How to Renew a Gijinkok Work Visa in Japan (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
If you hold a Gijinkoku visa (Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services — 技術・人文知識・国際業務), you need to renew your period of stay before the expiration date shown on your residence card. This guide covers everything: when to apply, which documents you need, what immigration actually reviews, and the mistakes that cause rejections.
This guide is written for both foreign employees managing their own renewal and HR teams supporting multiple foreign staff. Jump to the HR section for team-specific guidance.
At the Tokyo Immigration Bureau, individual cases are regularly taking 4–6 months. Start preparing at least 3–4 months before your expiration date — and 4–6 months if you are based in Tokyo. A further fee increase is also expected during fiscal year 2026.
- "Visa Renewal" vs. "Extension of Period of Stay" — What's the Difference?
- When to Apply — 2026 Timeline
- Step-by-Step Application Process
- Required Documents by Company Category
- Fees & Costs
- What Immigration Actually Looks For
- Common Reasons for Rejection
- If You Changed Jobs
- FAQ
- For HR Teams Managing Multiple Foreign Employees
1. "Visa Renewal" vs. "Extension of Period of Stay" — What's the Difference?
When people living in Japan say "renewing my visa," they usually mean one of two different procedures:
| Procedure | What it is | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Visa (査証) issuance | A stamp in your passport that allows you to enter Japan. Obtained at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad before travel. | Japanese embassy / consulate overseas |
| Extension of Period of Stay（在留期間更新許可申請） | Extends the expiration date on your residence card while you are already in Japan. This is what most people mean when they say "renew my work visa." | Immigration Bureau inside Japan |
This guide focuses entirely on the Extension of Period of Stay — the in-country renewal procedure.
📌 Immigration Services Agency — Gijinkoku Status of Residence (Official)
2. When to Apply — 2026 Timeline
Applications are officially accepted from 3 months before the expiration date on your residence card, and must be submitted by the expiration date.
| Timing | Situation | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 4–6 months before expiry | Ideal — especially if in Tokyo | Begin collecting documents |
| 3 months before expiry | Official start of the acceptance window | Submit as soon as documents are ready |
| 1 month before – expiration day | High risk of running out of time | Contact an administrative scrivener immediately |
| After expiration | Potential overstay — serious situation | Contact immigration or a professional today |
January through March is the peak period at immigration offices due to April new-hire applications. If your expiry falls in this window, start earlier than usual.
The Grace Period (特例期間)
If you submit your application before your expiration date and the review is still pending when your period expires, you are generally permitted to continue residing and working in Japan under the grace period — for up to 2 months past expiry, or until a decision is issued. This is a legal protection, not a workaround, and you should never rely on it as a substitute for timely preparation.
3. Step-by-Step Application Process
The renewal fee was raised from ¥4,000 to ¥6,000 in April 2025. Under the immigration bill proposed in March 2026, the legal cap on extension fees could rise to ¥100,000. Applying now means paying the current lower fee.
4. Required Documents by Company Category
The documents you need depend on which category your employer falls into. Check your category first.
Category definitions
| Category | Who qualifies |
|---|---|
| Category 1 | Listed companies, national/local governments, independent administrative agencies, companies listed on Japanese stock exchanges |
| Category 2 | Companies whose total annual withholding tax remittances are ¥15 million or more |
| Category 3 | Companies whose total annual withholding tax remittances are under ¥15 million |
| Category 4 | All others, including newly established companies and startups |
Required documents
| Document | Required for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application for Extension of Period of Stay | All categories | Use the latest official form. Attach one photograph (4cm × 3cm, taken within 6 months) |
| Passport + Residence Card | All categories | Present originals at the counter |
| Certificate of Residence Tax (課税証明書) and Tax Payment Certificate (納税証明書) | All categories | Issued by your municipality. Must be within 3 months of issue. Can be obtained at convenience stores with a My Number Card |
| Copy of Withholding Tax Return Summary (源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表) | All categories | As of January 2025, copies without a receipt stamp are acceptable |
| Employment contract or working conditions notice | Categories 3 & 4 | Must clearly state job duties, salary, and employment type |
| Company registration certificate (登記事項証明書) | Categories 3 & 4 | Must be within 3 months of issue. Obtainable from the Legal Affairs Bureau or online |
| Most recent financial statements (決算書) | Categories 3 & 4 | Income statement + balance sheet. If the company is less than 1 year old, a business plan may substitute |
| Job description / role explanation document | Categories 3 & 4 | A written explanation of your specific duties and the specialist expertise your role requires. One of the most important documents in Categories 3 and 4 |
📄 Immigration Services Agency — Document Checklist (PDF)
5. Fees & Costs
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Extension application fee | ¥6,000 (revenue stamp) | Raised from ¥4,000 in April 2025. Paid when collecting your new card, not at submission |
| Municipal tax certificates | ~¥300 per document | Convenience store issuance is often faster and may be cheaper |
| Company registration certificate | ¥600 (counter) / ¥335 (online) | Categories 3 & 4 only |
| Administrative scrivener fee (if applicable) | From ¥3,980 (VisaSHOGUN Light Plan) | Document preparation + review. Full representation available on Pro Plan |
6. What Immigration Actually Looks For
A renewal is not a rubber stamp. Immigration re-evaluates whether your situation still meets all Gijinkoku requirements. The five areas reviewed most closely are:
① Specialist nature of your work
Your day-to-day duties must require specialist knowledge in engineering, the humanities, or international services. If your actual work consists primarily of simple data entry, basic reception, or physical labour, immigration may find that your role no longer qualifies. Your job description document must clearly articulate the specialist expertise your role demands.
