A foreign national with a status of residence may have their status of residence (including the period of stay for the status; hereinafter the same applies from this paragraph to paragraph (3) and in the following Article) changed (in the case of a foreign national residing with the status of residence of "Highly Skilled Professional" (limited to those pertaining to item (i), sub-items (a) through (c) in the right-hand column under "Highly Skilled Professional" of the Appended Table I (2)), including a change to a different public or private organization in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice, in the case of a foreign national residing with the "Specified Skilled Worker" status of residence including a change in the public or private organization in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice or specified industrial field, and in the case of a foreign national residing with the status of residence of "Designated Activities," including a change in the activities specifically designated by the Minister of Justice regarding the person concerned).
A foreign national who seeks to have their status of residence changed pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must apply to the Minister of Justice for the change of the status of residence in accordance with the procedures provided for by Ministry of Justice Order; provided, however, that if the foreign national wishes to have their status of residence changed to that of "Permanent Resident," they must comply with the procedures pursuant to the provisions of Article 22, paragraph (1).
If an application for a change of status of residence has been filed as set forth in the preceding paragraph, the Minister of Justice may grant permission only if the Minister finds that there are reasonable grounds to grant the change of the status of residence based on the documents submitted by the foreign national; provided, however, that in the case of an application submitted by a person whose status of residence is "Temporary Visitor," permission is not to be granted unless the application is made based on special unavoidable circumstances.
If the Minister of Justice has decided to give permission pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Minister is to have the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency notify the foreign national to that effect. In this case, the notification is to be made by the Commissioner by having the immigration inspector take the measures specified in the following items in accordance with the categories set forth in the following items:
if the foreign national who has been granted permission continues to fall under a mid-to long-term resident or newly comes to fall under a mid- to long-term resident:to issue a residence card for the foreign national;
if the foreign national who has been granted permission possesses a passport in cases other than the cases set forth in the preceding item:to enter a new status of residence and period of stay in the passport; or
if the foreign national who has been granted permission does not possess a passport in cases other than the cases set forth in item (i):to issue the foreign national a certificate of status of residence that states the new status of residence and period of stay, or to enter the new status of residence and period of stay in the certificate of status of residence which has already been issued.
The permission of the Minister of Justice pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (3) becomes effective if the measures specified in each respective item of the preceding paragraph have been taken.
If an application pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2) is filed (excluding an application filed by a foreign national who was granted permission for a period of stay of not more than 30 days), and the disposition for the application has not been made by the expiration date of the period of stay for the status of residence which the foreign national had at the time of the application, the foreign national may, even after the expiration date of the period of stay, continue to reside in Japan until the disposition is made or the day on which 2 months have passed from the date of the expiration of the previous period of stay, whichever comes first.
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(1) Status of Residence Authorized Activities in Japan Diplomat Activities on the part of constituent members of diplomatic missions or consular offices of foreign governments hosted by the Japanese Government; activities on the part of those who are provided with similar privileges or immunities as are granted to diplomatic missions pursuant to treaties or international customary practices; and activities on the part of their family members belonging to the same household. Official Activities on the part of those who engage in the official business of foreign governments or international organizations recognized by the Japanese Government, and activities on the part of their family members belonging to the same household (except for the activities listed in the right-hand column under this Table's "Diplomat" column). Professor Activities for research, research guidance, or education, at a university, an equivalent educational institution, or a technical college. Artist Artistic activities that involve income, such as activities on music, fine arts, literature, etc. (except for the activities listed in the right-hand column under the "Entertainer" column in Table (2)). Religious Activities Missionary and other religious activities conducted by foreign religious workers sent by a foreign religious organization. Journalist News coverage and other journalistic activities conducted based on a contract with foreign news media. (2) Status of Residence Authorized Activities in Japan Highly Skilled Professional (i) Activities that fall under any of the following items (a) through (c) to be carried out by a person meeting the requirements provided by Ministry of Justice Order as a professional with highly-skilled capabilities, and are expected to contribute to the development of academic research or economy of Japan: (a) activities of research, research instruction or education based on a contract signed with a public or private organization in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice, activities of personally operating a business