A Reality Check: 家族滞在 Does Not Mean You Can Work Freely to Earn MoneyExperience
Misconception 1: 家族滞在 means dependent status, so you can work as much as you like and earn a full-time income
Incorrect. The legal basis for 家族滞在 (Dependent) status is 被扶養 (being financially supported)—you are supported by your spouse or parent. To work, you must first apply separately for 資格外活動許可 (permission to engage in activities outside your status), with a limit of 28 hours per week To verify. More importantly, international students may work up to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week during long school holidays, but there is no such holiday allowance for dependents: the cap remains 28 hours a week all year. Working without permission or exceeding the limit violates immigration law and may lead to cancellation of your status and, in the most serious cases, criminal penalties (such as up to 3 years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to 300万円) To verify.
Misconception 2: The more you earn, the better—it’s your money anyway
Incorrect, and this is a trap specific to 家族滞在. Because the status is based on being 被扶養, a renewal may be denied if your income exceeds that of your supporter or you no longer genuinely depend on them. A commonly cited threshold is annual income of about 130万円 (the social-insurance dependent limit) To verify. In other words, this status itself limits how much you can earn. If you want to work full-time without an hours limit, consider changing to a work status such as 技術・人文知識・国際業務 or 特定活動 rather than exceeding the work-hour limit while remaining on 家族滞在.
Misconception 3: If I have a work visa, I can bring my parents and siblings to Japan under 家族滞在
Incorrect. 家族滞在 is limited to a spouse and children (including adopted children and children born outside marriage whose parentage has been legally acknowledged); parents, parents-in-law, and siblings are not eligible. Even if your country of residence allows broader family reunification, those rules do not automatically apply in Japan. Parents can visit briefly under 短期滞在 (a short-term visitor visa); long-term care requires another exception, such as 特定活動, with a high eligibility threshold.
Misconception 4: Anyone can be a sponsor, and even international students can freely bring their spouses
Partly incorrect. The supporter whose status can confer 家族滞在 eligibility must hold a status from a specified list, including 教授, 高度専門職, 経営・管理, 技術・人文知識・国際業務, 研究, 教育, 医療, 技能, 特定技能2号, 文化活動, or 留学. Note that 特定技能1号 and 技能実習 holders generally cannot bring family members under 家族滞在—a blind spot for many people working in skilled-labor roles. International students may bring a spouse or child, but reviewers closely examine whether the student can support them financially (savings, scholarship, or income); applications may be rejected if they cannot.
Bringing Your Spouse/Child to Japan from Overseas: The 在留資格認定証明書 (COE) ProcessOfficial
Process overview (sponsor in Japan applies → family member overseas applies for a visa)
- The supporter in Japan applies to the regional 出入国在留管理局 (Immigration Services Bureau) with jurisdiction over their residence for a 在留資格認定証明書交付申請 (application for a Certificate of Eligibility), naming the spouse or child as the applicant.
- After reviewing the application, immigration issues a COE (在留資格認定証明書) in paper or electronic form.
- Send the COE to your family member overseas, or send the electronic COE.
- Your family member overseas takes the COE to the Japanese embassy or consulate-general in their area and applies for a 査証 (visa).
- Enter Japan with the visa, receive a 在留カード (residence card) at the airport (some airports issue it immediately), and complete resident registration.
Proof of relationship (to establish that the applicant is your spouse/child)
A marriage certificate or 戸籍謄本 (family-register transcript) to prove the marriage, and a birth certificate to prove the parent-child relationship. Documents issued abroad generally require Japanese translations; this also applies to documents issued in China. Reviewers verify that the marriage or parent-child relationship is genuine.
Proof of ability to provide support (the point most closely scrutinized in the review)
Submit the supporter’s employment certificate, 住民税の課税（非課税）証明書 (resident-taxation or tax-exemption certificate), and 納税証明書 (tax-payment certificate, showing total income for one year and tax status). If the supporter is an international student or has no income in Japan, provide proof of enrollment and documents such as a bank-balance certificate in the supporter’s name or a scholarship award certificate to show they can support the family To verify.
Application form and photo
COE application form and photo (approximately 4×3 cm) To verify. Download the form and document list from immigration’s Dependent-status procedure page, and check photo specifications before preparing them.
Review period and changes
Review usually takes anywhere from several weeks to 1–3 months Guide, and longer during busy seasons. People already in Japan (for example, after entering on a short-term visitor status) use 在留資格変更許可申請 (an application to change status of residence), not the COE process; the document requirements differ somewhat.
After Arrival: The Red Lines for Working with 資格外活動許可Official
- If you want to work, your first step is to apply for 資格外活動許可. You can apply when receiving your 在留カード at the airport (including for blanket permission) or later at immigration. Working before receiving permission is illegal.
- The limit is 28 hours per week (including under blanket permission) To verify. 家族滞在 has no allowance for long school holidays; the cap remains 28 hours all year. Remember that this differs from the rules for international students.
- Prohibited industries: You may not work at a business location operating in the adult-entertainment business, a storefront sex-related business, or a specified entertainment-and-food service business—even if your job is only serving food.
