When a foreign national plans to enter Japan from overseas for a mid- to long-term stay, the general process is:

Application for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) → COE issued → Visa application at a Japanese embassy or consulate overseas → Visa issued → Entry into Japan and landing examination → Residence Card issued

This article explains the basic process for foreign nationals who wish to obtain a new status of residence and enter Japan for purposes such as work, study, or living with family members.

1. Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) in Japan

When a foreign national plans to stay in Japan for a mid- to long-term period, it is generally necessary to apply to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).

A Certificate of Eligibility is a document used to confirm in advance, before the foreign national enters Japan, that the person meets the requirements for landing in Japan in relation to the activities or status for which they intend to stay.

For example, a foreign national may intend to:

• Work for a Japanese company
• Operate a business in Japan
• Study at a Japanese school or university
• Live in Japan as the spouse of a Japanese national
• Stay in Japan as a family member

The applicable status of residence and required documents depend on what the foreign national intends to do in Japan and their circumstances.

In certain cases, the COE application can be submitted not only by the foreign national but also by an employee of the organization accepting the foreign national in Japan or by a qualified administrative scrivener (Gyoseishoshi Lawyer).

What does “mid- to long-term” mean?

Here, “mid- to long-term” can generally be understood as referring to foreign nationals who plan to stay in Japan for more than three months.

However, under Japanese immigration law, the term mid- to long-term resident refers to a specific legal category and is not simply determined by whether a person stays for more than three months.

In principle, a Residence Card is issued to mid- to long-term residents.

Short-term visitors, such as temporary visitors, are generally subject to different procedures.

According to the Immigration Services Agency, the standard processing period for a COE application is one to three months.

However, this is only a standard processing period and does not guarantee how long an individual application will actually take.

The actual processing time may vary depending on the application, submitted documents, requests for additional documents, and the progress of the examination.

Therefore, if you already have a planned date for entering Japan, it is important to apply with sufficient time.

Is there a fee for applying for a COE?

There is no government application fee for a Certificate of Eligibility.

2. The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is issued

If the application is approved after examination, the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is issued by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.

A COE may be issued as a paper document, but it can also be issued electronically and received by email.

For an electronic COE, the email from the Immigration Services Agency can be forwarded to the applicant living overseas. The applicant can then use the electronic COE when applying for a visa and preparing to enter Japan.

Therefore, when you receive an email concerning your COE, you should make sure that it is the official electronic COE information issued by the Immigration Services Agency and keep the email safely until the visa application and entry procedures have been completed.

Validity period of the COE

A COE has a validity period of three months.

In principle, the foreign national must enter Japan within three months from the date the COE is issued.

Therefore, after receiving the COE, it is important to proceed with the visa application and travel preparations without unnecessary delay.

3. Apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate overseas

After obtaining the COE, the next step is generally to apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy, consulate-general, or other designated Japanese diplomatic mission overseas.

A visa and a COE are different things.

The COE is issued by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, while the visa is generally issued by a Japanese embassy or consulate overseas.

However, application procedures and the place where an application can be submitted may differ depending on the country or region.

Therefore, applicants should check the latest information provided by the Japanese embassy or consulate that has jurisdiction over their place of residence.

What documents are required?

Required documents vary depending on the type of visa, the applicant’s nationality, and the place where the application is submitted.

In general, applicants may need:

• Passport
• Visa application form
• Photograph
• Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

Additional documents may also be requested.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) advises applicants to check the requirements of the Japanese embassy or consulate where they will apply, as required documents may differ depending on nationality and other circumstances.

How long does visa processing take?

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, when there are no particular problems with the application, the standard processing time is five working days from the day following the acceptance of the application.

However, processing may take longer than five working days if:

• Additional documents are required
• An interview is necessary
• Additional inquiries or confirmation are required
• There is a large number of applications

In some cases, processing may take several weeks or even several months.

Therefore, even after receiving a COE, it is not advisable to wait until shortly before departure to apply for the visa.

4. Enter Japan after the visa is issued

Once the visa has been issued, the applicant prepares the necessary documents, including their passport and COE, and travels to Japan.

After arriving in Japan, the applicant undergoes a landing examination at an airport or seaport designated as a port of entry.

During the landing examination, immigration officials examine the applicant’s passport, visa, COE, and other relevant documents and determine whether the applicant meets the requirements for landing in Japan.

Does having a visa guarantee entry into Japan?

No.

This is a very important point.

A visa does not guarantee entry into Japan.

A visa is an official endorsement issued by a Japanese embassy, consulate, or other diplomatic mission overseas. It is not itself permission to land in Japan.

