Re-Entry Permits: Leaving Japan for Over a Year Explained

Leaving Japan for more than a year requires a formal Re-Entry Permit to protect your visa status. We explain the difference between the “Special” permit (checkbox at the airport) and the formal permit (Immigration Bureau), including the 2025 fee increases, tax implications, and critical validity rules.

The Core Concept: Use It or Lose It

To understand Re-Entry Permits, you must first understand how Japan views your residence card.

Your Residence Card (Zairyu Card) is proof that you are a mid-to-long-term resident of Japan. Implicit in this status is the assumption that you are actually in Japan. When you leave the country, the default legal assumption is that you are done with your residency.

In the past, every foreigner had to apply for a Re-Entry Permit even for a weekend trip to Korea. This created massive bureaucratic congestion. To fix this, Japan introduced a dual system in 2012:

1. Special Re-Entry Permit: A simplified system for short trips (under 1 year).
2. Standard Re-Entry Permit: The formal system for long trips (over 1 year).

Choosing the wrong one is the most common cause of accidental visa loss.

The Two Systems: Special vs. Standard

Before you book your flight, you need to categorize your trip. Are you absolutely certain you will return within 12 months? Or is there a chance life might get in the way?

Comparison Table: Which Permit Do You Need?

Feature	Special Re-Entry Permit (Minashi)	Standard Re-Entry Permit (Sainyukoku)
Primary Use	Holidays, Short Business Trips	Sabbaticals, Relocation, Long Study
Duration Limit	Strictly 1 Year (or Visa expiry)	Up to 5 Years (or Visa expiry)
Where to Apply	At the Airport (Security Check)	Regional Immigration Bureau
When to Apply	On the day of departure	Days or weeks before travel
Cost	Free	¥4,000 (Single) / ¥7,000 (Multiple)
Extension Possible?	No. (Strictly impossible abroad)	Yes. (At Embassies abroad)
Impact on PR	PR lost if away > 1 year	PR kept valid for up to 5 years
Bureaucracy	Check a box on the ED Card	4-page form + Revenue Stamps

System A: The Special Re-Entry Permit (Under 1 Year)

This is the “Airport Method.” It is convenient, free, and dangerous if misunderstood.

How It Works

When you arrive at the international departure area of any Japanese airport, you will proceed to the immigration inspection counters. Just before you line up, there are counters with pens and forms. You need to pick up the Embarkation Disembarkation Card for Re-entrants (ED Card).

It is a small rectangular slip. On the “Embarkation” (Departure) side, there is a crucial section with a checkbox.

• The Text: “I am leaving Japan temporarily and will return.” (It may also say “Notification of Special Re-Entry”).
• The Action: You must tick this box.
• The Handover: When you see the immigration officer, you hand them your Passport, your Residence Card, and this ticked ED Card.

The officer will staple the “Disembarkation” (Arrival) half of the card into your passport and punch a hole in your boarding pass. They do not put a sticker in your passport. This stapled card is your permit.

The “1-Year Wall”

The Special Re-Entry Permit allows you to be out of Japan for 1 year from the date of departure.

• Example: You leave on January 1st, 2026. You must re-enter Japan by January 1st, 2027.

Crucial Caveat: If your Residence Card expires before that 1 year is up, you must return before the card expires.

• Example: You leave on January 1st, 2026. Your visa expires on June 1st, 2026. You must return by June 1st, 2026. You cannot use the “1 year” rule to extend your visa validity.

The Risk of No Return

If you are overseas and you fall ill, get into an accident, or simply decide to stay “one more month,” and you cross that 1-year line—even by 24 hours—your visa is automatically revoked.

There is no appeal process. You cannot extend a Special Re-Entry Permit from overseas. This is why, if your plans are even vaguely uncertain (e.g., “I’m going home to take care of my sick father for a while”), you should never rely on the Special permit.

System B: The Standard Re-Entry Permit (Over 1 Year)

If you intend to be away for a long time, you need the “Bureau Method.” This is a formal application submitted to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.

Validity Period

• Standard Visa Holders: Valid for 5 years or until your current visa expires (whichever is sooner).
• Special Permanent Residents: Valid for 6 years.

This permit gives you a massive safety net. You can leave Japan, live in another country for 3 or 4 years, and simply fly back in to resume your residency, provided your Residence Card is still valid.

Step-by-Step Application Guide

You must apply for this permit before you go to the airport. It is processed at your Regional Immigration Services Bureau (e.g., Shinagawa for Tokyo residents).

Step 1: Gather Documents

• Application Form: “Application for Re-entry Permit” (available at the bureau).
• Passport: The original document.
• Residence Card: The original card.
• Student/Work ID: Occasionally requested to prove your status, though rarely for this specific application.