- Blanket permission vs. individual permission: Ordinary part-time work within the hour limit falls under blanket permission. A personal business, contract work, or a job with unclear working hours may require an individual review and 個別許可 (individual permission).
- Keep in mind: If your part-time income exceeds your supporter’s income or you no longer genuinely depend on them, your status renewal may be denied. If you need full-time work without the 28-hour limit, consider changing to a regular work status of residence.
Multiple Thresholds for No Longer Being a Dependent: Which Limits Apply to Work Hours, Renewals, Taxes, and Social Insurance?Variable
Swipe sideways to see the full table
| Dimension to compare | Common reference points | General consequence of crossing the threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Residence status (renewal) / 資格外活動 | 28-hour weekly work limit; remain genuinely financially dependent | Excess hours or income that is too high → renewal may be denied; risk of losing status To verify |
| Tax: resident tax threshold | Resident tax may begin at annual income of around 100万円; varies by municipality and deductions | Resident tax payments begin [要確認/目安] |
| Tax: spouse deduction | If a spouse’s annual income exceeds about 123万円, the supporter no longer qualifies for the spouse deduction and instead may qualify for the special spouse deduction To verify | The supporter’s tax burden increases slightly To verify |
| Social insurance: the ¥1.06 million threshold | At a company of a certain size, with 20 or more hours of work per week and monthly pay of about 8.8万円 or more, etc., you may need to join 厚生年金 and health insurance [要確認; following the 2025 revision, the monthly-pay requirement will be phased out] | You begin paying social-insurance premiums yourself and cease to be a dependent |
| Social insurance: the ¥1.3 million threshold | Annual income above about 130万円 → no longer eligible as a dependent under social insurance | You must enroll yourself (employees’ social insurance, or National Health Insurance plus National Pension) To verify |
Insurance and Taxes: How Household Enrollment Is CalculatedVariable
- National Health Insurance (国保): People with 家族滞在 status whose period of stay exceeds 3 months are generally required to enroll, unless they are already covered as a dependent under the supporter’s employer health insurance or receive public assistance. 国保 has no concept of free coverage for dependents; premiums are calculated based on household (世帯) size and income, and the head of household is legally responsible for payment.
- Choose one of two options: ① If the supporter is enrolled in company social insurance (health insurance), family members can join as 被扶養者 (dependents) under the supporter’s plan and usually pay no separate premium; this is common and cost-effective. ② If the supporter has 国保 (for example, an international student or self-employed person), each family member is counted in the household’s National Health Insurance, with premiums calculated per person.
- National Pension: Family members on 家族滞在 who are 20 or older generally must join the National Pension as 第1号被保険者 (Category I insured persons). A dependent spouse covered under the supporter’s 厚生年金 may qualify as a 第3号 (Category III insured person) To verify. People with low income can apply for an exemption or deferral through the 年金事務所 (Pension Office) of 日本年金機構; some municipal pension counters accept applications on its behalf. Do not simply stop paying.
- Resident tax: If you have income while living in Japan, tax is based on the previous year’s income and collected starting in June of the following year. Part-time earnings are included in the tax base for you or your supporter and interact with the thresholds in the table above.
- Practical advice: Before your spouse decides to work, visit the municipal 国保/年金 counter and learn the rules of the supporter’s employer health plan. Calculate the additional earnings minus added insurance premiums and taxes, as well as the risk of losing eligibility when renewing your status. Do not look only at the hourly wage.
Enrolling Children in Public Elementary and Junior High Schools: Choosing a Home Means Choosing a SchoolOfficial
School enrollment rights of children with foreign nationality
Foreign children are not subject to Japan’s legal obligation to attend school. However, if they wish to attend a public compulsory-education school, they can be accepted on the same basis as Japanese children, free of charge (tuition and textbooks), under international human-rights conventions and related frameworks. Families may also choose a national or international school, which usually charges tuition and is outside the free compulsory-education system.
How schools are assigned: your address determines your school district
- First complete resident registration (move-in or birth registration) at your municipal office.
- Complete school enrollment procedures at the 教育委員会 (Board of Education) inside the municipal office.
- The Board of Education assigns the public elementary or junior high school for your address’s school district. This is why people say ‘choosing a home means choosing a school’: the child will generally attend the school assigned to the district where you live.
- Prepare the enrollment supplies specified by the school and complete the transfer or enrollment process.
School year and Japanese-language support
Grade placement is generally determined by age, as it is for Japanese children. However, if the child’s Japanese ability makes it difficult to study with peers of the same age, the school may flexibly start them one grade lower. Many schools and municipalities provide Japanese-language support, such as pull-out instruction.
What to do before choosing a home
When viewing a home, first confirm which elementary or junior high school serves that address (ask the municipal Board of Education or check the school-district map on the school’s website). Also find out whether the school provides Japanese-language support for foreign children and whether places are available. Do not wait until you have signed the lease to discover that the assigned school is not a good fit.
Details to confirm (vary by municipality)
Watch outDocuments such as a residence card, resident record, or previous-school enrollment certificate, counter names, and translated school-entry guidance vary by municipality. Ask the Board of Education about the document list, counter, and languages before visiting To verify.
