Especially important
There are exceptions to procedure to extend the period of stay or to change residence qualifications due to COVID-19. Do not give up.
Please feel free to ask us, if you have any problems or questions to extend or change the status of residence.
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Basic Info
There are exceptions to procedure to extend the period of stay or to change residence qualifications due to COVID-19. Do not give up.
Since there are many complicated cases to change or extend the status of residence under the circumstance of COVID-19, and solutions differ from person to person, if you have any problems or questions, feel free to contact us.
contact form
Free Consultation Service
Residency applications for foreign nationals under the circumstances of COVID-19
Foreign nationals who have difficulties to return to their country or other country
1. Foreign nationals with the status of residence of “Temporary Visitor”
2. Foreign nationals with the status of residence of “Technical Intern Training” or “Designated Activities (※)”
(※)Foreign Construction Worker(No. 32),Foreign Shipbuilding Worker(No. 35), Internship(No. 9), Foreign Manufacturing Worker(No. 42), Summer Job (No. 12)
▶︎ Permitted to change to “Designated Activities(Work Permitted, 6months)”.
Foreign nationals staying with “Designated Activities (Summer Job) (No. 12)” are permitted to change to “Designated Activities(Work Permitted, 3months)”.
3. Candidates for nurses and care workers under EPA with the status of residence of “Designated Activities (※)”
(※)No. 16, No. 17, No. 20, No. 21, No. 27, No. 28
▶︎ Permitted to extend for six months.
※This applies to foreign nationals who wish to work at the same accepting organization and work as before.
※This is valid for foreing nationals who submit a document stating that you cannot return your country or other countries due to immigration restriction caused by the COVID-19. Also, please submit a document stating that the accepting organization is able to continue accepting the foreign national with the same activity contents as before.
【For more details】
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- 出入国在留管理庁「EPA看護師・介護福祉士候補者等で在留している帰国困難者に対する 在留諸申請の取扱いについて」(only written in Japanese)
4. Foreign nationals who stay or used to stay for working holiday (※)
(※) “Designated Activities(Working Holiday)(No. 5)”
▶︎ Permitted to extend or change the status of residence to “Designated Activities(Working Holiday(6months)) even once foreign nationals were granted “Temporary Visitor”.
※This is valid for foreing nationals who submit a document stating that you cannot return your country or other countries due to immigration restriction caused by the COVID-19.
【For more detail】
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- 出入国在留管理庁「ワーキング・ホリデーで在留していた帰国困難者に対する 在留諸申請の取扱いについて」(only written in Japanese)
5. Foreign nationals with the status of residence of “Student” and who wish to work
▶︎ Permitted to change to “Designated Activities(permitted to work part-time within 28 hours a week, 6months)”.
※ Limited to those who graduated from an educational institution on or after January 1, 2020.
6. Foreign nationals with other statuses of residence
7. Foreign nationals who cannot take a national technical test and technical intern training*
▶︎ Permitted to change the status of residence to “Designated Activities(Work Permitted, 4months)” .
※This applies to foreign nationals who wish to work at the same accepting organization and work as before.
8. Foreign nationals who have difficulties to keep taking technical intern training due to deterioration of managing at the accepting organization (those who cannot find a new recipient for technical intern training)*
▶︎ Permitted to change the status of residence to “Designated Activities(Work Permitted, maximum 1year)” .
※Specified skilled workers are permitted to work at specified industry fields (e.g. care working, nursing, agriculture) if they wish to learn skills needed for their work or in the case which satisfies requirements.
Please check the site below to recieve support to find a new job
Language: Japanese, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Portugues, Nepal, Indonesian,Spanish
9. Foreign nationals who have not prepared for specified skilled work (i) (technical intern training No.2, No.3)*
▶︎ Permitted to change the status of residence to“Designated Activities(Work Permitted, 4months)” during the preparation.
【For more detail】
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- 出入国在留管理庁「新型コロナウイルス感染症の感染拡大等を受けた技能実習生の 在留諸申請の取扱いについて」(only written in Japanese)
Please see this page to check how to submit applications
- VISA_Submission documents required for the application to change or extend the residence status.
法務省「新型コロナウイルス感染症の感染拡大等を受けた技能実習生の在留諸申請の取扱いについて」(only written in Japanese) - VISA_Procedure for the application to change or extend the residence status.
