Spouse Visa and Divorce in Japan: What Happens to Your Status

This article explains what happens to the spouse status when you divorce your Japanese husband, what you must do, and what options the official rules describe. In short: you must report the divorce to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan within 14 days. Your status does not end on the day of the divorce, but if you stop living as a spouse for 6 months or more without a good reason, it can be cancelled. So you should apply early for a status that fits your new situation.

The "spouse visa" is officially called Spouse or Child of Japanese National (日本人の配偶者等). This article uses the official name. If you are facing violence at home, please read the section on help first.

Does my status end when I divorce?

No. Your status does not end automatically on the day of the divorce, but its basis is gone, so you need to act.

The law does not say the status ends when you divorce. Instead, it requires you to report the divorce and lets immigration cancel the status in some cases. Still, the status exists because you are the spouse of a Japanese national. After a divorce, you are no longer in that position.

The Agency's Q&A on the residence system answers this question directly. It says you do not have to apply for a change of status at the same time as you report the divorce. But it also says that if you stay 6 months or more without living as a spouse and without a good reason, your status may be cancelled, so you should apply for a suitable status as early as possible.

So there are two separate steps:

Report the divorce within 14 days (required).
Think about your next status and apply early (strongly advised).

Step 1: Report the divorce within 14 days

Under Article 19-16 of the Immigration Control Act, you must report a divorce or the death of your spouse within 14 days.

This is called the notification regarding a spouse (配偶者に関する届出). It applies to mid- to long-term residents with the spouse status (and some other spouse statuses). The deadline is 14 days from the day of the divorce or death.

You can report in three ways:

Method	How
Online	The Agency's electronic notification system, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You need to register as a user the first time. No supporting documents are needed
In person	At your nearest regional immigration office. Show your residence card and submit the form
By mail	Send the form with a copy of your residence card to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau. Write "NOTIFICATION ENCLOSED" (届出書在中) in red on the envelope

The Agency says it does not confirm receipt of mailed forms, so it recommends a mail service that you can track.

Not making this notification can lead to a fine of up to 200,000 yen under Article 71-5 of the Act. Making a false notification is punished more heavily (Article 71-2).

The 6-month rule

The law lets immigration cancel the spouse status if you have not lived as a spouse for 6 months or more in a row, unless you have a good reason.

This is Article 22-4, paragraph 1, item 7 of the Immigration Control Act. Two points are important:

It is "can cancel," not "will cancel." The Agency's Q&A says that starting a cancellation procedure does not always mean the status is cancelled. Each person's situation is considered.
There is an exception for a good reason (正当な理由).

Examples of good reasons

The Agency has published four main examples where it does not cancel the status.

The list, first published in 2012, includes:

You need to escape temporarily or be protected because of violence from your spouse (domestic violence, DV).
You live apart from your spouse for an unavoidable reason, such as caring for children, but you still share household money.
You are outside Japan for a long time with a re-entry permit, for example because a relative in your home country is ill or injured.
You are in divorce mediation or a divorce lawsuit (離婚調停又は離婚訴訟).

The Agency says decisions are based on each person's real situation and are not limited to these examples.

Immigration must give you a chance to apply

Before cancelling for this reason, the Minister must consider giving you a chance to apply for a different status or for permanent residency.

Article 22-5 of the Act says that when immigration plans to cancel the spouse status because of the 6-month rule, the Minister of Justice must take care to give the person a chance to apply for a change of status (Article 20) or for permanent residency (Article 22).

The Agency's note adds that even after 6 months or more without living as a spouse, a change to another status may be permitted, for example when you are raising a child of yours who has Japanese nationality.

If the status is cancelled for this reason, the law sets a period of up to 30 days to leave Japan (Article 22-4, paragraph 7). Leaving it until that point is risky. This is why acting early matters.

Step 2: Changing to another status

After a divorce, the usual path is a Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請) to a status that fits your new life, and immigration decides each case.

Article 20 of the Act says a change is approved only when there is "sufficient reason" (相当の理由) to approve it. The Agency explains that this is judged as a whole, looking at the activities you plan, how you have lived in Japan, and why you need to stay.

Long-Term Resident (定住者)

The Agency has published real examples of changes from the spouse status to Long-Term Resident, both approved and refused.

Long-Term Resident (定住者) is a status for people whom the Minister of Justice permits to live in Japan, with a set period, considering special reasons. It is also a Table II status, like the spouse status.

The Agency's published examples (revised in 2017) show the kinds of facts that appeared in each case:

Examples where the change was approved included:

A woman who divorced after about 6 years and 6 months of marriage, had parental authority over her Japanese child, was raising the child, and had a steady income as a home care worker
A woman whose marriage of about 3 years had broken down because of her husband's domestic violence. They had not started divorce procedures, but lived apart, and both clearly wanted a divorce. She had a steady income as a nursing assistant
A woman who divorced because of domestic violence after about 4 years and 5 months of marriage, developed PTSD from it, had parental authority and was raising her Japanese child

Examples where the change was refused included:

A marriage where living together lasted less than 3 months
A case where the real married life was judged to be only about 1 year and 3 months
A person who had lived outside Japan alone for about 1 year and 6 months
A person with a criminal conviction

The Agency also says that even similar cases can have different results. These are examples, not rules.

From these official examples, the facts that appeared often include: how long the real marriage lasted, whether you are raising a Japanese child, whether you have a steady income, whether there was domestic violence, and how you have lived in Japan.

Other statuses

If your life after the divorce fits another status, such as a work status, you can apply for that status under its own requirements.

For example, if you have a job that fits a work status such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務), you would apply for a change to that status. Each status has its own conditions, so ask the immigration office which one fits you.

