How to Obtain a Long-Term Resident Visa After Divorce from a Japanese Spouse

1. Immigration Procedures When a Spouse Visa Holder Gets Divorced

1. Notification Regarding Your Spouse

When a foreign national holding a Spouse Visa (officially “Spouse or Child of Japanese National”) gets divorced or bereaved, they must submit a notification to Immigration within 14 days. This is the first required step for anyone seeking a divorce long-term resident visa.

2. How to Submit the Notification

You may choose one of the following three methods:

1. Submit Online

Using the Immigration Bureau’s electronic notification system is simple and you do not need to visit the office.

2. Submit at the Immigration Counter

Visit your nearest regional Immigration Services Bureau with your residence card and submit the notification form.

3. Submit by Postal Mail

Enclose the notification form and a copy of your residence card. On the envelope, write in red: 「届出書在中」 or “NOTIFICATION ENCLOSED.” Send it to the following address:

3. Consequences of Failing to Submit the Spouse Notification

Failing to submit the required spouse notification may negatively affect future applications for a change or extension of status—particularly when applying for a divorce long-term resident visa.

The conditions for renewal and change of status are stated in the “Guidelines for Permission for Change of Status of Residence and Extension of Period of Stay” issued by Immigration. The relevant requirement appears under item 8.

8. Compliance with notification obligations under the Immigration Control Act

Foreign nationals staying mid- to long-term in Japan must comply with notifications regarding changes to residence card information, updates to card validity, reissuance of lost cards, return of cards, and notifications concerning the affiliated organization, as stipulated in Articles 19-7 to 19-13, 19-15, and 19-16 of the Immigration Control Act.

Source: Guidelines for Change of Status / Extension of Stay (Revised Feb. 2020)

Notification regarding your spouse is included within these obligations. As of 2025, cases where failure to submit this notification directly caused a denial have not been reported, but there are increasing cases where applicants face disadvantages during renewal. Therefore, compliance is strongly recommended.

2. Visa Options After Divorce for Spouse Visa Holders

If your current status is “Spouse or Child of Japanese National,” your right to stay in Japan is based on being married to a Japanese national. Therefore, after divorce or bereavement, you must change to another status of residence.

Even if your period of stay remains, you may continue staying under the Spouse Visa for a limited time. However, after 6 months without spousal activity, your status can become subject to cancellation.

If You Remarry

If you remarry a Japanese national or permanent resident, you may apply for a new Spouse Visa. However, under Japanese civil law, remarriage is restricted for 100 days after divorce (not applied to marriages after April 1, 2024). Timing must be considered carefully.

Changing to a Work Visa

Those with a university degree may find employment and apply for an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa. Some may also apply for the Business Manager Visa to start their own company.

Changing to a Long-Term Resident Visa

If your marriage life in Japan was long, if your life base remains in Japan even after divorce, or if you need to raise a Japanese child, changing from a Spouse Visa to a divorce long-term resident visa may be approved.

3. Requirements for Changing from Spouse Visa to Long-Term Resident

“Long-Term Resident” is a status granted when the Minister of Justice recognizes special individual circumstances. Requirements include the following:

1. Financial Requirements

To obtain a divorce long-term resident visa, you must show you can support yourself through employment or sufficient savings.

Divorce or bereavement often occurs suddenly, leaving little time to prepare financially. Many applications are denied because financial documents cannot be provided.

It is not easy to immediately find a job after divorce. Immigration also expects applicants to promptly apply for a status change once marriage ends.

If you wait 6 months to 1 year before applying, Immigration may ask: “What were you doing during this period?” Quick action is essential.

Even if you rely on savings, Immigration may question whether the amount is enough. For example: 10 million yen may last only 2–3 years. Those claiming investment income may be asked to prove long-term investment experience.

You must clearly explain your long-term living plan in Japan.

2. Years of Residence in Japan

Special circumstances may include having lived in Japan for many years due to marriage, making it difficult to rebuild your life in your home country.

If not, you must clearly explain why you wish to remain in Japan. Otherwise, approval becomes more difficult.

A “significant period” of marriage is often considered around 5 years, but there is no absolute rule—some are denied even after 7 years, while others are approved after only 3 years.

3. Presence of a Child

Cases where the applicant has custody of a Japanese child and is raising them in Japan have a high likelihood of approval for a Long-Term Resident Visa.

Please refer to the page below for Long-Term Resident applications based on raising a Japanese child:

Long-Term Resident Visa for Raising a Japanese Child

A detailed guide for foreign parents raising a Japanese child: requirements, documents, screening points, and how to transition to permanent residency.

