What are the procedures and necessary documents?
1. What are the procedures?
- Foreign nationals who will be entering Japan:
- ① Foreign residents who are currently residing in Japan;
- ② Foreign residents who are extending their period of stay in Japan as highly skilled foreign professionals:
Flow for application for issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility
Step 1: Apply at the counter at your nearest Regional Immigration Services Bureau
Apply for the issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility* for "Highly-Skilled Professional (i)" (either a, b, or c).
* The application can be submitted by the accepting organization of the foreign national who is planning to enter Japan.
Submit a points calculation sheet for the activity you intend to engage in along with materials to substantiate the points, and request to be certified as a highly skilled foreign professional.
Step 2: Inspection carried out by the Immigration Services Agency
The application will be examined for "compliance with the landing conditions" as stipulated in Article 7, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the Immigration Control Act.
(Points will be calculated during this step.)
Eligible for the status of residence; qualify for landing permission
Ineligible for the status of residence; do not qualify for landing permission
Certificate of Eligibility issued
Certificate of Eligibility not issued
* If the landing conditions are met for another work-related status of residence, a Certificate of Eligibility for that status of residence will be issued if the applicant so wishes.
Step 3: Issuance of Certificate of Eligibility
Since it has already been determined that you meet the landing conditions with this application, presenting the Certificate of Eligibility when applying for a visa at the embassy or consulate abroad and having this certificate and visa in your possession at the time of the landing examination at the port of entry in Japan will ensure that visa issuance and landing examination procedures go smoothly.
Entry and residence
Flow of application for change of status of residence; application for extension of period of stay
Step 1: Apply at the counter at your nearest Regional Immigration Services Bureau
Applicants must submit the points calculation for the activities they plan to do and materials that substantiate the points for both the application for change of status of residence and application for extension of period of stay.
Step 2: Inspection carried out by the Immigration Services Agency
Inspection to confirm if the applicant qualifies as a highly skilled professional
Inspection points
The activities to be carried out are those of a highly skilled foreign professional
The total number of points they score comes to 70 or more
Good living conditions
The applicant meets the requirement of scoring 70 points or more
The applicant does not meet the requirement of scoring 70 points or more
Permission denied
(In the case of an application to change status of residence, if there is still time remaining on the period of stay under the current status of residence, the applicant may continue to stay under the current status of residence.)
Permission to change status of residence; permission for extension of period of stay
2. Application documents
- Application for Issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility - PDF (in Japanese)
- Application for change of status of residence - PDF (in Japanese)
- Application for extension of period of stay - PDF (in Japanese)
- Application for issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility
(Entry with employer) - PDF (in Japanese) - Application for issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility
(For family circumstances) - PDF (in Japanese) - Application for change of status of residence
(For family circumstances) - PDF (in Japanese) - Application for extension of period of stay
(Entry with employer/family circumstances) - PDF (in Japanese)
1. Highly skilled foreign professionals (i)
2. Highly skilled foreign professionals (ii)
3. Employment of the spouse of the highly skilled foreign professional
4. A highly skilled foreign professional's housekeeper
5. The parent of a highly skilled foreign professional, or their spouse's parent, who intends to provide necessary support, such as taking care of the highly skilled foreign professional's, or their spouse's, children (under the age of seven); or caring for the pregnant highly skilled foreign professional or their pregnant spouse.
- Application for Issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility - PDF (in Japanese)
- Application for change of status of residence - PDF (in Japanese)
- Application for extension of period of stay - PDF (in Japanese)
- Application for issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility
(Entry with employer) - PDF (in Japanese) - Application for issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility
(For family circumstances) - PDF (in Japanese) - Application for change of status of residence
(For family circumstances) - PDF (in Japanese) - Application for extension of period of stay
(Entry with employer/family circumstances) - PDF (in Japanese)
1. Dependent (spouse or child) of the highly skilled foreign professional
2. Employment of the spouse of the highly skilled foreign professional
3. Highly skilled foreign Professional's housekeeper
4. The parent of a highly skilled foreign professional, or their spouse's parent, who intends to provide necessary support, such as taking care of the highly skilled foreign professional's, or their spouse's, children (under the age of seven); or caring for the pregnant highly skilled foreign professional or their pregnant spouse.
