Kazoku Taizai Family Visa — Bringing Your Spouse/Children to Japan

COE application documents — detailed guide

The COE (在留資格認定証明書 — zairyū shikaku nintei shomeisho) is a certificate issued by the nyukan for someone planning to enter Japan. The COE application is filed in Japan (not in Vietnam) by the sponsor.

Documents submitted to the nyukan in Japan

Standard package (wife and child sponsored):

1. COE application form (在留資格認定証明書交付申請書) — download it from moj.go.jp and complete it in Japanese
2. 4x3cm photo × 1 (of the sponsored person)
3. Copy of the marriage certificate — obtain it in Vietnam, then have it translated and notarized at the Japanese embassy
4. Child’s birth certificate (if applicable) — obtain it in Vietnam, then have it translated and notarized
5. Vietnamese family household registration book — copy + translation
6. Sponsor’s residence certificate in Japan (住民票 — juminhyo, including the sponsored family members listed as intended residents)
7. Certificate of employment (在職証明書 — zaishoku shomeisho) issued by the company
8. Most recent annual income statement (源泉徴収票 — gensen choshuhyo)
9. Resident tax certificate (市町村民税の課税証明書 — kazei shomeisho) from the kuyakusho
10. Japanese bank savings book (printed transaction history for the most recent 3-6 months)
11. Rental agreement (賃貸契約書) or proof of home ownership
12. Letter of invitation (招へい理由書) from the sponsor + letter of guarantee (身元保証書) confirming responsibility for expenses
13. Photos of the sponsor and sponsored person together (3-5 photos — wedding, trips, birthdays) — to prove the relationship is GENUINE
14. Printed LINE / email messages covering 10-20 pages of chats (to prove regular communication)

COE application fee

• At the nyukan: free
• Certified translation of Vietnamese documents: 2-5 million VND (translation services in Vietnam are cheaper than in Japan)

Processing time

• 1-3 months after the nyukan receives all required documents
• Usually 45-60 days for a "standard" case (sufficient income, complete documents, clear relationship)
• It may take longer if the nyukan requests additional documents (typically 1-2 requests)

After the COE is issued

• The original COE is sent to Vietnam by EMS (~1 week)
• The sponsored person takes the COE + passport + other supporting evidence to apply for a visa at the Embassy of Japan in Hanoi or the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City
• The visa is issued within 5-7 days
• The COE is valid for 3 months—you must enter Japan within this period

Work restrictions for sponsored family members

The Kazoku Taizai visa allows 28 hours/week of part-time work, similar to a student visa:

Rules

• Apply for permission at the nyukan—"資格外活動許可" (shikakugai katsudo kyoka), free of charge, issued after 1-2 weeks
• Exceeding 28 hours/week → deportation
• Work in the adult entertainment industry (風俗営業) is prohibited

To work full-time → change your visa

• To work >28 hours/week, you must apply for your own visa (engineer / Tokutei Gino)
• You must have Japanese-language skills and relevant qualifications
• The nyukan will usually approve a change if you have a company job offer

Practical tip

• A wife can enter on a Kazoku Taizai visa, study Japanese at a nihongo gakko, then switch to a student visa after 1-2 years → graduate → obtain an engineer visa → increase household income and contribute to the family’s overall finances
• Don’t remain on Kazoku Taizai for 5+ years without upgrading your status—household income can be difficult to increase

Annual visa renewals

Kazoku Taizai visas are issued for 1 year or 3 years at a time:

Renewal documents

1. Visa extension application (在留期間更新許可申請書)
2. 4x3cm photo
3. Passport + current residence card
4. Sponsor’s documents: latest gensen choshuhyo, latest kazei shomeisho, rental agreement, bank savings book
5. Sponsored person’s documents: juminhyo

Is renewal easy or difficult?

• First renewal (after the first year): the nyukan closely reviews income and living circumstances. If the sponsor remains financially stable → OK
• From the 3rd or 4th renewal onward: a 3-year period is often issued automatically if there are no problems
• Likely to be refused: if the sponsor has been unemployed for more than 3 months or their salary has dropped sharply

Renewal fee

• 4,000 yen (nyukan fee) + photos + document printing
• Processing time: 1-2 months

5 mistakes that can ruin a Kazoku Taizai visa

1. Lying about the spousal relationship

• Some people who are not legally married still claim to be "spouses" in an attempt to bring their partner to Japan
• Nyukan checks very carefully: it may ask detailed questions about the wedding date, both families, and wedding photos—one inconsistent detail can raise suspicion
• If the fraud is discovered: both people may be banned from entering Japan for 5-10 years

2. Failing to prepare enough photos and chat records as proof of the relationship

• Nyukan wants to see a genuine relationship (not a sham marriage for immigration purposes)
• Prepare 20-30 photos showing a range of occasions (wedding, both families, trips, birthdays, anniversaries)
• LINE/Zalo chats covering ≥6 months, at a frequency of 2-3 times/day (print 30-50 pages)
• If evidence is missing → the nyukan may request additional documents 2-3 times, extending the process to 3-6 months

3. Insufficient income

• If the calculated income does not meet the required level → nyukan refusal
• Before applying: calculate income + living expenses. A family of 3 in Tokyo needs ≥28 man/month after tax. Approval is difficult below this level
• Solution: increase income (change to a higher-paying company), build up savings, or move to a less expensive prefecture (Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki)

4. Failing to report a divorce or job loss to the nyukan

• Divorcing the sponsor means the visa no longer has a basis, so the sponsored person must leave Japan within 6 months or change to another visa
• If the sponsor loses their job for >3 months: the nyukan must be notified
• Failure to report it → the visa may be discovered and cancelled during a routine inspection

5. Careless document translation

• Incorrect dates or names on the marriage certificate translation → nyukan may suspect fraud
• Hire a translation company that provides official notarization (do not rely on casual Facebook translators)
• The cost is ~300-500k VND/page, but it is worthwhile

Total cost for the whole family to move to Japan

Estimated costs for a wife + 1 child arriving in Japan for the first time:

These are one-time initial costs. After that, the family’s income will cover living expenses.

What to do during the first week after arriving in Japan

1. Register the juminhyo at the kuyakusho within 14 days (wife/child) — guide
2. Enroll the whole family in KKH health insurance — guide
3. Apply for a 28-hour/week work permit at the nyukan if the wife wants to work
4. Register the child for preschool / elementary school (free through the kuyakusho, which will arrange placement)
5. Open a Yuucho account for the wife to receive her salary if she works — guide

Summary

The Kazoku Taizai visa allows a spouse and children to join someone with an engineer visa, Tokutei Gino type 2, or permanent residence. The key requirements are income of ≥300-400 man/year and genuine proof of the family relationship (photos + chats covering 6+ months). COE processing takes 1-3 months, while the embassy visa takes 5-7 days. Sponsored family members may work part-time for 28 hours/week. Avoid these 5 mistakes: lying about the relationship, insufficient photos, inadequate income, failing to report divorce/job loss, and careless translations.

Moving to Japan with your family requires careful preparation: read how to rent a home in Japan to choose a 2LDK with enough space, and check the Vietnamese community by prefecture to help your wife and children settle in. For Tokyo–Osaka trips during the first few weeks, use the 7-day JR Pass.

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