Loading…
16 June 2026
Moving to Japan with a spouse and children adds a second layer to an already busy relocation: alongside your own visa and arrival admin, you're arranging dependent visas, registering each family member, enrolling children in school, and getting everyone onto health insurance. It's very doable — thousands of families do it every year — but the order matters. This guide walks through the dependent visa, family registration, schools, and the sequence that keeps everything moving.
Dependent visa (家族滞在)
What's involved: COE filed for spouse/children, tied to the main visa holder
When: Before they travel
Residence cards
What's involved: Issued to each family member on arrival
When: At the airport / ward office
Ward office registration
What's involved: Register every family member's address within 14 days
When: First 2 weeks
Health insurance
What's involved: Dependents enrolled alongside the main holder
When: Same ward visit
School enrolment
What's involved: Apply via the local board of education
When: After registration
If you hold a work or student status, your spouse and children can usually join you on a "Dependent" status of residence (家族滞在 kazoku taizai). Like a work visa, it runs on the Certificate of Eligibility (COE): you (the main visa holder, the "principal") sponsor each dependent, proving the family relationship and that you can financially support them.
Who qualifies — a legally married spouse and dependent children of the principal.
What you'll show — proof of relationship (marriage/birth certificates), your status and income, and that you can support the family.
Work rights — a Dependent-status holder may work part-time, generally up to 28 hours per week, only after getting "permission to engage in activity other than that permitted." It's not a full work visa.
Note the difference between Dependent status (family of a worker/student) and the "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" status, which is for the family of a Japanese citizen and carries broader rights. Highly Skilled Professionals also get more flexible family provisions.
Once everyone has landed and holds residence cards, you register each family member's address at the ward office — the same 14-day registration that applies to you, done for the household together. At that visit you'll also enrol dependents in National Health Insurance (if not covered by an employer's plan) and sort pension status. Pick up several copies of the family residence certificate (jūminhyō); you'll need them for school and other paperwork.
Foreign children can attend Japanese public elementary and junior-high schools, generally tuition-free, with enrolment arranged through the local board of education at or near the ward office. Many areas offer Japanese-language support for children who are still learning. Families who prefer instruction in English or another curriculum often choose international schools, which are private and can be expensive. Because school enrolment has its own steps and documents, we cover it in depth in the dedicated guide — see Enrolling Your Child in a Japanese School.
Health coverage is mandatory and extends to dependents. If you're on employer-based health insurance, your family is typically covered as dependents; if you're on National Health Insurance, the household enrols together and premiums reflect household income. Add childcare, school costs, and a larger home to your planning — model the whole family budget with our Budget Calculator and compare family-friendly areas on the Neighborhood Map.
Secure your own status first — the dependent visa hangs off it.
File dependent COEs for spouse and children (this can overlap with your own move).
Arrive and collect residence cards for everyone.
Register the household at the ward office within 14 days; enrol in health insurance.
Enrol children in school via the board of education.
See the full arrival sequence — for you and the family — with our Path Finder.
What visa do I need to bring my family to Japan?
Usually the "Dependent" status of residence (家族滞在), which lets the spouse and children of a work- or student-visa holder join them. It's sponsored by the main visa holder and runs on a Certificate of Eligibility, like other visas.
Can my spouse work on a dependent visa?
Only part-time — generally up to 28 hours per week — and only after obtaining "permission to engage in activity other than that permitted." A dependent visa is not a full work visa. Spouses of Highly Skilled Professionals get more flexible rights.
Do my children need their own visas?
Yes. Dependent children get their own Dependent-status COE and residence card, sponsored by the principal, with proof of the parent–child relationship (birth certificates).
Are dependents covered by health insurance?
Yes. On employer-based insurance, family members are usually covered as dependents; on National Health Insurance, the household enrols together. Coverage is mandatory for residents.
Can my children attend Japanese public school for free?
Foreign children can attend public elementary and junior-high schools, generally without tuition, enrolling through the local board of education. Many schools provide Japanese-language support for new arrivals.
How do I register my family after we arrive?
Register every family member's address at the ward office within 14 days of moving in, as a household. You'll enrol dependents in health insurance at the same visit and can collect residence certificates for school paperwork.
What's the difference between a dependent visa and a spouse visa?
"Dependent" status is for the family of a foreign worker or student. The "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" status is for the family of a Japanese citizen and carries broader rights, including unrestricted work.
Should I move first and bring family later?
Many families do — the principal settles, confirms housing and income, then sponsors the dependents. You can also file dependent COEs in parallel. Either works; the key is that the dependent visa depends on your status being in place.
Bringing your family to Japan is a sequence, not a scramble: your status first, then dependent visas, then a household registration, health insurance, and school. Get the order right and each step unlocks the next. Plan the family budget with the Budget Calculator, scout family-friendly neighbourhoods on the Neighborhood Map, and map every arrival step with the Path Finder.
Authoritative references: Immigration Services Agency of Japan; Ministry of Foreign Affairs — visa; your local city/ward board of education for schools.
This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Family visa rules, work permissions, and school procedures vary and change; verify the current requirements with the Immigration Services Agency, MOFA, and your local ward office before acting.