from the website of the Immigration Bureau (Immigration and Naturalization Service), so please check it out.

Explanation of required documents

Here is clear explanation of the “Statement of Reasons for Application” which is an additional document to be added to most visa applications, including Dependent visas.

• Statement of Reasons for Application

In most cases, a “Statement of Reasons for Application” is added to the visa application process, whether applying for a Dependent visa or any other type of visa.
This is to explain in more detail the reasons and circumstances as to why an individual needs to make such an application, which are not clear from the “Required Documents” listed above.

By submitting this in addition to the “Required Documents” and other documents listed above, the need for the application for each applicant will be better understood through the application review process.
We prepare and submit this “Statement of Reasons for Application” and other documents to the Immigration and Immigration Services Agency to ensure that your application is reviewed as smoothly as possible, according to your individual circumstances.

Average review period

The average review period for a Dependent visa for “Certification” is about one to three months, while that for “Extension” or “Change” is about two weeks to one month. This is just a standard, and the examination period will vary depending on the applicant’s application, the situation, and the congestion of the application reception at the Immigration Bureau or Immigration Office.

Key Points for a Dependent Visa

This section provides an easy-to-understand explanation of the key points of the Dependent Visa, including things to keep in mind and questions that are often asked.

Points to keep in mind when working part-time

When working part-time on a Dependent VIsa, it is necessary to obtain “permission to engage in activities other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted ” at the regional immigration bureau. And please be sure to follow the “Rules for Engaging in Activities other than that Permitted under the status of residence previously granted ” when you work part-time.

Part-time work may be performed within the limit of “up to a total of 28 hours in seven consecutive days. For example, even if you have two or three part-time jobs, the total hours you can work part-time is limited to 28 hours in seven consecutive days by one person, not by each of those part-time jobs.

 

Seven consecutive days” does not mean “one week (Sunday through Saturday) in a 52-week year. Seven consecutive days” means “seven days no matter which day of the week you count. For example, if you count from Tuesday, it is 7 days until Monday of the following week, and if you count from Friday, it is 7 days until Thursday of the following week, and so on.

 

In this table above, the “seven consecutive days” are always counted from Sunday to Saturday for a total of 28 hours of part-time work. However, this is not correct. The first week from Sunday to Saturday (7 days in blue) is 28 hours, but the second week from Thursday to Wednesday (7 days in green) is 35 hours in 7 consecutive days, which is a violation. The total hours worked in the “seven consecutive days” must not exceed 28 hours in total, no matter which day of the week is counted.

When working part-time with a Dependent VIsa, please make sure to check carefully in advance whether or not the place is an adult entertainment business, and pay particular attention to the rules on working hours.

Notification while living in Japan

This section provides information on the procedures and notifications required while living in Japan on a Dependent Visa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dependent Visa Support and Costs

The support and fees for the Dependent visa are as follows

In visa applications, it is often difficult without expertise and experience to determine and manage “what materials are required” and “what materials are not required” as necessary materials, and to manage schedules and preparations such as “what materials must be prepared by when.
In addition, there are many cases where the hard work and time spent on such a difficult task does not yield the desired results due to shortages.

We provide support for visa applications in a kind, thorough, and efficient manner, taking into account the applicant’s situation. We offer customers a sense of security and satisfaction that only experts can provide.

For the better resolution of the applicant’s issues, we collaborate with various specialists, including administrative scriveners, lawyers, and judicial scriveners, to provide one-stop legal services as a legal group. We also have foreign staff members who can assist in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Nepali.

Please feel free to contact our office for inquiries and consultations. We offer a free consultation (limited to the first session) where you can consult with experts at no charge. You can make a reservation for a free consultation here.

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