🗂️ Topic: Status & Visas (6 guides, in situation order)
Japan Residence Card Renewal Guide 2026
Residence card expiring soon? You can apply to renew your period of stay from about 3 months before it expires. Fees, documents, online application, and the review timeline — all in one place.
📅 Information verified as of October 2026📋 At a glance
| Item | Details (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Fee | Tiered by the period granted: ¥10,000–¥75,000 at the counter / ¥10,000–¥65,000 online; permanent residence (counter only) ¥200,000 |
| How to pay | Counter: revenue stamp (収入印紙); online: convenience-store or bank payment only (no revenue stamps) |
| When to apply | From about 3 months before your period of stay expires |
| Online application | Immigration Services Agency's "Online Residence Application System" (在留申請オンラインシステム) — covers extension, change of status, and COE applications |
| Official page | Immigration Services Agency: Extension of Period of Stay ↗ |
⚠️ Fees rose sharply on October 1, 2026 (now in effect)
The amendment to the Immigration Control Act raising residence fees was enacted on May 29, 2026, the amounts were set by government ordinance and published, and the new fees took effect on October 1, 2026.
The fee is no longer a flat ¥6,000 — it is now tiered by the period of stay granted, and counter and online rates differ:
| Period granted | Counter | Online |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | ¥10,000 | ¥10,000 |
| Over 3 months, up to 6 months | ¥18,000 | ¥15,000 |
| Over 6 months, under 1 year | ¥25,000 | ¥21,000 |
| 1 year | ¥33,000 | ¥27,000 |
| Over 1 year, under 3 years | ¥48,000 | ¥42,000 |
| 3 years or more, under 5 years | ¥64,000 | ¥56,000 |
| 5 years or more | ¥75,000 | ¥65,000 |
| Permanent residence (counter only) | ¥200,000 | — |
Transitional rule: applications received by September 30, 2026 keep the old fees (¥6,000 counter / ¥5,500 online) even if the decision comes on or after October 1. The trigger is the date of receipt, not the date of approval.
Online applications cannot be paid with revenue stamps — convenience-store or bank payment only, plus a separate transaction fee. Reductions or waivers are available for people in financial difficulty and for recognised refugees.
Figures are per the Immigration Services Agency: Notice of residence fee revision (PDF) ↗
🚀 Application process
Step 1: Check your window
Your residence card shows the expiry date on the back. Renewal applications are accepted from about 3 months before that date — don't leave it to the last week.
Step 2: Prepare your documents
Work through the checklist below. Tax certificates are issued by your city/ward office, so allow a few days.
Step 3: Choose how to apply
Counter: visit your regional immigration office. Online: submit through the Online Residence Application System (requires a My Number card and a card reader or NFC phone). The online fee is lower than the counter fee (e.g. a 1-year grant: ¥33,000 counter / ¥27,000 online).
Step 4: Wait for review
Review typically takes 1–2 months. Once your application is accepted, you stay legal under a "special period" (up to 2 months) even if your current period of stay expires while waiting.
Step 5: Pick up your new card
When the notification postcard (はがき) arrives, bring your passport, old residence card, and a revenue stamp to the immigration office to pay and collect your new card.
🔧 Use as you read: Visa & Status AI Diagnosis
Not sure about the documents? Enter your status and situation for a personalized renewal checklist
🗂️ Document checklist
- Application for Extension of Period of Stay: download from the ISA website or pick up at the counter
- One photo: 4cm × 3cm, taken within the last 3 months, name written on the back
- Passport: original + copy
- Residence card: original
- Certificate of employment / enrollment: depends on your status (work visa → letter from your employer; students → certificate of enrollment)
- Resident tax certificates (taxation + tax payment): issued by your city/ward office (about ¥300 each)
- Situation-specific extras: changed jobs → notification of change of employer; HSP holders → points calculation table and supporting documents
⏱️ Suggested timeline
3 months before expiry
Get started: confirm the expiry date, list your documents, and request tax certificates at the city office.
2 months before expiry
Submit your application (online or at the counter). Review takes 1–2 months, so earlier is better.
2 weeks before expiry
No result yet? Call or visit the immigration office to check progress and ask whether extra documents are needed.
After the notification arrives
Within 14 days, bring your passport, old residence card and the fee to collect your new card (revenue stamp at the counter; convenience-store or bank payment if you applied online).
❓ FAQ
Can I still apply after the expiry date?
As long as you apply before your period of stay ends, you're fine — and if it expires while your application is under review, you're covered by the special period (up to 2 months). But if your status fully expires with no application filed, that's overstaying, with serious consequences. Always file before the deadline.
What do I need for the online application?
A My Number card plus a card reader (or an NFC-capable smartphone), and an account on the Online Residence Application System. If that sounds like a hassle, the counter route works perfectly well.
I changed jobs — does that affect renewal?
Work visa holders must file a "notification regarding the contracting organization" within 14 days of changing employers. Fill in your current employer honestly on the renewal form — immigration will verify it, and hiding a job change only makes things worse.
