Status of Residence

Carrying your Residence Card at all times

Your Residence Card is an important document that serves as a “certificate” to prove that you are a legal resident with a residence status and period of stay that allows you to stay in Japan for a medium- to long-term period. Therefore, make sure to carry it with you at all times.

Registering Residence Card information

Be sure to register information about your Residence Card on the student portal (UNIPA) upon enrolling in our university.
Also, when you update your Residence Card, including updating your period of stay or changing your residence status, you must register such new information regarding your Residence Card on the student portal (UNIPA).

How to Register Your Residence Card (university website)

1． Changing institutions of affiliation (when enrolling in our university from a Japanese language school or another university in Japan) 

2． Renewing your period of stay

3． Changing your residence status (when you wish to change your residence status to “Student”)

4． Permission to engage in activities other than those permitted by your status of residence (for working part-time)

5． Intending to continue job hunting in Japan after graduation 

Check the following website for information regarding entry visas.
Visa/Certificate of Eligibility (COE) on entry to Japan 

1． Changing institutions of affiliation (when enrolling in our university from a Japanese language school or another university in Japan)

If you already have the residence status “Student” and have enrolled in our university from a Japanese language school or another university in Japan, you are required to notify the Immigration Services Agency of Japan of the change of your institution of affiliation (or activities) within 14 days.
Notification can be made online, in person at the counter of the immigration office, or by mail.
If you are enrolled in our university from your previous institution of affiliation continuously with the residence status “Student,” be sure to complete the procedure to change your institution of affiliation.

For details of the procedure, check the website of the Immigration Services Agency.
Immigration Services Agency (external site)

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri10_00014.html

2． Renewing your period of stay

If you plan to continue to stay in Japan beyond your initial period of stay for reasons such as going on to higher education or moving up to the next grade, you are required to apply for renewal of your period of stay.
Since the Immigration Services Agency accepts applications for renewal permission from three months before the expiration date of your period of stay, make sure to submit the required documents listed below and complete the procedure on or before the day your period of stay expires.

If you exceed the expiration date of your stay even by one day, you will be treated as an illegal resident. Exercise extreme caution and be sure to complete the procedure to renew your period of stay as soon as possible.
The Immigration Services Agency is particularly busy during periods of school enrollment and advancement to higher education as well as long vacations. Make sure to go through the procedure as soon as possible.

Required documents for the “Student” status of residence:

Notes:

1. Since certificates issued at the university office take about one week from receiving an application to issuing the document, make sure to allow ample time to complete an application.
2. If you are enrolled in our university after completing a Japanese language school and extend your period of stay, you need a certificate of attendance (if available), academic records (transcript), and a certificate of course completion from your time previous Japanese language school.
3. If you are enrolled in our university after graduating from another university and extend your period of stay, you need academic records (transcript) and a graduation certificate from your previous university.
4. If you take a leave of absence or repeat a year, you need a “letter of reason” detailing the reason for taking a leave of absence or repeating a year, your study plan until graduation, and so on.
5. In addition, you may be required to submit additional certificates or other documents due to the judgement of the Immigration Services Agency.

For information regarding downloading application forms and details of the procedures, check the website of the Immigration Services Agency.
Immigration Services Agency (external site)
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/student.html

3． Changing your residence status (when you wish to change your residence status to “Student”)

If you wish to change your currently approved residence status, you must obtain permission to change your residence status from the Immigration Services Agency. However, filing an application does not necessarily insure that you will be granted permission. In principle, the residence status of international students at our university is “Student” (You need the “Student” residence status to apply for tuition fee reduction / exemption for privately funded international students, scholarships, etc.)

For information regarding downloading application forms and details of the procedures, check the website of the Immigration Services Agency.
Immigration Services Agency (external site)
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/student.html
Refer to the section “Renewing your period of stay” above for documents that must be issued by the university.

4． Permission to engage in activities other than those permitted by your status of residence (for working part-time)

If your residence status is “Student,” you are not allowed to work and earn an income. However, if you need to take up part-time work to cover tuition fees and living expenses, you can work part-time with permission to engage in activities outside the scope of your status of residence granted by the Immigration Services Agency. However, caution should be exercised since working part-time without permission may result in penalties or deportation.

The standard permitted working hours are up to 28 hours per week for full-time students and research students and 14 hours per week for audit students. However, during long vacation periods (see the note below), working up to 8 hours per day is permitted.
Note: Long vacation periods refer to the summer, winter, and spring vacation periods stipulated in our university's academic regulations. However, training periods in the summer and spring are not included in the vacation periods.
You are not allowed to work part-time after graduation. Quit your part-time job immediately after graduation.

When engaging in activities outside the scope of your status of residence (part-time work), be sure to observe the following:
○ Work part-time within the scope permitted.
○ Do not work part-time in places where adult entertainment businesses or adult entertainment-related businesses are conducted.

For details of the procedure, check the website of the Immigration Services Agency.
Immigration Services Agency (external site)
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-8.html

Notes:

1. When you enter Japan, you can apply for permission to engage in activities outside the scope of your status of residence immediately after applying for landing permission at the airport.
   Since the application forms you use at the airport upon entry are different from the ones you will submit to the Immigration Services Agency after entering the country, make sure to use the right application form.
2. In addition, you may be required to submit additional certificates or other documents due to the judgement of the Immigration Services Agency.