Renewing Your Period of Stay in Japan: When Should You Prepare?

September 8, 2026

If your current period of stay is six months or longer, you can usually apply for an extension from three months before it expires. Start checking your documents around four months ahead and aim to submit at least 45 days before expiry to leave time for corrections and processing.

If your current period of stay is six months or longer, you can normally apply for an extension from three months before the expiration date. Do not wait until that three-month point to start looking for documents. A safer approach is to review your case about four months ahead and aim to file between three months and 45 days before expiration.

You may still apply later as long as Immigration accepts the application before your current period of stay ends. Filing at the last minute, however, makes it more likely that you will enter 特例期間 - the special period while a timely application is pending - and may cause practical problems involving your My Number Card, bank account, or other procedures that require proof of a valid period of stay.

This guide covers 在留期間更新許可申請, an application to continue under the same status of residence. If your job, main purpose in Japan, or basis for residence has changed, you may need 在留資格変更許可申請, a change of status of residence, rather than a simple extension.

Short answer: when should you start and file?

Use this countdown:

About four months before expiration: confirm your exact status of residence, the latest document list, your tax and insurance position, and whether all required notifications have been made.
From three months before expiration: people with a period of stay of six months or longer can normally begin filing an extension application.
By 45 days before expiration: the Immigration Services Agency asks applicants to make an effort to file by this point if they hope to receive a decision within their current period of stay.
Before the expiration date: this is the critical legal deadline. Do not mistake the 45-day recommendation for the final filing date.
After filing: monitor requests for additional documents and retain proof that the application is pending.

The filing window can differ if your period of stay is shorter than six months. Current guidance says that a person who is not a mid-to-long-term resident and has a period of no more than three months may apply after roughly half that period has passed. Check the rule for your exact status and circumstances.

Extension of stay versus change of status

Extension of the period of stay

在留期間更新許可申請 is for continuing activities covered by your existing status. Examples include continuing eligible work under 技術・人文知識・国際業務, continuing study under 留学, or remaining an eligible dependent under 家族滞在.

An extension does not guarantee that you will receive the same length of stay as before. Immigration decides whether to approve the application and how long the new period will be after reviewing the full case.

Change of status of residence

在留資格変更許可申請 is used when your main activity or basis of residence changes. Common examples include a student starting full-time employment, a dependent beginning work outside the permitted scope, or an employee moving into activities covered by a different status.

Do not choose a procedure merely because its form appears easier. If your actual activities no longer fit the current status, filing an extension may lead to explanations, additional-document requests, or an unfavorable decision.

A practical schedule beginning four months ahead

About four months before: check eligibility and document issuers

First, confirm the expiration date and exact status printed on the front of your residence card. Then open the official page for that status and obtain the current checklist. Do not automatically reuse the previous application package because forms, required evidence, and classifications for employers or schools may have changed.

This is also the time to contact your employer, school, or sponsor. Some evidence cannot be created by the applicant, such as an employment certificate, company documents, proof of enrollment, transcripts, attendance records, or documents showing the sponsor's income.

From three months before: complete and file the application

For a period of stay of six months or longer, this is normally when the filing window opens. Compare every document against the checklist for your exact status. Confirm that your name, date of birth, address, employer or school name, and dates are consistent throughout the application.

Immigration may accept an application more than three months early when there are genuinely unavoidable special circumstances, such as long-term overseas study or a business assignment, childbirth overlapping the filing period, inpatient treatment, or family members needing to apply together. Early acceptance is not automatic. Contact the responsible immigration office in advance and submit evidence of the circumstances.

At 45 days before: do not keep postponing

The Immigration Services Agency asks people who want a decision within their current period of stay to make an effort to file between three months and 45 days before expiration. This is operational guidance, not a promise that the result will arrive before the old period ends.

If documents are still missing, identify exactly what is outstanding, who must issue it, and the expected delivery date. An incomplete filing may substantially delay review or produce an unfavorable outcome, but quietly waiting until the final days also increases risk. Contact Immigration or an appropriately qualified professional when you cannot assess the situation yourself.

What documents should you prepare?

The basic document set

The exact list depends on your status, but an extension package commonly begins with:

The correct 在留期間更新許可申請書 form for your status.
A compliant photograph when your case requires one.
Your passport and residence card.
Evidence that you continue to conduct activities permitted by the current status.
Employment, education, family relationship, income, or sponsorship evidence as applicable.
Japanese translations for documents prepared in another language.

Rules on photographs for residence cards changed for certain age groups from June 14, 2026. Do not rely on the old assumption that every child under 16 is exempt from submitting a photograph. Read the current notes for the relevant status.

Documents vary by status of residence

For 技術・人文知識・国際業務, the required evidence can depend on the employer's category, whether the employment continues unchanged, a change of employer, dispatch work, and the actual duties. The employer may need to provide documents that the individual cannot prepare independently.

For 留学, the review generally requires evidence that the applicant continues to study. Attendance, academic results, and whether the person has conducted the activities covered by student status may be considered.

For 家族滞在, the documents generally focus on the relationship between the applicant and sponsor, copies of the sponsor's identification, employment, income, and continuing ability to provide support. The official page also explains what to do when tax certificates cannot be issued because of a recent arrival or move.

These examples are orientation, not a complete filing list. Use the checklist on the official page for your own status of residence.

