This page lists all 28 documents you need for “Change to Engineer”. Tap any document to see what it is, where to get it, how to request it and what it costs.
Application for change of status of residenceThis is the MAIN form of the whole application — Application for change of status of residence (在留資格変更許可申請書), issued by the Immigration Services…See detailsWhat this document is
This is the MAIN form of the whole application — Application for change of status of residence (在留資格変更許可申請書), issued by the Immigration Services Agency. Every other document is an attachment to it; without it you cannot file at all.
What it must show
- Use the LATEST official version — old versions may be rejected
- Fill it in Japanese, clearly, with no corrections
- Attach the photo and sign in the designated boxes
- Some procedures have a section for your COMPANY / sponsor to fill in — ask them to complete it
Where to get it
Download the latest version from the Immigration Services Agency website, or pick it up at an Immigration counter. IIKANZI VISA can also fill it in for you and export a print-ready PDF.
How to get it
- Option 1: download the blank form from the Agency site and fill it in by hand
- Option 2: use IIKANZI VISA — answer step by step, the app fills the right boxes and exports a PDF
- Print it, sign, attach the photo, and submit together with the other documents
Cost & time
The form itself is free. A fee (paid with a 収入印紙 revenue stamp) applies only when your application is APPROVED — check the Agency's current fee notice.
Notes
Each procedure uses a different form — submitting the wrong one gets your application returned. Check the form name above before printing.
Your situationImmigration sorts your employer into four categories by size and by the tax the company has already paid. The higher the number, the more papers…See detailsWhat this document is
Immigration sorts your employer into four categories by size and by the tax the company has already paid. The higher the number, the more papers: category 1·2 needs almost nothing from the company, category 4 must submit financial statements. The exact conditions of each group are below.
What it must show
- GROUP 1 — public bodies and the largest firms. Listed companies · mutual insurance companies · national or local government · independent administrative institutions · special/authorised corporations · recognised public-interest corporations · certified innovation-creating or Youth-Yell companies.
- GROUP 2 — large taxpayers. Organisations whose withholding tax for last year was ¥10 million or more on the 法定調書合計表 statement. Institutions approved to use the online residence-application system also count as group 2.
- GROUP 3 — ordinary small companies. The company did file last year's 法定調書合計表 but the tax was under ¥10 million — most Japanese SMEs sit here.
- GROUP 4 — new companies / no filing yet. No 法定調書合計表 filed for last year: founded less than a year ago, or never liable. This group must also submit the business licence, corporate registry, financial statements or business plan and a company brochure.
- Can't ask HR? Ask exactly: “Is the company listed?” and “Was last year's withholding tax ¥10 million or more?” If unsure, choose group 3 — a fuller document set; extra papers are accepted, missing ones send you home.
- Dispatch workers: the category follows the dispatch agency (contract and salary), not the site you go to — and you must add papers about the actual workplace.
Notes
You can change your answers any time — the document photos you already took are NOT lost.
ID photo (3×4cm)A portrait photo pasted onto the application form (for COE, on the applicant's page). The Bureau uses it for identification.See detailsWhat this document is
A portrait photo pasted onto the application form (for COE, on the applicant's page). The Bureau uses it for identification.
What it must show
- Size 3×4 cm (width × height)
- Plain WHITE background, no pattern
- Taken within the last 3 months
- Face forward, no hat, no sunglasses, face clearly visible
Where to get it
An ID-photo booth (shoumei-shashinki) at a station / convenience store, or a photo shop (shashin-ya).
How to get it
- Find an ID-photo booth (shoumei-shashin) or go to a photo shop
- Choose the 3×4cm size (the visa / résumé type)
- Print or save the photo; the app will insert it into the form
Cost & time
Automated booth ~800–1000 yen.
Notes
You may use a white-background camera app, but the photo must be clear and exactly a 3×4 ratio.
PassportPassport to verify identity. When submitting in person at the Bureau you must BRING THE ORIGINAL to show.See detailsWhat this document is
Passport to verify identity. When submitting in person at the Bureau you must BRING THE ORIGINAL to show.
