In AUgust the ELEMENTS Group announced that it would be possible to renew one's visa status through the GPASS app, which allows foreigners to manage their personal information on their smartphones. This forgoes any need to visit the Immigration Bureau or prepare paper documents, with the whole process can be completed online. Compared to paper-based applications, this will reduce the time needed to complete the procedure by around 95%. GPASS has already registered more than 21,000 users.

To make this possible, it is essential to link with the online application system for resident status, RakuVisa. By using the resident card information already registered with GPASS, it is not necessary to enter personal information or upload photos, and it is expected to reduce the time required by about 40% compared to when using RakuVisa alone.

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