Step 2: Go to the Bureau

Go to the Immigration Bureau covering your jurisdiction. There is usually a specific counter for “Re-entry Permits” which moves faster than the “Visa Renewal” counters.

Step 3: Pay the Fee

You cannot pay with cash or credit card directly at the counter. You must purchase Revenue Stamps (Shunyu Inshi) at the convenience store or post office located inside the immigration building.

• Single Entry: ¥4,000 (Valid for one round trip).
• Multiple Entry: ¥7,000 (Valid for unlimited trips during the validity period).

Note: As of April 1, 2025, fees were revised upward from the previous ¥3,000/¥6,000 rates.

Step 4: Receive the Permit

The permit is issued on the same day, usually within 30 to 60 minutes. It is a sticker (similar to a visa) that is pasted into your passport.

• Check the date on the sticker immediately. It should match your visa expiry date (if under 5 years) or be set to 5 years from today.

Why Permanent Residents (PR) Need This Most

There is a dangerous myth that “Permanent Residency” means you can come and go as you please forever.

This is false.

Permanent Residency is a status of residence. Like any other status, it requires a valid Re-Entry Permit to remain active.

• If a PR holder leaves with a Special permit (airport checkbox) and stays away for 1 year and 1 day, they lose their Permanent Residency.
• If a PR holder leaves with a Standard permit and stays away for 5 years and 1 day, they lose their Permanent Residency.

Losing PR is devastating. It takes 10 years to earn, and can be lost in a single day of negligence.

If you are a PR holder and you are leaving Japan for any reason that might stretch beyond a year—or if you just want peace of mind—always buy the Multiple Re-Entry Permit (¥7,000). It is essentially a 5-year insurance policy for your status.

• Maintaining Permanent Residence: Renewing Your PR Card in Japan

Financial Implications: Tax and Insurance

Leaving Japan for more than a year triggers a change in your tax residency status. This is where the Re-Entry Permit interacts with City Hall procedures.

The “Moving Out” Notification (Tenshutsu Todoke)

If you are leaving for more than 1 year, you are generally legally required to file a “Moving Out Notification” at your local ward office.

• Why do this? Filing this notification removes you from the “Resident Register.”
• Benefit: You stop accruing National Health Insurance payments. You stop accruing National Pension payments. You stop being liable for Residence Tax (Juminzei) for the following year.

The “Non-Resident” Strategy

By obtaining a Standard Re-Entry Permit (valid for 5 years) and filing a Moving Out Notification, you enter a state of suspended animation.

• Immigration Status: Active (You are still a Resident/PR holder).
• Tax Status: Non-Resident (You do not pay local taxes while gone).

This is the ideal setup for a sabbatical. You keep your right to return, but you don’t pay ¥50,000 a month in social insurance for services you aren’t using.

However, be aware that pausing your pension payments will affect your future payout amount unless you “Totalize” your pension with your new country.

• Social Security Agreements: Combining Pension Benefits Across Countries

Leaving for Less Than a Year?

If you use the Special Re-Entry Permit (under 1 year), City Hall will generally not accept a Moving Out Notification. They consider your trip “temporary.”

• Result: You remain a tax resident. You must continue paying Health Insurance, Pension, and Residence Tax while you are traveling. You should appoint a tax representative to handle these bills while you are away.
• Leaving Japan Permanently: Immigration Procedures Checklist (Relevant for appointing representatives).

Can You Extend a Re-Entry Permit Abroad?

This is the lifeline for people who get stuck overseas.

Scenario: You have a Standard Re-Entry Permit valid for 3 years. You are in your home country. You get sick/injured and cannot fly back before the permit expires.

Solution: You can apply for an Extension of Validity of Re-Entry Permit at the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in your current country.

• Requirements: You must have a valid reason (illness, continued study, etc.) and proof.
• The Limit: The extension cannot exceed 1 year, and the total validity cannot exceed 6 years from the original issue date.
• Fee: There is a processing fee (varies by currency).

Important: You cannot extend a Special Re-Entry Permit (the airport checkbox one) abroad. This extension privilege is exclusive to the Standard permit. This is arguably the biggest advantage of paying the ¥7,000 fee.

What Happens to Your Visa Expiry Date?

A Re-Entry Permit preserves your visa, but it does not pause the clock.

Example:

• You have a 3-year “Engineer” visa that expires on December 31, 2027.
• You leave Japan in January 2026 with a Re-Entry Permit.
• The Re-Entry Permit says it is valid until December 31, 2027.

If you are still abroad on December 31, 2027, your Engineer visa expires. The Re-Entry Permit dies with it. You cannot renew your visa from overseas. You must return to Japan before the expiration date to file a visa renewal application.