If the applicant has properly obtained a COE and visa and there are no grounds for denial of landing, the applicant will normally be permitted to land in Japan.

However, the final decision on whether the applicant may enter Japan is made during the landing examination upon arrival in Japan.

5. A Residence Card is issued when entering Japan

If the landing examination is completed successfully and the foreign national is permitted to land as a mid- to long-term resident, a Residence Card will be issued.

Where is the Residence Card issued?

Residence Cards are not issued in the same way at every airport or seaport.

Currently, the airports where a Residence Card can be issued at the time of landing include:

New Chitose Airport, Sendai Airport, Narita International Airport, Haneda Airport, Chubu Centrair International Airport, Kansai International Airport, Kobe Airport, Hiroshima Airport, Fukuoka Airport, and Naha Airport.

At other airports or seaports, the passport may contain a notation stating that the Residence Card will be issued later. After the foreign national reports their residential address to the relevant municipality, the Residence Card may be mailed to them.

Therefore, it is not always the case that a foreign national receives a Residence Card immediately at the airport upon entering Japan.

For example, a foreign national may enter Japan through a regional international airport where Residence Cards are not issued on arrival. The person can still undergo the necessary landing examination and enter Japan, but the Residence Card may be issued later after the required address notification.

What information is shown on a Residence Card?

A Residence Card contains important information concerning the foreign national’s residence in Japan.

Major items include:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Sex
• Nationality or region
• Residential address
• Status of residence
• Date of expiration of the period of stay
• Residence Card number
• Expiration date of the Residence Card
• Whether there are restrictions on employment
• Information concerning permission to engage in activities outside the scope of the status of residence, if applicable

In addition, for new-format Residence Cards issued on or after June 14, 2026, certain information, including the period of stay, type and date of permission, and date of issuance, is recorded on the IC chip rather than being printed on the face of the card.

A Residence Card is an important official identification document for mid- to long-term residents living in Japan.

How long is a Residence Card valid?

A Residence Card has its own validity period.

For ordinary mid- to long-term residents, the Residence Card is generally valid until the expiration date of the period of stay.

On the other hand, people with statuses of residence that do not have a fixed period of stay, such as Permanent Residents and Highly Skilled Professionals (ii), have a separate validity period for their Residence Cards.

For new-format Residence Cards issued on or after June 14, 2026, the Residence Cards of Permanent Residents and Highly Skilled Professionals (ii) who are 16 years of age or older are generally valid until the person’s 10th birthday after the date of issuance.

Therefore:

The “period of stay” and the “validity period of the Residence Card itself” are not necessarily the same.

This distinction is important.

What should you do when your period of stay is about to expire?

If you wish to continue staying in Japan under your current status of residence, you generally need to apply for an Extension of Period of Stay.

For people whose period of stay is six months or longer, an application for an extension can generally be submitted from three months before the expiration date.

If the extension is approved, a new Residence Card showing the new period of stay will be issued.

In other words, for people with ordinary work, student, dependent, and similar statuses of residence, the process is generally:

Apply for an Extension of Period of Stay
→ Extension approved
→ New Residence Card issued with the new period of stay

rather than simply:

Period of stay expires
→ Residence Card is simply renewed

What about Permanent Residents and similar statuses?

For people with statuses of residence that do not have a fixed period of stay, such as Permanent Residents and Highly Skilled Professionals (ii), the required procedure is not an Extension of Period of Stay.

Instead, they must apply for renewal of the validity period of the Residence Card itself.

For Permanent Residents and Highly Skilled Professionals (ii) who are 16 years of age or older, the application can generally be submitted from three months before the expiration date of the Residence Card.

This application is made at the regional immigration services office that has jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence.

Reporting your address after entering Japan

After establishing a residential address in Japan, a mid- to long-term resident must generally report their address to the relevant municipal office within 14 days from the date the residential address is established.

If a Residence Card was not issued at the time of entry, and the passport contains a notation stating that the Residence Card will be issued later, the person should bring the passport when reporting their residential address.

Therefore, after entering Japan, it is important to remember not only the Residence Card procedures but also the required procedures at the municipal office, such as reporting your residential address.

If you move to a new address, you must also generally report the change of address within 14 days from the date of moving to the new residence.

It is important to ensure that your actual residential address and the address reported to the authorities are accurate and that all required notifications are made within the applicable deadlines.

Failure to make required notifications, including address notifications, may result in legal or administrative problems, so these procedures should not be overlooked.

１　Types of Status of Residence in Japan

３　Main Residence and Immigration Applications in Japan

９　Submitting Immigration Applications on Behalf of Foreign Nationals in Japan

11　Mid-to-Long-Term Residents and Residence Cards in Japan