Japan Spouse Visa (2026): Requirements, Fees & Timeline
A spouse visa in Japan lets foreign spouses of Japanese nationals or permanent residents live and work in Japan. Its common name is haigusha biza (配偶者ビザ). Officially, it is a residence status (在留資格, zairyu shikaku), not a visa.
There are two official categories:
Spouse or Child of Japanese National (日本人の配偶者等, nihonjin no haigusha to): for foreign spouses of Japanese citizens
Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident (永住者の配偶者等, eijusha no haigusha to): for foreign spouses of permanent residents
Both statuses allow any type of work. Most first-time applicants receive a 1-year period of stay. For spouses of Japanese nationals, the certificate of eligibility averaged about 107 to 112 days in mid-2026.
From October 1, 2026, a 1-year renewal costs ¥33,000 in person or ¥27,000 online. The old flat fee was ¥6,000. Moving to Japan with your Japanese spouse takes planning, so this guide covers every step.
In this guide, you will learn:
Who is eligible and which documents to prepare
How the japan spouse visa application process works
Real processing times and 2026 fees
How to renew and what happens after divorce
The path to permanent residence and Japanese nationality
What is a spouse visa in Japan?
The Japan spouse visa is a long-term residence status. It lets foreign spouses live, work, and study in Japan without job restrictions. It also opens a faster path to permanent residence.
The Immigration Services Agency (ISA) grants one of four periods of stay:
6 months
1 year
3 years
5 years
You cannot choose your period. Immigration decides based on your marriage, finances, and payment record. Most first-time applicants receive 1 year, and longer periods usually come at renewal.
If you live abroad, you apply in two stages. Your spouse first gets a certificate of eligibility in Japan. You then apply for the visa at a Japanese embassy or Japanese consulate.
If you already live in Japan, you apply to change your visa status instead. You file this at your regional immigration office.
👉 Read also: Japan Immigration News: What Every Foreign Resident Needs to Know (August 2026)
Japan spouse visa at a glance
Item |
Details |
|---|---|
Official names |
Spouse or Child of Japanese National; Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident |
Who applies for the CoE |
Your spouse or a family member in Japan |
Where to apply |
Regional immigration bureau, then a Japanese embassy abroad |
Periods of stay |
6 months, 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years |
Work rights |
Any job, full-time or part-time, no extra permit |
CoE processing |
Spouse of Japanese national: about 107 to 112 days. Spouse of permanent resident: about 107 to 138 days (ISA, May to July 2026) |
Embassy processing |
About 5 working days with a CoE |
CoE application fee |
Free |
Renewal fee from October 1, 2026 |
¥10,000 to ¥75,000, based on the period granted |
Permanent residence fast track |
3 years of marriage plus 1 year living in Japan |
Who can get a Japan spouse visa?
Identify your category first. The forms, sponsor documents, and PR rules differ for each.
Spouse of a Japanese national: you are legally married to a Japanese citizen. Apply under Spouse or Child of Japanese National (日本人の配偶者等).
Spouse of a permanent resident: you are legally married to a foreign national with permanent residence. Apply under Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident (永住者の配偶者等).
The same status also covers a child of Japanese national parents and some special adoptees. This guide focuses on married couples.
Eligibility: what immigration checks
Immigration reviews four things before it approves a spouse visa:
A legally recognized marriage: registered in Japan, and in your home country when required
A genuine marriage: shown through photos, messages, and your relationship history
Financial stability: enough annual income to support your household in Japan
A clean record: no serious immigration or criminal violations
Immigration does not accept common-law partners or same-sex marriage partners under this status. See the alternatives section below for other options.
💡Not married yet? Our guide to getting married in Japan explains the marriage certificate and city hall steps.
Is there a minimum annual income?
Japan sets no fixed minimum income for a spouse visa. Immigration checks whether your household can live without public assistance.
Practitioners say a household income of about ¥2.4 million to ¥3 million a year rarely raises questions. Treat this as a rule of thumb, not a legal threshold.
