Contents
Key points
- The Immigration Services Agency of Japan keeps records of your entries and departures, your residence history (extensions, changes of status) and the documents you submitted in past applications. You have the right to ask for them.
- A certified gyoseishoshi (Keiichi Tanaka) makes the disclosure request as your agent, receives the records at our office, and sends them to you as PDF files with an English summary.
- Useful before a new application: check what you submitted last time, count the days you spent outside Japan, or put your residence history in order.
- Everything is done by email and post. You can use it from outside Japan.
- From JPY 22,000 (tax incl.) if you live in Japan, JPY 33,000 if you live outside Japan, plus small actual costs.
When you prepare a new visa application, it often matters what you wrote and submitted before. The Immigration Services Agency compares your new application with your past ones, and inconsistencies can cause problems. Many people no longer have copies of their past applications, especially if their employer or an agent submitted them. If you are applying for permanent residence yourself, you also need to know exactly how many days you spent outside Japan. Your own records held by the Immigration Services Agency answer these questions. You can request them under the Act on the Protection of Personal Information, but the forms and requirements are in Japanese, and requests from abroad are not easy. We do it for you.
1. What you can obtain
| Record | What it shows | Requested from |
|---|---|---|
| Entry and departure records | The dates you entered and left Japan (available from November 1970) | Immigration Services Agency (headquarters) |
| Residence procedure records | Your extensions, changes of status and other procedures from July 2012 onward: the immigration bureau that decided, the date of the decision, the permission (receipt) number, and the status of residence and period of stay granted. Refused applications can also be identified. | Immigration Services Agency (headquarters) |
| Past application documents | Copies of the application form and all the documents submitted with a past application | The regional immigration bureau where you applied |
With the records, you receive our English summary (PDF, usually 1–2 pages): your entries, departures and residence procedures in a table in date order, and, for application documents, a list of the documents contained in the copies.
This service covers applications made to the Immigration Services Agency in Japan (for example, extensions, changes of status and Certificates of Eligibility). Visa applications made at Japanese embassies or consulates abroad are handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and are not covered.
2. Plans
| Plan | What we request | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A. Entry/Exit & Residence History | Your entry and departure records and your residence procedure records | Counting the days you spent outside Japan, putting your residence history in order, finding out which applications you made |
| B. Past Immigration Application Files | Copies of the documents submitted with up to three past applications that you specify | Checking what you submitted last time, when you know which applications you made (for example, from your old residence cards) |
| C. History + Application Files | First Plan A; then, based on your history, Plan B for up to three applications | Obtaining past application documents when you are not sure when or where you applied |
Not sure which plan you need? Tell us what you want to find out, and we will suggest one.
3. Who can use this service
- Your own records only, and you must be 18 or over. We cannot request records of your family members, employees or other people.
- You need an official photo ID that shows your name and current address.
- Living in Japan: your residence card.
- Living outside Japan: for example, a driver's license or national ID card that shows your current address. A passport alone is not sufficient, because it does not show your address. If you do not have a photo ID with your address, we can combine your passport with an official document that shows your current address; in that case, the Agency may ask for more documents, which can delay the request.
- You sign a power of attorney by hand and send us the original by post.
4. How it works
- Request. Send us the inquiry form and choose “Immigration Records Request”. Tell us what you would like to obtain and why. Within 3 working days, we reply with a few questions to confirm the plan and the fee.
- Terms and consent. We email you our Terms of Service and Privacy Notice (PDF). If you agree, you reply with a consent sentence.
- Payment. The fee is paid in full in advance (see Fees).
- ID and power of attorney. You upload a copy of your ID through a secure link. We prepare the power of attorney (the official form) with your name and address exactly as on your ID. You print it, sign it by hand on the date we tell you, and post the original to us. If you post it from outside Japan, please use a method that shows the postmark or delivery record.
- Request to the Immigration Services Agency. We submit the request as your agent and let you know.
- Your records. The records are sent to our office. Usually within 5 business days after we receive them, we send you the PDF copies and our English summary. Paper copies can be posted to you on request.
5. How long it takes
The Immigration Services Agency decides within the period set by law, which it may extend. In practice, it usually takes about one to one and a half months, and sometimes longer, after the Agency receives our request until we receive the records. Including the time to prepare and post the power of attorney, please allow:
- Plan A or B: about 1.5 to 2 months (living outside Japan: about 2 to 2.5 months)
- Plan C: about 3 to 3.5 months (living outside Japan: about 3.5 to 4 months), because the two requests are made one after the other
We cannot shorten or guarantee this period. If your period of stay expires soon, the records may not reach you in time for your application.
