Leaving Japan Temporarily? Choose the Right Re-Entry Permission Before You Fly

2026年8月15日

A foreign resident checks travel documents before temporarily leaving Japan.

Leaving Japan Temporarily? Choose the Right Re-Entry Permission Before You Fly

For most foreign residents taking a short trip abroad, special re-entry permission is enough. It costs nothing and does not require an advance application, provided you return within one year and before your authorized period of stay expires.

You should consider an ordinary re-entry permit before departure if you may remain outside Japan for more than one year, cannot use the special system, or need more flexibility because your return date is uncertain.

This guide is for workers, students, dependent family members, permanent residents, and other foreign residents who plan to leave Japan temporarily and continue living under their current status of residence.

Quick decision guide:

Returning within one year and before your period of stay expires: special re-entry permission will usually be sufficient.
Staying abroad for more than one year: apply for an ordinary re-entry permit before leaving Japan.
Holding a period of stay of three months or less, or Temporary Visitor status: the special system is generally unavailable.
Unsure whether your residence renewal, passport, or other circumstances affect travel: confirm with the Immigration Services Agency before booking a difficult-to-change return flight.

TOC

Why re-entry permission matters

Re-entry permission protects the status of residence you already hold when you temporarily leave Japan. It is not a new visa and does not extend your period of stay.

A foreign resident who leaves without either ordinary or special re-entry permission generally loses the existing status of residence and period of stay. Returning to live in Japan could then require a new visa and a fresh landing examination.

When you leave using a valid re-entry arrangement and return by its deadline, your previous status and remaining period of stay are treated as continuing. This is why a small choice during departure procedures can have serious consequences.

Re-entry permission also does not guarantee admission regardless of circumstances. You still undergo arrival procedures and must meet Japan’s applicable entry requirements.

Special and ordinary re-entry permission compared

The main difference is flexibility: the special system is free and simple, while an ordinary permit covers longer or less predictable absences.

Special re-entry permission

Special re-entry permission—called minashi sainyūkoku kyoka in Japanese—is used at the point of departure. You normally do not visit an immigration office beforehand.

For most eligible residents, it is valid until the earlier of:

One year from the departure date; or
The expiration date of the current period of stay.

A Special Permanent Resident may generally use special re-entry permission for up to two years, subject to the rules applying to that status.

The fee is ¥0.

Ordinary re-entry permit

An ordinary re-entry permit—simply sainyūkoku kyoka—must be obtained from the Immigration Services Agency before departure.

It may be issued for:

One re-entry only; or
Multiple re-entries during its period of validity.

Its validity cannot exceed the resident’s existing authorized period of stay. The general maximum is five years, or six years for a Special Permanent Resident.

For applications accepted on or after April 1, 2025, the official fees listed by the Immigration Services Agency are:

Single re-entry, counter application: ¥4,000
Multiple re-entry, counter application: ¥7,000
Single re-entry, eligible online application: ¥3,500
Multiple re-entry, eligible online application: ¥6,500

Payment is required when permission is granted, normally using a revenue stamp. Online re-entry applications are limited: the agency states that they can be filed online when submitted together with certain residence-status applications, rather than as a general standalone option.

Here is the key point: A one-year re-entry window does not override the date printed for your authorized stay. If your period of stay ends in four months, special re-entry permission normally gives you four months—not a full year—to return.

Who can normally use special re-entry permission?

Many mid- to long-term residents can use it, but eligibility depends on both immigration status and valid documents.

The standard case is a resident who:

Holds a valid passport;
Has a valid status of residence;
Has a period of stay longer than three months;
Is not staying as a Temporary Visitor;
Intends to return within one year;
Will return before the authorized period of stay expires; and
If classified as a mid- to long-term resident, carries a residence card when departing.

This commonly includes eligible people holding work, Student, Dependent, Spouse, Long-Term Resident, or Permanent Resident status. Permanent residence does not remove the need to complete re-entry procedures.

Special Permanent Residents should carry both a valid passport and their Special Permanent Resident Certificate when using the special system.

People who may be excluded

The Immigration Services Agency identifies several exclusions, including certain people:

Under status-of-residence revocation procedures;
Whose departure confirmation has been deferred;
Subject to a detention order;
Staying under designated activities while applying for refugee recognition; or
Specifically required to obtain ordinary re-entry permission for immigration-control or public-security reasons.

These are national immigration rules. Your municipality does not issue re-entry permission, although a long absence may separately affect municipal procedures, health insurance, taxes, school enrollment, or your registered address.

How to leave using special re-entry permission

You must clearly record and communicate your intention to return before completing departure inspection. Simply possessing a residence card is not enough.

Before going to the airport

Check the dates on your passport and residence card, then confirm the expiration of your authorized period of stay. These dates do not always mean the same thing, particularly for permanent residents whose residence cards have their own validity periods.

Carry the original documents in your hand luggage:

Passport;
Residence card, if you are a mid- to long-term resident;
Special Permanent Resident Certificate, if applicable; and
Any ordinary re-entry permit already issued to you.

Also decide on a return date that leaves a safety margin. A flight scheduled for the final valid day can be disrupted by weather, illness, cancellations, or a passport problem.

At departure inspection

Complete the re-entry departure record, sometimes called the re-entry ED card. Indicate that your departure is temporary and that you intend to re-enter Japan.

Present the card and your travel documents to the immigration inspector. If necessary, state clearly that you want to depart using special re-entry permission.

Do not select or communicate that you are leaving permanently if you intend to retain your residence status. If anything on the form is unclear, ask the inspector before completing departure.

During the trip

Keep track of two separate deadlines:

The special re-entry deadline; and
The expiration of your authorized period of stay.

