Summary: If you live in Japan with a residence card and plan a short trip abroad, you can usually leave and come back under the special re-entry permit (minashi sainyukoku kyoka) without applying in advance. It is valid for up to one year from departure, or until your period of stay ends if that date comes first. For longer trips, or if you are not eligible, you apply for a regular re-entry permit at an immigration office before you leave. This guide compares the two, lists the fees as of 30 September 2026, and ends with a checklist for year-end trips.
- Why a re-entry permit matters
- The special re-entry permit: who can use it
- How long the special re-entry permit lasts
- How to show you are using it at departure
- The regular re-entry permit
- Special vs regular re-entry permit at a glance
- Special cases
- Japanese words you will see
- Checklist before a year-end trip
- FAQ
- Related reading
- Sources
Why a re-entry permit matters
Your status of residence is tied to your stay in Japan. The Immigration Services Agency (ISA) explains that a re-entry permit is given before departure so that a foreign resident who leaves temporarily can come back with simpler entry procedures.
ISA also states the other side of this clearly. If you leave Japan without a re-entry permit, the status of residence and period of stay you had come to an end. To come back, you would need a new visa and would go through the full landing procedure again.
With a valid re-entry permit, ISA says you do not need a visa to return, and you keep your previous status of residence and period of stay. So the question before any trip is simple: which of the two permits will you leave under?
The special re-entry permit: who can use it
The special re-entry permit is set out in Article 26-2 of the Immigration Control Act. According to ISA, it means that a foreign resident with a valid passport who comes back within one year of leaving does not, in principle, need a regular re-entry permit.
Based on ISA’s page, you can generally use it if all of these apply:
- You hold a valid passport.
- You are a mid- to long-term resident and also hold a valid residence card.
- Your period of stay is longer than 3 months.
- You are not in Japan with “Temporary Visitor” (short-term stay) status.
Special permanent residents can also use it with a valid passport and their special permanent resident certificate.
ISA lists people who cannot use the special re-entry permit. They include people who are in a procedure to cancel their status of residence, people whose departure confirmation has been put on hold, people who have been issued a written detention order, people staying with “Designated Activities” status while a refugee application is being examined, and people the Minister of Justice has found may harm Japan’s interests or public safety. If any of these may apply to you, contact your regional immigration office before making plans.
How long the special re-entry permit lasts
ISA states that the special re-entry permit is valid for one year from the day you leave. However, if your period of stay ends before that one year is up, the permit is only valid until your period of stay ends. For special permanent residents, the limit is two years from departure.
This second rule is easy to miss. Say your period of stay ends in March and you leave in December. Your deadline to come back is the end of your period of stay in March, not December of the next year. Check the expiry date on your residence card before you book a return flight.
ISA’s Q&A also says you cannot apply to extend your period of stay at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad. If your period of stay will end while you are away, ISA asks you to come back before it ends and apply at the regional immigration office for your place of residence.
How to show you are using it at departure
You do not apply for the special re-entry permit at an immigration office. Instead, you show your intention at the airport or port when you leave. ISA describes these steps:
- Fill in the ED card for re-entry (the “re-entry departure record”). It has a check box saying that your departure is temporary and that you plan to come back.
- Tick that box.
- At departure inspection, hand the card to the immigration inspector together with your passport and residence card.
- Tell the inspector that you wish to leave under the special re-entry permit.
ISA’s “Guidebook on Living and Working” gives the same instruction: fill out the ED card for re-entry and present it with your passport and residence card. This applies both to the special re-entry permit and to a regular re-entry permit.
The regular re-entry permit
If you plan to be away for more than one year, ISA’s Q&A says you need to apply for a re-entry permit at the regional immigration office that covers your place of residence. You may also need one if you are on ISA’s list of people who cannot use the special re-entry permit.
According to ISA, the regular re-entry permit is granted within your current period of stay, for up to 5 years from the day it takes effect (up to 6 years for special permanent residents). There are two types:
- Single re-entry permit: you can use it for one departure and return only.
- Multiple re-entry permit: you can leave and return as many times as you like while it is valid, so you do not need a new permit for each trip.
ISA also notes that the special re-entry permit itself has no limit on how many times it can be used, as long as you meet the conditions each time you leave.
How to apply, and the fees
According to ISA’s application page, you apply before you leave Japan, at your regional immigration office. Reception hours are listed as weekdays 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:00, but ISA says hours can differ by office, so check with your office first. The standard processing time is the same day.
ISA lists these documents:
- Re-entry permit application form (new format)
- Residence card (or special permanent resident certificate)
- Passport (if you cannot show one, a written statement of the reason)
- Identification of the person submitting, if someone other than you submits it
As of 30 September 2026, ISA’s page shows these fees, paid with revenue stamps: 4,000 yen for a single re-entry permit and 7,000 yen for a multiple re-entry permit. For online applications, ISA lists 3,500 yen (single) and 6,500 yen (multiple). ISA’s page on online fees for applications from 1 October 2026 adds a separate payment processing charge of 220 yen on top of these.
