Moving from Japan to the UK: Visas, NHS, Tax & Renting Guide

Regulatory & Legal Advisory: Educational & Informational Content Only

The procedures, legal frameworks, tax laws, and visa requirements described in this guide reflect official guidelines and regulatory synthesis current as of publication. Immigration policies, tax treaties, and municipal requirements change frequently. This content is for educational and planning purposes only and cannot substitute for formal legal, tax, or immigration counsel. Readers must verify current requirements directly with relevant municipal city halls, the National Tax Agency (NTA), the Japan Pension Service, official embassies, or certified professional advisors (licensed immigration lawyers, certified tax accountants / Zeirishi).

About 62,000 Japanese nationals live in the United Kingdom (as of 1 October 2025).¹ Most movers arrive on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, a sponsored work visa, a Student visa or an intra-company transfer, and the route decides the health surcharge, family rights and any path to settlement. This guide summarises each route, then covers tax residency, the NHS, the social security agreement, renting in England and first-month admin.

The UK at a Glance for Movers from Japan

MOFA counted 62,270 Japanese nationals in the UK as of 1 October 2025, the sixth-largest community after the United States, Australia, China, Canada and Thailand.¹ Of these, 29,955 (48.1%) were Eijusha (永住者), Japanese nationals with permanent residence in the UK.¹

Immigration law is UK-wide, but much of daily life is devolved. Income tax bands differ in Scotland, prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland uses domestic rates instead of council tax, Scotland and Wales have their own land transaction taxes, and the right to rent rules and the Renters’ Rights Act changes apply to England only.^2345678910 This guide describes England unless it says otherwise.

Two Japanese missions serve the UK. The Consulate-General of Japan in Edinburgh covers Scotland and a group of northern English council areas, and the Embassy of Japan in London covers the rest of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.¹¹ Japanese nationals staying abroad for 3 months or more must file an Overseas Residential Registration (Zairyu Todoke 在留届) with the mission for their area (Passport Act Article 16).¹²¹³

Visa Routes from Japan: Youth Mobility, Skilled Worker and Others

Comparison Table

The main long-stay routes compare as follows for applications made from outside the UK (as of October 2026).^{14151617181920212223}

Route	Who it suits	Sponsor or endorsement	Maximum initial stay	Visa fee + IHS per year	Dependants	Leads to settlement?
Youth Mobility Scheme	Japanese nationals aged 18 to 30	None (no ballot for Japan)	Up to 24 months	GBP 340 + GBP 776	No	No; Japanese nationals cannot extend
Skilled Worker	Local hires with a UK job offer	Licensed sponsor, Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)	Up to 5 years before extending	GBP 819 (up to 3 years) or GBP 1,618 + GBP 1,035	Yes, except RQF 3 to 5 roles (limited exceptions)	Yes, after 5 years
Senior or Specialist Worker (Global Business Mobility)	Assignees moved within a corporate group	Licensed sponsor, CoS	Shorter of CoS period + 14 days or 5 years	GBP 819 or GBP 1,618 + GBP 1,035	Yes	No
Student	Degree and other study	Licensed student sponsor, CAS	Depends on course	GBP 558 + GBP 776	Limited (see below)	No path stated on GOV.UK
Graduate	UK graduates switching inside the UK	None	2 years (applications by 31 December 2026); 18 months from 1 January 2027; 3 years for doctorates	GBP 937 (in the UK) + GBP 1,035	Existing Student dependants (and UK-born children)	No path stated; cannot extend
High Potential Individual	Recent graduates of listed non-UK universities	None (degree check by Ecctis)	2 years (3 for a doctorate)	GBP 880 + GBP 1,035	Yes, if eligible	No
Global Talent	Leaders or potential leaders in research, arts and culture, digital technology	Endorsement or eligible prize	Up to 5 years at a time	GBP 766 in total + GBP 1,035	Yes	Yes, after 3 or 5 years
Innovator Founder	Founders of a new, innovative business	Approved endorsing body	3 years, extendable	GBP 1,357 + IHS	See GOV.UK	May settle after 3 years

