This page lists all 24 documents you need for “Change to Tokutei Ginou 2”. 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.
ID photo (4×3cm)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 4×3 cm (height × width)
- 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 4×3cm 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 4×3 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.
Health check-upImmigration requires a health certificate on the official 参考様式第1-3号 form for every Tokutei change-of-status application. Your company's annual…See detailsWhat this document is
Immigration requires a health certificate on the official 参考様式第1-3号 form for every Tokutei change-of-status application. Your company's annual check-up sheet or a clinic's own form cannot substitute if any item is missing — the checklist states it must cover every examination item on the official form.
What it must show
- Form 参考様式第1-3号 (health check-up record) — filled, signed and stamped by the clinic
- Form 参考様式第1-3号別紙 (examinee's declaration) — you fill it in and SIGN BY HAND after the check-up
- Have EVERY item on the form examined (height/weight, vision & hearing, blood pressure, chest X-ray, blood test, urine test, ECG…)
- If the certificate is in a foreign language → a Japanese TRANSLATION must be attached
Where to get it
Any Japanese hospital or clinic that offers health check-ups. Call ahead: say you need a health check-up for a Specified Skilled Worker residence application and will bring the form. Not every clinic can do a chest X-ray and an ECG.
How to get it
- Download 参考様式第1-3号 from the Immigration Services Agency site (Specified Skilled Worker reference forms) and PRINT it
- Book an appointment; bring the form + your residence card — fast beforehand if the clinic requires it (blood test)
- Collect the results (usually a few days to 1-2 weeks), then write and sign the examinee's declaration
- Health check-ups are NOT covered by health insurance → you pay the full price, which varies by clinic; ask first
Notes
This is the slowest item in the whole file (booking + waiting for results) — start EARLY, not right before filing. An abnormal result is not an automatic refusal, but talk to your support organisation before submitting.
Field & nationalityImmigration's document list applies the bilateral-agreement paper only to certain nationalities (June 2026 edition: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam for…See detailsWhat this document is
Immigration's document list applies the bilateral-agreement paper only to certain nationalities (June 2026 edition: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam for Tokutei 1; Cambodia, Vietnam for Tokutei 2), and the skills-transfer declaration only to former technical intern trainees. Answering here keeps the app showing only what applies to you.
Notes
The list of MOC countries changes over time — if you hold another nationality but your company mentions an MOC step, check the Immigration Services Agency page again.
Trade skills certificateThe skills requirement for moving up to Specified Skilled Worker (ii). For manufacturing, Immigration checks two halves: trade skill (Grade 1 test or…See detailsWhat this document is
The skills requirement for moving up to Specified Skilled Worker (ii). For manufacturing, Immigration checks two halves: trade skill (Grade 1 test or the No.2 evaluation exam) AND production-management ability. This station covers the SKILL half.
What it must show
- Grade 1 trade-skills certificate OR the No.2 evaluation exam certificate
- Matching the field you actually work in
- A clear copy showing your name + issue date
Where to get it
Issued by the field's examining body. If you lost the original, request a reissue from that body.
How to get it
- Photograph/scan the original, flat, all four corners visible
- Check the name matches your passport
- Not taken it yet? Ask your company about the next exam date
Notes
Some fields (e.g. construction) additionally require experience in a supervisory role — check with your company first.
- Production managementSpecified Skilled Worker (ii) in manufacturing requires you to prove you can MANAGE production, not just operate. The Business Career Test in…See details
What this document is
Specified Skilled Worker (ii) in manufacturing requires you to prove you can MANAGE production, not just operate. The Business Career Test in Production Management (Grade 3) is run by JAVADA, in Japanese, now computer-based so you can book almost year-round.
What it must show
- The Business Career Test certificate, Production Management, Grade 3
- Both the Operations and the Planning stream are accepted
- Clear copy showing name + certificate number + issue date
Where to get it
Run by JAVADA (javada.or.jp). Book the computer-based test through their site.
How to get it
- Not taken it yet → practise on the IIKANZI Tokutei 2 app (g2.iikanzi.jp)
- Book the CBT on the JAVADA site, Production Management Grade 3
- Once you pass, photograph the certificate here
Notes
This station is for MANUFACTURING. Other fields (construction, food service, agriculture…) do not use the Business Career Test and have their own criteria — check with your employer and skip this station.
