Invited the family / Re-enter

Dependent visa

Dependent visa is for a spouse and children to live with their family in Japan who already hold Working VISA or Student visa.

Dependent person is to be defined as followings.
-The husband and wife are living together and the one (husband or wife) economically depends on his/her partner.
-Children who are in the custody by parents.

Dependent visa even covers children who are over the age of 20 if they are under the dependent of their parents. However, in case the spouse or children get a certain amount of earnings, Dependent visa holder has to be re-applied for another proper visa.

“Spouse” mentioned above means the one who is on marital status. Dependent visa is not applied to common-law husband / wife, fiancé / fiancee.

We have a lot of requests from overseas student in Japan to invite their spouse these days. However, it is very difficult to obtain the visa as their income is not stable because student visa allows only part-time job.
　
　

Designated Activities visa

“Designated Activities” covers various activities in the residence qualification in Japan. We need to confirm the application one by one as even the person has same “Designated Activities”, condition of permission and contents of activities are differ from person to person.
Activities correspond to “Designated Activities” is as following.

1. Special project research
2. Special data processing
3. Dependent for special project research or special data processing.
4. Activities designated by the Minister of Justice
① Servant for diplomat.
② Servant for Investor or entrepreneur
③ Member of East Asia Relations Commission and their family
④ Member of General Mission of Palestine in Japan and their family
⑤ Working Holiday
⑥ Amature athlete
⑦ Represent of international arbitration by foreign lawyer
⑧ Internship
⑨ English volunteer
⑩ Summer job
⑪ International cultural exchange

* There are an exceptional activities. When the Minister of Justice permits special cases such as special permission for landing, permission for change of status of residence, special permission to stay in Japan, “Designated Activities” is to be applied.

Designated activities are being used for various and specific purpose, however, “Working Holiday”, “Invitation of foreign parents” and “Servant” are highly used by ordinary people. Also, there is a case that the person has to apply for Designated Activities when the requested visa application was refused.
Application for Designated activities can be rare case, so it might be difficult to obtain the visa for ordinary people.
　
　

Application for re-entry permit

When the foreigner leaves Japan on business purpose or holidays, they can re-enter Japan easily by applying for re-entry permission at an Immigration Bureau in advance. With the permission, they don’t have to apply for the visa to enter Japan again and can stay in Japan with same visa condition as before.

Application for re-entry can be made at the local immigration bureau, branch, agency which covers applicant’s residence. This application is to be made by the applicant by themselves. However, in case the applicant is under the age of 16 or illness, a relative (parents, spouse…etc) who live together can make application instead.
Also, in case the applicant is unable to get back to Japan in the designated re-entry period due to illness or other certain reason overseas, the applicant can apply for “extension for validity period” for re-entry at Japanese diplomatic establishments (Embassy, Consulate) in the country. The extension period has to be in the expiration date of the visa obtained before leaving Japan and is unable to extend the period of stay of the visa with this application.
Re-enter permission has 2 options – the one allows only one re-enter (JPY3,000 for commission) and the other allows multiple entry (JPY6,000), and still, the permission does not allow re-entry after the expiration of the visa.
　

Special Re-entry Permission System

Under the new system, foreign nationals who possess a valid passport, resident card and who may leave Japan and return within one year are not required the application for re-entry permission.
Persons having a passport with stamps that indicate their resident card will be issued at a later date and who possess an alien registration card recognized as a resident card apply to the new system.
As for Special Permanent Resident Certificate’ holder, it also doesn’t require re-entry permission if they re-enter Japan in 2 years after leaving Japan.

The special re-entry permit system does not apply to followings.
① Those whose resident status is in the process of revocation.
② Those whose confirmation of departure is suspended.
③ Those who have received a written detention order.
④ Those who are in the process of a refugee application and staying with the resident status of “Designated Activities”.
⑤ Those who are specified by Japan’s Ministry of Justice to be a threat to Japan’s national interests or public order, or for other good reasons to be in need of a re-entry permit for the sake of fair control of entries and departures.

Under the usual re-entry permission, the applicant can apply for the extension for expiration of re-entry permission at diplomatic establishments in Japan. However, in case of leaving Japan under the Special Re-entry Permission System, it is unable to apply for extension the expiration date overseas. Therefore, the residence qualification is to expire if the person doesn’t re-enter in 1 year (2 years for Special Permanent Resident Certificate’ holder) after leaving Japan. If the period of stay is less than 1 year, the person has to re-enter by the expiration date.