What it must show
- Still valid
- Photograph/enter the personal-info page (the page with your photo)
Where to get it
You keep it. If expired: apply for a reissue at the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate in Japan.
How to get it
- Photograph the info page clearly (photo + passport number)
- Bring the original when submitting at the Bureau
Notes
The app stores photos on your device and doesn't send them online.
Residence CardYour current residence card. Photograph/enter it to capture the card number, residence status, and expiry.See detailsWhat this document is
Your current residence card. Photograph/enter it to capture the card number, residence status, and expiry.
What it must show
- Photograph BOTH SIDES
- The back has the address + renewal notes
Where to get it
You keep it (law requires you to carry it).
How to get it
- Photograph the front (photo + card number + status + expiry)
- Photograph the back (address + notes)
Notes
Bring the original when submitting at the Bureau.
Employer category proofA document proving your employer belongs to Immigration category 1 or 2. With it the whole set shrinks to: application + photo + passport/residence…See detailsWhat this document is
A document proving your employer belongs to Immigration category 1 or 2. With it the whole set shrinks to: application + photo + passport/residence card (shown at the counter) + this document.
What it must show
- Category 1 — LISTED company: a printout of the company page in 四季報, or a listing certificate
- Category 2 — a copy of last year's 法定調書合計表 (the page showing withholding tax ≥ ¥10m, WITH the tax office's receipt stamp)
- Category 2 (alternative) — the approval e-mail letting the company use the online filing system
Where to get it
Your company's HR or accounting department.
How to get it
- Tell HR: “For my residence renewal, could I have the category-proof document?”
- Once received, check it carries the tax office's receipt stamp (for 法定調書合計表)
Notes
If HR says there is none / doesn't know → the company is most likely category 3·4: go back to the 🧭 station and pick “small & medium”.
Résumé (CV)A résumé summarizing your education + work history up to now. Immigration uses it to cross-check against what you submitted last time.See detailsWhat this document is
A résumé summarizing your education + work history up to now. Immigration uses it to cross-check against what you submitted last time.
What it must show
- List education + work experience by date
- Consistent with what you submitted to Immigration before
Where to get it
You write it yourself (forms sold at convenience stores / downloadable online).
How to get it
- Fill in a standard résumé form
- Check the dates match your previous documents
Notes
The key is that the dates do NOT contradict the documents you already submitted.
Employment Contract / TermsAn employment contract or a notice of working conditions — proving the job content and salary at your current company.See detailsWhat this document is
An employment contract or a notice of working conditions — proving the job content and salary at your current company.
What it must show
- Signed/sealed by both parties
- States the job, salary, and working hours
Where to get it
Your company's HR department.
How to get it
- Request a copy of the contract / working conditions
- Say clearly it's for a residence-status renewal
Notes
The job content must match the Engineer status (technical/office work).
- Proof of officer's remunerationImmigration needs to know your post in the company and how much you are paid. Employees prove this with an employment contract; an officer has none…See details
What this document is
Immigration needs to know your post in the company and how much you are paid. Employees prove this with an employment contract; an officer has none, so the articles of incorporation or the shareholders' resolution on remuneration take its place.
What it must show
- Shows YOUR NAME and post
- Shows the AMOUNT of remuneration (monthly or yearly)
- Bears the company seal / chair's signature
- A copy is acceptable
Where to get it
The company's accounting or general-affairs section keeps the articles and the minutes.
How to get it
- Ask for a copy of the articles or the latest shareholders' minutes
- Check that the paper states the AMOUNT
- If it only delegates to the board → also get the board minutes
Notes
A foreign officer still needs the Engineer status to match the actual work — the title alone does not authorise any activity.
Certificate of EmploymentA company-issued letter confirming you are an employee: position, job duties, start date, and salary.See detailsWhat this document is
A company-issued letter confirming you are an employee: position, job duties, start date, and salary.
What it must show
- Company name + official seal
- States position, job duties, start date, salary
Where to get it
Your company's HR / general affairs department.
How to get it
- Ask the company to issue this letter
- Say clearly it's for a residence renewal / change of status
Notes
The job duties must MATCH your residence status (e.g. Engineer = technical/office work, not manual labor).
