Before Leaving Japan: The Difference Between みなし再入国許可 and 再入国許可, and How to Apply

If you live in Japan with a 在留資格 (status of residence), think carefully before going home to visit family, traveling on business or living abroad for an extended period: is the 「みなし再入国許可」 (special re-entry permit) enough, or must you apply in advance for a 「再入国許可」 (re-entry permit)? Choosing the wrong one or forgetting to arrange it may cause your status of residence to lapse. This article is for all mid- to long-term residents, especially 永住者 (Permanent Residents) who plan to leave Japan for a long time.

Key points

• If you leave Japan without a re-entry permit (including the special re-entry permit), both your original status of residence and your 在留期間 (period of stay) will be lost, and to come to Japan again you must obtain a new visa and undergo landing examination.
• みなし再入国許可: available if you re-enter within 1 year of the date of departure, with no advance procedure; if your period of stay expires before that 1 year, you must return before your period of stay expires; it cannot be extended abroad.
• 再入国許可: apply before departure at the 地方出入国在留管理官署 (regional immigration services bureau) with jurisdiction over your place of residence; it is valid for up to 5 years within your current period of stay (6 years for 特別永住者 (Special Permanent Residents)).
• 再入国許可 fees: 4,000 yen for single entry and 7,000 yen for multiple entry (paid with 収入印紙 (revenue stamps)); the standard processing time is same day.
• You cannot apply for an extension of your period of stay at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad; you must return to Japan and apply before your period of stay expires.

Comparison of the two permits

Item	みなし再入国許可	再入国許可
Legal basis	入管法第26条の2	入管法第26条
Advance procedure	Not required; state your intention when departing	Apply at the counter before departure
Validity period	1 year from the date of departure (if your period of stay ends earlier, your period of stay applies; 2 years for 特別永住者)	Up to 5 years within your current period of stay (6 years for 特別永住者)
Extension abroad	Not possible	Not stated on the official page; check with the office
Number of uses	Applies separately to each departure	Single entry or multiple entry (数次)
Fee	None	4,000 yen / 7,000 yen

みなし再入国許可

Who can use it

Foreign nationals with a valid passport and a status of residence can use it (mid- to long-term residents must also carry their 在留カード (residence card)), except for:

• people whose period of stay has been set at 「3月」 (3 months) or less, and people with 「短期滞在」 (Temporary Visitor);
• people undergoing procedures for revocation of their status of residence, people whose departure confirmation has been suspended, and people for whom a 収容令書 (detention order) has been issued;
• people residing as 「特定活動」 (Designated Activities) who are applying for refugee recognition;
• people whom the Minister of Justice considers must obtain a re-entry permit for reasons of Japan's interests, public security or the fair administration of immigration control.

How to use it

When departing, carry your valid passport (and residence card), tick the box on the 「再入国出国記録」 (re-entry ED card) indicating "temporary departure, planning to re-enter", show it to the immigration inspector and state that you intend to use the special re-entry permit.

Validity period

• In principle, 1 year from the date of departure;
• If your period of stay expires before that 1 year, you must re-enter before your period of stay expires;
• The validity period cannot be extended abroad. If you expect to return after more than 1 year, you cannot leave under the みなし system and must apply for a re-entry permit in advance.

再入国許可

Validity period and types

• Set within your current period of stay, up to 5 years (6 years for 特別永住者);
• 「一回限り」 (single entry) or 「数次」 (multiple entries within the validity period). If you travel back and forth often, applying for a multiple-entry permit means you do not need to apply again every time you leave.

How to apply

• When: before departure.
• Where: the regional immigration services bureau with jurisdiction over your place of residence; reception hours are 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00 on weekdays (some procedures have different arrangements).
• Who can apply: you yourself; or an application agent approved by the regional bureau director (such as staff of your affiliated organization or a travel agency), a registered lawyer or 行政書士 (administrative scrivener), a legal representative, etc. The official page states that being busy with work or school is not a reason that allows a relative to apply on your behalf.
• Online application: online application is possible only when filed together with an application for change of status of residence (在留資格変更), extension of period of stay (在留期間更新) or acquisition of status of residence (在留資格取得).
• Required documents: 再入国許可申請書 (re-entry permit application form), residence card (or 特別永住者証明書 (Special Permanent Resident Certificate)), passport (if you cannot present it, a written statement of reasons), and proof of identity of the agent when submitted by an agent.
• Processing time: the standard is same day.

Fees

Paid when the permit is granted: 4,000 yen for single entry and 7,000 yen for multiple entry; for online applications, 3,500 yen / 6,500 yen. All fees are paid with revenue stamps. Fees may change, so please check the latest amounts on the official page.

Risks if your period of stay expires while you are abroad

• An extension of the period of stay cannot be applied for at embassies or consulates abroad (Q&A Q64); you must return to Japan before the deadline and apply at the office with jurisdiction over your place of residence.
• Even if you hold a re-entry permit valid for 5 years, its validity does not go beyond your current period of stay; once your period of stay ends, your status of residence ends.
• If you leave Japan after submitting an extension or change application: the official Q&A (Q23, Q61) explains that you must re-enter within 2 months after the original expiry date of your period of stay (when using みなし, by whichever is earlier of "2 months after the original expiry date" and "1 year after departure"); otherwise you will be staying illegally even though you have applied.
• If you lose your passport or residence card abroad, an agent such as a relative living with you can apply for a 「再入国許可期限証明」 (certificate of re-entry permit validity); see the 再入国許可申請 page for details.

Notes for Permanent Residents leaving Japan for a long time

• The period of stay for 「永住者」 is indefinite, so the validity of the みなし再入国許可 is 1 year after departure; a 再入国許可 can be obtained for up to 5 years.
• If you plan to stay abroad for more than 1 year (for example, to care for family, for an overseas assignment or to accompany a child studying abroad), be sure to apply for a re-entry permit before departure and return to Japan within its validity period.
• Permanent Residents do not extend a period of stay, but they still have obligations such as renewing the validity period of their residence card; the application to renew the residence card's validity period must be made before that validity period expires. Please check the expiry date of your residence card before leaving for a long time.
• If, after leaving under みなし, you cannot return within 1 year for some reason, the official Q&A makes clear that the validity period cannot be extended abroad, and the official page explains that without a valid re-entry permit (including みなし) you cannot keep your original status of residence. The impact on Permanent Residents is significant, so please plan the length of your stay before you leave.

Timeline

1. 1 to 2 months before departure: check your period of stay, the expiry date of your residence card and how long you expect to stay abroad.
2. If you expect to return within 1 year: on the day of departure, tick the みなし再入国 box on the ED card and tell the inspector.
3. If you expect to stay more than 1 year: before departure, apply for a re-entry permit at the office with jurisdiction over your place of residence (standard same-day processing).
4. While abroad: keep track of "1 year after departure" or the validity period of your re-entry permit, as well as your period of stay, and plan your return by whichever comes first.
5. Before your period of stay expires: return to Japan and complete procedures such as the extension of your period of stay.

Common misconceptions

• "With a residence card I can come back any time": A residence card is not itself a re-entry permit; if you leave without a re-entry permit (including みなし), your status of residence will be lost.
• "みなし always gives you 1 year": If your period of stay expires before 1 year, your period of stay applies.
• "I can renew my visa at an embassy abroad": The official Q&A makes clear that you cannot apply for an extension of your period of stay at embassies or consulates abroad, and the validity of みなし cannot be extended abroad.
• "Permanent Residents have no time limit, so I can stay abroad as long as I like": Permanent Residents also need a re-entry permit (including みなし) to maintain their status; if they do not return within the validity period, they risk losing it.