A Child Born in Japan: The 30-Day/60-Day Residence Status ClockOfficial
Two key deadlines (don’t mix them up)
- Birth notification: Within 14 days after birth, submit a 出生届 (birth notification) to the municipal office. This is the city-office procedure for family-register and resident-registration purposes.
- Status of residence: If the child will stay in Japan for more than 60 days, apply for 在留資格取得許可 (permission to acquire status of residence) at the immigration office with jurisdiction within 30 days of birth. This is the immigration procedure.
- Order: First file the birth notification at the municipal office, then apply for the child’s status of residence at immigration.
What the 60-day grace period means
A child may stay in Japan without a status of residence for up to 60 days after birth. But if the child is to continue living here, you must start the status-of-residence application within 30 days; otherwise, the child will become an overstayer. The two numbers mean different things: 60 days is the maximum permitted stay without a status, while 30 days is the application deadline.
What residence status the child receives
If both parents have 家族滞在 status (or, for example, one has a work status and the other 家族滞在) and the child is supported by them, the child generally receives 家族滞在 status. If one parent is Japanese, the child may qualify for 日本人の配偶者等. The outcome depends on the parents’ combination of statuses To verify.
Fees and related procedures
The application for status of residence acquired through birth is free of immigration fees. Also arrange the child’s enrollment in National Health Insurance or health insurance, resident registration and other child-related procedures, and, if applicable, birth or nationality registration with your home country’s embassy or consulate in Japan.
The Core Principle of 家族滞在 in One Sentence
家族滞在 is dependent status. It allows you and your family to live together legally, your children to attend public schools free of charge, and your whole family to be covered by health insurance. The trade-off is that work is restricted (28 hours, permission required, with no relaxed limit during long holidays), and earning too much can jeopardize your status. If the accompanying spouse in the family wants to work full time and earn an independent income, the right approach is not to exceed the permitted work hours under 家族滞在, but to apply for their own work-authorizing residence status. Treat every figure (work hours/¥1.03 million/¥1.06 million/¥1.23 million/¥1.3 million/resident tax) as a moving target that changes by year and location and must be checked against official sources—not as fixed facts to memorize.
Official Information SourcesOfficial
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan · Residence Status: “家族滞在”Check the application, extension, change, and notification procedures for Dependent status
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan · Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted (Dependent status)Check the work permit for accompanying family members and the 28-hour-per-week rule
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan · Application for Permission to Acquire Status of ResidenceCheck the 30-day/60-day procedures for a child born in Japan who will continue to stay
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology · School Enrollment Procedures for Children of Foreign NationalsCheck the general principle for enrolling children with foreign nationality in public compulsory education schools
- Japan Pension Service · National Pension enrollment proceduresCheck National Pension enrollment and the relevant office for residents of Japan aged 20 and over
Glossary of Japanese Terms · Words Used at Service Counters and on DocumentsOfficial
- 家族滞在かぞくたいざい
Dependent: A status of residence for the spouse and children supported by a person with a status of residence such as work or student status. The key legal basis is being “supported.”
- 扶養ふよう
Support: Financial support provided by a sponsor (spouse or parent). Dependent status is based on being “supported,” so earning too much and no longer qualifying as a dependent can jeopardize the status.
- 在留資格認定証明書ざいりゅうしかくにんていしょうめいしょ
Certificate of Eligibility (COE): The sponsor in Japan first applies to Immigration for this certificate. Once issued, it is sent to family members overseas, who use it to apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate.
- 資格外活動許可しかくがいかつどうきょか
Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted: Permission that Dependent status holders must obtain before working. The limit is 28 hours per week, with no relaxation during long school holidays as there is for international students.
- 出生届しゅっしょうとどけ
Birth notification: A procedure to be completed with the municipal office within 14 days of a child’s birth in Japan, for family registry/resident registration purposes (separate from obtaining a status of residence through Immigration).
- 在留資格取得許可ざいりゅうしかくしゅとくきょか
Permission to Acquire Status of Residence: An Immigration procedure that must be applied for within 30 days of birth if a child born in Japan will stay for more than 60 days.
- 教育委員会きょういくいいんかい
Board of Education: The municipal office department that handles school enrollment procedures and designates the public elementary or junior high school for the school district where you live (this is why “choosing a home means choosing a school”).
Role-play · Enrolling a Child at the Municipal Board of Education (Follow Along with the Pronunciation Guide)Experience
すみません、子どもの就学の手続きをしたいです。
Excuse me, I’d like to complete the school enrollment procedures for my child.
教育委員会の窓口です。先に住民登録はお済みですか？
At the Board of Education counter. Have you completed your resident registration?
はい、転入届は出しました。子どもはどの学校になりますか？
Yes, I’ve submitted my moving-in notification. Which school will my child be assigned to?
お住まいの学区で指定の小学校になります。
Your child will be assigned to the elementary school for the school district where you live.
必要な書類は何ですか？日本語の支援はありますか？
What documents do I need? Is Japanese-language support available?
在留カードと住民票をお願いします。日本語指導のある学校もご案内できます。
Please show your residence card and certificate of residence. We can also introduce you to a school that provides Japanese-language instruction.