4. Conduct During Marriage

Long-term overseas stays during marriage, long-term separation, or working in adult entertainment may negatively affect approval.

5. Self-Check: Divorce Long-Term Resident Visa Eligibility

• How long were you married or living in Japan? (3 years / 5+ years, etc.)
• Can you show financial stability (income, part-time work, savings)?
• Are you the custodial parent with a record of raising a Japanese child in Japan?
• Do you have documentation for unavoidable circumstances (DV, abuse, medical records, etc.)?
• Have you begun the status change process within 6 months after the divorce?

*If requirements are uncertain, consider other visa options (work visa, student visa, etc.).

4. Approval / Denial Cases for Changing from Spouse Visa to Long-Term Resident Visa

These are official approval and denial cases published by Immigration. For full details, please see the link below.

1. Approval Cases

2. Denial Cases

3. Key Factors in Approval / Denial (How to Read Official Cases)

• Whether there was a real marital relationship and its length (separation, long stays abroad, work in adult entertainment, etc.)
• Degree of settlement in Japan (employment, housing, local community, children’s schooling, etc.)
• Strength of evidence regarding DV or other reasons for marital breakdown
• Financial stability (income or assets plus a concrete life plan)

*Comparing official approval / denial cases is essential when preparing an application for a divorce long-term resident visa. The arguments must be tailored to your individual circumstances.

5. Divorce Long-Term Resident Visa Cases Approved with ACROSEED’s Support

ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office has supported many applicants who wished to change from a “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” Visa to a Long-Term Resident Visa after divorce or bereavement.
Below are three real examples where a divorce long-term resident visa (including cases after bereavement) was successfully approved.

[Case 1] Vietnamese Woman Who Suffered DV from Her Japanese Husband

Main issues

• The marriage period was relatively short, which was formally disadvantageous.
• It was crucial to show DV damage with objective evidence.
• She needed a clear plan for her life base and income after separation.

Support provided by our office

• Organized objective documents proving the DV (medical records, police/consultation records, etc.).
• Clearly explained why she needed to continue living in Japan.
• Prepared an application including her employment and self-support plan.

Result

The DV circumstances were fully considered, and a Long-Term Resident Visa (divorce long-term resident visa) was approved.

[Case 2] Korean Woman with a Past Overstay, Whose Japanese Husband Suddenly Passed Away

Main issues

• Past overstay history was a negative factor in screening.
• Need to prove the necessity of remaining in Japan even after her husband’s death.
• Need to show how she could maintain her livelihood on her own.

Support provided by our office

• Organized her long-term life and employment history in Japan in an easy-to-understand way.
• Explained her life base in Japan, including community and workplace ties.
• Attached appropriate explanatory documents regarding her past stay and overstay history.

Result

Her long-term work and tax records in Japan were positively evaluated, and a Long-Term Resident Visa was approved as a bereavement-based residence (similar to a divorce long-term resident visa case).

[Case 3] Filipino Woman Living Separately from Her Japanese Husband While Raising Their Japanese Child

Main issues

• Long-term separation made it difficult to continue on a Spouse Visa.
• There was almost no cooperation from the father.
• Need to explain how the mother could independently support and care for the child.

Support provided by our office

• Organized the child’s schooling and daily life, explaining their level of settlement in Japan.
• Clarified the client’s income and living circumstances.
• Explained in a written statement that she was the actual custodial parent responsible for everyday care.

Result

Her continued custody and care of the Japanese child was recognized, and the change to a Long-Term Resident Visa was approved.

In divorce long-term resident visacurrent living conditions, ties to Japan, and the actual situation of childcare and financial support.
Even if your situation is complex, please feel free to consult us first.

6. FAQ on Divorce / Bereavement from a Japanese Spouse

The first step is to submit the notification regarding your spouse within 14 days. This is an obligation under Article 19-16 of the Immigration Control Act and is clearly stated on the Immigration Services Agency’s official website.

You can submit this notification at your local Immigration office counter, by post, or online via the Residence Application Online System. Failure to submit may be treated as a violation of your notification obligation and can negatively affect future visa applications, including a divorce long-term resident visa.

After submitting the notification, promptly start preparing your “Application for Change of Status of Residence.” If you do not engage in spouse-related activities for more than 6 months after the divorce, your status may become subject to revocation under Article 22-4 of the Immigration Control Act.

