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については、法務大臣が指定する本邦の公私の機関又は特定産業分野の変更を含み、特定活動の在留資格を有する者については、法務大臣が個々の外国人について特に指定する活動の変更を含む。）を受けることができる。
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).
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。
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).
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。
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.
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。
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
第一号に掲げる場合以外の場合において、当該許可に係る外国人が旅券を所持していないとき 当該外国人に対する新たな在留資格及び在留期間を記載した在留資格証明書の交付又は既に交付を受けている在留資格証明書への新たな在留資格及び在留期間の記載
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.
第二項の規定による申請があつた場合（三十日以下の在留期間を決定されている者から申請があつた場合を除く。）において、その申請の時に当該外国人が有する在留資格に伴う在留期間の満了の日までにその申請に対する処分がされないときは、当該外国人は、その在留期間の満了後も、当該処分がされる時又は従前の在留期間の満了の日から二月を経過する日が終了する時のいずれか早い時までの間は、引き続き当該在留資格をもつて本邦に在留することができる。
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.