Youth Mobility Scheme (No Ballot for Japan)

Japanese nationals apply directly; there is no ballot. GOV.UK lists a ballot only for Hong Kong (SAR passport) and Taiwan, and Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme gives Japan 6,000 places for 2026; applicants must be 30 or under and hold GBP 2,530 for 28 days in a row ending within 31 days of applying (as of October 2026).¹⁵²⁴ Japanese nationals cannot extend, and you cannot apply if you have children under 18 who live with you or whom you support.¹⁵

A YMS holder can switch to a Skilled Worker visa inside the UK, because YMS is not on the list of routes barred from switching.¹⁷²⁵ Work conditions and savings evidence are covered in the site’s guide to working holiday visas from Japan.

Skilled Worker (Local Hire)

A local hire (Genchi Saiyo 現地採用) needs a job offer and a Certificate of Sponsorship from a Home Office licensed sponsor. The job must normally be at RQF level 6 (degree level) or above unless it is on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, and pay at least GBP 41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher; new applicants need B2 English from 8 January 2026, and Japan is not exempt (as of October 2026).¹⁷²⁶²⁷ Sponsors may not pass the CoS fee, the sponsor licence fee or the Immigration Skills Charge on to the worker.²⁸

Salary options and job search are covered in the site’s guides to skilled migration visas and to finding an overseas job from Japan.

Intra-Company Transfers for Chuzai Assignees

Assignees sent by a Japanese employer (Chuzai 駐在) normally use the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, the Global Business Mobility route that replaced the Intra-company Transfer visa.¹⁸ The worker must be paid at least GBP 52,500 or the going rate, whichever is higher, and must have worked for the group outside the UK for at least 12 months unless paid GBP 73,900 or more (as of October 2026).¹⁸²⁹ Savings of GBP 1,270 are needed unless the employer certifies maintenance.¹⁸

The route is time-limited and does not lead to settlement. Total time is capped at 5 years in any 6, or 9 years in any 10 for those paid GBP 73,900 or more, and Appendix Global Business Mobility states that the route “is not a route to settlement” (as of October 2026).¹⁸²⁹ Assignment economics are covered in the site’s guide to expat assignment (Chuzai) versus local hire (Genchi Saiyo).

Study, Graduate and High Potential Individual Routes

Student visa maintenance is GBP 1,529 a month in London or GBP 1,171 elsewhere for applications made before 30 November 2026, rising to GBP 1,570 and GBP 1,203 for applications made on or after that date (up to 9 months) (as of October 2026).¹⁹³⁰ Japan is on the differential evidence list, so Japanese applicants may not need to submit financial documents up front; the site’s study abroad planning guide covers the rest.³¹

The Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026 and 18 months from 1 January 2027 (3 years for doctoral graduates), and cannot be extended (as of October 2026).²⁰ The site’s guide to post-graduation work rights covers it in detail.

The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa is for recent graduates of universities on the Global Universities List, and the 2025 list (awards from 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026) includes The University of Tokyo and Kyoto University (as of October 2026).³² It requires B2 English, needs no job offer, is capped at 8,000 applications a year and does not count towards settlement.²¹³³

Global Talent and Innovator Founder

Global Talent is for leaders or potential leaders in academia or research, arts and culture, or digital technology, usually after an endorsement (named winners of listed prizes can apply directly).²²³⁴ The GBP 766 fee is split into GBP 561 at endorsement and GBP 205 at the visa stage, and settlement is possible after 3 or 5 years depending on the field and how you apply (as of October 2026).¹⁴²²

The Innovator Founder visa requires an approved endorsing body to back a new, innovative business and states no minimum investment.²³ Endorsement costs GBP 1,000 and each contact point meeting GBP 500 (excluding VAT), and settlement may follow after 3 years (as of October 2026); company set-up is covered in the site’s guide to incorporating a company abroad.²³

Families and Dependants

YMS allows no dependants, and Students may bring family only if government-sponsored on a course over 6 months or on a PhD or other research-based higher degree (as of October 2026).¹⁵¹⁹ Each dependant pays the visa fee and IHS, with under-18s on the GBP 776 IHS rate.¹⁶ Schooling, including Japanese supplementary schools (Hoshuko 補習校), is covered in the site’s guides to children’s education abroad.