Permanent residency

If you were already close to meeting the conditions for permanent residency as a spouse, note that the special rule in the guidelines is for spouses. Ask the immigration office about your own case before you divorce, if you can.

While you are separated, before the divorce

Living apart is not automatically a problem, but it is good to know which situations the Agency treats as a good reason.

From the examples above, these situations are listed as good reasons:

You left home to escape domestic violence
You live apart for children but share household money
You are in divorce mediation or a lawsuit

If you are separated and unsure whether your situation counts as a good reason, talk to the immigration office early.

Where to get help

If you are facing violence, your safety comes first. Japan has free public help lines, and some support foreign languages.

Emergency: 110

The Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office (内閣府男女共同参画局) says to call 110 (police) if you need a police officer to come right away.

DV Soudan Navi: #8008

Calling #8008 (DV相談ナビ) connects you to the Spousal Violence Counseling and Support Center (配偶者暴力相談支援センター) of your prefecture. The call costs the same as a normal landline call, and consultations are within each center's opening hours. Some IP phones cannot connect; in that case, call your prefecture or city center directly.

These centers give consultation, counseling, safety in an emergency, temporary protection (一時保護), information for becoming independent, and information about protection orders (保護命令).

DV Soudan Plus: phone 24 hours, chat in 10 languages

DV Soudan Plus (DV相談＋) is listed by the Cabinet Office's Gender Equality Bureau, which says phone consultation is available 24 hours and chat supports 10 foreign languages. The service's own page gives these details:

Phone: 0120-279-889, 24 hours. The service says phone consultation is only in Japanese.
Chat: 12:00 to 22:00, available in 10 languages, including English.

Police consultation: #9110

For non-emergencies, #9110 connects you to the general police consultation desk of your prefecture.

Visa questions

The Foreign Residents Comprehensive Information Center (外国人在留総合インフォメーションセンター) answers general immigration questions by phone at 0570-013904 on weekdays, in English and other languages. The Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC) in Tokyo also has desks such as the Japan Legal Support Center (法テラス). For more about FRESC, see dating apps and romance scams in Japan.

FAQ

Do I have to leave Japan right after the divorce?

No. Your status does not end on the day of the divorce. But you must report the divorce within 14 days, and you should apply for a suitable status early, because the status can be cancelled after 6 months without living as a spouse and without a good reason.

I left home because of violence. Will I lose my status?

The Agency lists "escaping temporarily or being protected because of violence from your spouse" as an example of a good reason. Please contact #8008, DV Soudan Plus, or 110 in an emergency, and talk to the immigration office about your status.

My divorce is not finished yet. What should I do?

Divorce mediation or a divorce lawsuit is listed by the Agency as an example of a good reason. You do not report a divorce until it actually happens. Keep documents that show the mediation or lawsuit is going on.

I am raising our child, who is Japanese. Can I stay in Japan?

The Agency says a change to another status may be permitted when you are raising your own child with Japanese nationality. Its published examples of approved changes to Long-Term Resident include women with parental authority who were raising their Japanese child. The decision is still made case by case.

Can I remarry and keep the spouse status?

If you marry another Japanese national, you would be a spouse of a Japanese national again. Ask the immigration office which procedure applies to you. The steps for marriage are in how to marry a Japanese man in Japan.

Summary

Your spouse status (日本人の配偶者等) does not end on the day of the divorce, but its basis is gone.
Report the divorce or death of your spouse within 14 days (配偶者に関する届出). Online is possible 24 hours a day.
Not living as a spouse for 6 months or more without a good reason can lead to cancellation. Good reasons include escaping domestic violence and divorce mediation or lawsuits.
The usual next step is a Change of Status of Residence, for example to Long-Term Resident (定住者). Raising a Japanese child, a real marriage of some length, and steady income appear in the approved examples.
For violence, call 110 in an emergency, #8008, or DV Soudan Plus (chat in 10 languages).
Every case is different. In the end, please check with your regional immigration office.

References

Immigration Services Agency of Japan, notification regarding a spouse (配偶者に関する届出): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri10_00016.html (Checked on October 25, 2026)
Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Q&A on the residence system (Answer Q80 to Q149, including Q98 and Q118): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/faq/newimmiact_4_q-and-a_page3.html (Checked on October 25, 2026)
Immigration Services Agency of Japan, cancellation of status of residence (在留資格の取消し): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/torikeshi_00002.html (Checked on October 25, 2026)
Immigration Services Agency of Japan, examples of good reasons for not living as a spouse (English PDF): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/920000162.pdf (Checked on October 25, 2026)
Immigration Services Agency of Japan, examples of approved and refused changes from the spouse status to Long-Term Resident (Japanese PDF, revised March 2017): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/930002823.pdf (Checked on October 25, 2026)
Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Long-Term Resident (定住者): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/longtermresident.html (Checked on October 25, 2026)
Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office, consultation services for violence (相談機関一覧): https://www.gender.go.jp/policy/no_violence/e-vaw/soudankikan.html (Checked on October 25, 2026)
Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office, Spousal Violence Counseling and Support Centers: https://www.gender.go.jp/policy/no_violence/e-vaw/soudankikan/01.html (Checked on October 25, 2026)
DV Soudan Plus (DV相談＋), English page: https://soudanplus.jp/en/ (Checked on October 25, 2026)
Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Foreign Residents Comprehensive Information Center: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/consultation/center/index.html (Checked on October 25, 2026)
e-Gov Laws and Regulations, Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Articles 19-16, 20, 22-4, 22-5, 71-2, 71-5, Appended Table II): https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/326CO0000000319 (Checked on October 25, 2026)