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US–Japan SOFA — qualifying dependant

JapanFree movement

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Japan Read the five questions ↓

Which citizenship, status or regional agreement creates the person's right to move/reside?

The Agreement under Article VI of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America allows the United States to bring dependents of members of the US armed forces and of the civilian component into Japan, subject to the provisions of the Article.

See recorded sources

Under which circumstances can the person reside: worker, self-employed, student, jobseeker, self-funded person or another recognised basis?

Dependents are the spouse and children under 21 of a member of the US armed forces or civilian component, and parents and children over 21 if dependent on the member or civilian for over half their support.

See recorded sources

What entry, registration or residence-document formalities remain?

Dependents are exempt from Japanese alien registration and control laws and must hold appropriate documentation issued by US authorities so their status can be verified on entry, departure or while in Japan. The official source does not state passport or visa formalities for dependents.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Passport/visa formalities for dependents are not stated in the cited paragraphs.
  • https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/q%26a/ref/2.html
    Members of the United States armed forces, the civilian component, and their dependents shall be exempt from Japanese laws and regulations on the registration and control of aliens,
  • https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/q%26a/ref/2.html
    4. Members of the civilian component, their dependents, and the dependents of members of the United States armed forces shall be in possession of appropriate documentation issued by the United States authorities so that their status may be verified by Japanese authorities upon their entry into or departure from Japan, or while in Japan.

Which non-member-country family members can accompany or join, and what broad rights do they receive?

The checked official sources did not provide enough route-specific evidence to confirm which non-member family members can join and their rights.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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