Residence Status Processing Times (National Average) [Updated September 2026]

Last updated: September 14, 2026

This summary is based on data published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Residence Status Processing Times (Reiwa 8 July Approvals),” and outlines processing times by residence status.

The figures shown on this page are the July 2026 (Reiwa 8)approved cases’ national average.
Denied applications and withdrawn cases are not included.

Actual processing times vary depending on the details of each application, whether additional documents were requested, and the number of applications received. Please use the figures on this page as a general reference only.

Processing can take longer at immigration offices in major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka.

This month, Highly Skilled Professional (i)(c) certification and change-of-status cases show a marked increase, and Business Manager and Permanent Resident cases have also lengthened compared with the previous month.

For (i)(c) cases, the Immigration Services Agency itself explains that, since they involve “Business Manager”–related activities,
“careful review is required to confirm the actual state of the business.”

Notes on Using This Data

This page organizes data published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan under "Residence Status Processing Times" into an easy-to-read format.

Please keep the following points in mind when reviewing the data on this page.

• The figures shown are the national average for approved cases. Please note that processing times can vary significantly between regional immigration bureaus.

※Denied applications and withdrawn cases are not included.

• These figures cover the period from receipt of an application to approval (until the approval is notified). If additional documents were requested, the time until those documents were submitted is included.
• For applications for extension of period of stay or change of status of residence, the decision date is the date approval is notified (i.e., the day you visit the immigration bureau). Accordingly, "days until notification" includes the period between the end of review and the day approval is actually granted at the bureau.
• "Change of status of residence, etc." also includes applications for permanent residence (general permanent residence only; excludes applications for acquisition of status).
• For Designated Activities, processing times vary depending on the specific activity to be carried out.
• For change of status to "Technical Intern Training (iii)," this includes cases in which the applicant temporarily returned to their home country for a month or more after applying, before receiving approval.
• Applications for "Student" status increase each year ahead of Japanese language school course start dates (April and October), so processing times tend to lengthen during those periods.
• Applications for work-related statuses increase each year ahead of the April hiring season, so processing times for these statuses tend to lengthen during that period.
• Processing times for Certificate of Eligibility issuance and change-of-status approval relating to Specified Skilled Worker (i) are calculated excluding applications in the food service field, in line with measures based on the March 27, 2026 (Reiwa 8) notice "On the Operation of the Acceptance Cap for the Specified Skilled Worker 'Food Service Industry' Field."

Source

Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Residence Status Processing Times (Reiwa 8 July Approvals)"