Settlement (ILR) in One Paragraph

Skilled Workers can still apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after a continuous period of 5 years, with the Life in the UK test (GBP 50), an ILR fee of GBP 3,226 and B2 English for applications made on or after 26 March 2027 (as of October 2026).^14253536 A consultation on “earned settlement” with a longer baseline closed on 12 February 2026, but Appendix Skilled Worker as updated on 8 October 2026 still requires 5 years, so treat earned settlement as a proposal (as of October 2026).²⁵³⁷³⁸

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and Accessing the NHS

What the IHS Is and What It Costs

The IHS is paid with the visa application for the whole visa length and gives NHS access from the visa start date.¹⁶ It costs GBP 776 a year for students, their dependants, YMS applicants and under-18s and GBP 1,035 a year for everyone else, so a 2-year YMS or Student visa costs GBP 1,552 and a 3-year visa at the standard rate GBP 3,105 (as of October 2026).¹⁶ Visas of 6 months or less applied for from outside the UK carry no IHS.¹⁶

Private medical insurance does not remove the charge, and no exemption applies to Japanese nationals as such.¹⁶ The IHS is refunded if the visa is refused or the application withdrawn before a decision, but not if you never travel or leave early.¹⁶

Using the NHS After Arrival

In England, anyone can register with a GP surgery for free, without ID, proof of address, proof of immigration status or an NHS number.³⁹

The IHS does not cover everything: charges still apply for prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and assisted conception.¹⁶ England charges GBP 9.90 per prescription item, with prepayment certificates of GBP 32.05 for 3 months or GBP 114.50 for 12 months, while prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (as of October 2026).³⁴⁵⁶

Japanese National Health Insurance ends when you move out of Japan, covered in the site’s guide to leaving Japanese health insurance.

UK Tax Residency: The Statutory Residence Test and the End of the Remittance Basis

The Statutory Residence Test in Three Steps

UK tax residence is decided for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) by the Statutory Residence Test (SRT): automatic overseas tests, then automatic UK tests, then the sufficient ties test.⁴⁰ The flowchart simplifies HMRC’s RDR3 notes.

flowchart TD
    A["Start: tax year 6 Apr to 5 Apr"] --> B["183 days or more in the UK?"]
    B -- "Yes" --> R["UK resident"]
    B -- "No" --> C["Automatic overseas test met? (fewer than 16 or 46 days, or full-time work abroad with fewer than 91 days in the UK)"]
    C -- "Yes" --> N["Not UK resident"]
    C -- "No" --> D["Automatic UK test met? (only home in the UK, or full-time UK work over 365 days)"]
    D -- "Yes" --> R
    D -- "No" --> E["Sufficient ties test: days in the UK x number of ties"]
    E -- "Enough ties" --> R
    E -- "Too few ties" --> N

A new arrival who was not UK resident in any of the previous 3 tax years is non-resident below 46 days in the UK.⁴⁰ If no automatic test settles it, the sufficient ties test counts four ties (family, accommodation, work and a 90-day tie), each defined in RDR3.⁴⁰

Days in the UK in the tax year	Ties needed to be UK resident (arrivers)
Fewer than 46	Not resident
46 to 90	All 4
91 to 120	At least 3
Over 120	At least 2

Split-Year Treatment for the Year You Arrive

Arriving part-way through a tax year does not always make the whole year taxable as a UK resident. If you were non-resident in the previous year and one of the arrival cases applies, such as Case 4 (starting to have only a home in the UK), Case 5 (starting full-time work in the UK) or Case 8 (starting to have a UK home and keeping it), the year is split into an overseas part and a UK part.⁴⁰⁴¹ RDR3 also lists Cases 6 and 7 for people ceasing full-time work overseas and their partners.⁴⁰

