Application for change of status of residence | Kyoto University International Service Office

Change of Status of Residence

If you are employed as a university researcher after graduation, you will need to change your status of residence to match your activities during your stay. Eligible applicants (international students/researchers) should prepare all required documents and visit the Osaka Regional Immigration Services Bureau Kyoto Branch Office in person to submit their applications. A new residence card will be issued once the application for renewal of the residence period is approved. Once the change of status of residence is approved, a new residence card will be issued.

Examples of when a change of the status of residence is required:

When an international student has been appointed as a researcher at a Japanese university
⇒ status of residence “Professor”
When graduates continue to stay in Japan to seek employment
⇒ status of residence “Designated Activities”
Please contact us if you're not sure which residence status is appropriate for your stay in Japan.

Changes in status of residence from “Short-term Stay” to another type of status of residence after entry to Japan are not usually approved without a special reason . In this case, a certificate of eligibility and a brief letter explaining the situation are required.
Unless the address indicated in the current Residence Card is Kyoto or Shiga, the application is unacceptable at the Osaka Regional Immigration Services Bureau Kyoto Branch Office.
You shall need to go to the Immigration Services Bureau, Office or Branch office which controls your residing area. In order to apply at the Kyoto Branch Office, you must firstly register the place of residence at the local City/Ward Office in Kyoto or Shiga and your new address must be indicated in the back of Residence Card.
Immigration Services Bureau Organization

[!!Important!! For International Students]

The Application Form Preparation System provided by the Kyoto University International Service Office (KUISO) is NOT linked to Kyoto University Management System of International Education and Student Mobility (KUIESM), the system which manages the current enrollment status of international students.

When preparing your application forms, please ask the student affairs office of your faculty/department to submit the “Organization” section of the application via [Function 1] of KUIESM. After the procedure has been completed, you will receive the completed Organization” section.
After you have completed the procedures to change your status of residence or extend your stay in Japan at the Immigration Services Bureau, please be sure to update your details on KUIESM using [Function 2].

Required documents / Application Form Preparation System

Status of Residence	Items required for application
"Professor" "Cultural Activities" "Student" "Designated Activities" "Temporary Visitor"	Application for change of status of residence (ISA application forms) Professor Excel, PDF Sample Cultural Activities Excel, PDF Sample Student Excel, PDF Sample Designated Activities Excel, PDF Sample Temporary Visitor Excel, PDF Sample Log In to the Application Form Preparation System (Kyoto University Intranet) About the Application Form Preparation System
	One ID photo(4 x 3 cm, taken within six months prior to the date of application)
	Passport
	Residence card
	Processing fee of JPY 4,000, to be paid by revenue stamp (shunyu inshi) *Revenue stamps are available at post offices and convenience stores.

Examples of documents required in addition to the above for each status of residence.

For further details, please contact the Immigration Services Bureau directly.
Please note that, in some cases, the Immigration Services Bureau may require the submission of documents other than those listed below.
Please note that the documents must have been issued within three months prior to submitting the application.

Status of Residence	Items required for application
"Professor" (Part-time staff only)	Certificate of acceptance/employment issued by Kyoto University indicating your salary/fee and period of teaching/research activity *The certificate must have been issued within three months prior to making the application.
"Cultural Activities"	Certificate of acceptance issued by Kyoto University indicating your new period of research activity
"Cultural Activities"	Documents certifying your financial ability during your period of stay in Japan, such as a certificate of bank balance, certificate of scholarship award, etc.
"Student"	Certificate of student registration indicating your new period of enrollment
	Academic transcript or certificate of research activity *Please ask the academic affairs office to issue the above documents.
	Documents certifying your financial ability during your period of stay in Japan, such as a certificate of bank balance, certificate of scholarship award etc.
Temporary Visitor	A statement of reasons to show why you need to change your status to” Temporary Visitor”(Free format)
Temporary Visitor	Document which shows that you plan to leave Japan, such as an air ticket.

“Designated Activities” Status of Residence

When international students will remain in Japan after graduation for any of following reasons, they must change their status of residence to “Designated Activities.”

To seek employment in Japan (categorized as a “student seeking employment”).
When a person holding “Student” or “Designated Activities” status of residence of receives a tentative offer of employment, and wishes to remain in Japan until the employment commences.
When the student has been admitted to a postgraduate course in Japan and wishes to remain in Japan until their enrollment.

Please refer to the Changing Status of Residence to “Designated Activities“ section for details of eligibility requirements and the necessary application materials.

Special grace period for renewal of residence status

If you submit an application for an extension of period stay or change of status of residence before the current period of stay expires, you may continue to reside in Japan until a decision is made on your application or until two months have passed since the expiration of your period of stay, whichever is earlier. This period is called the special grace period.