The “exit” of your residency is departure. It is crucial to understand the types of exits available, how to reach them, and to acquire the knowledge necessary to avoid certain unfortunate outcomes. When a foreign resident departs from Japan, they will follow one of the following five forms of departure. Foreign residents should aim for a lawful form of departure, such as Simple Departure or Re-entry Departure, and should avoid departures involving illegalities, such as Exclusion Orders, Deportation, or Departure Orders.
Departure with Re-entry Permission
This is a form of departure for leaving Japan temporarily during your stay. This form is taken when you have business, such as returning home or visiting a country other than Japan. Even if you intend to leave only temporarily, if you forget to complete the re-entry departure procedures (Re-entry Permission or Special Re-entry Permission), it will be treated as the “Simple Departure (Permanent Departure)” mentioned above, and you will lose your status of residence. Therefore, you must not forget these procedures.
Departure Order (Departure Order at Port of Entry)
A Departure Order is issued when someone comes from overseas and attempts to land in Japan but is refused landing during the examination at the airport. This is due to a failure to meet the conditions for landing. It is important to confirm before coming to Japan that you will meet the landing conditions without issue. While an obligation to depart is imposed, as long as you comply, no compulsory procedures will be taken.
Deportation (Forced Departure)
Deportation is the strictest form of departure and is what people generally imagine as “forced removal.” This is a form of departure where, during your stay, you fall under the “grounds for deportation” (a list of bad behaviors or undesirable persons) and are removed from Japan through compulsory procedures. While departure is forced, it does not necessarily involve violence. If you are deported, a period of refusal of entry will be established during which you cannot enter Japan, in proportion to the severity of the case.
Departure Order System
This is a lighter version of the deportation process. Among the behaviors that would normally result in deportation, this form of departure is taken when departure can be expected without resorting to full deportation—for example, “when a person realizes their period of stay has expired and voluntarily reports the violation to depart.” The re-entry ban period is shortened to one year.
Simple Departure (Permanent Departure)
This is a form of departure where you leave Japan completely and permanently in a free, voluntary, and lawful manner for your own reasons. This form is taken when your period of stay has ended peacefully. Most departures follow this form.