You may have heard about a fee change in October 2026. ISA has announced revised fees from 1 October 2026, but its Q&A says the revision is about three procedures: change of status of residence, extension of period of stay and permanent residence. Re-entry permit fees are not part of that list. ISA also states that for those three procedures, applications received by 30 September 2026 pay the old fee even if they are approved later.
Special vs regular re-entry permit at a glance
| Point | Special re-entry permit | Regular re-entry permit |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese name | みなし再入国許可 (minashi sainyukoku kyoka) | 再入国許可 (sainyukoku kyoka) |
| Apply in advance? | No. Tick the box on the ED card for re-entry at departure | Yes, at an immigration office before you leave |
| How long it lasts | 1 year from departure, or until your period of stay ends if earlier (2 years for special permanent residents) | Up to 5 years within your period of stay (6 years for special permanent residents) |
| Fee (as of 30 September 2026) | None stated by ISA | Single: 4,000 yen / Multiple: 7,000 yen (revenue stamps, counter application) |
| Who cannot use it | Period of stay of 3 months or less, Temporary Visitors, and people on ISA’s exclusion list | ISA says it is not granted in principle to Temporary Visitors |
| Good for | Holidays, family visits and business trips shorter than a year | Stays abroad of one year or more |
Special cases
Permanent residents
Permanent residents are mid- to long-term residents, so the same rules apply: with a valid passport and residence card, a trip of up to one year can use the special re-entry permit. For longer stays abroad, a regular re-entry permit (up to 5 years) is the route ISA describes. A permanent resident’s residence card itself has an expiry date. ISA says you can apply to renew the card from three months before it expires. If a long stay abroad makes that window hard to meet, ISA says an earlier application may be accepted with supporting documents, but ordinary business trips do not count as a reason.
When an extension or change application is pending
ISA’s Q&A says you can leave Japan under a re-entry permit, including the special re-entry permit, while an extension or change of status application is being examined. However, after you come back, you need to receive the result at the immigration office where you applied within two months of the date your previous period of stay ended. Plan a short trip with plenty of margin, and ask the office if you are unsure.
No valid passport
ISA says that if you cannot get a valid passport because of your country’s situation, a re-entry permit may be given as a separate document. Whether other countries accept that document is up to them.
Japanese words you will see
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| みなし再入国許可 | minashi sainyukoku kyoka | Special re-entry permit |
| 再入国許可 | sainyukoku kyoka | Re-entry permit |
| 一回限り | ikkai kagiri | Single (one use only) |
| 数次 | suji | Multiple |
| 再入国EDカード | sainyukoku ED kado | ED card for re-entry |
| 在留期限 | zairyu kigen | Date your period of stay ends |
| 収入印紙 | shunyu inshi | Revenue stamp (used to pay the fee) |
| 地方出入国在留管理局 | chiho shutsunyukoku zairyu kanrikyoku | Regional immigration services bureau |
Checklist before a year-end trip
Many people travel home over the New Year holidays. Immigration offices are busy before long holidays, so check these points early.
- Check your passport is valid for the whole trip.
- Check that your residence card is valid, and note the date your period of stay ends.
- Make sure your return date is before that date and within one year of departure.
- If your period of stay ends while you are away, apply for an extension before you leave. You cannot renew it at an embassy abroad.
- If you will be away for a year or more, apply for a regular re-entry permit at your immigration office before departure.
- If an extension or change application is pending, check the two-month rule above.
- Pack your residence card with your passport. You need both at departure.
- At the airport, fill in the ED card for re-entry and tick the box for a temporary departure.
- Keep the permit’s expiry date noted on your phone or calendar.
FAQ
Do I need to visit an immigration office for a two-week trip home?
Usually not. ISA says that if you come back within one year of leaving and have a valid passport and residence card, you can leave under the special re-entry permit without a prior procedure, as long as you return before your period of stay ends.
Does the special re-entry permit cost anything?
ISA’s pages do not list a fee for it. You show your intention on the ED card for re-entry at departure. The fees of 4,000 yen (single) and 7,000 yen (multiple) are for the regular re-entry permit.
Are re-entry permit fees going up in October 2026?
ISA’s Q&A on the 1 October 2026 revision describes it as covering change of status, extension of period of stay and permanent residence. As of 30 September 2026, ISA’s re-entry permit page still shows 4,000 yen and 7,000 yen.
Can someone else apply for my re-entry permit?
ISA lists people who may submit on your behalf, such as a legal representative, approved staff of your employer or school, a registered lawyer or administrative scrivener, and in limited cases a family member. They need to bring their own identification.
I am in Japan as a Temporary Visitor. Can I use a re-entry permit?
ISA says that, in principle, a re-entry permit is not granted to people with Temporary Visitor status, and they are not covered by the special re-entry permit either.
Related reading
Sources
- Special (Deemed) Re-entry Permit (Immigration Control Act Article 26-2) – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Re-entry Permit (Immigration Control Act Article 26) – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Re-entry Permit Application – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Immigration and Residence Examination Q&A – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Revision of residence permission fees from 1 October 2026 – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Q&A on the 1 October 2026 fee revision – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Online application fees and payment (applications from 1 October 2026) – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Application for renewal of residence card validity – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Guidebook on Living and Working (7th edition) – Immigration Services Agency of Japan
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