VisaJapan asks sponsors to show how they will support dependants
Spouses and children joining a foreign resident should prepare relationship and support records for the immigration application in Japan.
Official announcement date: not established (undated guidance)
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Edited and checked by the VisaWand editorial team
Check the relative and the sponsor’s residence category
Japan’s Family Stay category covers supported spouses and children of residents in specified categories. The Immigration Services Agency lists students and workers such as Specified Skilled Worker No. 2. Match the sponsor’s residence status to the agency list.
The agency’s examination FAQ says the category has no fixed age limit where the person is dependent on the sponsor. That makes the evidence of support relevant even when the applicant is an adult child. The FAQ treats parents differently and describes a separate arrangement in certain cases involving highly skilled residents. This guide covers a supported spouse or child applying from abroad.
Build the financial file around the sponsor’s activity
Use the agency’s Family Stay checklist for the Certificate of Eligibility. It asks for a marriage or birth record or other relationship evidence and a copy of the sponsor’s residence card or passport. A paid worker can show an employment certificate and municipal income and tax records. One municipal certificate can suffice when it shows both annual income and tax payment status.
The checklist gives bank-balance or scholarship records as examples for sponsors outside paid work. A scholarship document should show the amount and payment period. Japanese-issued certificates should be no more than three months old and foreign-language evidence needs a Japanese translation. If a municipality cannot issue the tax records after a recent arrival or move, the checklist directs the sponsor to ask the regional immigration office.
File the certificate application in Japan
The agency’s general certificate procedure identifies the competent regional office by intended residence or the location of the receiving organisation, depending on who files. It provides an online route and does not accept applications by post. A qualified proxy in Japan can act for the applicant. The agency charges no fee for the certificate application.
An example in the agency’s examination FAQ shows why the filer and sponsor should be identified separately. A parent in Japan with Family Stay status can act as a relative and file for the child in the example, while the other parent holds the qualifying work status. Check what proof of authority or identification the filing office needs when someone other than the applicant presents the papers.
Forward the certificate and check the landing deadline
For electronic delivery, select email during online filing and register receipt through the link when the certificate arrives. The agency’s electronic certificate guide permits forwarding the email to the applicant abroad. An applicant can show it when applying for a visa and again when applying for landing. The guide gives separate instructions for a proxy at the diplomatic mission and tells people making a copy of a paper certificate to copy both sides.
The agency’s examination FAQ gives the certificate three months from issue for applying for landing. Check the visa’s separate validity as well. A mission appointment within the certificate’s three months does not by itself satisfy the landing deadline. If the itinerary slips, ask the office that issued the certificate what is required before relying on a document that may expire before arrival.
Check the overseas application and fee before booking travel
Japan’s Foreign Ministry lists a passport, visa form, photograph and certificate for the overseas dependent visa application, with additional nationality-specific instructions. Check the Japanese mission serving your place of residence for local requirements. The ministry also describes applying without the certificate as possible, with more supporting evidence and potentially much longer examination. Obtain the relevant checklist before choosing that route.
For applications accepted since 1 July 2026, the ministry’s fee notice gives an approximate single-entry visa charge equivalent to ¥15,000. It explains that local currency, nationality and exemptions can affect the amount, and an approved agency may charge separately. Ask the receiving mission for the current amount and payment method. The certificate’s free domestic filing is a separate stage.
