If you exceed the period of stay indicated on your resident card by even one day without going through the procedures for changing or renewing your period of stay, you are in a state of illegal stay (overstay).
Since it is an illegal stay, you may be forcibly expelled from Japan.
In this sense, you should always be aware of your period of stay and know when you must renew it.
■If I exceed my period of stay by one day, will I be deported immediately?
If you exceed your period of stay even by one day, please call the Immigration Bureau (Immigration Bureau) of your address immediately and ask for instructions.
Depending on the degree of overstay, you may be 1) granted renewal with special acceptance, 2) granted special permission to stay, 3) imprisoned and deported, or 4) allowed to leave the country without being imprisoned.
In any case, you should bring your residence card, passport, and a document summarizing the reason why you have exceeded your period of stay to the immigration office.
■Renewal by “Special Acceptance”
If the reason for non-renewal is not the applicant’s fault, such as natural disaster, accident, illness, etc., and if the applicant is certain that he/she would have received permission if he/she had applied for renewal before the expiration of the period of stay, renewal may be granted by “Special Acceptance.
Even in cases where the applicant has not applied for renewal, but has inadvertently forgotten to do so, renewal by special acceptance may be granted, but please note that this is only the judgment of the examiner in charge and does not necessarily mean that renewal will be granted.
■What is a Special Permit for Residence?
A special permission of stay is a temporary permission that allows a person to stay in Japan without a regular status of residence, based on a comprehensive evaluation of the person’s previous status of residence and from a humanitarian perspective.
Although this is an exceptional measure, it is possible to apply for a change of status of residence from this special permission to the previous status of residence, and if the application for change is approved, the applicant can return to the status of residence he/she had before.
This permission tends to be granted in cases where the period of stay has been exceeded for a relatively short period of time, the period of stay has been exceeded for the first time, there are special circumstances, or the applicant is the spouse of a Japanese national or permanent resident, etc.
■What is deportation?
If you are arrested and found by the police or immigration officers to be illegally staying in Japan, you will be detained at an immigration detention center, and after a hearing, you will be deported by a decision of the Minister of Justice.
Illegal residence is punishable by imprisonment or imprisonment without work for up to three years or a fine of up to 3,000,000 yen.
If you receive this punishment, you will not be allowed to return to Japan for five years from the date of deportation.
■What is a Departure Order?
If you report to the Immigration Bureau that you are in Japan illegally and inform them of your intention to leave the country, you will receive an “Order of Departure” and be able to leave the country without being detained. In this case, you can return to Japan one year after your departure.
If you voluntarily turn yourself in, your period of stay in Japan will be shortened.
In the drama “Kind Cat,” there was a case depicted where an immigrant was questioned by a police officer on his way to the Immigration Bureau after his period of stay had expired, and he was imprisoned at the Immigration Detention Center.
In any case, be very careful because if you exceed your period of stay, you will not be able to work, your body may be restrained, and you will be subjected to a strong mental burden, which can be very serious.