Effective June 14, 2026 — photos will appear on cards for ages 1 to 15
On June 14, 2026, the Act Partially Amending the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Act No. 59 of 2024) takes effect. It introduces a new format for the residence card and the special permanent resident certificate, and for the first time a facial photo will be printed on the cards of holders aged 1 to under 16. Until now, anyone under 16 was exempt: no photo was submitted, and on the online residence application system applicants attached a "no-photo-required" data file in the photo attachment field. After the amendment takes effect, the system will be updated so that applicants aged 1 and over attach actual photo data. To bridge the changeover, the Immigration Services Agency may ask for a voluntary photo even before June 14 from applicants aged 1 to under 16 who file a notification or application involving card issuance before that date but are expected to receive the card on or after it. People who have already applied may also be contacted individually and asked to submit photo data as a supplementary document. For the special permanent resident certificate, those filing between June 10 and June 13, 2026 who will be at least 1 year old as of June 14 must submit a photo.
For families raising children in Japan, renewals, status changes and dependent-visa procedures now come with a new item to prepare: the child's photo. Because under-16s were previously exempt, many families have never taken an ID photo of a toddler, and being asked for one at the counter can stall the procedure that day. Applications straddling June 14, 2026 fall in the changeover window: even if you file before that date, you may be asked to submit a photo voluntarily when the card will be issued afterwards. Online applicants face an exception — the usual photo attachment field cannot be used, and the photo must be uploaded as a PDF in the document attachment field. Following the old routine can trigger a request for supplementary documents from the immigration office and delay card pickup. Special permanent resident families should also note that procedures on June 10–13 require a photo.
From June 2027, mid-to-long-term foreign residents who chronically default on national health insurance or pension premiums and ignore payment guidance will, in principle, be denied residence status renewal or change. Municipal and immigration systems link in FY2026 to reflect arrears automatically.
From April 2027, "Technical Intern Training" abolished, replaced by "Training Employment". 2026 is preparation period. N5 Japanese required, voluntary transfers allowed, can transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i) after 3 years.
Japan opened public comment (Aug 4-Sep 3, 2026) on stricter Permanent Residency guidelines: household income above the Japanese average, pension outlook, B1 Japanese.