Check issue dates and translations

Many Immigration status pages require documents issued in Japan to be no more than three months old. Documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a Japanese translation. Immigration may also request evidence not listed on the public checklist when it is needed to clarify a case.

Keep a copy or scan of the entire application before filing. Submitted evidence is generally not returned. If an original is difficult to replace and you need it back, request its return when filing.

Filing at an immigration office or online

Filing at an immigration office

File with the regional immigration office responsible for your place of residence. General counter hours are published as 9:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00 on working days, but certain offices or procedures may use different days or hours. Check before visiting.

When an application is accepted at the counter, the back of the residence card is normally marked to show that an extension or change application is pending. Check the entry before leaving.

Filing online

Eligible foreign nationals may use the 在留申請オンラインシステム. People who are not mid-to-long-term residents, some people with a period of no more than three months, and applicants under 15 cannot use the system as a self-applicant.

The online system cannot accept an application on the final day of the current period of stay. Official guidance directs a person in that position to file at the competent immigration office. Online filing also does not place a pending-application mark on the back of the residence card, so retain the acceptance email or other electronic proof in accordance with the system guidance.

After filing: how does the special period work?

If a residence card holder files an extension or change application before expiration and no decision has been made when the old period ends, 特例期間 may allow the person to remain under the previous status until the earlier of these two events:

Immigration makes a decision on the application.
Two months have elapsed after the previous expiration date.

During this period, you may in principle continue activities within the scope of the previous status. This does not mean the expiration date on the front of the card has automatically been rewritten, and it does not permit you to ignore mail or requests for additional evidence.

The special period prevents a timely applicant from becoming an overstayer solely because the case has not yet been decided, but practical inconvenience can still occur. Immigration warns that a My Number Card may stop functioning unless its validity-extension procedure is completed at the municipal office before the date printed on the card. Some financial institutions may also restrict transactions if updated residence information is not reported.

Processing time and fees

Processing time

The published standard processing period for an extension application is two weeks to one month. This is not a guaranteed deadline. Missing evidence, inconsistent information, peak filing periods, employment changes, or additional-document requests can make the review longer.

Do not schedule travel, resign from a job, move home, or make a financial commitment solely on the assumption that a result will arrive within two weeks. If Immigration requests more evidence, check the response deadline and provide the requested information accurately.

Current fee and the change from October 2026

For applications filed by September 30, 2026, the current procedure page states that the fee payable upon approval is 6,000 yen for a counter application and 5,500 yen for an online application.

From October 1, 2026, Japan will apply a new fee schedule to applications filed on or after that date, and the fee may depend on the period of stay granted. An application filed by September 30 continues to use the old fee even if approval comes after October 1. Payment for online applications will also change from revenue stamps to payment through a convenience store or bank. Because the sources for this article were checked on August 29, 2026, open the official fee table again if you file from October 2026 onward.

What factors does Immigration consider?

An extension review is more than counting documents. Official guidelines say that Immigration considers the overall circumstances, including:

Whether the current and proposed activities fit the status of residence.
Whether you have actually conducted the activities covered by the current status.
Your residence history and compliance with the law.
Your ability to maintain a stable livelihood.
The appropriateness of employment conditions if you work in Japan.
Compliance with tax, insurance, and other legally required payments.
Compliance with notification obligations under immigration law.

Meeting every item does not create an automatic right to an extension; the authority reviews all circumstances together. Conversely, do not conceal a problem. If you paid tax late, interrupted your studies, left a job, changed employer, or missed a required notification, identify an accurate explanation and evidence of corrective action rather than submitting inconsistent information.

Common mistakes that increase delay or risk

Starting to request evidence with only a few days remaining.
Using a checklist for another status or an outdated checklist.
Confusing an extension with a change of status.
Giving inconsistent addresses, employment dates, salary figures, or organization names.
Submitting certificates older than the permitted period.
Forgetting Japanese translations of foreign-language documents.
Assuming that filing guarantees approval.
Failing to check mail, email, or additional-document requests.
Deleting the online acceptance email or failing to keep an application copy.
Waiting until the expiration date to attempt an online filing.
Ignoring My Number Card validity and bank information during the special period.

Frequently asked questions

Must I file at least 45 days before expiration?

No. The 45-day point is a recommendation intended to improve the chance of a decision within the current period of stay. The critical deadline is acceptance before expiration. Filing late, however, leaves less time to correct errors or obtain missing evidence.

Can I continue working or studying after filing?

During the current period of stay, you may continue activities within the authorized scope. If you enter 特例期間, official guidance permits continued activities under the previous status until the special period ends. Filing does not allow you to expand your work activities beyond the existing authorization.

Can I leave Japan while the application is pending?

Departure and re-entry also depend on your passport, re-entry permission, the special-period deadline, and the expected decision date. Do not infer the answer solely from the pending application. Confirm with Immigration before travel, especially if your planned return is close to or after the expiration date printed on the card.

Do I need a separate residence card renewal while waiting?

During the special period, the card and proof of a pending application are used to show your position under current guidance. This is different from extending the validity of a My Number Card at a municipal office. Do not confuse the two cards or the authorities responsible for them.

What should I do if the application is refused?

The consequences and next step depend on the individual circumstances. Do not continue activities or remain in Japan based on assumptions. Read the document provided, confirm every relevant deadline, and contact Immigration or an appropriately qualified professional immediately.

Checklist before filing

Sources checked on August 29, 2026. Rules and fees may change; reopen the official page for your exact status when you file.