Starting June 2027, Japan's Immigration Services Agency will verify that visa applicants have paid their National Health Insurance and National Pension premiums. Unpaid premiums can result in visa renewal or extension denial.
Time until enforcement
413
days remaining (June 1, 2027)
Immigration will check that you've paid your National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) premiums when processing visa renewals, extensions, and status changes.
National Pension (国民年金) payment status will also be verified. Note: Employees' Pension (厚生年金) is automatically deducted by employers and is not affected.
Unpaid premiums can result in visa denial. This means you could lose your legal status in Japan — even if you have a job, family, or property here.
| Annual Income | NHI/month (est.) | Pension/month | Total/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¥0 (student/exempt) | ¥2,000 | ¥0* | ¥2,000 |
| ¥2,000,000 | ¥8,000 | ¥16,980 | ¥24,980 |
| ¥3,000,000 | ¥15,000 | ¥16,980 | ¥31,980 |
| ¥4,000,000 | ¥25,000 | ¥16,980 | ¥41,980 |
| ¥5,000,000 | ¥35,000 | ¥16,980 | ¥51,980 |
* Students can apply for payment exemption. NHI rates vary by municipality. Pension is ¥16,980/month (2025 rate). Calculate your exact premium →
Visit your municipal office (市区町村役所) or check online via the Japan Pension Service website. Confirm both NHI and National Pension are enrolled and paid up to date.
If you have unpaid premiums, pay them or set up a payment plan. Municipal offices are generally flexible — the worst thing you can do is ignore the bills.
Low income? Apply for NHI premium reductions (up to 70% off) and pension payment exemptions. Using these programs keeps you in good standing.
Enroll in automatic bank transfer (口座振替) for both NHI and pension. This ensures you never miss a payment and gives a small pension discount.
Calculate your NHI or Employee Insurance premium based on your income and employment type.
Leaving Japan? Calculate your lump-sum pension withdrawal amount.
Yes. Starting June 2027, Japan's Immigration Services Agency will verify that visa applicants have paid their National Health Insurance (NHI) and National Pension premiums. Unpaid premiums can result in visa renewal or extension denial. This applies to all residence status holders who are required to enroll.
If your employer enrolls you in Employee Health Insurance (EHI/社保) and Employees' Pension, your premiums are automatically deducted from your salary. You are not affected by this rule change as long as your employer is paying correctly. This primarily impacts NHI/National Pension enrollees: self-employed, freelancers, students, and part-time workers.
Japan offers premium reduction programs for low-income residents. If your previous year's income was low, you may qualify for a 70%, 50%, or 30% reduction. Students can apply for payment exemption (学生納付特例). The key is to apply for the reduction — ignoring the bills is what causes problems. Visit your municipal office to discuss options.
Contact your local municipal office (市区町村役所) as soon as possible. You can set up a payment plan to clear your arrears. It's better to have a payment plan in progress than unpaid bills when you apply for visa renewal. Keep all receipts and correspondence as proof of your efforts to become current.
The lump-sum withdrawal (脱退一時金) is separate — it's for people who are leaving Japan permanently. However, if you plan to stay and renew your visa, you must keep your pension payments current. If you later decide to leave Japan, you can still claim the lump-sum withdrawal for the months you paid.
The Immigration Services Agency will coordinate with municipal offices and the Japan Pension Service. You may be required to submit certificates proving your NHI and pension enrollment and payment status as part of your visa renewal application. The exact documentation requirements will be announced closer to the enforcement date.