Phone & internetSIMs and phone plans
How to buy an iPhone in Japan as a foreign resident: SIM-free from Apple, carrier installments, and the residence-period rule that can block a payment plan.
As of October 2026, a foreign resident can buy a SIM-free iPhone from Apple Japan with a billing address in Japan, or buy from docomo, au or SoftBank with a residence card and usually a foreign passport. Installments are the hard part: carriers may refuse them if your period of stay ends before the payment term, and Apple's card installments need an eligible credit card and exclude debit cards. Paying in one go avoids the stay check.
You can buy an iPhone in Japan as a foreign resident from Apple (SIM-free) or from docomo, au or SoftBank. Carriers need your residence card (在留カード) and usually a foreign passport. Paying in installments is the catch: if your period of stay (在留期間) ends before the payment term, the carrier may refuse. Apple’s card installments need an eligible credit card. Rules are from official pages, as of October 2026.
Apple sells SIM-free iPhones, meaning not tied to a carrier. Apple’s carrier offer excludes SIM-free iPhones, so a SIM-free iPhone is a separate way to buy, and Apple lists SIM-free refurbished models too.
Apple’s online store takes orders only when the billing address is in Japan. Refunds to a bank account go only to a Japanese account in the buyer’s name.
Carriers sell too. Buying online from Apple with a carrier discount offers docomo and SoftBank; in an Apple Store, au, docomo and SoftBank are listed.
| Carrier | Documents | Permanent residents |
|---|---|---|
| docomo | Residence card + foreign passport | Passport not needed |
| au | Residence card + foreign passport | Not stated on the page we checked |
| SoftBank | Residence card + foreign passport | Residence card only |
SoftBank does not accept anyone whose status is “no status” (資格なし). Bring originals, not copies. See phone contracts for foreigners for the full document list.
Often yes, with conditions. All three carriers use the same logic: your period of stay should last longer than the payment term.
None of the pages says how much margin they need, so ask at the counter how long your payment term can be. A 行政書士 can advise on renewing your stay, but not on the carrier’s credit decision.
As of the page dated 10 September 2026, Apple offers two routes:
Paidy’s identity check for foreign residents is not described on Apple’s page, so confirm in the Paidy app first. If you have no Japanese credit card yet, read credit cards for foreigners and how credit history works.
In an Apple Store, staff verify identity with an ID document. Apple’s page does not list which documents.
docomo says models released on or after 27 August 2021 have no SIM lock. For older models, unlocking has been free and unconditional since 1 October 2023, done in My docomo, by phone or at a shop.
We did not confirm au’s or SoftBank’s current policy on their own pages. Ask before you pay, and plan around your SIM and number. To keep your number, see how MNP works.
Apple lists certified refurbished iPhones with a 1-year warranty. One example on the page: an iPhone 16 128GB, SIM-free, at ¥114,800. Apple’s Paidy plan does not cover refurbished products. Stock and prices change, so check the page.
| Your situation | Likely route |
|---|---|
| Long period of stay, Japanese credit card | Carrier or Apple card installments |
| Short period of stay | Pay in one go, or choose a shorter term |
| No Japanese credit card | SIM-free from Apple, paid in full |
| Want to switch carriers later | SIM-free, or a docomo model from 27 August 2021 |
More guides: phone contract, SIM cards, keep your number.
Yes. Apple Japan sells SIM-free iPhones and takes orders with a billing address in Japan. At docomo, au or SoftBank you need a residence card and, unless you are a permanent resident at docomo or SoftBank, a foreign passport.
Maybe not. docomo, au and SoftBank all say installments can be refused if your period of stay ends before the payment term. au also bars foreign residents from its 60- and 72-payment plans.
docomo says models released on or after 27 August 2021 have no SIM lock. Apple sells SIM-free iPhones. We did not confirm au's and SoftBank's current policy, so check the phone's settings before you buy.
No. Apple's installment page says debit cards cannot be used for installments, and only eligible cards from Orico, JCB, Mitsui Sumitomo and Rakuten qualify.
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