I have been asked to appear in person because of a long absence from Japan. What should I prepare?
This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.
Read the Japanese original（日本語版を読む）
Who this article is forAn enquiry from someone who was asked to appear in person because of a long absence, while an extension application made after changing jobs was pending.
Answer
This request to appear is most likely a final check, made in order to hear a detailed explanation of the 7-month absence and to confirm that you intend to live stably in Japan from now on. Please go prepared with material setting out the sequence of events, objective material showing the movement of money that supports the building of the new home and the marriage, and material showing that your current job is stable and that you pay your taxes.
What is this enquiry about?
An enquiry from someone who was asked to appear in person because of a long absence, while an extension application made after changing jobs was pending.
- Subject: 在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」 (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services)
- Application type: 在留期間更新許可申請 (after changing jobs)
- Situation: The enquirer is a South Korean national. The extension application after changing jobs was filed on 10 August 2025 (2025年8月10日). The expiration date of the period of stay was 10 October 2025 (2025年10月10日), and the 特例期間 (grace period) ends on 10 December (12月10日). Of a 1-year period of stay, about 7 months had been spent in the home country for the enquirer's marriage and the building of a new home.
- Documents already submitted: marriage certificate, photographs of the building work, and a 理由書 (written explanation). The enquirer is aware that objective material is lacking, and that the evidence for the long absence is weak.
- Other: no problems with taxes or criminal record. The current job is long-term dispatch work, and there is no problem with the specialised nature of the work or with how well it fits the status of residence.
- Question: I have been asked to appear in person. How should I prepare?
Why am I being asked to appear in person?
Because the examiner has serious doubts about your intention to reside in Japan and about the continuity of your residence.
In an extension application, 「在留の継続性」 (the continuity of your residence) is examined strictly. There are 3 points behind this request to appear.
- Doubt about the intention to reside You spent 7 months of a 1-year period of stay — more than half of it — abroad, so there is doubt about whether you really intend to live and carry out your activity in Japan.
- The risk of overlapping with a job change Because this is an extension application made after changing jobs, the negative factor of a long absence is added to the question of how well the work at the new employer fits, and the examination has become difficult.
- Lack of supporting material Because objective proof (a building contract, plans and the like) is lacking for the stated reason of building a new home, you are being asked to confirm the facts and explain in detail in person.
What should I prepare before the appointment?
Gather as much material as you can to show that the long absence was justified and that things will be stable from now on.
① Detailed material setting out the sequence of events (essential)
- Making the reason for leaving Japan and the dates clear Set out specific dates and a timeline of what you did: which part of the 7 months was preparation for the marriage, and which part was attending to the building of the new home
- Continuing activity in Japan If, while you were abroad, you were in contact about your work or your life in Japan, or handled procedures, prepare to show email records and the like
② Filling the gaps in objective material (top priority)
- Material about the new home Even without the building contract itself, use material showing the movement of money — payment receipts, invoices, bank transfer records — to prove that the new home really was being built, and that your stay was unavoidable because of it
- Material about the marriage Prepare additional photographs and material that explain how the marriage came about, and how you are preparing to live in the new home after returning to Japan
③ Strengthening the base of your life in Japan (certainty from now on)
- The stability of your current job Even for dispatch work, prepare material from both the dispatching agency and the client company proving that it is long-term and stable (contracts, certificate of employment and so on)
- Proof of tax payment Even if nothing is unpaid, prepare recent tax payment certificates and tax assessment certificates just in case, and stress again that you are meeting your public obligations
How should I approach the day itself?
Do not become emotional. Answer honestly and logically, on the basis of the facts.
At the appointment, the examiner will ask you directly about the material you have prepared.
- Honestly and logically Answer the questions on the basis of the facts, without becoming emotional. In particular, stress that the long absence was "for unavoidable reasons", and that "your intention to work and live in Japan is firm"
- Going with a specialist If you are worried, one option is to ask a 行政書士 (certified administrative procedures legal specialist (gyoseishoshi)) to go with you. They can help explain matters to the examiner and support your case from a legal point of view
Frequently Asked Questions
What is looked at in an extension application where there has been a long absence?
The continuity of your residence. Where, for example, 7 months of a 1-year period of stay have been spent abroad, there is doubt about whether you really intend to live and carry out your activity in Japan. In an application made after changing jobs, this overlaps with the examination of how well the work fits.
How can I prove the building of a new home if I do not have the building contract?
Use material showing the movement of money instead — payment receipts, invoices, bank transfer records. Gather it so as to show that the new home really was being built, and that your stay was unavoidable because of it.
Can a dispatch worker show that the job is stable?
Yes. Prepare material from both the dispatching agency and the client company proving that the dispatch work is long-term and stable (contracts, certificate of employment and so on). It is also reassuring to prepare tax payment certificates and tax assessment certificates.
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This article provides general information. Immigration rules change, and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Please check the Immigration Services Agency website or consult a qualified specialist.
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Because it is a translation, the meaning may differ from the original in places. Where something affects a decision you are making, please check the Japanese version or ask us. The supervision by a 行政書士 is of the Japanese version.