- Japanese abilityMany people assume Specified Skilled Worker (ii) needs JLPT N3 — for manufacturing it does not. The requirements are the two technical certificates…See details
What this document is
Many people assume Specified Skilled Worker (ii) needs JLPT N3 — for manufacturing it does not. The requirements are the two technical certificates (trade skill + production management) plus supervisory experience. Don't delay your application waiting for N3.
What it must show
- Not required for manufacturing
- Attach N3/N2 if you have it, to strengthen the file
- Other fields: ask your employer whether Japanese is required
Where to get it
JFT-Basic: the Japan Foundation (jfstandard.jp). JLPT: jlpt.jp. Lost it? Request a reissue from the organiser.
How to get it
- No certificate? Just leave this station empty
- Have one? Photograph it to round out the file
Notes
Field-specific rules can change — check your field's operational policy or ask your support organisation before filing.
Work experienceDocuments proving actual WORK EXPERIENCE. Moving up to Tokutei 2 requires enough years of experience (usually 2 years; some fields require a…See detailsWhat this document is
Documents proving actual WORK EXPERIENCE. Moving up to Tokutei 2 requires enough years of experience (usually 2 years; some fields require a leadership/supervisory position).
What it must show
- States dates + job duties + position
- Certified by the company
Where to get it
Your current company (and/or a former company where you built experience).
How to get it
- Ask the company to issue an experience certificate
- Enter correct dates matching your contract
Notes
Required years & position DIFFER by field — check your field's conditions.
Employment contractThe employment contract and working-conditions notice with the accepting company, proving the job + salary.See detailsWhat this document is
The employment contract and working-conditions notice with the accepting company, proving the job + salary.
What it must show
- Signed by both parties
- States the job content, salary, and working hours
Where to get it
The accepting company.
How to get it
- Request a copy of the contract + working-conditions notice from the company
Notes
Salary must be EQUIVALENT to a Japanese person in the same position — a point the Bureau checks carefully for Tokutei.
- Any late payment?Unpaid or late tax / pension / insurance is the most common reason Tokutei applications fail. If it happened, Immigration does NOT auto-refuse — but…See details
What this document is
Unpaid or late tax / pension / insurance is the most common reason Tokutei applications fail. If it happened, Immigration does NOT auto-refuse — but you must file an explanation saying why, and whether you have paid it up.
What it must show
- Not sure → get your record at the pension office (被保険者記録照会回答票); it shows everything
- Back-payment is possible for up to 2 years — pay up BEFORE filing
- If unsure, pick “Not sure” and the app prepares the explanation letter
Income certificateCertificate of annual INCOME + municipal (resident) tax (課税証明書, kazei-shōmeisho). The version to use now is Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income.See detailsWhat this document is
Certificate of annual INCOME + municipal (resident) tax (課税証明書, kazei-shōmeisho). The version to use now is Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income.
What it must show
- Shows total annual income + municipal tax amount
- Request exactly the Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income version
Where to get it
Apply at the CITY HALL (shiyakusho) where you were REGISTERED AS A RESIDENT on 1/1/2025. If you lived in a different city on that date, you must apply at that former city.
How to get it
- Bring your residence card (or My Number card) to the city hall
- Request the Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income version
- With a My Number card you can also get it at a kiosk in a convenience store
Cost & time
About 300 yen per copy. Issued the same day.
Notes
Why NOT a newer year (income 2025): that year's municipal tax is paid in several installments and is only FULLY paid around early 2027 — until then the tax-payment certificate is not “clean”. So for now, get all 3 documents consistently for the 2024 income year.
- Tax payment certificateCertificate that municipal tax has been FULLY PAID with no arrears (納税証明書, nōzei-shōmeisho). Get it together with the Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income…See details
What this document is
Certificate that municipal tax has been FULLY PAID with no arrears (納税証明書, nōzei-shōmeisho). Get it together with the Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income income certificate.
