Part of our Visas & Moving to Tokyo guide. Last reviewed: October 2026.
If you’re moving to Tokyo on a work visa and want your spouse and children to come with you, the Dependent visa (家族滞在, kazoku taizai) is almost certainly the route you’ll use. This guide covers who qualifies, what it allows, how the application works, and what to do after you land.
Important: immigration rules and document requirements change, and individual cases differ. This guide explains how the process generally works; for your own application, follow the Immigration Services Agency’s current requirements or get advice from a qualified immigration lawyer or administrative scrivener (gyoseishoshi).
Who qualifies
The Dependent status lets the legal spouse and children of a foreign national with a qualifying status of residence live in Japan while financially supported by that person. Qualifying statuses include most work statuses (for example Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra-company Transferee, Business Manager) and Student, among others.
- Who doesn’t qualify: parents, siblings and other relatives can’t be sponsored as dependents.
- Not the same as a Spouse visa: the “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” status is for the family of Japanese nationals and comes with unrestricted work rights. If your spouse is Japanese, that’s a different application.
- Highly Skilled Professionals have some additional family options. Check the rules for that status specifically.
The core requirements
- A qualifying sponsor status: the principal’s own status must be one that allows dependents.
- Proof of relationship: a marriage certificate for a spouse and birth certificates for children, with Japanese or English translations where required.
- Proof the sponsor can support the family: typically an employment certificate or contract showing salary, and, once the sponsor is already in Japan, tax certificates. There’s no single published income threshold; immigration assesses whether the household can be supported based on income, family size and circumstances.
The application process and timeline
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE). The sponsor (or the sponsor’s employer or a representative) applies for a COE for each family member at the regional immigration bureau. Standard processing is generally one to three months, varying by status and time of year. COEs can now be issued electronically by email, which saves posting originals abroad.
- Visa application abroad. Once the COE is issued, each family member applies for the visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate, with the COE, passport and relationship documents. This step is usually much faster than the COE.
- Travel within three months. A COE is valid for three months from issue, so plan travel accordingly.
- Arrival. At major airports such as Narita and Haneda, each family member is issued a Residence Card on landing.
If the sponsor is moving first and the family follows later, the sponsor can apply for the family’s COE from Japan. Budget three months or more for the whole process, and start as early as the sponsor’s own visa situation allows.
What a Dependent visa does and doesn’t allow
This is the detail that catches people out: a Dependent visa does not include general work rights. It covers daily family life, study and similar activities, but not paid work.
- Part-time work: a dependent spouse who wants to work part-time must first get permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence from the Immigration Services Agency. The general (comprehensive) permission typically allows up to 28 hours of work per week.
- Restrictions: work in adult entertainment businesses is prohibited even with permission.
- Full-time work: to work full-time, the spouse generally needs to change to a work status of residence in their own right, with a qualifying job offer.
- Study: dependents can attend school, university and language school without extra permission.
If a second income is part of your plan, understand these limits before you move. Working without permission can affect future visa renewals.
After you land: the 14-day clock
Once your family has moved into your home, you have 14 days to take every family member’s Residence Card to the local ward office and file a move-in notification to register your address. This step is the gateway to nearly everything else — health insurance enrollment, the child medical subsidy, child allowance, and daycare applications all assume you’re already registered.
If part-time work is part of your family’s financial plan, apply for the work permission early — it’s a separate immigration application, and it’s easy to overlook until you actually need the income.
Extensions and changes
- Period of stay: dependents are usually granted a period linked to the sponsor’s. Apply to extend before the card expires; you can usually apply in the final three months.
- If the sponsor changes jobs or status: the family’s status depends on the sponsor’s, so changes need to be reported and may affect renewals.
- Births in Japan: a baby born in Japan to dependent-visa parents needs to apply for a status of residence within 30 days of birth, in addition to the birth registration at the ward office.
FAQ
Can an unmarried partner come as a dependent?
Generally no — the Dependent status requires a legal marriage recognised under the relevant law. Other routes may be possible in specific situations; get professional advice.
Can my spouse look for work on a Dependent visa?
Yes, job-seeking itself is allowed. Starting paid work requires either the work permission (up to 28 hours a week) or a change to a work status.
Do children need anything extra to attend school?
No extra immigration permission is needed. Public school enrollment runs through the ward office after address registration; international schools handle admissions directly.
Sources and official information
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan — Dependent status of residence
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan — official website (procedures, forms and processing information)
TokyoParents is not a law firm and this isn’t legal advice. See our editorial policy.