Therefore, once the divorce is finalized, proceed in this order: “Spouse notification → Prepare documents on financial stability and ties to Japan → Apply to change to a Long-Term Resident Visa,” aiming to complete the process within 6 months.

In general, when the marriage period is short (as a rough guide, less than 3 years), Immigration tends to review your “living record” and “level of settlement in Japan” more strictly. In the official case collection on Long-Term Resident Visa approvals/denials, there are approvals even with a short marriage, but only where special circumstances were recognized, such as:

• You are raising a biological child of a Japanese national.
• The marriage broke down due to unavoidable reasons such as DV or abuse.
• You have long-term work and tax records in Japan.

Therefore, “only 2 years of marriage” does not automatically mean rejection. ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office has handled cases where a divorce long-term resident visa was approved even with about 2 years of marriage, when these types of circumstances were clearly proven.

Instead of focusing only on marriage duration, it is important to prepare from both angles: “settlement in Japan (life, job, community ties)” and “financial stability.”

Even if your period of stay has not yet expired, if you have not engaged in spouse-related activities for more than 6 months after divorce, you may be subject to the status revocation system.

This rule applies both to “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” and “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident.” It is not just the fact of “divorce” that matters; the risk arises once 6 months have passed since the marriage effectively ended (no cohabitation or real marital relationship).

If more than a year has passed since the divorce, the risk is already high. You should promptly apply to change to a Long-Term Resident Visa or a work-related status, and submit detailed documents explaining the divorce date, notification date, living situation, and work history.

Approval is not decided solely by the length of the marriage. Immigration makes a comprehensive assessment based on factors such as:

• Your life base in Japan (employment, residence, tax history, etc.).
• Whether you are raising a Japanese child.
• The reasons for marital breakdown, such as DV or abuse.
• Your Japanese language skills and level of integration into the local community.

Even with only 1–2 years of marriage, a divorce long-term resident visa may be approved if DV damage or child-raising circumstances are recognized as “special circumstances” at the Minister’s discretion.

Conversely, even with a long marriage, an application may be denied if your living base in Japan is unstable or you have been unemployed without income for a long period.

Even if you are not yet employed or have just left your job, a Long-Term Resident Visa may still be approved if you can prove that you are likely to become financially independent in Japan. In screening, Immigration focuses more on your future life plan than on the fact that you are currently without income.

The following documents are useful in proving your ability to support yourself:

• Letter of offer / job offer notice.
• Certificates of employment history showing past work experience.
• Letters of financial support from family or friends.
• Bank balance certificates, lease contracts, and other documents showing a stable living environment.

Even if you do not yet have a job offer, attaching records of job-hunting activities (Hello Work, recruitment agencies, etc.) can demonstrate your willingness to work and will be evaluated positively.

ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office has successfully obtained divorce long-term resident visas for applicants with no current income by combining a detailed life plan, support letters, and other supporting documents.

7. Required Documents for Changing from Spouse Visa to Long-Term Resident Visa

The documents required to change from a Spouse Visa to a Long-Term Resident Visa are not listed in detail on the Immigration Services Agency’s website.

Because “Long-Term Resident” is a status granted at the discretion of the Minister of Justice, taking into account the individual circumstances of each foreign national (for example in a divorce long-term resident visa case), it is difficult for Immigration to publish a single, standard document list.

If you ask ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office to handle your case, we will propose a document set tailored to your situation that we believe gives you the highest possible chance of approval.

Example of Required Documents for Long-Term Resident Visa (After Divorce)

*The above is only an example. The optimal set of documents will be adjusted according to your personal circumstances.

8. Process and Typical Screening Time for Obtaining a Long-Term Resident Visa

1. Flow When Applying for Long-Term Resident via Change of Status of Residence

2. Screening Time for Change of Status of Residence

Screening times are published and updated monthly. You can check the latest average processing times at the link below.

10. Our Service for Changing from Spouse Visa to Long-Term Resident Visa

1. Service Overview

This service is designed for holders of “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” status who, after divorce or bereavement, wish to obtain the status of residence “Long-Term Resident” from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.

Our goal is to maximize your chance of approval and support you in obtaining a Long-Term Resident Visa – especially in divorce long-term resident visa cases – as smoothly as possible.