What it must show
- Confirms municipal tax is fully paid with no arrears
- Same year as the income certificate (Reiwa 7 nendo · 2024 income)
Where to get it
Same place as the income certificate: the city hall where you resided on 1/1/2025.
How to get it
- Request it at the same time as the income certificate
- Clearly ask for the “fully paid, no arrears” version
Cost & time
About 300 yen per copy. Issued the same day.
Notes
If you have arrears or haven't finished paying, you can't get a “clean” certificate — that's why you use an income year for which tax is already fully paid.
- National tax certificateThis is a TAX OFFICE (税務署) certificate about NATIONAL tax — quite different from the two municipal tax papers you get at city hall (payment…See details
What this document is
This is a TAX OFFICE (税務署) certificate about NATIONAL tax — quite different from the two municipal tax papers you get at city hall (payment certificate and taxation certificate). In Immigration's checklist it belongs to TABLE 2 (the accepting company's documents — the tax types even include corporate tax) rather than to Table 1 for the applicant. Table 1 mentions it only in a note under the withholding-slip item.
What it must show
- Needed only when: several withholding slips in one year + the last employer did no year-end adjustment
- You must file a tax return first, then request it
- Type “その3” (the no-arrears version), issued within 3 months
- If you are on a tax deferral, Immigration also asks for the “その1” version
Where to get it
The tax office (税務署) for your address — bring your residence card + My Number.
How to get it
- First check your withholding slips: how many did you get that year?
- Only one → you don't need this; skip the station
- Several + no year-end adjustment at the last employer → file a tax return, then at the tax office ask for the 納税証明書 form 3
- Can also be requested by post or via e-Tax
Notes
If you do submit it, it must show no arrears. Owe national tax → pay it off first; a certificate showing arrears is a near-certain refusal.
Withholding tax slipYear-end tax withholding slip issued by your company (源泉徴収票, gensen) — proves your annual income. The version matching the current tax set is Reiwa 6…See detailsWhat this document is
Year-end tax withholding slip issued by your company (源泉徴収票, gensen) — proves your annual income. The version matching the current tax set is Reiwa 6 · 2024 income.
What it must show
- The gensen Reiwa 6 · 2024 income version
- Or recent months' payslips (kyuuyo-meisai)
Where to get it
Your company's HR / accounting department.
How to get it
- Withholding slip: issued by the company at year-end; if lost, ask for a reissue
- Payslips: get paper copies or print from the company payroll system
Notes
If you changed companies mid-year, get the withholding slip from your FORMER company too. ⏱️ NEWCOMER — DO YOU ALREADY HAVE THIS? The gensen is issued by the company after 年末調整 (year-end tax adjustment), around December / early the next year. ➊ You've worked through at least one year-end adjustment (year 2025 or earlier): you HAVE a gensen (令和7年分, 2025 income). ➋ Just arrived / just started working this year: you have NO gensen yet since you haven't been through a year-end adjustment → the first one comes out in around December 2026 – early 2027; while waiting, submit your last 3 MONTHS' PAYSLIPS instead to prove income.
Explanation letterNeeded only if your record shows late or missed payments. Keep it short and honest: which period, the circumstances (job change, illness, didn't…See detailsWhat this document is
Needed only if your record shows late or missed payments. Keep it short and honest: which period, the circumstances (job change, illness, didn't understand the system…), the date you paid it up, and a commitment to pay on time from now on.
What it must show
- Attach PROOF of back-payment (receipts) — more important than the explanation itself
- Date it and sign by hand
- Don't invent reasons — Immigration can cross-check pension records
Where to get it
You write it yourself (no fixed form). Support organisations usually have a template.
Notes
Filing before you have paid up is very risky — pay it off first, then file.
- Who pays your insurance?Immigration's official document list says the insurance and pension papers are required only IF you are enrolled in national health insurance /…See details
What this document is
Immigration's official document list says the insurance and pension papers are required only IF you are enrolled in national health insurance / national pension. If your company enrols you in social insurance, Immigration checks that itself. This question lets the app show only what you actually need.
What it must show
- Check your payslip: lines for 健康保険 + 厚生年金 deducted → company-paid
- Card says 国民健康保険 and you pay at the city hall → self-paid
- Recently arrived / had months between jobs → pick “Both”
Notes
Pick “Both” if unsure — the app will prepare papers for the self-paid period. Extra papers are harmless; missing ones trigger follow-up requests.