② Salary stability
Your compensation must be at least equivalent to that of a Japanese national in the same role. Salary below the minimum wage, or income that appears unstable or inconsistent with what is stated in your contract, is a common reason for rejection.
③ Tax and social insurance compliance
Immigration verifies that you have no outstanding unpaid residence tax, income tax, pension contributions, or health insurance premiums.
In current practice, an increasing number of applications are being rejected due to unpaid or late social insurance premiums — both at the individual employee level and, for company-managed contributions, at the employer level. Verify your payment records before submitting.
④ Compliance with notification obligations
Any time you change employers or move address, you are required to notify immigration within 14 days. Failure to do so is recorded in your file and negatively affects renewal outcomes.
⑤ Consistency across documents
The information in your application form, employment contract, and salary documentation must be consistent with each other. Any discrepancy will trigger requests for additional explanation — adding weeks or months to the process.
- Gijinkoku renewal document checklist — Categories 1 through 4
- Five-point review criteria self-check sheet (tax, insurance, notifications)
- Additional document list for your first renewal after a job change
- Application timeline guide (working backwards from your expiry date)
7. Common Reasons for Rejection
- Your actual duties are primarily simple tasks (data entry, reception, manual work) with no specialist component
- Outstanding unpaid residence tax, pension premiums, or health insurance contributions
- Your actual salary differs from what is stated in your employment contract
- You changed employers but did not submit the required notification within 14 days
- Documents are incomplete, contain contradictory information, or have expired
- Your employer's financial statements show losses or signs of financial instability
- Any false statements in the application documents — the most serious situation of all
Misrepresenting your job duties, submitting altered certificates, or concealing a job change are all forms of fraudulent application. The consequences go beyond rejection: your current status of residence can be revoked and you may be subject to forced departure. If your situation is genuinely complicated, disclose it honestly and include an explanatory letter — that approach is always safer than misrepresentation. A rejection also becomes a permanent part of your immigration record, making every future application harder.
8. If You Changed Jobs
Your first renewal after changing employers is scrutinised at the same level as an initial application. Your new employer, your new role, and its connection to your qualifications are all reassessed from scratch.
What to do immediately after changing jobs (within 14 days)
- File a Notification of Departure from Affiliated Organisation (所属機関に関する届出 — 退職) with the Immigration Services Agency
- File a Notification of Entry into Affiliated Organisation (所属機関に関する届出 — 就職) for your new employer
- Both can be submitted online via the e-Notification system, by post, or in person
This optional document, issued by immigration, confirms that your new role qualifies under your current status of residence. If you hold one, your next renewal requires significantly fewer supporting documents. Processing takes around 6–8 weeks, so apply as soon as possible after starting your new job — ideally when you still have at least 6 months remaining on your period of stay.
9. FAQ
10. For HR Teams Managing Multiple Foreign Employees
Managing visa renewals manually creates compliance risk and last-minute scrambles. These three systems will help you stay ahead of the issue.
① Track expiry dates centrally
Maintain a single source of truth for all residence card expiry dates across your foreign employee population. Set automated alerts at the 6-month and 3-month marks. A single missed renewal exposes both the employee and the company to legal risk — and it is far more disruptive when discovered late.
② Standardise employer-side document turnaround
Renewal applications require company-issued documents: employment contracts, company registration certificates, financial statements. Establish a clear internal SLA — aim for 5 business days or fewer from employee request to document delivery. Delays on the company side translate directly into delays on the application, which can push employees into the grace period unnecessarily.
③ Build the 14-day notification into every workflow
Every time a foreign employee changes role, transfers departments, or leaves the company, a 14-day notification to immigration is legally required. Missed notifications appear in the employee's immigration record and affect future renewal decisions. Add this step as a mandatory action in your onboarding, offboarding, and internal transfer checklists.
- Gijinkoku renewal document checklist (by company category)
- Rejection risk self-check sheet (the 5 review criteria)
- HR team checklist: expiry date tracking and notification obligations
Official References
📌 Immigration Services Agency — Gijinkoku Status of Residence