Renewing the Period of Stay While Overseas
- An employee holding “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” is temporarily assigned overseas and the period of stay will soon expire. Can they renew while remaining abroad?
- Article 21(1) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act states: “A foreign national residing in Japan may receive a renewal of the period of stay without changing the current status of residence.” The critical point is “residing in Japan.” In practice, if the foreign national is not in Japan, the Immigration Services Agency will not accept an extension filing. Therefore, to apply for an extension of period of stay, the employee must first return to Japan.
After filing, if the application is approved following examination by the Immigration Services Agency, a postcard notice is sent. The applicant must then appear again at the Bureau to obtain the new residence card. At that time as well, the foreign national must be physically present in Japan.
There are rare, exceptional cases with “Dependent” status where parents in Japan, acting as legal guardians, have been allowed to complete filing and card pickup for an infant who is not in Japan. However, because this handling is not a standard, codified procedure, you should confirm details thoroughly with the competent Regional Immigration Services Bureau before proceeding. Note that in such cases, filing through a proxy notification system (e.g., by a gyoseishoshi or attorney) is not permitted; one of the parents must appear at the Bureau in person.
Related Service Page:
Extension of Period of Stay (Renewal)
This is the procedure required when a foreign national wishes to remain in Japan beyond the current period of stay in order to continue the same authorized activities.
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Since 1986, ACROSEED has specialized in immigration and visa services for foreign employees in Japan. For nearly 40 years, we have advised corporate HR teams on compliance, procedures, and workforce planning.
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