Spouse of Japanese National Visa Period of Stay (1, 3, or 5 Years) | What Is Required to Obtain 3 or 5 Years at Renewal?

The Spouse of Japanese National visa (status of residence: “Spouse of Japanese National”) can be granted with several different periods of stay, such as 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years.

Many people wonder at each renewal: “Why do I keep getting only 1 year?” or “How can I get 3 years or 5 years?” Here, we organize the examination approach in an easy-to-understand way and explain, from a practical perspective, what you should improve to increase the likelihood of receiving a longer period of stay.

1. Conclusion: There is no absolute “requirement,” but there are evaluation factors that can move you closer to 3 or 5 years

To state the conclusion first, Immigration does not uniformly publish or legally define fixed “requirements to obtain 3 years” or “requirements to obtain 5 years” for the period of stay under the Spouse of Japanese National visa.

However, in practice, when Immigration decides the period of stay, it tends to make a comprehensive assessment by accumulating multiple factors, mainly focusing on the stability of married life and the stability of your living foundation in Japan.

Therefore, if you want to obtain “3 years or 5 years,” a realistic strategy is to understand what is more likely to be positively evaluated at the time of renewal and to improve the consistency of your explanations, supporting documents, and submitted materials.

2. How is the period of stay (1, 3, or 5 years) decided? The overall framework Immigration looks at

The period of stay is not determined simply because “you are married, so you will receive a long period.” The two broad areas Immigration typically emphasizes are as follows.

1) Stability of the marital relationship (substance and continuity)

• Whether you live together (or whether there is a reasonable reason you cannot live together)
• Whether the marriage is not merely formal but has real substance in daily life
• Communication status (frequency of contact and sharing daily life)
• Whether there are no inconsistencies between past applications and the current application

2) Stability of the living foundation (income, housing, and public obligations)

• Balance of household income and expenses (whether it is sustainable)
• Employment status and stability (a recent job change may require explanation in some cases)
• Compliance with public obligations such as resident tax, pension, and health insurance
• Stability of housing (frequent moves or short-term leases may require explanation in some cases)

These factors are not only “to issue a longer period,” but also serve as materials for Immigration to assess whether there is a reasonable prospect that you can continue residing without issues until the next renewal.

3. Why Is “1 Year” Common? Typical Background Reasons

Even if you receive “1 year” every time you renew, it does not necessarily mean there is a serious problem. However, your situation may include factors that make Immigration more cautious about granting a long period of stay at once.

• A short period since marriage and/or the start of cohabitation (your daily life as a couple may still be considered “not yet established”)
• Living separately (even with reasonable reasons such as job assignment or family circumstances, explanations are often required)
• Recent job change / large income fluctuations (you may need to explain stability)
• Low household income / high expenses (from the perspective of sustainable living)
• Unpaid or delayed resident tax, pension, or insurance (this can easily affect evaluation)
• Insufficient documents or explanations (if doubts remain, a shorter period is more likely)

The key point is not that “1 year = bad,” but to treat it as a sign that Immigration still has points it wants to confirm, and to improve those areas toward the next renewal.

4. Practical Points to Increase Your Chances of Obtaining 3 or 5 Years

From here, rather than “requirements,” we summarize practical ways to move in a direction where 3 or 5 years are more likely to be granted. Priorities vary depending on individual circumstances, but the following items are particularly important.

Point 1: Make Your Cohabitation Status “Explainable”

If you live together, confirm consistency among basic documents such as the certificate of residence and your lease agreement. If you must live separately, it is crucial to carefully demonstrate—through supporting documents and written explanations—both the reasonable reason for living apart and the substance of an ongoing marital relationship.

Examples include an official transfer order for a solo assignment, an explanation of caregiving circumstances, and evidence of regular visits or how living expenses are shared, built appropriately for your case.

Point 2: Explain Income Stability at the “Household” Level

For a spouse visa, Immigration considers not only the applicant but whether the household as a whole can sustain daily life. Increased income is often favorable; however, even when income fluctuates due to a recent job change or self-employment, evaluations can stabilize if you can organize and explain your business details, contract status, and future outlook.

Point 3: Ensure Public Obligations Such as Resident Tax, Pension, and Health Insurance

Across statuses of residence, public obligations (tax payments, pension, insurance) are important. If there are unpaid amounts or delays, Immigration may become more cautious from the perspective of living stability and compliance, which can result in a shorter period of stay or requests for additional documents.

Even if there were delays in the past, it is important to prepare materials that clearly show the situation has been resolved.

Point 4: Consistency of Application Content (Alignment with Past Applications)

If your current application contradicts what you previously submitted (application forms or written explanations), the review often becomes more cautious for verification. If there are changes in address, employer, relationship history, or reasons for living apart, explain “why the change occurred” naturally and organize the application so that the overall narrative is coherent and convincing.

Point 5: Accumulate Materials That Show the “Stability” of Married Life

If you aim for 3 or 5 years, it is effective to consciously accumulate evidence in your daily life that demonstrates marital stability.

For example, continued cohabitation, shared household finances, and future planning (housing, work, childcare, etc.) help convey that “the risk of major disruption before the next renewal is low.”

5. What You Should Know When Aiming for “5 Years”

Since 5 years is among the longest periods of stay, Immigration tends to require circumstances where it can reasonably conclude that “granting long-term residence is unlikely to cause problems.”

However, whether a long period is granted depends on individual circumstances, and it does not follow a linear rule such as “if you get 3 years, the next one will be 5 years.”

In the direction where 5 years is more likely, it is common to see multiple factors accumulated, such as the length of the marriage, stable cohabitation, stable household income, fulfillment of public obligations, and clear evidence of actual living circumstances.

