Temporary protection: Japan
🛰️ Varta monitors 9 official sources for this country — checked daily.
Legal basis: Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act + special Japanese government measures for evacuees from Ukraine (since 02.03.2022) + complementary protection system (since 01.12.2023) • there is no single national date — the period of stay is renewed individually
Steps
- 1
Obtain a visa at a Japanese embassy (there is NO visa-free entry)
Ukrainian citizens can enter Japan by visa only. A separate procedure exists for evacuees: usually a guarantor (relative or acquaintance) in Japan is required, who prepares documents on their side. Contact the Japanese embassy/consulate in your current country.
📍 Japanese embassy/consulate abroad⏰ Before travelling💳 Visa fee — check with the embassy (waivers possible for evacuees) - 2
After entry — change status to "Designated Activities (1 year)"
After entering on a short-term visa, file an application at the regional immigration bureau to change status to "Designated Activities" (Form U + photo + statement of reasons + passport copies + letter of guarantee). The status grants FULL work rights with no restrictions on job type.
▸ More details›
Forms are available in PDF/Excel in Ukrainian, English and Japanese on the Immigration Services Agency website (moj.go.jp/isa).📍 Regional immigration bureau for your area / FRESC in Tokyo⏰ Before your short-term stay period expires💳 State fee for change/extension — check with the bureau - 3
Register your address and receive the residence card
Once "Designated Activities" is granted you receive a residence card (在留カード). Register your address at the municipal office within 14 days of moving in. Carry the card with you.
📍 Municipal office where you live⏰ 14 days after moving in💳 Free - 4
Enrol in National Health Insurance (NHI) and the pension system
Residents with a status over 3 months must join National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) at the municipality — it covers ~70% of treatment costs. Premiums depend on income; reductions are possible for low income. Pension enrolment is done at the same time.
📍 Your municipal office⏰ Immediately after address registration💳 Monthly premiums (income-based; reductions possible) - 5
Renew the status yearly or apply for complementary protection
The "Designated Activities" status is issued for 1 year and is renewable while the situation in Ukraine has not improved (extension of period of stay application, Form U). ALTERNATIVE since 01.12.2023: apply for recognition as a person under complementary protection. If recognised, you receive "Long-Term Resident" (定住者) status — more stable, with settlement programmes and relaxed permanent residence conditions.
📍 Regional immigration bureau⏰ Before your current period of stay expires💳 Extension fee — check locally; the complementary protection application is free - 6
Enrol children in school
Evacuee children can attend Japanese public schools free of charge. Contact the municipal board of education; many cities offer extra Japanese-language classes for foreign children.
📍 Municipal board of education⏰ As soon as possible after settling💳 Free (public schools)
Documents
Foreign passport
requiredNeeded for the visa and all procedures in Japan. Carry your passport (short-term stay) or residence card (在留カード) at all times.
Application for change of status to "Designated Activities (1 year)" — Form U
requiredSpecial Form U for evacuees from Ukraine. Photo required for persons 16+. If you already hold the status — file the extension of period of stay application (a separate Form U).
Proof of evacuation circumstances
requiredPassport page copies with entry/exit stamps showing departure from Ukraine due to the invasion.
Statement of reasons (理由書)
requiredA brief statement of why you cannot return to Ukraine. A template is on the Immigration Services Agency website (also in Ukrainian).
Letter of guarantee (身元保証書)
if availableCompleted by the guarantor (relative/acquaintance/organisation in Japan). For persons without a guarantor the matter is handled individually by the immigration authorities.
Ukrainian Embassies and Consulates
Map
Document samples and how to fill them
Enter "UKRAINE".
First and last name in LATIN letters exactly as in the passport.
Date of birth in year/month/day order (Japanese convention).
Foreign passport number.
Your actual address in Japan (guarantor’s home or state-provided housing).
Enter "特定活動 (1年)" — Designated Activities (1 year).
❌ Name does not match the passport (Cyrillic instead of Latin) ❌ Missing photo (mandatory for 16+) ❌ Statement of reasons (理由書) or passport stamp copies not attached ❌ Filing after the permitted period of stay has expired
Evacuee’s name, nationality and date of birth — in Latin letters as in the passport.
Guarantor’s full name, address, phone and workplace in Japan; filled in personally by the guarantor.
The guarantor confirms covering living costs, return travel and legal compliance.
Guarantor’s personal signature (or hanko seal) and the completion date.