Exception: If you file for renewal before you leave, you can have a “processing” stamp on your card. However, you generally need to be in Japan to pick up the new card within 2 months of the old one expiring. Leaving during a renewal is risky and requires careful coordination with immigration.

• Changing Your Status of Residence: Switching Visa Categories in Japan

Departure Day Checklist

When the day comes to fly out for your long-term trip, follow these steps to ensure the permit is activated.

1. Check Your Passport: Ensure the Re-Entry Permit sticker is there (if you applied for the Standard one).
2. The ED Card: Pick up the Embarkation Card at the airport.
3. The Checkbox:
   • If using Standard Permit: Tick “I am leaving Japan temporarily.” Also, point out the sticker in your passport to the officer.
   • If using Special Permit: Tick “I am leaving Japan temporarily.” The checkbox is your application.
4. Residence Card: Hand it to the officer. Do NOT let them punch a hole in it.
   • If they punch a hole in it, your status is void. This happens if you mistakenly tell them “I am leaving permanently.”
   • Always say: “I am coming back. Re-entry.”

Returning to Japan

When you return, the process is simple.

1. Go to the “Re-entry” lane (often shared with Japanese citizens).
2. Hand over your passport and Residence Card.
3. The officer scans the permit.
4. Important: If you filed a “Moving Out Notification” at City Hall when you left, you must go to City Hall within 14 days of returning to file a “Moving In Notification” (Tennyu Todoke). This reactivates your Health Insurance, Pension, and MyNumber Card.

Lost Passport Abroad?

If you lose your passport while overseas, you also lose the Re-Entry Permit sticker.

• Do not panic. You can go to the Japanese Embassy and request a “Certificate of Re-entry Permit Validity” or have them issue a stamp in your new passport/travel document. The record exists in their database.
• Renewing Your Passport in Japan: Embassy Services for Expats

FAQ: Common Re-Entry Questions

Q: I am a student going home for summer break (2 months). Which permit do I need?

A: Use the Special Re-Entry Permit (Airport Checkbox). It is free and covers you for 1 year. You do not need the paid version.

Q: I am on a “Designated Activities” visa (Job Hunting). Can I leave?

A: Yes, usually. You can use the Special Re-Entry Permit. However, leaving for a long time might signal to immigration that you aren’t serious about job hunting, which could impact your renewal.

Q: I have a 5-year visa, but my passport expires in 2 years. How long is my Re-Entry Permit valid?

A: The Re-Entry Permit sticker is placed in your passport. If your passport expires, the permit remains valid, but it is in a “dead” book.

• Solution: When you get a new passport, keep the old one. Carry both passports when you travel. Show the new one for ID and the old one for the Re-Entry sticker. You can also transfer the sticker at the Immigration Bureau if you prefer.

Q: Does the Re-Entry Permit guarantee entry?

A: Technically, no. An immigration officer always has the right to deny entry (e.g., for national security or infectious disease control). However, barring extraordinary circumstances (like a pandemic border closure), a valid Re-Entry Permit guarantees your status is recognized.

Conclusion

The Japanese Re-Entry Permit system is a classic example of “Easy if you know it, disastrous if you don’t.”

The distinction between the Special (Airport) and Standard (Bureau) permits is the difference between a 1-year leash and a 5-year freedom. If you are a Permanent Resident, or simply a resident with uncertain future plans, the ¥7,000 fee for a Multiple Re-Entry Permit is a negligible cost for the security it provides.

Don’t let your hard-earned visa status evaporate due to a calendar error. Check your dates, choose the right permit, and travel with the confidence that your home in Japan will be waiting for you.

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Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on immigration rules and fees as of early 2026. Procedures and fees are subject to change. Please consult the Immigration Services Agency of Japan or a qualified administrative scrivener for advice on your specific situation.

References

Primary sources (official)

• Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Fees for immigration procedures will be revised on April 1, 2025. https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001433809.pdf
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Extension of the period of validity of the re-entry permit to Japan. https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/incidents/permit.html
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Procedures for Entry/ Residence (Loss of Residence Card). https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001291262.pdf

Other helpful sources

• ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer’s Office. Japan Visa Renewal Fees to Increase to ¥30,000–¥40,000 & Permanent Residency to ¥100,000+. https://english.visajapan.jp/qa/news20251121.html
• Fragomen. Japan: Application Fees for Some Services Increasing. https://www.fragomen.com/insights/japan-application-fees-for-some-services-increasing.html
• The University of Osaka. 4-7. Re-entry Permit. https://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/international/support_office_data/support_guide/visa/immigration_procedures/re-entry_permit
• Embassy of Japan in Finland. Extension of Validity of Re-Entry Permission. https://www.fi.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_fi/re-entry_extension.html