related to the activities in conjunction with those activities, or activities of research, research instruction or education based on a contract signed with a public or private organization in Japan other than the organizations designated by the Minister of Justice; (b) activities to engage in duties requiring knowledge or skills in the field of natural sciences or humanities based on a contract signed with a public or private organization in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice or activities to personally manage the business related to the activities in conjunction with those activities; (c) activities to operate international trade or some other business, or to engage in the management of such business at a public or private organization in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice, or in conjunction with these activities, activities to personally manage the business related to such activities. (ii) The following activities carried out by a person who has engaged in the activities listed in the preceding item and who meets the requirements provided by Ministry of Justice Order as a person whose stay contributes to the interests of Japan: (a) activities of research, research instruction or education based on a contract signed with a public or private organization in Japan; (b) activities to engage in duties requiring knowledge or skills in the field of natural sciences or humanities based on a contract signed with a public or private organization in Japan; (c) activities to operate business of international trade or other businesses at a public or private organization in Japan, or to engage in the management of those businesses; (d) activities (except for the activities that fall under any of the items (a) through (c)) listed in the right-hand column of the "Professor" section to the "Journalist" section in Table (1) or the activities listed in the right-hand column in the "Legal/Accounting Services," "Medical Services," "Instructor," "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services," "Nursing Care," "Entertainer," or "Skilled Labor" sections, or in item (ii) of the right-hand column of the "Specified Skilled Worker" section in this Table, carried out in conjunction with any of the activities in items (a) through (c). Business Manager Activities to operate business of international trade or other businesses, or to engage in the management of those businesses, in Japan (except for activities to engage in the operation or management of business which is legally prohibited to conduct without the qualifications listed in the right-hand column of the "Legal/Accounting Services" section in this Table). Legal/Accounting Services Activities to engage in a legal or accounting business which are to be carried out only by registered foreign-qualified lawyers, registered foreign-qualified public accountants, or those with other legal qualifications. Medical Services Activities to engage in medical treatment services which are to be undertaken only by physicians, dentists, or those with other legal qualifications. Researcher Activities to engage in research based on a contract signed with a public or private organization in Japan (except for the activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Professor" section in Table (1)). Instructor Activities to engage in language teaching or other educational activities at an elementary school, junior high school, compulsory education school, senior high school, school for secondary education, special needs school, advanced vocational school, miscellaneous school, or other educational institutions equivalent to a miscellaneous school in facilities and organization in Japan. Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Activities to engage in duties which require skills or knowledge in the field of physical science, engineering, or other natural science fields, or in the field of jurisprudence, economics, sociology or other humanities fields, or to engage in duties which require the ways of thinking or sensitivity founded on foreign culture (except for the activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Professor," "Artist," and "Journalist" sections in Table (1), and the activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Business Manager" through "Instructor" sections and the "Intra-Company Transferee" through "Entertainer" sections in this Table), based on a contract entered into with a public or private organization in Japan. Intra-Company Transferee Activities which a staff member who is transferred to a business office in Japan for a limited period of time from a business office established in a foreign country of a public or private organization which has a head office, branch office or other business offices in Japan engages in, which are listed in the right-hand column of the "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" section in this Table, at the business office. Nursing Care Activities in which persons with the qualification of certified care worker engage in the services of nursing care or nursing care instruction based on a contract with a public or private organization in Japan. Entertainer Activities to engage in performances of acting, popular entertainment, playing a musical instrument, sports activities or any other form of show business (except for activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Business Manager" section in this Table). Skilled Labor Activities to engage in duties which require expert skills that belong to special industrial fields based on a contract signed with a public or private organization in Japan. Specified Skilled Worker (i) Activities to engage in duties that require skills for which a considerable degree of knowledge or experience provided for in Ministry of Justice Order which belong to a specified industrial field (meaning the field specified in Ministry of Justice Order as an industrial field for which shortage of labor should be secured by employing foreign nationals due to difficulty in securing human resources; the same applies in the following item) designated by the Minister of Justice is necessary, based on a contract (limited to those conforming to the provisions of Article 2-5, paragraph (1) through paragraph (4); the same applies in the following item) concerning employment signed with a public or private organization