Graduating Students

→ Once you graduate, you may not remain in Japan with your student visa, and must promptly return to your home country.

When you cease to engage in the activities that were permitted under your visa (international studies), your eligibility to reside in Japan will become invalid regardless of whether or not your period of stay has expired.
For that reason, you may not possess a student visa once you graduate, and as such must promptly return to your home country.
If you continue to stay in Japan after one month has passed since you graduated, you will be considered an illegal overstayer (This excludes cases involving unavoidable circumstances, such as childbirth or prolonged hospital stays.).

If you return to your home country without cancelling your student visa at the airport, you may be subject to penalties under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act of Japan.

Upon leaving Japan, please make sure to request to have your visa canceled at the Immigration counter at the airport.
*When anything is unclear, please make sure to check with the Student Office before you leave Japan. Do not jump to conclusions on your own.

[Cancellation procedures]

1. Obtaining and filling out an ED Card

When going through Immigration at the airport, you will need to submit an ED Card.
(ED Cards can be obtained at the airport.)
Place a checkmark in the box on the ED Card that reads: “2. I do not plan to re-enter Japan while my re-entry permit is valid.”
Please click here for details.

* Do not apply for a re-entry permit! If you do, your visa will not be cancelled!

2. Immigration

Please state properly to the officer that you would like to cancel your visa due to graduating from the university.

3. Verify that a hole has been punched in your residence card

When the cancellation of your visa is complete, an Immigration officer will punch a hole in your residence card on the spot.
However, if a hole has not been punched in your card for some reason, please ask the Immigration officer to do so.
Not having a hold punched in your card may mean that your visa has not been properly cancelled.

If your residence card has a hole punched in it, your visa has been successfully canceled!

Applying for a change in your residence status (should you look for a job in Japan)

Students are not allowed to deliberately delay earning credits and, in the process, delay their graduate date for the purpose of job-hunting in Japan.
To search for a job in Japan after you graduate, you need to change your residence status to “Special Activities” by the time you graduate. Please consult with the Student Office at an early date on how to do so.

Students need to personally submit an application to the Immigration Bureau of Japan in order to change their residence status to “Special Activities.”
In order to apply, a Letter of Recommendation from APU is required (This Letter is only issued once as a general rule.).
Please check the Student Office website for details.

* Having a Letter of Recommendation from the university does not guarantee that you will be granted “Special Activities” residence status.

Applying for a change in your residence status (should you find employment in Japan)

Please go here for details.

Applying for a change in your residence status (should you need to extend your stay in Japan a little in order to prepare for returning to your home country, etc.)

Please go here for details.

If you will attend another school in Japan after graduating from APU

Please go here for details.