Moving to Japan from New Zealand: 2025 Relocation Guide for NZ

Japan has a rich culture and history, hyper modern cutting edge cities, world famous cuisine and an astoundingly varied natural environment. It’s no wonder that many people consider moving to Japan from New Zealand for work or study, or as a permanent change of scenery.

If you’re thinking of relocating to Japan from New Zealand, there are some essential steps to take first. You’ll need to secure a visa - which may mean finding a job or a place to study - decide where to live and set a budget. Then there are the practical considerations, like learning the language. This guide looks at the basics of immigrating to Japan from New Zealand, and highlights the Wise Account as a great way to manage your money as you move.

Table of contents
Japan Visa for NZ Residents Moving to Japan checklist Open a Japanese bank account as an Expat Moving your Money to Japan Start your Japanese journey with Wise

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Japan Visa for New Zealand Residents

New Zealand passport holders do not need a visa to enter Japan for a short period of time as a tourist¹. However, if you’re relocating for a longer period of time, or if you’re going to study or work while you’re there, you must make sure you have an appropriate visa before you travel. The most common visas for long term residence in Japan are as follows²:

• Work Visa
• Student Visa
• Working Holiday Visa
• Spouse/Child of Japanese National Visa
• Dependent Visa

Each visa has its own eligibility requirements, so you’ll need to select the best one based on your plans.

Japanese Immigration Requirements

The immigration requirements to move to Japan from New Zealand depend on the visa type you’re applying for. To give an idea, here’s what’s needed for a work visa³.

To apply for a work visa for Japan you first need a Certificate of Eligibility. This means you must have a job lined up with a Japanese employer initially, who can then apply for your certificate through their local immigration office in Japan. Once you have this in hand you can apply for your work visa at the local Japanese Embassy or Consulate:

• Embassy of Japan in New Zealand in Wellington
• Consulate General of Japan in Auckland
• Consular Office of Japan in Christchurch

You will need to submit your passport, passport photos, your certificate of eligibility and a completed application form. There is no expedited visa service. Your visa will take a minimum of five working days to be processed - so leave plenty of time.

Moving to Japan checklist

Relocating anywhere is a daunting prospect. While every move will look different, there are some common threads and steps you’ll almost always need to take to ensure all goes well. Here’s a moving to Japan checklist to refer to while you build out your own personal plan.

Before You Leave New Zealand

Your move will start long before you touch down in Tokyo, Osaka or wherever else you’re headed. Before you get too far in your relocation planning, consider the following steps:

• Research where in Japan you would like to live, based on your interests, plans and budget
• Connect with expats already living in Japan online and through social media to learn about their journeys and get some advice
• Secure a visa - this may require you to get a job with a local employer, be accepted on a course of study or similar, depending on the visa you select
• Set a budget for your relocation, including shipping household and personal goods, flights and pet relocation if needed
• Arrange the practical aspects of your move including shipping, accommodation on arrival and familiarisation
• Check if you need to update any vaccinations before you travel
• Look into getting health insurance to cover you on arrival - even having short term cover may be helpful to allow you to look into local options when you’re settled in
• Consider learning some Japanese - having a basic understanding of the language before you arrive can be a huge benefit
• You may decide to get an international driving license before you travel, depending on your intentions when you arrive

Upon Arrival in Japan

Getting to Japan will feel like a whirlwind. But you’ve still got a few essential tasks to think about, which can include the following:

• Get your residence card - Zairyu Card⁴ - which is for tax registration and needed to identify yourself as a resident
• Sort out your ongoing accommodation and practical considerations such as phone services, utilities, internet and so on
• Open a bank account or a multi-currency digital account which lets you manage JPY as well as NZD in one place
• Familiarise yourself with your local area - if you’re in Japan through work or study your employer or educational institute may help
• Check you are covered by adequate health insurance based on your needs and personal situation
• If you have more questions or issues once you arrive, you may find the foreign residence support center helpful - there are several branches as well as phone services⁵

How much money does it cost to move to Japan from NZ?

The cost of moving to Japan from New Zealand can vary a huge amount. If you plan on taking only what you can fit into a backpack, your costs will be far lower than a family relocation with full household goods and furniture for example. However, some costs are pretty unavoidable, such as flights and initial accommodation when you arrive and until you’re a bit more settled.

