Long-term resident visa (定住者) in Japan: who qualifies, work, renewal and divorce

Japan’s long term resident visa is the status Long-Term Resident (定住者, teijūsha). The Minister of Justice grants it for “special reasons”, for example to Nikkei third generation, some spouses and children, resettled refugees and, case by case, foreign spouses after a divorce or a spouse’s death. As of October 2026 it is granted for 6 months, 1, 3 or 5 years and has no limit on work.

Who can get a long-term resident visa in Japan?

The Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁, ISA) describes 定住者 as a status for people the Minister allows to live in Japan for a set period, “considering special reasons”. There are two kinds of case.

Listed in a published notice. A Ministry of Justice notice, the Long-Term Resident Notice (定住者告示), names positions that qualify in advance. It was last amended in October 2021. ISA’s page groups them like this:

Since 1 April 2022 “minor” means under 18, not under 20. At 18 or older you can no longer enter as an unmarried minor child.

Not listed, decided case by case. The Minister can also grant 定住者 for reasons the notice doesn’t list. The best-known case is a foreign spouse who changes status after a divorce or after their Japanese or PR spouse dies.

Can you work on a long-term resident visa?

Yes. 定住者 is one of the statuses based on personal relationship, with permanent resident, spouse of a Japanese national and spouse of a permanent resident. You can work in any field, full time or part time, with no hours cap and no separate work permit.

How long is the visa, and how do you renew it?

ISA grants 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 6 months, or another period of up to 5 years that the Minister sets. You renew from 3 months before expiry, on or before the expiry date.

From 1 October 2026 the counter fee depends on the period granted: ¥33,000 for 1 year, ¥64,000 for 3 years and ¥75,000 for 5 years. Online fees are lower. See our visa renewal guide for the full table.

Nikkei third generation adults who want the 5-year period must also show Japanese ability. This can be 6 months of study at a designated institution, JLPT N2, JLPT N3 with 104 points or more, BJT 400 or more, or a year at a Japanese school. Nikkei applicants also submit a criminal record certificate from their home country.

Can you get 定住者 after divorce or your spouse’s death?

Possibly, but nothing is automatic. If you hold Spouse or Child of Japanese National (日本人の配偶者等) or Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident (永住者の配偶者等) as a spouse, three rules apply:

• 14 days: file a notification regarding your spouse (配偶者に関する届出) within 14 days of the divorce or death. You can file online, at an immigration office or by post. No documents are needed.
• 6 months: if you don’t live as a spouse for 6 months or more without a justifiable reason, ISA can cancel your status (Immigration Act Article 22-4).
• A chance to change first: before cancelling on that ground, ISA must consider letting you apply for a change of status or permanent residency (Article 22-5).

The usual route is a change of status to 定住者. ISA approves a change only when there are “reasonable grounds”, and the decision is discretionary.

What does immigration look at after a divorce?

ISA publishes a list of real cases, in Japanese, English and 5 other languages, that were approved or refused for a change from a spouse status to 定住者. The list dates from July 2012 and covers 2011 decisions, but ISA still links it from its 定住者 page as of October 2026.

Approved examples included:

• a mother who divorced after about 6.5 years of marriage, had parental authority over her Japanese child, a good record of caring for the child and a regular income as a home care worker
• a man divorced after about 7 years 9 months who didn’t have custody but paid ¥30,000 a month in support for his Japanese child and had a regular job
• a widower of a special permanent resident, married about 6 years, who ran his own welding business
• women who separated or divorced after domestic violence, including one married about 3 years who earned her own income as an assistant nurse

Refused examples included a man convicted of fraud and injury, people who had lived outside Japan for about 1.5 years or more, and short marriages of about 2 years or less, which also involved other factors such as working apart from the spouse. One refusal involved under 3 months of living together.

ISA says similar cases can be decided differently, and it sets no minimum marriage length. The list is from 2012, so treat it as an indication of how ISA weighs cases, not as current rules. Writing from practice, one 行政書士 firm says that when you raise a Japanese child, the child’s Japanese nationality and a real record of raising them matter most, along with stable income, paid taxes and insurance, and good conduct. That is practitioner experience, not a published ISA rule.

Does 定住者 lead to permanent residency?

Yes. ISA’s permanent residency guideline lets long-term residents apply after 5 years of continuous stay on 定住者, instead of the usual 10 years in Japan. This exception stays in the revised guideline for applications from 1 April 2027. You still need taxes, pension and health insurance paid on time. See permanent residency requirements.

More guides: spouse visa in Japan, dependent visa, naturalization (帰化) process and permanent residency vs naturalization.