in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice; (ii) activities to engage in duties that require expert skills specified in Ministry of Justice Order which belong to a specified industrial field designated by the Minister of Justice conducted based on a contract concerning employment signed with a public or private organization in Japan designated by the Minister of Justice. Technical Intern Training (i) Activities which fall under either of the following sub-item (a) or (b): (a) activities to attend lectures and engage in duties related to skills, technique or knowledge (hereinafter referred to as "skills, etc.") based on the technical intern training plan (limited to those pertaining to individual-enterprise-type technical intern training (i) prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (2), item (i) of the Technical Intern Training Act) provided for in Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Technical Intern Training Act, which received the accreditation (where a change has been approved in accordance with the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (1) of the Technical Intern Training Act, the plan after the change; hereinafter the same applies) under Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Technical Intern Training Act; (b) activities to attend lectures and engage in duties related to skills, etc. based on the technical intern training plan (limited to those pertaining to supervising-organization-type technical intern training (i) prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (4), item (i) of the Technical Intern Training Act) provided for in Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Technical Intern Training Act, which received the accreditation set forth under the same paragraph. (ii) Activities which fall under either of the following sub-item (a) or (b): (a) activities to engage in duties that require skills, etc. based on the technical intern training plan (limited to those pertaining to individual-enterprise-type technical intern training (ii) prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (2), item (ii) of the Technical Intern Training Act) provided for in Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Technical Intern Training Act, which received the accreditation set forth under the same paragraph; (b) activities to engage in duties that require skills, etc. based on the technical intern training plan (limited to those pertaining to supervising-organization-type technical intern training (ii) prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (4), item (ii) of the Technical Intern Training Act) provided for in Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Technical Intern Training Act, which received the accreditation set forth under the same paragraph. (iii) Activities which fall under either of the following sub-item (a) or (b): (a) activities to engage in duties that require skills, etc. based on the technical intern training plan (limited to those pertaining to individual-enterprise-type technical intern training (iii) prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (2), item (iii) of the Technical Intern Training Act) provided for in Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Technical Intern Training Act, which received the accreditation set forth under the same paragraph; (b) activities to engage in duties that require skills, etc. based on the technical intern training plan (limited to those pertaining to supervising-organization-type technical intern training (iii) prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (4), item (iii) of the Technical Intern Training Act) provided for in Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Technical Intern Training Act, which received the accreditation set forth under the same paragraph. Remarks: If the Minister of Justice seeks to establish the Ministry of Justice Order in the right-hand column corresponding to "Specified Skilled Worker," the Minister is to consult with the heads of the relevant administrative organs in advance. (3) Status of Residence Authorized Activities in Japan Cultural Activities Academic or artistic activities that do not involve any income, or activities conducted to acquire culture or arts and crafts peculiar to Japan by conducting specialized research or through the guidance of experts (except for activities listed in the right-hand column of the "Student" through "Trainee" sections in Table (4)). Temporary Visitor Activities for sightseeing, recreation, sports, visiting relatives, tour of facilities, participating in lectures or meetings, business liaison or other similar activities during a short stay in Japan. (4) Status of Residence Authorized Activities in Japan Student Activities to receive an education at a university, technical college, senior high school (including the second semester course at a school for secondary education) or a senior high school course of a special needs school, junior high school (including the second semester course at a compulsory education school and the first semester course at a school for secondary education) or a junior high school course of a special needs school, elementary school (including the first semester course at a compulsory education school) or an elementary school course of a special needs school, advanced vocational school or miscellaneous school, or an equivalent educational institution in terms of facilities and organization in Japan. Trainee Activities to acquire skills, etc. by being accepted at a public or a private organization in Japan (except for the activities listed in item (i) of the right-hand column of "Technical Intern Training" in Table (2) and the right-hand column of the "Student" section in this Table). Dependent Daily activities of a spouse or child supported by the foreign national staying in Japan with the status of residence referred to in the left-hand column of Tables (1), (2) or (3) (excluding "Diplomat," "Official," "Specified Skilled Worker" (limited to those pertaining to item (i) of the right-hand column corresponding to "Specified Skilled Worker" of Table (2)), "Technical Intern Training," and "Temporary Visitor") or staying with the status of residence of "Student" in this Table. (5) Status of Residence Authorized Activities in Japan Designated Activities Activities which are specifically designated by the Minister of Justice for individual foreign nationals.