❌ Signed by the applicant instead of the guarantor ❌ Guarantor’s phone or workplace missing ❌ Outdated form version (download the current one from moj.go.jp/isa)
Your city/oblast of residence in Ukraine and departure date.
Briefly: hostilities, destroyed housing, occupation, security situation.
Who your guarantor/relative in Japan is, or how you arrived without one.
Work, children’s schooling, language study — show your intent to settle lawfully.
❌ Text too generic, without concrete facts and dates ❌ Contradictions with the application data (dates, addresses) ❌ Missing signature and date
Benefits
Unrestricted work rights
Holders of "Designated Activities (1 year)" and "Long-Term Resident" (complementary protection) status.
How to apply: Automatic with the status; job search via Hello Work (public employment centres)
National Health Insurance (NHI)
Residents with a status of stay over 3 months (mandatory).
How to apply: At the municipality when registering your address
HONESTLY ABOUT MONEY: there are no universal state cash benefits
The Nippon Foundation cash support for evacuees (travel + living expenses) has been WOUND DOWN in phases (donations closed 31.03.2024; the three-year payments are ending). Some municipalities and NGOs run their own programmes — ask your city hall. Persons under state care (no guarantor) received housing and allowances via government mechanisms.
How to apply: Municipality / RHQ / local NGOs
Wise — transfers without hidden fees
A multi-currency account and transfers between Ukraine and Europe at the real exchange rate. Handy for receiving salary and sending money to family.
Open a Wise accountThe price for you does not change; the commission supports our free guides.
Where to apply
FRESC — Foreign Residents Support Center (Tokyo)
Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau
Regional immigration bureaus in other prefectures
Contacts
What happens after protection ends
The "Designated Activities" status is temporary (1 year, renewable). More stable paths: 1) COMPLEMENTARY PROTECTION (since 01.12.2023) — "Long-Term Resident" (定住者) status, settlement programmes and relaxed permanent residence conditions (application is free, at the regional immigration bureau); 2) work statuses (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities, Specified Skilled Worker, etc.) with an employer; 3) study (Student); 4) marriage/family. Permanent residence follows general rules, with softer conditions for recognised complementary protection holders.
What happens when protection ends
These are options for the future — you will need to choose ONE, and not now.
These routes are available outside temporary protection — work, study, family, business, etc.
The description below is a general scheme, similar across countries. Check exact requirements, fees and timelines via the official link in each card — they differ by country and change over time.
💼 Work-based residence — Japan
Those with a valid employment contract in this country.
Passport; employment contract; proof of residence. Authority: FRESC — Foreign Residents Support Center (Tokyo).
- Foreign passport
- Employment contract
- Proof of residence
- Health insurance (optional)
FRESC — Foreign Residents Support Center (Tokyo)
The employer or the applicant files; the immigration authority decides.
Before the current status or permit expires.
- Collect the card/decision
- Register address and social number
Renewable together with the contract.
Designated Activities visa with a sponsor; no visa-free entry.
🎓 Study — Japan
Enrolment at an accredited institution.
Acceptance letter; proof of funds; housing; insurance.
- Foreign passport
- Acceptance letter
- Proof of funds
- Health insurance (optional)
FRESC — Foreign Residents Support Center (Tokyo)
Apply via the institution or the immigration authority.
Before the semester starts.
- Register at the institution and locally
Yearly with continued studies.
Designated Activities visa with a sponsor; no visa-free entry.
👨👩👧👦 Family reunification — Japan
Spouse, children or relatives of a resident or citizen.
Marriage/birth certificates; housing; sponsor income.
- Foreign passport
- Marriage/birth certificate
- Sponsor income proof
- Proof of residence
FRESC — Foreign Residents Support Center (Tokyo)
The sponsor or family files; documents need apostille and translation.
Before the current status expires.
- Collect the family member card
Renewable; a path to permanent residence.
Designated Activities visa with a sponsor; no visa-free entry.
🏢 Self-employment/business — Japan
Company or self-employment registration; business plan or contracts.
Registration documents; tax number; funds; housing.
- Foreign passport
- Company/self-employment registration
- Business plan or contracts (optional)
- Proof of residence
FRESC — Foreign Residents Support Center (Tokyo)
Register the business, then apply for residence as an entrepreneur.
Before the current status expires.
- Tax registration and bank account
Tied to the company activity.
Designated Activities visa with a sponsor; no visa-free entry.
🏠 Permanent residence — Japan
Usually after 5 years of continuous legal residence.
Stable income; housing; integration/language per national rules.