The 4-Year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) Regime

On 6 April 2025 the 4-year FIG regime replaced the remittance basis.⁴² A new arrival who becomes UK tax resident after at least 10 consecutive years of non-UK residence can claim relief on foreign income and gains for up to the first 4 tax years, choosing sources on the Self Assessment return; unused years cannot be carried forward.⁴²

It covers foreign trade profits, overseas property profits, non-UK dividends, foreign interest and foreign capital gains, but not foreign employment income, for which HMRC points to the separate Overseas Workday Relief regime.⁴² Claiming costs the Income Tax Personal Allowance and the Capital Gains Tax annual exempt amount (plus Married Couple’s, Marriage and Blind Person’s Allowances), so it does not suit everyone.⁴²

UK Income Tax and National Insurance Basics

For 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027, the Personal Allowance is GBP 12,570 (tapered above GBP 100,000), with 20% tax to GBP 50,270, 40% to GBP 125,140 and 45% above; Scotland has different bands (as of October 2026).² Employees pay Class 1 National Insurance at 8% on weekly earnings from GBP 242.01 to GBP 967 and 2% above (as of October 2026).⁴³

The Japan-UK Tax Treaty and Japanese-Side Taxes

The Japan-UK Income Tax Convention resolves dual residence under Article 4 by permanent home, centre of vital interests, habitual abode and nationality, then by agreement between the authorities.⁴⁴⁴⁵ Its 183-day exemption for short work stays (Article 14) rarely fits a full relocation, and directors’ fees from a Japanese company may be taxed in Japan (Article 15).⁴⁴

Article 17 makes pensions, including social security pensions, taxable only in the country of residence, and the Japan Pension Service lists the UK among countries where a Japanese old-age pension can be paid without Japanese withholding once the treaty form is filed; government-service pensions follow Article 18 (as of October 2026).⁴⁴⁴⁶ Payments to UK accounts are made in pounds sterling.⁴⁷

On the Japan side, check four items before leaving: non-resident status, the resident tax (Juminzei 住民税) timing rule, a tax agent (Nohzei Kanrinin 納税管理人) if Japanese tax matters remain, and whether the departure tax on large financial asset holdings applies. Each has its own guide on this site.

Inheritance Tax: Residence-Based Since April 2025

UK Inheritance Tax now depends on long-term residence, not domicile. Someone who has lived in the UK for less than 10 of the last 20 years is treated as based abroad and pays only on UK assets, at 40% above GBP 325,000 (as of October 2026).⁴⁸ Japan’s own rules for people who have left are covered in the site’s guide to Japanese inheritance tax for residents abroad.

UK-Japan Social Security Agreement: Who Avoids Paying National Insurance Twice

Seconded Workers: The Certificate of Coverage

The Japan-UK Social Security Agreement (日英社会保障協定), in force since 1 February 2001, only prevents dual coverage. On the Japanese side it covers only the National Pension and Employees’ Pension Insurance, so it does not replace the IHS.⁴⁹¹⁶ Its equal-treatment clause covers any person who is or has been subject to either country’s legislation, so a foreign resident seconded from Japan can use it too.⁵⁰

An employee sent from Japan stays in the Japanese pension system if the posting is not expected to exceed 5 years, and up to 3 more years may be agreed if unforeseen circumstances extend it.⁵¹⁵⁰ The Japanese employer applies to the pension office for a certificate of coverage (Tekiyo Shomeisho 適用証明書), in principle before the posting and from about 6 months ahead.⁵²⁵³ HMRC tells UK employers they can accept it as proof that no UK National Insurance is due for the period covered.⁵⁴

Local Hires and Long Stays: UK National Insurance Applies

If you are hired locally in the UK, UK National Insurance applies, because the agreement places a worker under the law of the country where they work.⁵⁰ Where only UK law applies, the Japanese employer files an Employees’ Pension Insurance loss-of-qualification notice citing the agreement, and National Pension members who take a local job file at their municipality.⁵² Japanese citizens can consider voluntary National Pension, and foreign residents the lump-sum withdrawal payment; both have their own guides.

