Changing your Status of Residence

There are many reasons to change your Status of Residence. You may be getting married to a Japanese national, and want to change your Status from employment to spouse. You may be a student who has graduated and found a job, changing your Status from student to employment. You may have switched jobs from a teacher to an interpreter, meaning you have to change from “Instructor” to “Specialist in Humanities/International Relations.” When changing from your original stated purpose for coming to Japan, you must apply for permission to change your status of residence accordingly.

If you do not do so, or do not seek permission to engage in activities other than those specified in your status of residence, you will be breaking the law and will be liable to criminal prosecution and possible deportation. Making an application to change your status of residence may not necessarily be approved, and in some cases you may be forced to leave the country.

There are an infinite number of possible situations, so for further information please contact the Morioka Immigration Office.

• Morioka Immigration Office

What you need

Item	Japanese translation	Details	Where to get it?
Passport	パスポート, pasupoto		N/A
Residence card	在留カード, zairyruu kaado		N/A
Application	在留資格変更許可申請書, zairyuu shikaku henkou kyoka shinsei-sho	Link to a list of applications Please select your desired status of residence	Online or at the Immigration Office
4,000 yen revenue stamp	収入印紙、shuunyuu inshi	You can buy these at any post office.	Post office
4cm x 3cm photo of the applicant	-	The photo must show the applicant facing forward, without any hats or head coverings. The background must be plain, and the photo easy to see. It must be taken within the last three months.	Photo booths or photo shops

Supporting documents
Please view the table on this page regarding what supporting documents you may need

• Link to a list of applications（外部リンク）
• on this page（外部リンク）

Please refer to the Immigration Bureau’s page regarding what you may need to process your application. Every situation is different, and the Immigration Bureau as the final word on what you may need.

• Immigration Bureau Change of Status of Residence（外部リンク）