- Foreign passport
- Income proof
- Proof of residence
- Language/integration certificate (optional)
FRESC — Foreign Residents Support Center (Tokyo)
Apply once the required residence period is met.
After the required residence period is met.
- Obtain permanent resident status
Permanent status; card replaced periodically.
Temporary protection time often counts towards the period (per national rules).
Opportunities: housing, jobs, grants
5 verified programmes: housing support, job portals, business grants, free courses — with direct official links and verification dates. Available with Varta.
Forms & samples (PDF)
FAQ
Do I need to do anything to keep my protection after the current period?
Renewal is not automatic — you have to apply for it yourself. If you are in Japan on the "Designated Activities (1 year)" status (特定活動（1年）) granted to Ukrainians who fled the war: before the expiry date of the period of stay printed on your residence card (在留カード), file an Application for Extension of Period of Stay (在留期間更新許可申請). Where and when. File it at the regional immigration office that covers your place of residence (住居地を管轄する地方出入国在留管理官署). Online filing is also possible, but only if you have registered in advance as a user of the Residence Application Online System (在留申請オンラインシステム). Applications are accepted from 3 months before the expiry date (if your period of stay is 6 months or longer) and no later than the expiry date itself. What to submit. The form "Application for Extension of Period of Stay (Form U (Other))" (在留期間更新許可申請書（様式U（その他）)); a photograph if you are 16 or older; a document showing that you fall under the Ukraine measure (a copy of your passport, entry/exit stamps); a statement of reasons (理由書) and a letter of guarantee (身元保証書). All of these forms are on the Immigration Services Agency page for Ukrainians: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/fresc/01_00252.html What the Agency actually says. Verbatim: "as long as the situation in Ukraine is not recognised as having improved, an application for extension of period of stay is possible." That means the application will be accepted and examined. The decision is the Agency's — it does not promise in advance either the extension itself or another one-year period. So apply on time and do not assume it happens by itself. If the decision is delayed. If you filed on time and there is still no decision, you remain in Japan lawfully and may continue your previous activities (including work) until the decision is made or until 2 months after the expiry date, whichever comes first. This is called the special period (特例期間). If you file nothing. Your right to stay ends with the period on your card: you may stay in Japan only within the period of stay you were granted. This applies to the "Designated Activities (1 year)" status under the Ukraine measure. If your card shows a different status (e.g. Long-Term Resident 定住者, Dependent 家族滞在, Student 留学), you renew under the rules of that status — a different form and a different document list. Sources (Immigration Services Agency of Japan): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/fresc/01_00252.html ; https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-3.html ; https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/tokureikikan_00001.html Source: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/fresc/01_00252.html (checked 03.09.2026).
Can I come to Japan without a visa as a refugee?
NO. There is no visa-free entry to Japan for Ukrainian citizens. You need a visa issued by a Japanese embassy/consulate, and usually a guarantor (relative or acquaintance) in Japan. The intake is small: about 2,900 people in 2022–2026.
I have no relatives in Japan. Do I have a chance?
The chances are much lower. Some people without guarantors (about 500 in total) were admitted via government matching and support mechanisms, but this is not a mass programme. Contact the Japanese embassy in your current country for up-to-date options.
How do I renew the "Designated Activities" status?
Before your period expires, file an extension of period of stay application at the regional immigration bureau (evacuee Form U, photo for 16+, passport copies). While the situation in Ukraine has not improved, the status is being renewed. Do not miss the deadline — overstaying makes your stay unlawful.
What does complementary protection give and should I apply?
Since 01.12.2023, recognised complementary protection holders receive "Long-Term Resident" (定住者) status — more stable than the one-year "Designated Activities": settlement programmes (Japanese classes, employment support), relaxed permanent residence conditions. Downside: decisions are individual and take time. Applying is free at the regional immigration bureau; consultations via RHQ 0120-400-250 (Ukrainian available).
What cash support will I get in Japan?
HONESTLY: there are no universal cash benefits for evacuees. The Nippon Foundation living-expenses programme is being phased out; donations closed on 31.03.2024. Your main income source is work (the status grants full work rights). Some municipalities run their own programmes; ask your city hall and RHQ.
- ISA — Українцям, які проживають в Японії (офіційний портал) ✓
- ISA — Інформація про евакуйованих з України (статистика, підтримка) ✓
- ISA — Зміна статусу на «特定活動 (1 рік)» (форми U, PDF) ✓
- ISA — Система додаткового захисту (補完的保護) ✓
- Nippon Foundation — Support for Evacuees from Ukraine
This information is for reference only and is not legal advice.