No Totalization: What It Means for Your Pensions

The agreement does not add Japanese and UK periods together, so each country’s minimum applies separately.⁴⁹ The UK new State Pension needs at least 10 qualifying years for any payment and 35 for the full rate if your record began after April 2016.⁵⁵

Voluntary National Insurance from abroad became harder on 6 April 2026: Class 2 is no longer available for time abroad, and Class 3 needs 10 continuous years of prior UK residence or 10 years of qualifying contributions, with transitional rules for earlier applicants (as of October 2026).⁵⁶ Japan is not on GOV.UK’s list of countries where a UK State Pension paid abroad receives annual increases.⁵⁷

Each pension is claimed directly from its own institution; the Japan Pension Service does not forward UK claims.⁵⁸ Receiving a Japanese pension in the UK is covered in the site’s guide to receiving your Japanese pension overseas.

Renting a Home in England: Right to Rent and the Renters’ Rights Act

Right to Rent Checks

Landlords in England must check that every adult occupier has the right to rent, named on the tenancy or not, and must not check only people they assume are not British.¹⁰ For time-limited permission the check happens in the 28 days before the tenancy starts, using documents, a registered digital verification service or an online share code; landlords face fines of up to GBP 20,000 per tenant (as of October 2026).¹⁰

What Changed on 1 May 2026

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 changed private renting in England on 1 May 2026 (as of October 2026).⁹⁵⁹

• Tenancy type: new private tenancies are rolling assured periodic tenancies, and most assured shorthold tenancies converted.⁹
• Ending a tenancy: tenants give 2 months’ notice; section 21 “no fault” evictions ended, so landlords need a legal ground.⁹
• Rent in advance: nothing before signing, and at most 1 month’s rent in advance after.⁹
• Bidding and discrimination: adverts must state a price that landlords cannot bid up, and tenants cannot be refused for having children or receiving benefits.⁹⁵⁹
• Rent increases: once a year, not in the first 12 months, with 2 months’ notice.⁹

Deposits, Fees and Deposit Protection

The Tenant Fees Act 2019 caps the tenancy deposit at 5 weeks’ rent where annual rent is below GBP 50,000 (6 weeks above), and a holding deposit at 1 week’s rent, which a landlord may keep if you fail a right to rent check (as of October 2026).⁶⁰ The deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days.⁶¹

Outside England, separate tenancy laws apply, and Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own deposit schemes; check the relevant government’s guidance before signing.⁹⁶¹ Whatever the nation, ask early what references or guarantees a landlord or agent will accept from someone with no UK credit history.

First-Month Admin: National Insurance Number, Bank Account, Council Tax and Your eVisa

Your eVisa and UKVI Account

eVisas have replaced physical immigration documents.¹⁹⁶² Set up a free UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, link your passport so you can travel on the eVisa, and make sure each dependant has their own account.⁶² A share code from the account proves your status to a landlord or employer for 90 days.⁶²

National Insurance Number

Apply online once you live in the UK and have the right to work; you can start work before the number arrives.⁶³

Opening a Bank Account

Deposits with UK-authorised banks are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to GBP 120,000 per person per firm from 1 December 2025, with brands sharing one banking licence capped together (as of October 2026).⁶⁴ Money held with payment or e-money firms is not FSCS-protected and relies on safeguarding, so check a firm’s status with the Financial Conduct Authority.⁶⁵

Nine designated banks must offer fee-free basic bank accounts under the Payment Accounts Regulations 2015 to customers legally resident in the UK who have no account or do not qualify for a standard one.⁶⁶ Transfers from Japan and keeping Japanese accounts open are covered in the site’s guides to international money transfers and Japanese bank accounts abroad.