We mainly handle the following types of cases:

2. What Our Service Includes

1. Proposal and preparation of the document set that gives you the highest possible approval rate
2. Filing the application with Immigration and handling the stamp/seal procedure upon approval
3. Simultaneous application for re-entry permit (upon request)
4. Checking the review status during the screening period and responding to any additional document requests
5. Free re-application in case of a denial
6. Advice on how to obtain a 3-year period of stay, not just 1 year, for your Long-Term Resident Visa

8. Why choose ACROSEED

Why clients choose ACROSEED


• Founded in 1986; industry-leading 40,000+ visa filings
• 99.9% approval rate; trusted by many clients
• No travel expenses; flat fees nationwide
• Extensive track record in complex/re-application after refusal cases
• No add-on fees; transparent pricing
• Free re-application until approval if refused
• Support available in Japanese, English, and Chinese

Founded in 1986, with 40,000+ visa applications

ACROSEED was founded in 1986. Since 1990—the first year administrative scriveners were allowed to handle immigration under the law—we have specialized in immigration work. Our total filings exceed 40,000 (as of March 2025).

We currently handle 3,000–4,000 visa filings annually, visiting immigration twice a week to stay current on examinations and legal changes.

By choosing ACROSEED, you get services based on the latest examination trends and the industry’s deepest practical experience.

99.9% approval rate—peace of mind backed by clients’ trust

Since opening in 1986, ACROSEED has always prioritized trustworthy services. At the free consultation stage, if approval seems unlikely, we explain this and decline the engagement.

As a result, we have maintained an approval rate of 99%+ (including re-applications) since opening.

However, for cases with a viable chance where clients wish to proceed, we will make a maximum effort together.

Our attentive, tailored service has earned broad support from clients.

No travel fees—flat rates nationwide

Our office is in Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, but we handle immigration cases nationwide at flat rates with no travel expenses.

For distant clients, we offer online consultations via Skype or Zoom so you can speak face-to-face with your consultant just like an in-person visit.

Strong results in difficult and re-application cases

We have many approvals for cases repeatedly refused by clients on their own or by other law firms.

ACROSEED’s track record is unparalleled, and we are often referred the most difficult cases from around the country—operating like a “general hospital” for the industry.

Don’t give up—consult us even for seemingly difficult cases.

No add-on fees—transparent pricing

Our service fees are only those listed on our website.

We do not add fees due to client circumstances such as frequent travel or prior refusals.

We provide a transparent pricing system for your peace of mind.

Free re-application until approval if refused

If a case filed by ACROSEED is unfortunately refused, we will re-apply free of charge as long as there remains a possibility of approval.

While some competitors offer “full refunds if refused,” we believe refunds do not solve the client’s problem.

Accepting a case casually and leaving a refusal record in your filing history can make approval much harder later.

Clients who choose ACROSEED from among many firms deserve our stance of “getting the fastest approval possible—and if refused, supporting relentlessly until approval.”

4. Service Fee for Long-Term Resident Visa Application (Excluding Tax)

・There are no additional fees based on your individual circumstances.

・ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer's Office serves clients all over Japan. Clients living outside the Tokyo area can also use our services at the same fees below.

・Payment by Visa or MasterCard is available.

11. Related Pages Often Read Together with Long-Term Resident Applications

Guide to Applying for Permanent Residency from Long-Term Resident Status

A guide for Long-Term Resident Visa holders who wish to obtain Permanent Residency. Explains requirements such as years of stay, income criteria, financial independence, tax payment, and social insurance, as well as key points to avoid denial. Includes a free self-check tool.

Application Guide for the Status of Residence “Long-Term Resident”

A systematic explanation by specialists of the “Long-Term Resident” status: system overview, differences from Permanent Resident, four major categories of eligibility, required documents, and key screening points.

How to Obtain a Long-Term Resident Visa after Divorce from a Japanese Spouse

Explains the requirements for a Long-Term Resident Visa after divorce (financial stability, settlement in Japan, raising a biological child, etc.) and important points to note. Also covers official approval/denial cases and the latest screening periods.

Long-Term Resident Visa for Raising a Japanese Child

Specialists explain Long-Term Resident Visas for those raising a Japanese child: eligibility requirements, required documents, change/extension procedures, key screening points, and the path from Long-Term Resident to Permanent Residency.

Long-Term Resident Visa for Bringing a Minor, Unmarried Biological Child from Overseas

A detailed explanation by specialists of the Long-Term Resident Visa procedures when a minor, unmarried biological child is to be supported in Japan by a Permanent Resident, Long-Term Resident, or Spouse of Japanese National.

Complete Guide to Long-Term Resident Visas for Nikkei Applicants

An administrative scrivener explains the conditions, procedures, and required documents for Nikkei 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation applicants to obtain a Long-Term Resident Visa in Japan.