Low income does not mean automatic refusal. Savings, a job offer, or family support can strengthen your case.
Spouse visa Japan requirements
To apply at a Japanese embassy or consulate, submit the following documents:
A valid passport
One completed visa application form
One photograph taken within the last 6 months. Most embassies accept 45mm x 45mm or 45mm x 35mm.
Your certificate of eligibility: the original or one copy. If you have an electronic CoE, show it at the counter or submit a printed copy.
Some nationalities must submit additional documents. For example, Chinese nationals also submit a family register copy and a questionnaire. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs page or your local embassy.
Can you apply without a certificate of eligibility?
Yes, but it is rarely the better route. Without a CoE, you must submit many more documents. Processing can then take several months.
If your Japanese spouse lives abroad with you, they cannot easily apply for a CoE in Japan. A relative in Japan can apply as a proxy. Otherwise, consult the embassy before you apply.
Certificate of eligibility: Japan spouse visa requirements
The certificate of eligibility (在留資格認定証明書, zairyu shikaku nintei shomeisho) confirms you meet Japan's entry conditions. Your spouse, or a relative in Japan, applies at the regional immigration bureau. The application is free.
Requirements vary slightly by sponsor type. They depend on whether your spouse is a Japanese citizen or a permanent resident (PR).
Required documents for all applicants:
One photograph, 4cm x 3cm
Letter of guarantee (身元保証書, mimoto hoshosho), signed by your spouse
Questionnaire form (質問書, shitsumonsho) about your relationship
Proof of your relationship: 2 to 3 unedited photos of you together, plus message or call logs
Resident tax and tax payment certificates for whoever pays your living costs, usually your spouse
Japanese translations of any foreign-language documents
A stamped return envelope
If your spouse is a Japanese national, add:
Your Japanese spouse's family register (koseki tohon, 戸籍謄本) showing the marriage
Your spouse's residence certificate (juminhyo, 住民票) listing the household
A marriage certificate issued by your home country's authorities
A certificate of acceptance of marriage notification, if the koseki does not show your marriage
If your spouse is a permanent resident, add:
A marriage certificate issued by your home country and your spouse's home country
A certificate of acceptance of marriage notification (婚姻届受理証明書, kon'in todoke juri shomeisho), if you registered the marriage in Japan
Your spouse's juminhyo listing all household members
Japanese certificates must be issued within 3 months of the application date.
How long does the certificate of eligibility take?
ISA publishes average processing times every month. For spouses of Japanese nationals, CoEs averaged 111.5 days in May and June 2026. July averaged 106.5 days.
Spouses of permanent residents waited longer. Their CoEs averaged 137.5 days in May, 107.3 in June, and 116.1 in July.
Plan for 3 to 5 months. These averages include any time spent waiting for additional documents.
How to apply for a Japan spouse visa?
Applying from abroad takes three steps. Details differ by embassy, so check the Immigration Services Agency website and your local embassy.
Step 1: Get the certificate of eligibility
Submitting your Japan spouse visa application
Your spouse in Japan submits the CoE application. Once immigration approves it, they send you the original. You can also print the electronic version.
Step 2: Apply at a Japanese embassy or consulate
Submit your passport, application form, photo, and CoE. The embassy may request an interview or ask you to submit additional documents.
Most embassies process complete spouse visa applications in about 5 working days. Complex cases can take longer, so apply well before your travel date.
Step 3: Enter Japan and get your residence card
Collect your passport with the visa sticker. Then enter Japan within 3 months of the CoE issue date.
An immigration officer checks your documents at the landing examination. Major airports then issue your residence card (在留カード, zairyu card) on the spot. Other ports mail the card to your address after you register.
Register your address at your local government office within 14 days of moving in.
How long does the Japan spouse visa process take?