Council Tax

Council tax is paid to your local council according to the property’s valuation band.⁶⁷ A person living alone gets a 25% discount and all-student households do not pay, but discounts must be applied for; Northern Ireland uses domestic rates instead.⁶⁷⁷

Other Practical Items (Pointers Only)

• Driving: check GOV.UK and the DVLA on using or exchanging a Japanese licence; see the site’s driving guide.
• Household goods: HMRC’s transfer of residence relief (ToR1) needs 12 months’ residence outside the UK, goods owned for 6 months and prior approval; see the international moving guide.⁶⁸
• Pets: Japan is a listed country for Great Britain; dogs need tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival (as of October 2026); see the pet relocation guide.⁶⁹
• Electricity: 230V at 50Hz with the three-pin BS 1363 plug; see the electronics guide.⁷⁰

Step-by-Step Administrative Procedure & Timeline

The UK and Japan steps run in parallel (as of October 2026).

• T-12 to T-6 months: Choose the route; book an English test (results must be no more than 2 years old), arrange the HPI degree check or Global Talent endorsement, and start job hunting for sponsored routes.⁷¹²¹²²
• T-6 months: YMS and Student applications open 6 months before travel or the course; for secondments, the employer can apply for the certificate of coverage; hold funds for 28 consecutive days.^15195217
• T-3 months: Skilled Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker applications open 3 months before the CoS start date, HPI 3 months before travel; seek ToR1 approval and prepare pets.^1718216869 Check GOV.UK for current identity-check options in Japan; decisions usually take 3 weeks from outside the UK.¹⁵¹⁷¹⁸
• T-1 month: In Japan, file the moving-out notification (Tenshutsu-todoke 転出届) and settle health insurance, pension, resident tax, a tax agent and the departure tax check.
• First month in the UK: eVisa, National Insurance number, GP registration, bank account, right to rent check and tenancy, council tax and Zairyu Todoke.^{62633964106712}
• First UK tax year: work through the SRT and split-year cases, and file Self Assessment if claiming FIG relief.⁴⁰⁴²

Japanese Citizens vs. Foreign Residents: Critical Distinctions

UK immigration rules follow your passport, not your residence in Japan, while the social security agreement and tax treaty follow coverage and residence (as of October 2026).¹⁵⁴⁴⁵⁰

Issue	Japanese citizens	Foreign residents of Japan
Youth Mobility Scheme	Eligible at 18 to 30; 6,000 places for 20261524	Depends on own nationality; some nationalities 18 to 3515
Student differential evidence	Japan is listed31	Only if own nationality is listed31
English for Skilled Worker and HPI	Japan not exempt1721	Depends on own nationality17
Visiting before moving	ETA needed for visits (GBP 20)147273	Depends on own nationality
Social security agreement	Covered when seconded50	Covered when subject to Japanese law50
Returning to Japan	Always possible	Re-entry permit (up to 5 years) or special re-entry permit (1 year) needed to keep status74

Naturalising as British costs a Japanese adult their Japanese nationality under Article 11(1) of the Nationality Act, whereas ILR does not change nationality.⁷⁵ Children with two nationalities are covered in the site’s dual nationality guide.

Foreign residents who take the Japanese lump-sum withdrawal get no UK credit for those years, because the agreement has no totalization.⁴⁹ Whether a Japanese residence status survives the absence is covered in the site’s guide to departure rules for citizens and foreign residents.

Common Pitfalls & Regulatory Compliance Risks

• Waiting for a YMS ballot. Fix: Japanese nationals apply directly; ignore agency pages with old fees.¹⁵²⁴
• Budgeting the visa fee but not the IHS. Fix: multiply by the full visa length.¹⁶
• Treating the agreement as an NI exemption for everyone. Fix: only seconded workers with a certificate are exempt.⁴⁹⁵⁰⁵⁴
• Assuming FIG relief covers your salary or comes free. Fix: it excludes foreign employment income and costs your allowances.⁴²
• Paying more than 1 month’s rent in advance in England. Fix: pay nothing before signing.⁹⁶⁰
• Using unregulated immigration advisers. Fix: check regulation by the Immigration Advice Authority.⁷⁶
• Leaving Japan with loose ends. Fix: settle resident tax, health insurance and pension status first.

