Getting Tax Certificates for Your Visa Renewal in Japan (Kazei and Nozei Shomeisho)
Updated: 2026-09-12
Quick answer
Hi, I'm Miya, and if you're renewing your residence status you may be asked for two tax papers: the taxation certificate (kazei shomeisho) and the tax-payment certificate (nozei shomeisho). You can request them at your ward or city office, and in many places you can also pick them up from a convenience-store kiosk using your My Number card.
This is a general walkthrough of what each paper is, which year you usually need, and a few timing things to watch before your appointment. It's friendly guidance, not legal advice, so always confirm the exact requirements with your local office and the official immigration guidance for your case.
What these two certificates are, and why immigration may ask
The kazei shomeisho is a taxation certificate that shows your assessed resident tax for a given year, based on the income you reported. The nozei shomeisho is a tax-payment certificate that shows you've actually paid what was due. They sound similar, but immigration may look at both because one describes what was assessed and the other confirms it was settled.
When you apply to extend or change your residence status, these papers help show your situation over the past year. Not every case needs the same documents, so treat them as commonly requested items rather than a fixed rule, and check the current checklist for your status type.
Where to get them
The classic route is your ward or city office. You go to the tax counter, fill in a short request form, show ID, and receive the certificates over the counter. If someone else collects them for you, ask ahead about the authorization form they'll need.
If you have a My Number card, many municipalities also let you get these certificates from a convenience-store multi-copy kiosk. You tap your card, enter your PIN, choose the document, and the kiosk prints it. This is handy on evenings and weekends when the office is closed, though availability and which documents are offered can vary by area.
Which year's certificate you generally need
Certificates are tied to a tax year, and the year that's currently issuable follows Japan's tax calendar, which updates in early summer. That means the newest available certificate can change depending on when in the year you apply, so the one you needed a few months ago may not be the one immigration expects now.
Because of this, it's worth confirming exactly which year's document your application calls for before you request anything. Your local office and the official immigration guidance can tell you the current expectation for your situation.
Common timing pitfalls before a renewal
A frequent surprise is applying right around the changeover period, when the year of certificate you can get may not match what you assumed. Another is discovering that a payment wasn't fully settled, which can affect the tax-payment certificate, so it helps to check early rather than the day before.
Give yourself a buffer. Request the papers a little ahead of your appointment, confirm the printed year and details look right, and keep the kiosk or counter receipt until everything is submitted and accepted.
Keeping copies and confirming specifics
Once you have the certificates, make a clean copy or a clear photo before you hand over the originals, and note where and when you obtained them. If a document needs to be reissued later, having your own record makes the second trip much faster.
For anything specific to your status or ward, point yourself to two places: your local office for how issuance works there, and the official immigration guidance for what your application actually requires. Rules and document lists are updated over time, so a quick check beats an assumption.
Getting the paperwork without a ward-office trip
Both the convenience-store kiosk and online issuance verify who you are through your My Number card and your phone, so an active Japanese number with data quietly does a lot of the work. With a working line you can complete the phone-side verification, receive any confirmation, and collect your certificate without a special trip to the office.
With Rakuten Mobile you can apply online with just your residence card, and eSIM-capable phones can be running the same day. Check current terms on the official page before you apply.
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