Stage |
Typical time |
Gather documents in Japan and abroad |
2 to 6 weeks (estimate) |
Certificate of eligibility |
3 to 5 months (ISA averages 106 to 138 days, May to July 2026) |
Send the CoE abroad |
1 to 2 weeks, or instant with an electronic CoE |
Embassy visa processing |
About 5 working days |
Enter Japan |
Within 3 months of the CoE issue date |
Total |
About 4 to 7 months |
Start early if you have a fixed move date. Missing documents are the most common cause of delays.
How much does a Japan spouse visa cost in 2026?
The certificate of eligibility application is free. Embassy visa fees depend on your nationality, so check with your local Japanese embassy.
You pay immigration fees when you change your status in Japan or renew it. From October 1, 2026, the fee depends on the period of stay you receive.
Period of stay granted |
In person |
Online |
3 months or less |
¥10,000 |
¥10,000 |
Over 3 months, up to 6 months |
¥18,000 |
¥15,000 |
Over 6 months, under 1 year |
¥25,000 |
¥21,000 |
1 year |
¥33,000 |
¥27,000 |
Over 1 year, under 3 years |
¥48,000 |
¥42,000 |
3 years or more, under 5 years |
¥64,000 |
¥56,000 |
5 years or more |
¥75,000 |
¥65,000 |
Permanent residence |
¥200,000 |
N/A |
Applications filed by September 30, 2026 keep the old fee of ¥6,000 in person or ¥5,500 online. The filing date counts, not the approval date.
Online applications add a payment fee of ¥330 or ¥550. You pay by convenience store or bank transfer, not by credit card.
A reduced fee exists for applicants in serious financial hardship. You must apply in person to use it.
👉 Read also: Visa Renewal Japan 2026: Fees, New October Fee Table & How to Apply
How to change to a spouse visa from inside Japan
Already living in Japan on a work visa or student visa? You can change your residence status without leaving Japan.
Submit the following documents at your regional immigration office:
One photograph, 4cm x 3cm
Your passport and residence card
Your Japanese spouse's family register (koseki, 戸籍) showing the marriage
A marriage certificate
Resident tax and tax payment certificates for whoever pays your living costs, usually your spouse
A letter of guarantee from your spouse
A residence certificate (juminhyo) listing your household
The questionnaire and proof of your relationship
Processing usually takes 1 to 3 months. Fees follow the October 2026 table above. Immigration may also request additional documents.
Should you switch from a work visa?
You do not have to switch. Some foreign spouses keep their work visa because it does not depend on the marriage. A spouse visa gives more job freedom, but it ties your status to your marriage.
Can you switch from a tourist stay?
Changing from Temporary Visitor status is generally not allowed. Immigration makes exceptions only in special circumstances.
Some couples get a CoE first, then apply to change status before the tourist stay ends. Confirm this route with your regional immigration bureau before you rely on it.
Japan spouse visa renewal requirements
You can renew your spouse visa from 3 months before your period of stay expires. Apply at your regional immigration office or online. Online filing requires a My Number card.
Prepare the following documents:
Passport and residence card
One photograph, 4cm x 3cm
Letter of Guarantee (身元保証書, mimoto hoshosho)
Your spouse's family register (koseki tohon, 戸籍謄本)
Residence certificate (juminhyo, 住民票)
Resident tax certificate (kazei shomeisho, 課税証明書) and tax payment certificate (nozei shomeisho, 納税証明書) for whoever pays your living costs. Submit your own if you support yourself.
Note: Spouses of permanent residents submit a document proving the marriage continues, instead of the koseki. See the ISA page for their checklist.
ISA averaged 45 to 50 days for spouse renewals between May and July 2026. The count runs until you collect your new card. For change of status, the ISA averaged 51 to 57 days for spouse change-of-status applications between May and July 2026.
How to get a 3-year or 5-year renewal
Immigration rewards stability. These factors improve your chances of a longer period:
Living together continuously
Stable household income
Taxes, pension, and health insurance paid by their original due dates
No missed notifications, such as address changes
Longer periods cost more from October 2026. A 3-year renewal costs ¥64,000 in person, but you renew less often.