Income certificate — latest yearCertificate of annual INCOME + municipal tax (課税証明書). This is the most recent version the city can issue: Reiwa 8 nendo · 2025 income. Immigration…See detailsWhat this document is
Certificate of annual INCOME + municipal tax (課税証明書). This is the most recent version the city can issue: Reiwa 8 nendo · 2025 income. Immigration reads this one to see the supporter's latest income.
What it must show
- Reiwa 8 nendo · 2025 income — shows total 2025 income and the municipal tax amount.
- You can get it if you had a 住民票 on 1/1/2026. If you were not in Japan that day the city cannot issue it — see the 🧭 station at the start.
- Low or no income still works: you get a 非課税証明書 (tax-exempt version), which Immigration accepts.
Where to get it
The city hall (shiyakusho) where you were REGISTERED AS A RESIDENT on 1/1/2026. Whichever city that was, that is where you apply — if you have moved, go back to the old city or request it by post.
How to get it
- Take your residence card (or My Number card) to the city hall
- State each fiscal year you need — read out the 令和 year shown above
- With a My Number card you can also use the kiosk in a convenience store, which is cheaper
Cost & time
About 300 yen per copy, issued the same day. Ask for all three at once (two income certificates + one tax-payment certificate) so you only make one trip.
Notes
This version is issued from about mid-May (if your tax is deducted from salary) or early June (if you pay it yourself). Before that the city only has the older version — Immigration understands this.
- Tax payment certificate — latest yearCertificate that municipal tax has been PAID with no arrears (納税証明書). Use the Reiwa 8 nendo · 2025 income version — the SAME fiscal year as the…See details
What this document is
Certificate that municipal tax has been PAID with no arrears (納税証明書). Use the Reiwa 8 nendo · 2025 income version — the SAME fiscal year as the latest income certificate above.
What it must show
- Current version: Reiwa 8 nendo · 2025 income. Obtainable if you had a 住民票 on 1/1/2026.
- This year's municipal tax is still being paid in instalments (salary deduction June → May, or four instalments), so an outstanding balance on the sheet is NORMAL — you can still obtain it and submit it.
- The only thing to avoid is an overdue amount (滞納). Pay each instalment on time and the certificate stays clean.
- Immigration's own document list names the fully-due year (Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income); that sheet is the station below — worth adding.
Where to get it
The city hall (shiyakusho) where you were REGISTERED AS A RESIDENT on 1/1/2026. Whichever city that was, that is where you apply — if you have moved, go back to the old city or request it by post.
How to get it
- Take your residence card (or My Number card) to the city hall
- State each fiscal year you need — read out the 令和 year shown above
- With a My Number card you can also use the kiosk in a convenience store, which is cheaper
Cost & time
About 300 yen per copy, issued the same day. Ask for all three at once (two income certificates + one tax-payment certificate) so you only make one trip.
Notes
If you have OVERDUE tax you cannot get a “clean” certificate — pay it off first. Tax arrears weigh heavily in the assessment (素行不良). Switching to salary deduction (特別徴収) is the surest way to keep the certificate clean.
- Income certificate — fully-paid yearThe same 課税証明書 but one year older: Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income. It PAIRS with the tax-payment certificate so Immigration can match “income that year”…See details
What this document is
The same 課税証明書 but one year older: Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income. It PAIRS with the tax-payment certificate so Immigration can match “income that year” against “fully paid”. That is why you need two versions from different years.
What it must show
- Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income — the same fiscal year as the tax-payment certificate in the next station.
- Immigration requires the payment certificate to be the year whose instalments have all fallen due（全ての納期が経過している直近1年度分）. The newest year is still being deducted monthly, so the payment certificate is always one year behind the income certificate.
- Obtainable if you had a 住民票 on 1/1/2025. If you arrived after that date, skip this one.
- Get it while you are at the counter — an extra copy costs 300 yen; a missing one costs another trip.
Where to get it
The city hall (shiyakusho) where you were REGISTERED AS A RESIDENT on 1/1/2025. Whichever city that was, that is where you apply — if you have moved, go back to the old city or request it by post.