6. Frequently Asked Questions (Common Concerns for Those Seeking 3 or 5 Years at Renewal)

In the “desired period of stay” section, you may write your preferred length such as “3 years” or “5 years,” but writing a preference does not guarantee approval for that exact period.

Immigration does not decide based only on the requested number of years. Instead, it comprehensively evaluates the entire set of submitted documents, including:

• Whether a stable married life is currently continuing
• Whether your living foundation in Japan (income, housing, household finances) is stable
• Whether you properly fulfill public obligations such as tax payments and social insurance

Therefore, if you request 3 or 5 years, it is important to organize the application so that it naturally shows—through the documents— “why you are requesting that period” and “whether your situation is appropriate for long-term residence.”

Receiving 1 year repeatedly does not automatically mean Immigration has judged that there is a problem. In practice, it is not uncommon for 1-year renewals to continue when the marriage is still relatively new or when the couple has only recently started living in Japan.

However, Immigration may still be confirming points such as: “whether you can continue living stably in Japan,” and “whether it can sufficiently confirm the continuity of the marital relationship.”

Specifically, the following items are often reviewed again at the next renewal:

• Whether cohabitation is stable
• Whether there are no major fluctuations in income or employment status
• Whether payments such as taxes, pension, and health insurance are properly made

If you are thinking “I want 3 years next time,” we recommend reviewing the contents of your previous application(s), identifying any areas where explanations were insufficient, and organizing whether there are additional documents you can submit before renewing.

Even if you live separately, it does not automatically mean you will definitely receive only 1 year or that renewal will be difficult. In cases with unavoidable circumstances—such as a solo job assignment, workplace constraints, or caregiving for relatives— renewal and longer periods of stay may still be granted.

However, because the spouse visa is generally premised on “cohabitation,” Immigration tends to review cases more carefully when the couple lives apart.

Therefore, it is important to carefully explain—both in writing and with documents:

• Why living separately is necessary (a reasonable rationale)
• That the marital relationship is still continuing
• That you regularly interact and maintain your relationship

Attaching materials that clearly show the substance of the marital relationship—such as transportation receipts for visits, photos, and communication records—can help Immigration feel more assured.

7. Cases Where a “3-Year” Period Was Granted at Spouse Visa Renewal

In renewal examinations, Immigration tends to evaluate the stability of your life in Japan and the continuity of the marital relationship, which can also affect the granted period of stay (such as 1 year or 3 years). In this section, we introduce cases where a “3-year” period was granted upon renewal.

	VOL.179　Ms. Hata (China)
	[Approved Case] Spouse of Japanese National Visa Renewal: 3-Year Approval

	Client (from Google Reviews)
	[Approved Case] Spouse of Japanese National Visa Renewal: 3-Year Approval

See more approved spouse visa cases here

Customer Voices from Google Reviews

8. Summary: Period of Stay for the Spouse of Japanese National Visa (1, 3, or 5 Years)

Regarding the period of stay for the Spouse of Japanese National visa (1 year, 3 years, or 5 years), there are no absolute requirements that guarantee a 3-year or 5-year period. However, by understanding what Immigration emphasizes—“the stability of the marital relationship” and “the stability of your living foundation”—and by organizing your cohabitation status, income, fulfillment of public obligations, and consistency across application materials, you can increase the likelihood of receiving a longer period of stay.

9. Support System of ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office

A spouse visa application is not only about collecting documents. It is essential to proactively align the entire set of materials by anticipating the points Immigration is likely to check.
From the initial planning stage, our office identifies potential risk factors and provides end-to-end support—covering submission order, supporting documents, and the overall strategy for the Statement of Reasons.

Nationwide support: Managed mainly via email and online. Clients outside the area receive the same quality of support.

Multilingual support: Consultations available in English and Chinese.

Clear progress tracking: Check application status and required documents through an online system.

Support for difficult cases: Extensive experience with cases likely to face closer scrutiny, including re-applications after denial.

Transparent fees: Clear fee structure designed to minimize unexpected additional charges.

Support even after a denial: If denied, we provide a free re-application and thorough support until approval.

Information security: We properly manage personal information under operations based on ISO27001.

Pages Often Read Together When Applying for a Spouse Visa of a Japanese National

[FY2025 Edition] Spouse Visa of a Japanese National (Marriage Visa) Application Guide

An administrative scrivener explains the requirements for obtaining a spouse visa (marriage), working under a spouse visa, applying for permanent residency from a spouse visa, what happens in the event of divorce under a spouse visa, required documents, and more.

[FY2025 Edition] Spouse Visa of a Japanese National Renewal Procedures Guide

Renewal procedures for a Spouse Visa of a Japanese National (Marriage Visa). An administrative scrivener explains the required document checklist, how to avoid denial cases, and key points to prove eligibility for obtaining a 3-year or 5-year period of stay.

Applying for Permanent Residency from a Spouse Visa of a Japanese National

At ACROSEED, we have a proven track record not only with first-time spouse visa applications, but also with cases that were denied multiple times when filed by the applicant alone, as well as procedures for those with past legal violations or a history of overstaying—across a wide variety of situations.

For More Detailed Questions About the Spouse Visa System

Please explain the requirements for obtaining a Spouse Visa of a Japanese National in detail
Periods of stay for a Spouse Visa of a Japanese National: Differences between 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years
Required documents & Statement of Reasons for a Spouse Visa of a Japanese National: Key examination points and preparation tips (Latest Edition)
How to invite a foreign spouse living overseas to Japan with a COE
Can we apply for a Certificate of Eligibility while both spouses remain overseas?
Changing from a short-term visa to a Spouse Visa of a Japanese National: General rules and exceptions
How to change from a student/work visa to a spouse visa
My spouse visa application was denied (COE not issued). Can I re-apply?