Japan Lists 6 Categories of Foreigners Who Will Not Receive a Residence Card

Japan's Immigration Services Agency published a list of six groups of foreign nationals who are excluded from receiving a residence cardThe residence card serves as a formal identification document for foreigners staying in Japan for more than three monthsEligible cardholders aged 16 and above are legally required to carry the document on them at all timesPAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!

Japan's Immigration Services Agency has released an official breakdown of the categories of foreign nationals who are not entitled to receive a residence card while living in the country.

Japan lists six groups excluded from residence cards, including digital nomads and special permanent residents, and outlines eligibility rules for residents. Image credit: IRIS Source: UGCThe card is issued to foreigners who stay in Japan for more than three months, a group the agency formally describes as "mid-to-long-term residents."

It displays the holder's personal details, permitted length of stay, and approved activities, and is recognised as valid identification for local government procedures and private contracts.

The Japan Immigration Services Agency has identified six groups of foreigners who fall outside the scheme entirely.

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The first group covers anyone granted permission to stay for three months or less.

The second excludes all holders of "Temporary Visitor" status, regardless of how long they intend to remain in practice.

Foreigners entering Japan under "Diplomat" or "Official" status of residence are also exempt from the card system.

Certain individuals holding "Designated Activities" status share the same exclusion, specifically staff members and their families attached to the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association offices in Japan, along with members and families of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine in Japan under that same status category.

Digital nomads form a distinct excluded group. Foreign nationals who enter Japan specifically to carry out international remote work, together with their accompanying spouses and children, are not eligible for a residence card under this category.

Special permanent residents make up the fifth excluded group, while the sixth covers persons with no recognised status of residence in Japan at all.

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For foreigners who do meet the eligibility criteria, the residence card carries considerable practical importance.

Any cardholder aged 16 or older is legally obliged to carry the document on their person at all times.

Beyond serving as a form of identification, the card is accepted when dealing with municipal offices and can be used when signing contracts, making it a central document in the daily lives of foreign nationals who have settled in the country.

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare had published a list of countries with formal bilateral agreements to participate in the programme.

All 17 approved nations were located in Asia or the Pacific, with no African, European or American country appearing on the list.

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The agreements set out a formal framework governing how interns and sending organisations participated in Japan's technical training initiative.

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Ruth Sekyi (Entertainment Editor) Ruth Esi Amfua Sekyi is a Human Interest Editor at YEN.com.gh with 4+ years’ experience across radio, print, TV, and digital media. She holds a B.A. in Communications (PR) from UNIMAC-IJ. Her media career began at Radio GIJ (campus radio), followed by Prime News Ghana. At InstinctWave, she worked on business content, playing major role in events organized by the company. She also worked with ABC News GH, updating their site, served as Production Assistant. In 2025, Ruth completed the ECOWAS, GIZ, and MFWA Information Integrity training. Email: ruth.sekyi@yen.com.gh