Residency and visa documents arranged on a desk

Residency & Visa Documentation

Your status in Japan, handled with the care it deserves.

Residency applications involve more moving parts than most people expect. We work through the documentation carefully, explain what each piece is for, and tell you plainly what to expect before anything is submitted.

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What this service provides

A clear path through the immigration process.

This service covers status of residence applications, changes of status, permission for activities outside a current status, and permanent residency applications — including documentation preparation and correspondence with the immigration bureau.

The fee is ¥32,000 JPY. Timelines follow the bureau's own processing schedule, typically one to three months, and we will give you a realistic range rather than a single date.

Checklist prepared for your application type

Before anything else, you will receive a document checklist matched to your specific situation — not a generic list, but one that reflects what the bureau actually requires in your case.

Supporting statements reviewed before submission

We review supporting letters and statements before anything goes to the bureau, so that what is submitted is consistent, complete, and appropriate for the application type.

Plain assessment before any work begins

We assess your position and give you a written opinion on your prospects before we do anything else. You know where things stand before any fee beyond the initial review is incurred.

What brings people here

Immigration paperwork is rarely as straightforward as it looks.

Most people come to us after reading through the immigration bureau's guidance and finding it either incomplete for their specific circumstances, or written in a way that leaves too much room for interpretation. The forms exist, but what goes in them — and in what form — is often unclear.

Others arrive having had an application returned, or after receiving a request for additional documents that they are not sure how to satisfy. A few are employers whose staff have an upcoming renewal and who want to handle it without uncertainty.

Common situations we see

First-time applications with no previous experience of the bureau's process
Status changes that involve a shift in work or activity type
Permanent residency applications where a strong submission matters
Activities outside a current status requiring written permission
Companies managing multiple employee applications at once

How we approach this

Careful documentation, plain language, and a position you understand before anything moves.

We begin by understanding your circumstances in detail — not just the application type, but your history, your plans, and anything in your situation that might affect how the bureau reads the file. Some things that look fine at a glance are worth addressing in the supporting material; others that seem concerning can be explained clearly.

Once we have a full picture, we prepare the application documents and review every supporting statement before submission. Correspondence with the bureau, including responses to any requests for additional information, is handled within scope.

Everything is available in English and Japanese. If something is unclear at any point, you are welcome to ask — we would rather answer three questions than have you proceed with uncertainty.

Document checklist — what to have ready

This is a general guide. Your checklist will be prepared specifically for your application type.

Current residence card and passport
Certificate of employment or activity documentation
Tax and income records for the relevant period
Municipal registration documentation
Any prior correspondence with the immigration bureau

Working together

What the process looks like from your side.

You describe your situation

A brief message or call is enough to start. We ask what we need to know before suggesting a next step.

Day 1–2

We assess your position

A written assessment of your situation and prospects. You decide whether to proceed before any further fee is incurred.

Within 3–5 days

Documents are prepared

We compile the application, review supporting statements, and handle correspondence with the bureau as required.

1–2 weeks (our side)

Bureau processes

Processing time is the bureau's. Typically one to three months. We stay in contact with you throughout.

1–3 months (bureau)

Fee and scope

One fee, stated before work begins.

Service fee

¥32,000 JPY

This fee covers the full scope of work as agreed. There are no additions for standard correspondence, review of supporting statements, or liaison with the bureau within that scope.

Any external costs — such as official document fees or translation charges for materials outside our office — are identified before they are incurred, so there are no surprises after the fact.

What is included

Tailored document checklist for your specific application type
Written assessment of your position and prospects
Preparation of application forms and supporting documentation
Review of supporting statements before submission
Correspondence with the immigration bureau within scope
Available in English and Japanese throughout

How this works in practice

A methodical approach, with realistic expectations from the start.

The immigration bureau assesses applications on the completeness and consistency of the documentation. A well-prepared file — one that addresses foreseeable questions before they arise — is handled more smoothly than one that requires follow-up requests.

Our approach is to understand the bureau's likely reading of your file before it is submitted, and to address anything that might prompt a request for additional information. This does not change what the bureau decides, but it does mean the application goes in as strong as it reasonably can.

We have been working with the Fukuoka immigration bureau since 2017 and are familiar with the documentation standards they apply. Timelines are given as ranges, not promises — bureau processing varies and is outside our control.

Realistic timeline guidance

Initial assessment

3–5 working days from receipt of your documents
Document preparation

1–2 weeks (our side, depending on application complexity)
Bureau processing

Typically 1–3 months; longer for permanent residency applications
Additional requests

If the bureau requests further documents, we handle the response within scope

Before you commit

You will know your position before any work begins.

We do not proceed with documentation work until we have given you a written assessment of your situation. That assessment is honest — if we see difficulties, we say so, and if a particular application is unlikely to succeed as proposed, we will tell you that before you spend anything further.

No commitment is required beyond the initial inquiry. If, after reading the assessment, you decide not to proceed, or if we conclude that this service is not suited to your situation, no further obligation exists on either side.

The same person handles your matter from start to finish. There are no handoffs and no need to re-explain your circumstances partway through.

What you can expect from us

A written assessment of your position before any fee beyond the initial review
Honest guidance, including where an application is unlikely to succeed as proposed
No obligation to continue if the assessment does not match your expectations
The same person throughout — no handoffs once work has started
Transparent fees with no additions for work within the agreed scope

Getting started

A brief message is all it takes to begin.

You do not need to prepare anything in advance. Send us a brief description of your situation — a sentence or two about your current status and what you are trying to do — and we will reply within one working day with any questions we have and what the likely next step looks like.

You are also welcome to call during office hours if you would rather talk through the situation first before putting anything in writing.

After your message, here is what happens: we review your situation, ask any clarifying questions by email, and then provide the written assessment. You choose from there.

Contact details

info@nexusdriftlab.com

TELEPHONE

+81 92 3618 5294

ADDRESS

2-9-14 Watanabe-dori, Chuo-ku
Fukuoka 810-0004, Japan

REPLY TIME

Within one working day, usually by the following morning

Residency and visa documentation

Ready to talk through your situation?

Send a brief note about your circumstances and we will respond with what we need to know and what the next step looks like. No commitment is required at this stage.

Send an inquiry

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