Quick answer
- Documents needed
- Application for extension of period of stay · The applicant's passport · Evidence of the reason · Proof of living costs and return travel · Proof of relationship. Full list, including case-by-case documents, in the checklist below.
- Where to apply
- The Immigration bureau covering where your relative is staying.
- When to apply
- Before the permitted stay ends. Only approved for a genuine reason (illness, childbirth…), not for everyone.
- Immigration fee
- If approved: ¥10,000 from 1 Oct 2026 (3 months or less). Full fee table →
- Processing time
- Apply as early as possible, well before the stay ends.
- Do it yourself or get help
- Yourself: free with the IIKANZI VISA app (auto-filled form, document checklist). Partner administrative scrivener (行政書士): quoted after reviewing your case. Service prices →
This page lists all 8 documents you need for “Extend a relative-visit visa”. Tap any document to see what it is, where to get it, how to request it and what it costs.
Application for extension of period of stayThis is the MAIN form of the whole application — Application for extension of period of stay (在留期間更新許可申請書), issued by the Immigration Services…See detailsWhat this document is
This is the MAIN form of the whole application — Application for extension of period of stay (在留期間更新許可申請書), 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 is paid only when your application is APPROVED and depends on the period granted (from 1 Oct 2026): 1 year ¥33,000 at the counter / ¥27,000 online — at the counter you pay with 収入印紙 revenue stamps. Permanent residence ¥200,000.
Notes
Each procedure uses a different form — submitting the wrong one gets your application returned. Check the form name above before printing.
Why more time is neededThe conditions, where to file, and when to file a short-stay extension.See detailsWhat this document is
The conditions, where to file, and when to file a short-stay extension.
What it must show
- Total short-stay time in Japan must not exceed 180 days
- File at the Regional Immigration Bureau covering the inviter's address
- Usually filed once more than half the permitted stay has passed
- File BEFORE the expiry date — overstaying is illegal residence
The applicant's passportThe data page of the passport belonging to the relative asking to stay longer.See detailsWhat this document is
The data page of the passport belonging to the relative asking to stay longer.
What it must show
- Photograph the DATA PAGE (the one with the photo), not the cover or a visa page
- Lay it flat, light it well, and shoot straight down — an angled shot misreads digits
- Include both machine-readable lines at the bottom of the page
- Take it out of any plastic sleeve and keep glare off the passport number
- Check every field afterwards at the 🧾 station — the letter O and the digit 0 are easily confused
Notes
The app does not send this photo to Immigration — it is only read to fill the form, and the image stays in your own case. On the day, the applicant brings the ORIGINAL passport for Immigration to inspect.
Evidence of the reasonProof of WHY your relative must stay longer. Immigration only extends a short stay for a genuinely unavoidable reason (illness, childbirth, a…See detailsWhat this document is
Proof of WHY your relative must stay longer. Immigration only extends a short stay for a genuinely unavoidable reason (illness, childbirth, a hospitalised family member…) — this is the deciding document.
What it must show
- Matches the reason: illness → 診断書 (doctor's certificate stating the treatment period)
- Childbirth / childcare → 母子手帳 or the baby's birth certificate
- Hospitalised relative → their admission / medical certificate
- Shows clearly until WHEN the stay is needed
Where to get it
The hospital / clinic giving treatment (診断書) · the city office (the baby's birth record).
How to get it
- Ask the doctor to state the condition + how long treatment / care is needed
- Add a one-page note in Japanese explaining why the person cannot leave on time
Proof of living costs and return travelProof there is enough money for the extra stay AND for the trip home. Immigration asks about the return trip separately.See detailsWhat this document is
Proof there is enough money for the extra stay AND for the trip home. Immigration asks about the return trip separately.
What it must show
- Bank balance certificate (預金残高証明書) of whoever pays
- Return air ticket (or booking) — return date WITHIN the extension requested
Where to get it
Your bank / Japan Post Bank (balance certificate) · the airline / travel agent (return ticket).
How to get it
- Request a balance certificate at the bank counter (usually a few hundred yen)
- Change / book the return flight for the planned date and print the confirmation
Certificate of ResidenceCertificate of residence and household members (juminhyo). For sponsorship / family cases you need the version that lists the WHOLE HOUSEHOLD and…See detailsWhat this document is
Certificate of residence and household members (juminhyo). For sponsorship / family cases you need the version that lists the WHOLE HOUSEHOLD and INCLUDES the relationship, to prove your relationship with family.
What it must show
- The WHOLE-HOUSEHOLD version — 世帯全員 (not the single-person one)
- INCLUDES the RELATIONSHIP to the head of household — 続柄 shown (あり)
- INCLUDES NATIONALITY (国籍) and RESIDENCE STATUS (在留資格) for foreign residents
- Does NOT print the My Number (個人番号) — the Bureau will NOT accept a version with My Number
Where to get it
The CITY HALL where you're currently registered — 市役所 (city) or 区役所 (ward, in large cities). Find the nearest: open Google Maps and type “市役所” or “区役所” + your city/ward name → pick the closest. With a My Number card you can also get it at a kiosk in a convenience store.
How to get it
- Bring your residence card (在留カード) or My Number card to the city hall and take a number for the resident-record (住民票) counter
- Say (or hand over a note): 「世帯全員、続柄記載あり、マイナンバー無しの住民票を１通ください」— meaning: “Please give me 1 whole-household resident record, WITH relationship, WITHOUT My Number.”
- Pay ~300 yen, receive it the same day. Large households may span 2 pages → ask for both pages
Cost & time
About 300 yen per copy. Issued the same day.
Notes
A version missing the relationship, or one that PRINTS My Number, will be returned by the Bureau — remember to state both conditions when requesting.
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).
Proof of relationshipA document proving the relationship between you and the sponsored person: a marriage certificate (for a spouse) or a birth certificate (for a child).See detailsWhat this document is
A document proving the relationship between you and the sponsored person: a marriage certificate (for a spouse) or a birth certificate (for a child).
What it must show
- A valid original/copy from Vietnam
- Clear information, still valid
Where to get it
Vietnam: the commune/ward People's Committee (marriage / birth extract). If married in Japan: a marriage-registration acceptance certificate (kon'in-todoke juri-shoumeisho) from the city hall.
How to get it
- Have family request the extract in Vietnam
- Prepare it together with a Japanese translation (next station)
Notes
If you registered the marriage only in Vietnam, it's best to complete the required marriage-notification procedures so the case is solid.
Document checklist
5 documents · print it or tick it on your phone as each one is ready.
⬇ Download checklist PDF