Japan long stay visa for sightseeing (retirement-style)

Japan's immigration law has no status for retirees. People who want a long, unhurried stay without working have two official options: a visa-free short stay, which for most visa-exempt nationals lasts up to 90 days, or the long-stay scheme for sightseeing and recreation described here, which is a form of the Designated Activities status.

You must be a national of a country or region whose citizens are visa-exempt for short stays in Japan, be 18 or older, and have savings worth more than JPY 30 million together with your spouse. You must hold private medical insurance covering death, injury and illness for the whole stay. The activity is limited to sightseeing and recreation.

Submit bankbooks or statements showing the current balance and all deposits and withdrawals for the past six months. Savings in foreign currencies are assessed at their yen value. If your spouse wants to stay separately under the same scheme rather than accompany you, the couple needs savings of more than JPY 60 million.

Apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate for your place of residence. Foreign nationals applying outside their own country add proof of legal residence there, and some missions do not accept holders of a short-term residence permit. With a Certificate of Eligibility the itinerary, savings and insurance papers can be omitted. The visa fee, about JPY 15,000 for single entry for applications accepted from 1 July 2026, is paid in local currency and charged only if the visa is issued.

The first period is six months. To reach one year, apply for an extension at the regional immigration bureau covering your address, or online, from three months before expiry; counters open on weekdays 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00, and standard processing takes two weeks to one month.

From 1 October 2026 the counter fee is JPY 10,000 for up to three months and JPY 18,000 for more than three and up to six months, paid with revenue stamps; applications received by 30 September 2026 pay the old JPY 6,000. Only one extension is possible.

An accompanying spouse who lives at the same address and also travels for leisure can be granted the same status on the couple's combined savings. Children cannot accompany under this scheme, whatever their age.

The Immigration Services Agency lists no administrative appeal against a refusal to extend the period of stay. If the extension is refused you must leave Japan by the date you are given; for help, call the Immigration Services Information Center on 0570-013904.