Building a budget for your move is essential - you’ll need to think about including the following:

• Packing services if you choose to use them
• Shipping costs for household and personal goods
• Flights and initial living expenses for you and your family
• Pet relocation if needed
• Accommodation on arrival and until you arrange permanent housing

Moving with Pets?
Learn more about the costs of pet relocation in our handy guide.

Cost of Living in Japan

In the Wise cost of living index, Japan ranks as the 41st most costly place to live. New Zealand comes in at number 13 - which might mean that daily life once you’re settled is cheaper than you expect in Japan.

The Wise cost of living index is a breakdown of average cost of living, taking into account the most common and unavoidable costs such as housing, food, transport and more. As you may expect, the costs you experience day to day depend on where you live and the types of things you like to do. Major cities usually have a higher cost of living than smaller cities, and lifestyle costs based on leisure and travel can vary a huge amount.

Get an idea of how the cost of living in Japan compares with New Zealand, in the Wise cost of living by country index.

Open a Japanese bank account as a NZ Expat

Managing your finances as an expat in Japan is easier when you have a local Japan account.

Get a guide on how to open a Japanese bank account as a NZ expat, including a look at top banks for foreigners, in our guide to the top banks in Japan.

Generally you won’t be able to complete the setup of your local Japan bank account until you’re in the country. If you need to manage your money across JPY and NZD before you travel you may want to open a Wise Account before you leave. This lets you hold and exchange JPY alongside 40+ other currencies, making it easier to pay for your rent in Japan before you travel, and allowing you to hit the ground running with a multi-currency debit card you can use for spending at home and abroad. Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate for currency conversion with low, transparent fees - so you’ll get a good deal whether you’re spending yen or dollars.

Open your Wise Account

Moving your Money to Japan from New Zealand

Naturally you’ll need ways to get your hands on cash once you arrive in Japan, and you may prefer to travel with some cash in your pocket for peace of mind. If you’re exchanging currency before you travel, watch out for currency conversion markups on money exchange places such as hotels and airport money exchange shops.

Compare the rate you’re offered against the one you find on Google to make sure you get a good deal - if the rates include high fees, you may be better off holding on until you arrive and getting cash from an ATM in the airport.

You may get an even better exchange rate if you use a Wise Account and card to spend and withdraw when you get to Japan. Add money to your account in NZD, and convert to JPY in the Wise app with transparent exchange fees and the mid-market rate. You can then spend like a local in Japan with your Wise card, and withdraw yen from ATMs in Japan for low or no fees whenever you need to.

Moving your KiwiSaver Savings to Japan

If you’re planning to move to Japan permanently it may make sense to withdraw your KiwiSaver savings to add to a local fund in Japan instead. This is possible, but you’ll need to take a few steps to set everything up.

To withdraw your KiwiSaver funds you will first have to contact your KiwiSaver provider and complete the permanent emigration withdrawal form which you can usually find on their website or through the customer support team.

You’ll be asked to complete a statutory declaration, signed by an authorized person, which confirms your permanent emigration from New Zealand. You’ll also be asked for evidence like your flight tickets or your passport, and your Japanese residency card.

Complete guide to withdrawing your Kiwisaver savings overseas 👉

Start your Japanese journey with Wise

Open a Wise Account to hold a balance in JPY and make JPY payments even before you leave New Zealand. You can add funds in NZD easily, and then spend with your linked debit card. You’ll automatically get currency conversion at the mid-market rate and low, fair fees - and you're ready to tap to pay like a local when you land.

Get Started with Wise

Plus Wise makes it easy to send money back home to New Zealand for those ongoing bills, and you can simply swipe your card for NZD spending when you go back home to visit.

🏠 Update your Wise Account after your move!
Once you have established your new home in Japan, remember to change the contact details on your Wise account. To comply with local and international law, Wise may need to verify your address again - and remember that new pricing and account features may apply when you convert a Wise account to be registered in another country. Learn about Wise pricing in Japan here.

Your move to Japan will be exciting and expose you to a whole range of rich new experiences. Use this guide to start thinking about how to plan your relocation from New Zealand - and remember to check out the Wise Account to help with your you move to Japan.

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Sources:

1. Temporary Visitor's Visa - Embassy of Japan in New Zealand
2. Visa - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
3. Work Visa - Embassy of Japan in New Zealand
4. Basic Resident Registration System for Foreign Residents
5. FRESC - Foreign Residents Support Center