6. Fees
| Plan | Fee (tax incl.) |
|---|---|
| A. Entry/Exit & Residence HistoryEntry and departure records and residence procedure records, with English summary. | JPY 22,000 (living in Japan) JPY 33,000 (living outside Japan) |
| B. Past Immigration Application FilesDocuments of up to three applications, with English list of contents. | JPY 33,000 (living in Japan) JPY 44,000 (living outside Japan) |
| C. History + Application FilesPlan A, then Plan B for up to three applications. | JPY 49,500 (living in Japan) JPY 71,500 (living outside Japan) |
| Each additional applicationPlans B and C. | JPY 5,500 |
| Option: days outside JapanWe count the days you spent outside Japan from your records (Plans A and C). | JPY 11,000 |
All fees include 10% consumption tax, also for clients residing outside Japan. The fees for clients living outside Japan are higher because they include arranging the power of attorney by international mail and managing its validity period (it must be signed within 30 days before the Agency receives our request). Plan C needs two powers of attorney. Whether you live in Japan is determined by the address on your power of attorney.
Actual costs (charged separately)
- The Agency's fee: JPY 300 per request (headquarters), or JPY 300 per application (regional bureau)
- Return postage for the records (Letter Pack)
- Postage for paper copies, only if you ask for them (paid in advance)
Payment and credits
- The full fee is payable in advance, by bank transfer from an account in your name (bank transfer fees are paid by the sender). If a bank transfer is difficult for you, for example if you live outside Japan, you can pay by credit card in your name.
- If you request our Document Check or ask us to handle your application within one month after we send your records, we credit JPY 11,000 toward that fee.
Cancellation
- Before we submit the request to the Agency: full refund (less any actual costs already incurred).
- After we submit the request: no refund.
- If the Agency does not hold the records, the fee is not refunded, because the request has been made.
The full conditions are in the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice, which we send you before you pay.
7. What is not included
- Advice on what the records mean for your application (please use our Written Answer)
- Translating the documents (our summary lists them in English but does not translate them)
- Visa applications made at Japanese embassies or consulates abroad (handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Records of residence procedures from before July 2012 (the former alien registration system), which require a separate procedure. Please contact us if you need them.
- Records of other people, or records of anyone under 18
- Applications or consultations for permanent residence. We can obtain your records, for example to count the days you spent outside Japan, but we do not advise on or handle the application itself.
8. Please read before you apply
- The records are disclosed as held by the Immigration Services Agency. We do not check or guarantee that they are accurate or complete.
- Documents from applications made long ago may no longer be held by the Agency.
- The time the Agency takes is outside our control.
9. Frequently asked questions
Can't I request the records myself?
Yes, you can. Our guides explain how: How to get your Japan entry and exit records and How to get copies of your past immigration applications. The request forms and instructions are in Japanese, and the Agency requires a request form, ID and other documents whose details match exactly. If a detail is missing or wrong, the request is delayed. Our service takes care of all of this and adds an English summary.
I live outside Japan. Can I use this service?
Yes. You need an official photo ID that shows your name and current address (for example, a driver's license or national ID card). A passport alone is not sufficient. If you do not have such an ID, we can combine your passport with an official document that shows your current address, although the Agency may then ask for more documents. You will need to post the signed power of attorney to us.
I don't remember when or where I applied. Can you still get my documents?
Yes. Choose Plan C. We first obtain your residence history, which shows the immigration bureau, the date and the number of each procedure, and then request the documents of the applications you choose.
I am applying for permanent residence myself. Can you help me count the days I was outside Japan?
Yes. Plan A with the “days outside Japan” option gives you your entry and departure records and our count. We do not advise on or handle the permanent residence application itself.
Can I request my spouse's or child's records?
No. Each person must request their own records. Your spouse can use this service separately if they are 18 or over. We do not accept requests for records of anyone under 18.
Will the records be in Japanese?
Yes. The records are in Japanese (application documents are in the language in which they were submitted). Our English summary explains what they contain.
10. Request your records
Send us the inquiry form and choose “Immigration Records Request” under “Visa type / Service”. Tell us what you would like to obtain, why, and whether you live in Japan or outside Japan. Please do not send any files at this stage. Within 3 working days, we will reply with a few questions to confirm the plan and the fee.
We accept a limited number of requests so that we can handle each one carefully. If we cannot take your request, we will tell you before you pay.
Disclaimer: This page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice on any individual case. The information is based on sources available as of October 28, 2026. Procedures and requirements of the Immigration Services Agency may change without notice. TKG Immigration Consulting Office accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this information.