What are the requirements to maintain a spousal visa in Japan?

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Spousal visas in Japan allow the holder to work freely in almost any profession.  Therefore, upon marrying a Japanese national, many foreign nationals decide to switch their visa status to a spousal visa.  The main requirement for a spousal visa is that the visa holder continue to engage in activity as a spouse.

One of the main duties of spouses is co-habitation, so a spousal visa holder is expected to live with his or her spouse.  However, this is not always possible and certain exceptions do exist.  For example, spouses that must live separately for child-rearing or other unavoidable purposes will not have their spousal visa revoked.  Furthermore, spouses that have separated due to domestic violence or pending divorce proceedings will not immediately have their spousal visas revoked, although the spousal visa will eventually be revoked at some point after the divorce is finalized.

If you have a question about spousal visas in Japan, please contact our office for a legal consultation.