(1) Status of Residence Authorized Activities in Japan Diplomat Activities on the part of constituent members of diplomatic missions or consular offices of foreign governments hosted by the Japanese…
一 在留資格 本邦において行うことができる活動 外交 日本国政府が接受する外国政府の外交使節団若しくは領事機関の構成員、条約若しくは国際慣行により外交使節と同様の特権及び免除を受ける者又はこれらの者と同一の世帯に属する家族の構成員としての活動 公用 日本国政府の承認した外国政府若しくは国際機関の公務に従事する者又はそ…
Open this provision(Special Provision on Changes to the Status of Residence of "Highly Skilled Professional")
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, the change to the status of residence of "Highly Skilled Professional"…
高度専門職の在留資格（別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄第二号に係るものに限る。）への変更は、前条第一項の規定にかかわらず、高度専門職の在留資格（同表の高度専門職の項の下欄第一号イからハまでに係るものに限る。）をもつて本邦に在留していた外国人でなければ受けることができない。
Open this provision(Change of Status of Residence)
A foreign national with a status of residence may have their status of residence (including the period of stay for the status; hereinafter the same applies from this paragraph to paragraph (3) and in…
在留資格を有する外国人は、その者の有する在留資格（これに伴う在留期間を含む。以下第三項まで及び次条において同じ。）の変更（高度専門職の在留資格（別表第一の二の表の高度専門職の項の下欄第一号イからハまでに係るものに限る。）を有する者については、法務大臣が指定する本邦の公私の機関の変更を含み、特定技能の在留資格を有する者…
Open this provision(Change of Status of Residence)
A foreign national who seeks to have their status of residence changed pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must apply to the Minister of Justice for the change of the status of…
前項の規定により在留資格の変更を受けようとする外国人は、法務省令で定める手続により、法務大臣に対し在留資格の変更を申請しなければならない。ただし、永住者の在留資格への変更を希望する場合は、第二十二条第一項の定めるところによらなければならない。
Open this provision(Change of Status of Residence)
If an application for a change of status of residence has been filed as set forth in the preceding paragraph, the Minister of Justice may grant permission only if the Minister finds that there are…
前項の申請があつた場合には、法務大臣は、当該外国人が提出した文書により在留資格の変更を適当と認めるに足りる相当の理由があるときに限り、これを許可することができる。ただし、短期滞在の在留資格をもつて在留する者の申請については、やむを得ない特別の事情に基づくものでなければ許可しないものとする。
Open this provision(Change of Status of Residence)
If the Minister of Justice has decided to give permission pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Minister is to have the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency notify the…
法務大臣は、前項の規定による許可をすることとしたときは、出入国在留管理庁長官に、当該外国人に対し、その旨を通知させるものとする。この場合において、その通知は、出入国在留管理庁長官が、入国審査官に、次の各号に掲げる区分に応じ、当該各号に定める措置をとらせることにより行うものとする。
Open this provision(Change of Status of Residence)
if the foreign national who has been granted permission continues to fall under a mid-to long-term resident or newly comes to fall under a mid- to long-term resident:to issue a residence card for the…
当該許可に係る外国人が引き続き中長期在留者に該当し、又は新たに中長期在留者に該当することとなるとき 当該外国人に対する在留カードの交付
Open this provision(Permission for Permanent Residence)
A foreign national who seeks to change their status of residence to that of "Permanent Resident" must file an application to the Minister of Justice for permission for permanent residence by taking…
在留資格を変更しようとする外国人で永住者の在留資格への変更を希望するものは、法務省令で定める手続により、法務大臣に対し永住許可を申請しなければならない。
Open this provisionforeign national
「外国人」
Anyone who does not hold Japanese nationality.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (i)· applies throughout the law
passport
「旅券」
A passport, refugee travel document or other document in place of a passport (including a travel certificate from a Japanese consular officer) issued by the Japanese government, a foreign government Japan recognizes or a competent international organization, or an equivalent document from a competent authority of a region designated by Cabinet Order.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (v)· applies throughout the law
immigration inspector
「入国審査官」
The immigration official provided for in Article 61-3, who examines people landing in Japan and cases for deportation, among other duties.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (x)· applies throughout the law
period of staymachine translation
「在留期間」
How long a foreign national may stay in Japan under a status of residence; the lengths are set by Ministry of Justice Order and, for most statuses, cannot exceed five years.
Short name set inArticle 2-2, paragraph (3)
specified industrial field
「特定産業分野」
One of the industries short of workers in which foreign nationals may be employed as Specified Skilled Workers, as provided in Appended Table I (2).
Defined inArticle 7-2, paragraph (3)· applies only in this paragraph and in Article 20, paragraph (1)
mid- to long-term residents
「中長期在留者」
A foreign national residing in Japan with a status of residence who is issued a residence card: everyone except those granted a stay of three months or less, Temporary Visitors, holders of Diplomat or Official status, and others specified by Ministry of Justice Order.
Short name set inArticle 19-3, paragraph (1)