See also

Japan exit procedures

• Moving-Out Notification (Tenshutsu-todoke) When Leaving Japan: the city hall filing in the T-1 month step before you fly to the UK.
• Japan Exit Tax (Kokugai Tenshutsuji Kazei): ¥100M Portfolio Rules: the departure tax check on large financial asset holdings.

Work and business in the UK

• Expat Assignment (Chuzai) vs. Local Hire (Genchi Saiyo) Compared: the financial and legal trade-offs behind the Senior or Specialist Worker and Skilled Worker routes.
• Incorporating a Company Abroad: Singapore, US, Hong Kong & UK: setting up a UK company, relevant to Innovator Founder applicants.

Family and life in the UK

• Schooling Abroad: International, Local or Japanese School?: school choices for children moving with you, including supplementary schools.
• Japanese Embassy Help: Zairyu Todoke, Tabi-Reg & Emergencies: filing the 在留届 with the Embassy in London or the Consulate-General in Edinburgh.

References & Official Sources

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Important Cross-Border Mobility & Compliance Notice

All information presented in this reference publication is compiled from official government authorities, bilateral treaties, and statutory regulations. Cross-border tax obligations, visa eligibilities, pension disbursements, and residency classifications vary significantly based on individual citizenship, financial circumstances, and length of stay. Always seek professional advice from certified tax accountants (Zeirishi), licensed immigration specialists, or competent administrative authorities before taking irrevocable administrative or financial actions.

Footnotes

1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 「海外在留邦人数調査統計 令和7年（2025年）10月1日現在」, PDF https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/100957047.pdf (read via web.archive.org snapshot) ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. GOV.UK, “Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances” (tax year 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027), https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates ↩ ↩²

3. NHS (nhs.uk), “NHS prescription charges” (last reviewed 23 November 2023), https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/nhs-prescription-charges/ ; GOV.UK, “Get a prescription prepayment certificate”, https://www.gov.uk/get-a-ppc ↩ ↩²

4. NHS inform (Scotland), “Prescription charges and exemptions”, https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/pharmacy/prescription-charges-and-exemptions/ (search-verified October 2026; direct fetch 403) ↩ ↩²

5. Welsh Government (GOV.WALES), “Free prescriptions” (updated 18 September 2020), https://www.gov.wales/free-prescriptions ↩ ↩²

6. nidirect, “Help with health costs”, accessed October 2026, https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/help-health-costs ↩ ↩²

7. Department of Finance (Northern Ireland), “Domestic rating”, https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/topics/domestic-rating (search-verified October 2026) ↩ ↩²

8. HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK), “Stamp Duty Land Tax: Residential property rates”, https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/residential-property-rates ↩

9. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (GOV.UK), “Renters’ Rights Act overview for tenants” (applies to England), updated 1 May 2026, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/renters-rights-act-overview-for-tenants ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

10. Home Office (GOV.UK), “Check your tenant’s right to rent”, accessed October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

11. Consulate-General of Japan in Edinburgh, 「安全・領事情報」 (jurisdiction), https://www.edinburgh.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/00_000213.html (web.archive.org snapshot of 4 August 2025; live site “Access Denied”) ↩

12. Consulate-General of Japan in Edinburgh, 「在留届」, https://www.edinburgh.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/00_000215.html (web.archive.org snapshot of 14 December 2024) ↩ ↩²

13. e-Gov Laws, 旅券法 (Passport Act, Act No. 267 of 1951), Article 16, https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/326AC0000000267 ↩

14. Home Office (GOV.UK), “Home Office immigration and nationality fees: 8 October 2026”, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table/home-office-immigration-and-nationality-fees-8-october-2026 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

15. UK Home Office (GOV.UK), “Youth Mobility Scheme visa” (all parts), accessed October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/youth-mobility ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

16. GOV.UK, “Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application” (all parts), accessed October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

17. UK Home Office (GOV.UK), “Skilled Worker visa” (all parts, incl. “Switch to this visa”), accessed October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

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