How to get it
- Take your residence card (or My Number card) to the city hall
- State each fiscal year you need — read out the 令和 year shown above
- With a My Number card you can also use the kiosk in a convenience store, which is cheaper
Cost & time
About 300 yen per copy, issued the same day. Ask for all three at once (two income certificates + one tax-payment certificate) so you only make one trip.
Notes
If one certificate shows BOTH the annual income and the payment status, Immigration accepts that single sheet — the official page says 「いずれか一方でかまいません」. Many cities print them together; just ask at the counter.
- Tax payment certificate — fully-paid yearCertificate that municipal tax has been PAID with no arrears (納税証明書) for Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income — the same year as the "fully-paid year" income…See details
What this document is
Certificate that municipal tax has been PAID with no arrears (納税証明書) for Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income — the same year as the "fully-paid year" income certificate above. A back-up sheet: Immigration now asks for the newer year, but this is the year their official document list names.
What it must show
- Immigration's document list defines this as the year whose instalments have all fallen due —「全ての納期が経過している直近1年度分」, i.e. Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income.
- In practice, as of August 2026 they have also been asking for the NEWER year (Reiwa 8 nendo · 2025 income) — so the app marks the newer sheet as required and this one as recommended. Carrying both saves a second trip.
- Obtainable if you had a 住民票 on 1/1/2025. If you arrived after that date this year does not exist for you and the station hides itself.
- All instalments for this year are settled, so it is the cleanest sheet in the set.
Where to get it
The city hall (shiyakusho) where you were REGISTERED AS A RESIDENT on 1/1/2025. Whichever city that was, that is where you apply — if you have moved, go back to the old city or request it by post.
How to get it
- Take your residence card (or My Number card) to the city hall
- State each fiscal year you need — read out the 令和 year shown above
- With a My Number card you can also use the kiosk in a convenience store, which is cheaper
Cost & time
About 300 yen per copy, issued the same day. Ask for all three at once (two income certificates + one tax-payment certificate) so you only make one trip.
Notes
If you have overdue tax you cannot get a “clean” certificate — pay it off first. Tax arrears weigh heavily in the assessment (素行不良). Switching to salary deduction (特別徴収) is the surest way to keep the certificate clean.
Payslips (last 3 months)The last 3 MONTHS' payslips (給与明細, kyuuyo-meisai) of the SPONSOR (you) — proving your CURRENT income. Especially needed when you're NEW to Japan /…See detailsWhat this document is
The last 3 MONTHS' payslips (給与明細, kyuuyo-meisai) of the SPONSOR (you) — proving your CURRENT income. Especially needed when you're NEW to Japan / just started working and don't yet have a full year of income, so you don't yet have income & tax certificates (課税/納税証明書).
What it must show
- 3 CONSECUTIVE, most recent months (one image per month)
- Clearly show the recipient's name + pay month + total received (支給額)
- The company-issued version (paper or printed from the payroll system)
Where to get it
Your company's HR / accounting department, or print it yourself from the company payroll system (給与明細 Web).
How to get it
- Request or print the payslips for the last 3 months
- Photograph each one clearly — one image per month (3 slots)
Cost & time
Free (issued by the company).
Notes
If you've worked in Japan for LESS than a year: you don't have 課税/納税証明書 yet → submit 3 months' payslips INSTEAD to prove income. If you already have the tax certificates, this is a supporting document for extra assurance.
Written reason — no tax certificateA letter explaining WHY you cannot submit the income and tax-payment certificates, with a promise to file them once issued. Without it the…See detailsWhat this document is
A letter explaining WHY you cannot submit the income and tax-payment certificates, with a promise to file them once issued. Without it the application simply looks incomplete; with it Immigration sees an anticipated case.
What it must show
- Standard Japanese administrative-letter layout: date (right) → bureau name + 殿 → writer's name/nationality/date of birth/address (right) → the title 理由書 → opening → 記 with numbered points → 以上.
- What the app writes for you: your arrival and registration dates · the 1 January assessment rule that means no tax was levied · the substitute documents (three payslips + certificate of employment) · a promise to file the certificate once issued.