You must normally return by whichever arrives first. The validity of special re-entry permission cannot be extended while you are overseas.

On return to Japan

Present your valid passport and follow the arrival procedure for re-entrants. Keep your residence card accessible because airlines and officials may need to check evidence of your right to return.

When an ordinary re-entry permit is the safer choice

Apply before departure whenever a one-year, non-extendable window is too short or too risky.

An ordinary permit is worth considering in the following situations:

A work assignment, study program, family responsibility, or medical treatment may keep you abroad for more than one year.
Your return date depends on an uncertain event.
You expect to make several trips over a longer period and want multiple re-entry permission.
You are not eligible for the special system.
An immigration authority has told you that an ordinary permit is required.

An ordinary permit can sometimes be extended through a Japanese embassy or consulate while the holder is abroad, within legal limits. Special re-entry permission cannot. Do not treat that possible extension as guaranteed; contact the relevant Japanese diplomatic mission well before the permit expires.

Documents and application steps

The Immigration Services Agency’s standard application page lists the following core items:

Re-entry permit application form;
Passport;
Residence card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate;
A written explanation if a passport cannot be presented; and
Identification documents when an approved representative submits the application.

Apply at the regional immigration office responsible for your address before leaving Japan. The official page states that the standard processing period is the same day, but waiting time and case-specific review can vary. Do not leave the application until the morning of your flight.

If a representative will submit it, confirm in advance that the person belongs to an authorized category. A family member, employer, school employee, lawyer, or administrative scrivener is not automatically permitted to act in every case.

Deadlines that cause the most confusion

Your travel plan must fit inside every relevant deadline, not just the re-entry period.

Your period of stay expires first

Suppose you depart on September 1 and your period of stay ends on December 15. Special re-entry permission does not let you return the following August. Your practical deadline is December 15.

If you need to renew your period of stay, plan that procedure before travel. Departing while an extension application is pending can involve additional timing and documentation issues. Confirm your particular case with the Immigration Services Agency rather than assuming the pending application gives you a new overseas deadline.

Your passport expires during the trip

A re-entry arrangement does not make an expired passport valid. Check the destination country’s passport-validity rules as well as Japan’s requirements.

If your old passport is retained when a new one is issued overseas, or if you lose your passport or residence card, airline staff may ask for proof that you can return to Japan. The Immigration Services Agency provides a procedure through which a representative in Japan can request certification of the re-entry permission deadline.

Contact the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate and your airline promptly. Do not wait until check-in.

Your trip becomes longer than expected

A delayed project or family emergency does not automatically extend special re-entry permission. If you used the special system, you generally need to return before it expires.

This is one reason to obtain an ordinary permit before departure when a long delay is reasonably possible.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most problems come from misunderstanding the deadline or failing to declare the intention to return.

Assuming every resident receives one full year: The period of stay may expire sooner.
Confusing a residence card’s validity with the permitted period of stay: Check the status and dates that apply to your case.
Forgetting the residence card: Mid- to long-term residents need it when leaving under the special system.
Missing the return-intention step: Complete the appropriate departure record and communicate that you will re-enter.
Believing special re-entry permission can be extended abroad: It cannot.
Applying for an ordinary permit after departure: It must be obtained before leaving Japan.
Thinking Permanent Resident status makes re-entry procedures unnecessary: Permanent residents must still use an appropriate re-entry route.
Leaving no delay margin: Book a return date comfortably before the controlling deadline.
Assuming immigration permission settles every other obligation: Employer notice, scholarship conditions, school procedures, residence registration, insurance, tax, and housing arrangements may require separate action.

Does your city, employer, or school change the rule?

The immigration framework is national, but the practical consequences of a long absence depend on your local and personal situation.

A municipality cannot shorten or extend your re-entry permission. However, ask your city or ward office what a long absence means for:

Resident registration;
National Health Insurance;
National Pension procedures;
Local tax notices; and
Services tied to your registered household.

Employees should check leave and overseas-assignment procedures with their employer. Students may need approval from their school or scholarship provider. Dependents should check how the main resident’s employment or residence status affects the household.

These organizational steps do not replace immigration permission. Likewise, obtaining re-entry permission does not automatically satisfy them.

Current points to know in 2026

The basic one-year special re-entry rule remains in place, while document and fee details deserve a fresh check before travel.

As checked against Immigration Services Agency information available on August 1, 2026:

Eligible residents generally continue to use special re-entry permission for returns within one year and before the end of their period of stay.
Special Permanent Residents generally have a two-year special re-entry period.
Ordinary permit fees remain listed at the rates introduced for applications accepted from April 1, 2025.
New residence-card formats were introduced from June 14, 2026. A different card design does not by itself change the basic re-entry decision, but travelers should carry their valid current document.

Immigration procedures and fees can change. Check the official application page shortly before departure, particularly if your trip is long, your renewal is pending, or your documents will expire while you are away.

Final pre-flight checklist

Decide your re-entry route before you commit to the trip.

Confirm the expiration of your passport and authorized period of stay.
Decide whether you can safely return within one year.
Obtain an ordinary re-entry permit in advance if the answer is uncertain or no.
Carry your passport and residence card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate.
At departure, clearly indicate that you plan to return.
Keep copies of key documents in secure storage separate from the originals.
Set reminders well before the re-entry and residence deadlines.
Check separately with your municipality, employer, or school when the absence will be long.

The practical dividing line is simple: use special re-entry permission for a clearly short absence; obtain an ordinary permit before departure when the return date may move beyond one year. The final check is not the flight date—it is whether you can return before every immigration deadline that applies to you.

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