What happens to the spouse visa if your marriage ends?
Divorce or the death of your spouse does not cancel your residence card immediately. Your card stays valid until its expiry date, but two legal clocks start.
Clock 1: Notify immigration within 14 days. The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act requires this notification. Missing it can lead to a fine of up to ¥200,000.
Clock 2: The 6-month rule. Immigration may revoke your status after 6 months without living as a spouse. A justifiable reason, such as divorce mediation or escaping domestic violence, pauses this risk.
The 6-month clock can start before the divorce. Immigration may count from when your marriage broke down, such as a long separation.
Before revoking your status, immigration must give you a chance to apply for a different one.
Your options after divorce
Long-Term Resident (定住者, teijusha): possible if you raise a child of Japanese nationality, or after years in Japan
Work visa: possible if you have a job that matches a work status
Permanent residence: possible if you already meet the requirements
Act early, because your options narrow over time. See our list of English-speaking divorce lawyers in Japan or find immigration lawyers in Japan.
👉 For wider context, read divorce rates in Japan and what they mean for foreigners.
From spouse visa to permanent residence
Spouses have a fast track to permanent residence (永住, eiju). You can apply after 3 years of genuine marriage and 1 year living in Japan. Spouses of permanent residents use the same rule. PR applications took about 280 to 310 days, roughly 9 to 10 months, in mid-2026.
Immigration still checks:
Your period of stay: a 1-year period generally does not qualify
Public payments: taxes, pension, and health insurance, paid by their original due dates
Your married life: proof that the marriage is real and ongoing
2026 and 2027 changes to know
Maximum period of stay: until March 31, 2027, a 3-year period counts as the maximum. From April 1, 2027, you generally need the actual maximum period.
Transitional rule: if you hold a 3-year period on March 31, 2027, it counts as the maximum. This applies to your first PR decision only.
On-time payments: PR guidelines revised on February 24, 2026 require payment by the original due date. Late payments count against you.
New fee: applications filed from October 1, 2026 cost ¥200,000, up from ¥10,000. You pay only when immigration grants PR.
Proposed tighter rules: ISA published a draft on August 4, 2026. It would raise the spouse rule to 5 years of marriage and 3 years of residence. It also adds income, pension, and Japanese-language tests.
Most new rules would apply to applications from April 1, 2027. Reports say income checks may reach applications filed from April 2026. Check the ISA website for the final version.
👉 Read our full guide on how to get permanent residency in Japan.
Can you become a Japanese citizen instead?
Naturalization is a separate process run by the Legal Affairs Bureau. Spouses have two shortened routes under Article 7 of the Nationality Act. You must normally give up your current citizenship, so many spouses choose permanent residence instead.
Alternatives to Japan’s spousal visa
Can't get a spouse visa? These visas can still keep your family together in Japan.
Option 1: You sponsor a dependent visa
If you hold a working visa or student visa, your spouse can join you on a dependent visa (家族滞在, kazoku taizai). You must support your spouse financially.
Dependent visa holders cannot work without extra permission. They need Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted (資格外活動許可, shikakugai katsudo kyoka).
With that permission, they can hold a part time job of up to 28 hours per week. A spouse visa has no such limit.
Option 2: Your spouse gets a working visa
Your spouse can apply for their own work visa with a Japanese employer. The employer sponsors the visa, so the status does not depend on your marriage.
Option 3: Designated activity visa for same-sex couples
Japan does not legally recognize same sex marriage at the national level. Same-sex partners cannot apply for the spouse visa.
Since 2013, Japan has granted a designated activity visa (特定活動, tokutei katsudo) to some same-sex spouses of foreign residents. Both partners must be nationals of countries that recognize their marriage.
Partners of Japanese nationals are not covered by this policy. There is no official route, so consult an immigration lawyer before applying.
