Eligibility Quiz
Requirements
Who Qualifies as a Dependent
Eligible family members are limited to two categories:
- Legally married spouse — Marriage must be officially registered. Common-law partnerships, de facto relationships, and same-sex marriages (even if legally recognized abroad) are not recognized for this visa.
- Children — Biological children (legitimate or illegitimate), legally adopted children, or children legally acknowledged by the parent. While there is no strict age limit in law, the system assumes minor children who require financial support. Adult children may be eligible if clearly in school (high school or university), but the hurdle becomes higher as age increases. Children of working age should consider whether a different visa category (Student or work visa) is more appropriate.
Not eligible are parents, siblings, grandparents, fiancés, or common-law partners of the foreign resident.
Sponsor Requirements
The sponsoring foreign resident must hold a valid mid- to long-term status of residence. Eligible statuses include work visas (Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services, Business Manager, Highly Skilled Professional, Intra-company Transferee), activity-based visas (Professor, Researcher, Instructor, Medical Services, Legal/Accounting Services), Student, and Cultural Activities visas. There are approximately 18 specified visa statuses that allow individuals to bring family members as dependents.
Critical restriction: Someone holding a Dependent visa cannot sponsor their own dependents. Certain statuses such as Trainee and Designated Activities are also ineligible to bring family members.
Financial Support
The sponsor must demonstrate sufficient and stable income to support the family in Japan. No fixed legal threshold exists, but applications may be denied if the family's livelihood is deemed unsustainable.
Practical income guidelines (not legal minimums):
- Spouse only: ¥2.5 million/year
- Spouse + 1 child: ¥2.8 million/year
- Spouse + 2 children: ¥3.2 million/year
- General benchmark: ¥3,000,000 to ¥4,000,000 per year, depending on the number of dependents
- As a general rule, ¥80,000 per month is considered sufficient resources for one person
Special consideration for students: If the sponsor is an international student on a Student visa, part-time work income is generally not evaluated as the sponsor's primary income for supporting dependents. Students must demonstrate stable remittances from family, scholarships, or bank savings.
Cohabitation
The dependent visa is intended for families who live together in Japan. Long-term separation may raise doubts about the genuineness of the family relationship. In cases of unavoidable temporary separation, additional evidence such as remittance records, communication logs, or travel history may be required.
Housing
Housing conditions are considered part of the sponsor's ability to support the family. Immigration typically examines whether the home is realistically large enough for cohabitation (for example, a one-room apartment for a family of four may be seen as unrealistic) and whether rent places an excessive burden on the sponsor's income.
Conditions & Warnings
Same-sex marriages are not recognized for this visa category, even if legally valid in your home country.
Dependents cannot work without separate permission; part-time work is limited to 28 hours per week and requires explicit approval.
As of June 2027, unpaid National Health Insurance (NHI) premiums may result in visa renewal denial. Ensure all household members maintain current coverage.
Visa renewal is not automatic; immigration authorities conduct comprehensive review each time, examining income stability, address consistency, and family status over time.
If the sponsor's visa is not renewed, the dependent visa cannot be renewed independently.
Stricter data integration between immigration, tax, and social insurance systems (2025–2026) means applications are now examined for consistency across multiple government databases.
Adult children (18+) face higher scrutiny; immigration will examine whether there is actual ongoing financial dependency and whether entry is effectively for employment purposes.
Qualifications
Fees
COE application is free; visa application at embassy/consulate costs ¥3,000–¥6,000 depending on country. Renewal fee is ¥50,000.