Can I still renew if my spouse is a graduate student and our income has fallen?
Foreigners Employment Support Organization (FESO) ／ Published ／ Last updated
This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.
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Answer
A fall in household income may have an effect on the extension of 「日本人の配偶者等」. However, the decision is not made on the income figure alone: your savings, your own income, and the expected income after graduation are also taken into account. The heart of your preparation is explaining in writing why the income fell and what the outlook is.
What is this enquiry about?
An enquiry from someone facing her first renewal after her spouse went on to graduate school and their income fell.
Type of enquiry: renewal of a 日本人の配偶者等 (Spouse or Child of Japanese National) visa
Application type: 在留期間更新許可申請 (Application for Extension of Period of Stay)
Situation: French national, female, 30 years old. Married to her Japanese husband (31) for 3 years, living in Japan on the 在留資格「日本人の配偶者等」. Her first extension of period of stay is due next month, but since last year her husband has been a full-time graduate student, so the household income is lower than before.
Question: If my husband has become a graduate student and our income has fallen, does that affect the renewal of 「日本人の配偶者等」?
Does a fall in income affect the renewal?
It may have an effect. What is looked at is whether there is a financial basis for a settled life.
The fall in income caused by your husband becoming a graduate student may have an effect on the renewal of 「日本人の配偶者等」.
In renewing the 在留資格「日本人の配偶者等」, the 地方出入国在留管理局 (Regional Immigration Services Bureau) screens whether the applicant or the spouse has a financial basis on which to live a settled life in Japan. This is said to be an important requirement, meant to ensure that you do not become a burden on Japanese society.
What exactly is looked at?
Not only your current income, but your savings, your own income and the future outlook are all taken into account together.
Your current income: your present situation, with your husband's income reduced, is screened
Your past income: the couple's income up to now may also be taken into account
Your savings: whether the couple's savings are enough to support daily life for the time being is checked
Your husband's studies: how his studies at graduate school are going, and his expected future income, may also be taken into account
Your own income: if you earn income from part-time work, that amount is also taken into account
Whether anyone else supports you: if there are relatives or others besides the couple who provide financial help, that situation may also be taken into account
All of these are said to be factors taken into account in practice. The outcome is not decided on the income figure alone.
What can make up for the fall in income?
4 things can be considered: savings, your own income, the expected income after graduation, and help from relatives.
Where you have enough savings Where the savings you have built up are enough to cover living costs for the time being.
Where you yourself have a stable income Where you have full-time work, or steady part-time work, and can support your daily life.
Where your husband's expected future income is high Where a stable income can be expected in future, for example because he already has a job offer for after he finishes graduate school, submitting documents proving this (such as a letter of job offer) may lead to it being taken into account.
Where you receive financial help from your parents or others Where continuing financial help from parents or other relatives can be expected, submitting documents proving this (such as records of remittances) may lead to it being taken into account.
What should I prepare for the renewal?
4 things: setting out your financial situation, explaining why the income fell and what the outlook is, documents backing that up, and checking the required documents early.
Get a clear picture of your current financial situation Set out the couple's income, savings and spending, and put it together in writing.
Explain why the income fell and what the outlook is Prepare a document explaining in concrete terms why your husband went on to graduate school and what his prospects for work after finishing are.
Prepare documents that back up your financial strength Prepare items such as a certificate of savings balance, proof of your own income, your husband's letter of job offer, and proof of help from relatives.
Check the required documents early Check again on the 出入国在留管理庁 (Immigration Services Agency of Japan) website and elsewhere which documents the renewal requires, and start preparing with time to spare.
In a case like this, what matters is explaining the couple's present financial situation properly and showing that it will be stable in future. If anything worries you or is unclear, we suggest speaking early with the consultation desk of the 地方出入国在留管理局 or with a 行政書士 (certified administrative procedures legal specialist / gyoseishoshi).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a fall in my spouse's income affect the renewal of 「日本人の配偶者等」?
It may have an effect. This is because screening for renewal looks at whether the applicant or the spouse has a financial basis on which to live a settled life in Japan.
Can a renewal still be granted even if our income has fallen?
Where you have enough savings, where you yourself have a stable income, where the expected income after graduation is high, or where continuing help from relatives can be expected, those points may be taken into account.
Besides income, what else is taken into account?
The factors given include your current and past income, your savings, your spouse's studies and expected future income, your own income, and whether there are relatives who provide financial help.
What exactly should I prepare for the renewal?
Prepare a written summary of the couple's income, savings and spending, a document explaining why the income fell and what the outlook is, and backing documents such as a certificate of savings balance, a letter of job offer and records of remittances.
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. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.