National pensionImmigration checks whether you kept up national-pension payments while you were self-enrolled — the single most common reason Tokutei applications…See detailsWhat this document is
Immigration checks whether you kept up national-pension payments while you were self-enrolled — the single most common reason Tokutei applications fail. Many people skipped payments as a trainee or between jobs without realising.
What it must show
- ① The record enquiry reply (被保険者記録照会回答票)
- ② The payment record (納付Ⅱ) OR the last 24 months of receipts
- Mask the basic pension number
- Already filed within the past year with nothing changed → may be omitted
Where to get it
Your local pension office (年金事務所).
How to get it
- At the pension office say: “I'd like the 被保険者記録照会回答票 and 納付Ⅱ, please.”
- Bring your residence card + My Number (+ pension book if you have one)
- Free, usually issued same day
Notes
If you find unpaid months → pay them up FIRST, then request the documents (back-payment is possible for up to 2 years).
- Health insurance papersProves you were enrolled in and paid national health insurance during the self-paid period. Together with pension and tax, this is the trio…See details
What this document is
Proves you were enrolled in and paid national health insurance during the self-paid period. Together with pension and tax, this is the trio Immigration scrutinises most for Tokutei.
What it must show
- ① Myna Portal → print your insurance eligibility info, or copy the 資格確認書
- ② The payment certificate for the latest fiscal year (city hall)
- Mask the insurer number and member symbol/number
- If you have a payment deferral → add a copy of that notice
Where to get it
① Your phone (Myna Portal app) or what you already hold. ② Your city hall (national health insurance desk).
How to get it
- At the city hall say: “I'd like the national health insurance payment certificate, please.”
- Bring your residence card + My Number
- Usually ¥200–400, issued on the spot
Notes
If you filed these within the past year for an earlier application and nothing changed → they may be omitted.
Bilateral pact (MOC)Japan has signed Memoranda of Cooperation (MOC) on Specified Skilled Workers with several countries. For those countries you must also complete a…See detailsWhat this document is
Japan has signed Memoranda of Cooperation (MOC) on Specified Skilled Workers with several countries. For those countries you must also complete a step on your own country's side; without it Immigration may ask for the paper and the review drags on.
What it must show
- 🇻🇳 Vietnam — a recommendation letter (推薦者表) from the overseas-labour authority
- 🇰🇭 Cambodia — the registration / confirmation paper issued by Cambodia's labour ministry
- Foreign-language papers → attach a Japanese translation
Where to get it
Your OWN country's authorities, not a Japanese office: Vietnamese nationals in Japan go through the Embassy in Tokyo or the Consulates-General in Osaka and Fukuoka. The Japanese-side guidance page: moj.go.jp/isa → Specified Skilled Worker → bilateral agreements.
How to get it
- Ask the accepting company / registered support organisation FIRST — many have done this before and hold the templates
- Check the Immigration Services Agency's bilateral-agreement page for your country's current step
- Vietnamese nationals: prepare passport, residence card and employment contract, then contact the Embassy/Consulate per the instructions on their site
- Start early — going through a foreign authority usually takes weeks
Notes
The checklist marks this △ (only if applicable) — in many cases the accepting company already handled it when the contract was signed. Ask them before starting from scratch.
- Skills-transfer formThe technical intern training programme is officially about taking the skills you learned back to your home country. In this declaration you state…See details
What this document is
The technical intern training programme is officially about taking the skills you learned back to your home country. In this declaration you state, in your own words, what skills you acquired and how you intend to use and pass them on. Substance matters, not style.
What it must show
- Form 参考様式第1-10号 from the Immigration Services Agency site
- Written in a language you understand (translated versions are provided)
- Your own HANDWRITTEN signature
- State the correct trade and the period you were a trainee
Where to get it
Download from the Immigration Services Agency site (Specified Skilled Worker reference forms). Support organisations usually keep bilingual copies.
Notes
If your traineeship ended irregularly (absconding, early return…), tell your support organisation honestly first — Immigration can see that history.
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.
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.