出入国在留管理庁「新型コロナウイルス感染症の影響により帰国が困難な中長 期在留者及び元中長期在留者からの在留諸申請の取扱いについて」(only written in Japanese)
【For more details(*)】
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- Ministry of Justice.“Handling of foreign nationals who have difficulty returning to their home country or other country”
Language: English, Chinese, Korea, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Portugues, Spanish, Nepali.
- Ministry of Justice.“Handling of foreign nationals who have difficulty returning to their home country or other country”
Foreign nationals planning to enter Japan
You are not able to enter Japan besides a particular reason until the entry restrictions are lifted. After the situation settles down, please submit applications.
A list of countries and regions for which the entry restrictions have been lifted
1. Foreign nationals who have been issued with a certificate of eligibility
○Normal rules
Valid for 3months
○Special rules
Certificates of eligibility issued between October 1, 2019 and January 29, 2021 are treated as valid for 6 months from the date of the entry restrictions being lifted or until April 30, 2021, whichever comes first.
※This is valid for foreing nationals who submit a document stating that the accepting organization is able to continue accepting the foreign national with the same activity contents as at the time when the application for the certificate of eligibility was given, when foreing nationals apply for a visa at the diplomatic mission abroad.
2. Foreign nationals who have applied for a certificate of eligibility
If the starting date of the activities for an application currently being processed is changed, in principle, an examination will be conducted based only on the statement of reasons prepared by the accepting organization.
Download the application of the statement of reasons
3. Foreign nationals who departed from Japan with re-entry permission while in the process of applying for residence
○Those who departed from Japan with re-entry permission, but are not able to re-enter due to the immigration restriction.
○Those who submitted an application for permission to change the status of residence or to extend the period of stay or an application for permanent residence before leaving Japan.
For foreing nationals mentioned above, a relative in Japan or a staff member of the accepting organization are permitted to receive the residence card issued with the permission, and the applicant outside of Japan will be able to apply for landing with the re-entry permission.
Download the power of attorney of a proxy recipient
4. Foreign nationals whose period of stay expired while outside of Japan with re-entry permission
○Those who are not required to apply for a certificate of eligibility(“Permanent Resident” etc. )
After immigration restriction is lefted, it is permitted to enter Japan with Special Permission for Landing.
Please apply for a visa at a diplomatic mission abroad in the country where you stay within six months after immigration restriction is lefted.
※This is valid for foreign nationals whose period of re-entry permission is in one month after immigration to Japan was restricted.
【For more detail】
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- 出入国在留管理庁「新型コロナウイルス感染症の影響により再入国許可の有効期間内に日本への再入国が困難な永住者への対応 」(only written in Japanese)
○Those who are required to apply for a certificate of eligibility(students and technical intern trainees, etc.)
If a foreign national applies once again for a certificate of eligibility, in principle, an examination will be conducted based only on the application form and the statement of reasons prepared by the accepting institution.
【For more details】
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- 法務省「新型コロナウイルス感染症に関する外国人の在留諸申請について:上記PDF3(2)についての概要」
Language: English, Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Porutguees, Spanish, Nepali
- 法務省「新型コロナウイルス感染症に関する外国人の在留諸申請について:上記PDF3(2)についての概要」
【For more details】
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- Ministry of Justice.“Handling foreing nationals planning to enter Japan”
Language: English, Chinese, Korea, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Portugues, Spanish, Nepali
- Ministry of Justice.“Handling foreing nationals planning to enter Japan”
Extension of the period for acceptance of residency applications
Extension of the period of residence
●Normal rules
Immigration counters accept applications to change the status of residence and to extend the period of stay before the expiration date for the period of stay.
●Special rules
Immigration counters accept applications to change the status of residence and to extend the period of stay from those foreign nationals whose expiration date for their period of stay is due in March, April, May June or July for an extended period of three months from the expiration date of the period of stay of the relevant foreign national.
Extension of the period for receipt of the examination results
●Normal rules
The period for receipt of the examination results with regard to foreign nationals who have a residence card and have already applied for permission to change or extend their status of residence is for two months from the date of expiration of the period.
●Special rules
Extended for a further three months.
※People who have a residence card which expires in and later August are applied to Normal rules.
【For more details】
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- Ministry of Justice.“Extension of the period for acceptance of application and extension of the application examination results in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus”
Language: English, Chinese, Korea, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Portugues, Nepali
- Ministry of Justice.“Extension of the period for acceptance of application and extension of the application examination results in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus”