Quick summary
#Apply before your current status expires. For related guidance, see the How to Apply for a Japanese Visa page.
When you need to extend your current status of residence before it expires
Include it with your application package and follow official instructions for submission.
Names, dates of birth, and passport details on other forms Program checklist requirements Supporting documents and translations
Overview (What is Form Extension of Stay?)
#Use this application for extension of period of stay to extend your current status of residence without changing its type. File before your current period expires — start when the filing window opens rather than in the final days — either online if you and your organization are eligible, or with the regional Immigration Services Bureau that has jurisdiction over your address in Japan. This is an in-Japan immigration procedure: the visa in your passport was the entry permission, while the status of residence on your residence card governs your stay in Japan and is what this application extends.
The application form you complete and the evidence you attach depend on your status of residence, your employer or school category, and whether your employment or activities changed.
Official portal interface for Extension of Stay
Source: Extension of Stay online portal
Context and workflow
#File before your current period ends. A timely application activates the special period until a decision or 2 months after expiry, whichever comes first. Since 1 April 2025 the fee is ¥6,000 in person or ¥5,500 online, paid only if approved.
Why this matters
- Small mismatches inside Extension of Stay (or between Extension of Stay and supporting evidence) can force rework later in processing.
- Inconsistencies often trigger returns or follow-up requests because they create uncertainty in the case record.
Where it fits in the workflow
- Application receipt (受付票)
- Residence Card issuance at Immigration Services Agency office
- Validity period of benefit
Who uses it
Any applicant who wants to continue their stay in Japan under the same status of residence files this application before their current period of stay expires. For related guidance, see the How to Apply for a Japanese Visa page. Common filers: Work Visa Extension, Student Visa Extension, Dependent Visa Extension.
When it is used
- When you want to keep the same status of residence beyond your current period of stay
- File from 3 months before your period of stay expires — do not wait until the final days
- If you file before expiry, your status is automatically extended for up to 2 months while ISA decides
- Engineer-specialist — Extend period of stay
- Student — Extend student visa
- If you want to switch to a different status of residence instead, file the separate Change of Status of Residence application
- When filing the extension alongside a residence card renewal because your residence card is also expiring
Eligibility Category Codes
#Eligibility information for this form. Confirm your category in the official instructions before filing.
This is a shortlist of common categories. The official instructions include many more.
| Code | Who applies |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | This form is used by applicants filing with ISA. |
Failure prevention (What causes Form Extension of Stay rejections?)
#Technical rejections
- Ensure form edition is current
Substantive weaknesses
- Insufficient evidence to justify the extension request.
- Discrepancies in the provided documents, such as mismatched dates or addresses.
- To avoid filing after current period of stay has expired: Start preparing when the filing window opens about 3 months before expiry, and submit before the current period ends. If already expired, contact ISA or qualified counsel immediately.
- To avoid tax payment delinquency (residence tax or income tax): Ensure all municipal and national taxes are paid before applying. Provide tax payment certificates as evidence.
- To avoid employment situation has changed (lost job, company closed): If employment ended, notify ISA within 14 days and address the interruption promptly. For an extension with a new employer, submit the current employer-category and job documents; use Change of Status if the new duties fall outside the existing status.
What you need (What do you need for Form Extension of Stay?)
#- Current Application for Extension of Period of Stay form
- Passport and residence card
- One compliant photograph (generally 4 cm × 3 cm, taken within 6 months), unless the official procedure exempts your case
- Status-specific evidence from the current ISA checklist
- Resident-tax taxation/non-taxation certificate and tax-payment certificate where required
- Employment contract or working-conditions notice, employment certificate, and employer documents where required
- Enrollment, attendance, and financial-support evidence for Student cases
Checklist (What is the Form Extension of Stay checklist?)
#- Access the latest Extension of Stay form and its accompanying instructions directly from the official ISA website.
- Gather required supporting documents per the instructions
- Complete all required sections of Extension of Stay
- Sign, date, and submit Extension of Stay with all required supporting evidence
Sources for this section
Fees
#| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-person applicationPaid by revenue stamp (収入印紙, shunyu inshi) when you collect your new residence card. Fee raised from ¥4,000 on 1 April 2025. | ¥6,000 |
| Online applicationReduced fee for applications filed through the ISA online residence application system. | ¥5,500 |
When do I pay the Extension of Stay fee?
Only on approval. You affix revenue stamps worth ¥6,000 (in person) or ¥5,500 (online) to the Certificate for Payment of Fee when you receive your new residence card.
What happens if I submit the wrong fee?
The bureau will not release your new residence card until the correct revenue stamp amount is attached. Verify the current amount on the ISA fee schedule — fees were last revised on 1 April 2025.
Fee waiver: No fee is charged if the application is denied. Buy revenue stamps at a post office in advance — immigration counters do not always sell them.
Fees change; always verify on the ISA fee schedule.
Processing times
#| Category | Processing time |
|---|---|
| ISA standard processing guidance | 2 weeks to 1 monthas of July 2026 |
| Busy bureaus / complex cases | 1 to 3 monthsas of July 2026 |
- ISA’s published standard processing period for extensions is about 2 weeks to 1 month, but large bureaus (Tokyo, Osaka) and peak seasons (February–April) often run longer.
- If you apply before your period of stay expires, your current status is automatically extended for up to 2 months while the decision is pending — you can keep living and working in Japan under your existing conditions.
- Processing differs by status of residence and by regional immigration bureau workload. Verify current expectations with your bureau.
- While pending: keep the notification postcard ISA sends, respond promptly to any requests for additional documents, and carry your residence card as usual.
Where to file
#File online through ISA’s residence-application system if you and your organization are eligible, or submit to the regional Immigration Services Bureau with jurisdiction over your address in Japan. This is an in-Japan residence procedure, not an embassy or consulate application.
File online
Eligible applicants or authorized representatives can use ISA’s online residence application system.
Submit application
Submit to the regional Immigration Services Bureau or branch office responsible for your address in Japan.
Check the current ISA procedure page and status-specific document checklist before filing; employer category and recent job changes alter the evidence list.
Form sections (What sections does Form Extension of Stay have?)
#Personal Information
Identification details for the applicant.
- Full name, date of birth, and nationality
- Residence card number
- Current address in Japan
Current Status
Information about your existing period of stay.
- Status of residence and current period of stay
- Expiration date of current period
Reason for Extension
Justification for continued stay in Japan.
- Continuation of employment, studies, or family situation
- Expected additional period of stay needed
Supporting Evidence
Updated documentation proving continued eligibility.
- Updated employment certificate or enrollment letter
- Tax payment certificates (municipal and national)
- Recent payslips or financial documents
Choose your path
#Choose your path based on your eligibility category. Each block summarizes who qualifies, what to file, common mistakes, and typical processing time.
Work Visa Extension
work_extension
Foreign nationals on a work visa (Engineer/Specialist, Intra-Company Transfer, etc.) with continued employment and tax compliance.
File with:
- Passport, residence card, application and photograph
- Resident-tax taxation/non-taxation certificate and tax-payment certificate
- Employment certificate or contract/working-conditions notice
- Category-specific employer documents; additional documents for the first extension after a job change
Common mistakes:
- Missing the 14-day employer-change notification
- Assuming the new duties fit the existing status without checking
- Using the wrong employer-category document list
Student Visa Extension
student_extension
Students enrolled at accredited Japanese institutions who need additional time to complete their program of study.
File with:
- Enrollment confirmation from institution
- Updated financial guarantee
- Attendance records
Common mistakes:
- Poor attendance records that undermine continued student status
Dependent Visa Extension
dependent_extension
Dependents (spouse or child) of a foreign national whose qualifying family member maintains valid status in Japan.
File with:
- Sponsor's residence card and employment certificate
- Proof of relationship
- Financial support documentation
Common mistakes:
- Applying when the qualifying family member's status has lapsed or they have left Japan
Strategy tips
#Mistake severity
#| Mistake type | Severity | How to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Filing after current period of stay has expired | Overstay | Start preparing when the filing window opens about 3 months before expiry, and submit before the current period ends. If already expired, contact ISA or qualified counsel immediately. |
| Tax payment delinquency (residence tax or income tax) | Rejection | Ensure all municipal and national taxes are paid before applying. Provide tax payment certificates as evidence. |
| Employment situation has changed (lost job, company closed) | Rejection | If employment ended, notify ISA within 14 days and address the interruption promptly. For an extension with a new employer, submit the current employer-category and job documents; use Change of Status if the new duties fall outside the existing status. |
| Insufficient documentation proving continued activities | Delay | Provide updated employment certificates, recent payslips, and tax records showing ongoing activity matching your status. |
Examples (What are examples for Form Extension of Stay?)
#- Common weakness: Applicant submits without recent payslips; form returned for additional documentation.
- Strong application: An applicant provides a detailed letter from their employer confirming continued employment and submits all necessary documentation, resulting in a successful extension approval.
- Strong application: An applicant on a work status of residence (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, or Intra-Company Transferee) applies for an extension with the current employer-category and duties evidence, and collects a new residence card (在留カード / Zairyu Card) once ISA approves it.
- Strong application: A student enrolled at an accredited Japanese institution who needs more time to finish their programme submits enrollment, attendance, and financial-support evidence with the application form, and collects a new residence card (在留カード / Zairyu Card) once ISA approves it.
- Strong application: A dependent (spouse or child) of a foreign national submits proof of the family relationship and of the supporter's continuing status of residence, and collects a new residence card (在留カード / Zairyu Card) once ISA approves it.
Common misconceptions (What misconceptions surround Form Extension of Stay?)
#- Filing does not guarantee approval; ISA still reviews continued eligibility and compliance.
- A timely application activates the special period: you may remain under your existing status until a decision or 2 months after expiry, whichever comes first.
- Your visa is not what expires: the visa was the entry permission issued abroad, while the period of stay attached to the status of residence on your residence card is what this application extends.
- Changing employer is not automatically a change of status, but you must notify ISA within 14 days and the new duties must remain within your current status.
- EXTENSION OF STAY has more than one fee component (e.g. In-person application and Online application); paying only one or paying the wrong amount can result in rejection of the entire filing.
- A fee waiver for EXTENSION OF STAY is not automatic — only specific qualifying categories are eligible, and a waiver request can be denied while the underlying form is still expected to be filed.
Edge cases and variations
#- If you are asked to submit or update Extension of Stay, treat it as a package update: check every place the same details appear and keep them consistent.
In-depth guidance
#How to complete this form reliably
Treat Extension of Stay as part of a system, not a standalone document. Most delays happen when details conflict across the form, supporting documents, and other parts of the application package. Before you start, gather the documents you will reference and decide which one is the source of truth for each field.
Fill the form in one sitting if possible. Partially-completed forms are where inconsistent edits creep in. When you finish, review each section and ask "what evidence in my package proves this statement?"
Visa, visa status, and what an extension of period of stay actually extends
Applicants often ask what visa status means in Japan, because the immigration system separates two things that everyday English blurs together. A visa is the entry permission a Japanese embassy or consulate issues in your passport before travel, and it is spent when you land. What you hold afterwards is a status of residence, printed on your residence card alongside a period of stay — the date your permission to stay in Japan runs out.
An extension of period of stay does what its name says: it asks the Immigration Services Agency for a fresh period under the status of residence you already hold. It does not re-issue the visa, and it does not widen the activities you are permitted to carry out.
That distinction decides which application form you file. If you intend to keep doing the same work or studies, file the Application for Extension of Period of Stay and show immigration that the activity is continuing. If the activity itself is changing — a student graduating into employment, or an employee moving into duties outside their current category — an extension is the wrong procedure and the applicant files a Change of Status of Residence instead.
When you are unsure which one fits, compare your intended activity against the status of residence definitions ISA publishes and against the status-specific document checklist for the status you would need. Filing the wrong application costs you a full processing cycle, because immigration decides the case you actually filed rather than the one you meant to file.
Category 3 documents after changing employer
Category 3 is an employer classification used to determine supporting evidence. For an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services applicant making the first extension after joining a Category 3 employer, ISA’s current checklist adds employer and job evidence to the common extension documents: the employment contract or working-conditions notice, company registration certificate, a company guide or equivalent explanation of the business, and a clear description of your duties.
Recent editions of that checklist also ask Category 3 and Category 4 organizations for a representative declaration, and add proof for certain customer-facing language work and dispatched-worker arrangements. Read the item numbers and exemptions off the live checklist rather than from this page — ISA revises them, and the edition in force when you file is the one that governs your package. The employer-change notification is a separate filing with its own deadline; it does not replace the extension application.
Scenarios
#A software engineer on a 3-year work visa approaches their expiration date. They file for extension with their employer's updated registration, their tax payment certificate, and recent payslips.
Extension is granted for another 3 years. A new residence card is issued with an updated expiration date.
Routine extensions are straightforward when you maintain good standing with tax compliance and continued employment.
An English teacher discovers unpaid residence tax from the previous year during the extension application process.
Immigration requests proof of tax payment before processing. The application is delayed by 6 weeks until the tax is paid and certificates are reissued.
Keep all tax payments current throughout your stay. Unpaid taxes are a common and entirely avoidable cause of extension delays.
A dependent visa holder whose spouse has been transferred to another country applies for extension, but the qualifying family member is no longer in Japan.
Extension is denied because the basis for dependent status no longer exists. The applicant must change status or depart.
The basis for your status must remain valid. If circumstances change, consider a status change before your extension comes due.
Key differentiators
#- Unlike Form COE APPLICATION: Certificate of Eligibility Application: Next step after approval: Extend stay after entry on CoE (Extension pathway)
- Unlike Form RESIDENCE CARD: Residence Card Renewal Application: Card validity extended with stay (Extension pathway)
- Unlike Form STATUS CHANGE: Application for Change of Status of Residence: Alternative option: Extension vs status change depending on goal
What happens after you submit
#- Application receipt (受付票)
- Review by the Immigration Services Agency
- Notification of decision
- Residence Card issuance at Immigration Services Agency office
- Receive updated Residence Card with new validity period
Verification
#This guide is based on official ISA instructions for the Extension of Stay and is updated with changes in form editions or filing rules. Always confirm the current requirements on the official ISA website.