- Print it and SIGN by hand next to your name. Letters to Immigration should be in Japanese — the app handles that.
- Check before printing: take the arrival date from the entry stamp in your passport, and the registration date from the BACK of your residence card (住居地記載日).
Where to get it
You make it yourself — use the “Download the letter (PDF)” button in this station.
How to get it
- Fill in the four boxes above
- Press “Download the letter (PDF)”
- Print on A4 and sign by hand
- File it right after the payslips
Cost & time
Free — one sheet of paper.
Notes
If a law office files for you they usually write this letter themselves — hand them the app's version so you don't have to explain everything again.
Diploma & transcriptGraduation certificate and transcript proving your education matches the engineering job.See detailsWhat this document is
Graduation certificate and transcript proving your education matches the engineering job.
What it must show
- Valid original/copy
- Clearly states your MAJOR
- No Japanese translation → a Vietnamese copy is acceptable
Where to get it
The school you graduated from (in Vietnam or Japan).
How to get it
- Request the certificate + transcript from the school
- If needed: translate into Japanese + write the translator's name
Notes
Your major should relate to the job; if the major isn't stated → submit the transcript as support.
Diploma & transcript (Japanese translation)Immigration does not require a notarised translation. You may translate it yourself as long as the TRANSLATOR'S NAME and the DATE appear at the foot…See detailsWhat this document is
Immigration does not require a notarised translation. You may translate it yourself as long as the TRANSLATOR'S NAME and the DATE appear at the foot of the page. But when a lawyer files for you, the office needs the translation to check it and take responsibility.
What it must show
- Translate: school name · major · graduation date · the subjects in the transcript
- At the foot: translator's name + date + signature
- No notarisation needed
Where to get it
Translate it yourself, or ask the IIKANZI law office to do it.
Notes
Filing in person? You can skip this station — leave it empty and the app moves on.
- Certificate of the Senmonshi titleImmigration's document list for a status CHANGE has a separate item for vocational-school graduates: the Senmonshi title must be proven for the…See details
What this document is
Immigration's document list for a status CHANGE has a separate item for vocational-school graduates: the Senmonshi title must be proven for the education to count towards the Engineer status.
What it must show
- States the title Senmonshi or Kodo-senmonshi
- Bears the school name and seal
- Your name matches the passport
Where to get it
The student affairs office of your vocational school.
How to get it
- Ask the school for 専門士の称号付与証明書
- Say it is for Immigration
- For 専攻科 students, ask for the completion certificate instead
- Company's withholding tax summaryThis single paper both proves which category the COMPANY falls in and shows it really pays salaries and withholds tax. One sheet covers the whole…See details
What this document is
This single paper both proves which category the COMPANY falls in and shows it really pays salaries and withholds tax. One sheet covers the whole company side.
What it must show
- For LAST year (the most recent filed tax year)
- WITH the tax office's receipt stamp — without it the Bureau won't accept it
- A photocopy is fine, no original needed
Where to get it
Your company's accounting or HR department.
How to get it
- Tell accounting: “For my residence renewal, may I have a copy of last year's 法定調書合計表 — the one with the receipt stamp?”
Notes
If the company says it hasn't filed / has none → it is a group-4 company: go back to the 🧭 station, pick “newly established”, and the route switches to the other four papers.
Papers replacing the tax summaryGroup 4 means the company has no tax summary yet (newly founded, first filing period not reached). Immigration still needs proof it really pays…See detailsWhat this document is
Group 4 means the company has no tax summary yet (newly founded, first filing period not reached). Immigration still needs proof it really pays salaries and really remits tax — hence these two papers.
What it must show
- Paper ① must bear the tax office's receipt stamp
- Paper ② must cover the FULL last 3 months with the payment-receipt stamp
- If the company has the 納期の特例 (半年ごと) approval, submit that approval instead of ②
- Photocopies are fine
Where to get it
Your company's accounting department (it keeps both filings).
How to get it
- Tell accounting: “For my residence renewal, may I have copies of the salary-paying-office notification and the last 3 months' income-tax collection statements with the receipt stamp?”