Japan's legal landscape is shifting:
January 2025: the government applied 24 laws on common-law marriage to same-sex couples
September 30, 2025: it added 9 more laws, but excluded around 120, mostly on social security
March 25, 2026: the Supreme Court sent six same-sex marriage cases to its 15-justice Grand Bench, with a ruling likely in early 2027
Many municipalities also issue partnership certificates. These give local benefits but no visa rights. Consult an immigration lawyer before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
What is a spouse visa in Japan?
A spouse visa in Japan is a residence status for foreign spouses of Japanese citizens and permanent residents. Its common name is haigusha biza (配偶者ビザ). The two official categories are Spouse or Child of Japanese National and Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident. Immigration grants periods of 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years.
How long does it take to get a Japan spouse visa?
The full process usually takes 4 to 7 months. For spouses of Japanese nationals, the certificate of eligibility averaged 107 to 112 days between May and July 2026. Spouses of permanent residents waited up to 138 days. After that, a Japanese embassy typically issues the visa in about 5 working days. You must enter Japan within 3 months of the CoE issue date.
How much does a Japan spouse visa cost in 2026?
The certificate of eligibility application is free, and embassy fees depend on your nationality. From October 1, 2026, changing status or renewing costs ¥10,000 to ¥75,000, based on the period granted. A 1-year period costs ¥33,000 in person or ¥27,000 online. Applications filed by September 30, 2026 keep the old ¥6,000 fee.
How hard is it to get a spouse visa in Japan?
Most genuine couples succeed if they prepare complete documents. Immigration refuses applications mainly for missing paperwork, weak finances, or doubts about the marriage. Show a legally recognized marriage, proof of your relationship, and stable annual income. A household income of about ¥2.4 million to ¥3 million rarely raises questions, though no legal minimum exists.
Can I stay in Japan if I marry a Japanese citizen?
Marriage alone does not give you the right to stay in Japan. You must still apply to immigration for a spouse visa. If you live in Japan on a work visa or student visa, you can apply for a change of status. Changing from a tourist stay is generally not allowed without special circumstances.
Does a spouse visa allow you to work in Japan?
Yes. Both spouse visa categories allow any legal work, full-time or part-time, with no extra permit. You can also change employers without notifying immigration. By contrast, dependent visa holders need special permission and are limited to 28 hours per week.
Can you get permanent residence in Japan through marriage?
Yes. Spouses can apply after 3 years of genuine marriage and 1 year of continuous residence in Japan. You must also pay taxes, pension, and health insurance by their original due dates. From October 1, 2026, the permanent residence fee is ¥200,000. An August 2026 draft would raise the rule to 5 years of marriage and 3 years of residence, mostly for applications from April 2027.
Can you become a Japanese citizen by marriage?
Marriage does not grant Japanese nationality automatically. Article 7 of the Nationality Act gives spouses two routes. You qualify after 3 years of residence in Japan. You also qualify after 3 years of marriage plus 1 year of residence. Since April 1, 2026, general applicants face a 10-year screening standard, but the spouse route is unchanged. You must normally give up your current citizenship, with narrow exceptions.
In closing
The Japan spouse visa is one of Japan's most flexible residence statuses. It allows any work, and it leads to permanent residence and Japanese nationality.
Plan for 4 to 7 months from the first CoE application to arrival. Budget for the new renewal fees from October 2026.
Immigration procedures in Japan are changing fast. Always check the ISA website, or ask a licensed immigration lawyer before you submit.
Don't miss a letter from immigration
Immigration mails CoE results, document requests, and tax certificates to your address in Japan. If you both live abroad, those letters can sit unread for weeks.
MailMate receives, scans, and translates your Japanese mail. You see every immigration notice online, wherever you are.
Sources
Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Spouse or Child of Japanese National application pages (Japanese)
Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Monthly residence examination processing periods (在留審査処理期間) (Japanese)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Specified visa, Spouse or child of Japanese national
Ministry of Justice: Nationality Act and April 2026 naturalization screening changes (Japanese)
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