- Declaration about the organisation's representativeImmigration is tightening oversight of small employers: it wants to know exactly who the representative is — name, date of birth, address, and any…See details
What this document is
Immigration is tightening oversight of small employers: it wants to know exactly who the representative is — name, date of birth, address, and any criminal or labour/immigration penalties. Missing it makes the file incomplete.
What it must show
- Use the Bureau's 参考様式 (link above)
- Filled by the company, signed by the representative + company seal
- Date it close to the filing date
Where to get it
Your company's HR or general-affairs department. Handing them the form is fastest.
Proof of CEFR B2 language abilityImmigration wants proof that someone doing language-based customer work really has the level (CEFR B2 ≈ JLPT N2).See detailsWhat this document is
Immigration wants proof that someone doing language-based customer work really has the level (CEFR B2 ≈ JLPT N2).
What it must show
- ONE of the following is enough:
- ① JLPT N2 or above
- ② BJT Business Japanese Test 400 points or more
- ③ Graduation from a Japanese university / KOSEN / senmon course
- ④ Completed Japanese junior high + high school
- ⑤ 20+ years of residence in Japan
Where to get it
Documents you already hold (language certificate, diploma). Lost your JLPT certificate → request a reissue from JEES.
- Company profileA new company has no tax history, so Immigration relies on the profile to be convinced it really operates and really has work for you.See details
What this document is
A new company has no tax history, so Immigration relies on the profile to be convinced it really operates and really has work for you.
What it must show
- The MAIN CLIENTS + actual dealings section is what the Bureau examines most
- Show a real office address; office photos help
- No pamphlet → ask the company for a one-page A4 summary with its seal
Where to get it
Provided by the company.
- Certificate of company registrationAn extract of the commercial register: name, head-office address, founding date, capital, representative, registered business purposes.See details
What this document is
An extract of the commercial register: name, head-office address, founding date, capital, representative, registered business purposes.
What it must show
- The full version (履歴事項全部証明書) is safest
- Issued within 3 months
- The registered purposes should match your job
Where to get it
Any Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局), or order online for postal delivery. Anyone can request it — you need not be an employee.
How to get it
- Ask the company — it's quickest
- If the company is slow, you can request it yourself at the 法務局 (a few hundred yen; bring the company's name and address)
- Financial statementsImmigration checks whether the company can actually pay your salary through the period you are asking for. This is the most decisive paper in the…See details
What this document is
Immigration checks whether the company can actually pay your salary through the period you are asking for. This is the most decisive paper in the group-4 set.
What it must show
- Financial statements: the balance sheet + profit-and-loss pages
- Business plan: projected revenue, cost structure, payroll budget
- If the company is at a LOSS → add an explanation plus proof of capital/orders
Where to get it
The company's accounting department or its tax accountant (税理士).
Notes
Companies are often reluctant to share financials — explain it goes only to Immigration and is not made public.
Certificate of ResignationNeeded only if you JUST CHANGED JOBS. A document proving you left the former company (a certificate of resignation, or a separation slip received via…See detailsWhat this document is
Needed only if you JUST CHANGED JOBS. A document proving you left the former company (a certificate of resignation, or a separation slip received via Hello Work).
What it must show
- Certificate of resignation: request from the former company
- Or a separation slip (rishokuhyo): the former company files with Hello Work, then it's mailed to you
- Attach the NEW company's contract
Where to get it
The former company, or Hello Work (the public employment office).
How to get it
- Ask the former company to issue a certificate of resignation
- Or wait for the separation slip to be mailed after you leave
Notes
If you did NOT change jobs, skip this document.
Information for the formThe remaining form fields you fill in yourself: current address, phone number, planned timing, how living costs are paid (shiben-houhou)…See detailsWhat this document is
The remaining form fields you fill in yourself: current address, phone number, planned timing, how living costs are paid (shiben-houhou)…
What it must show
- Fill in exactly as your documents (address per the juuminhyo)
- The phone number must be reachable
How to get it
- The app will ask each field simply (later version)
- Check consistency with the documents you've submitted
Notes
Inconsistent information across documents easily leads to extra questions from the Bureau / a longer review.
Document checklist
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