5 Credit Cards for Foreigners in Japan (2026) — Residence Card OK
※This article contains promotion.
📋 Contents
- Cards like the Epos Card can be applied for with just a residence card and have no annual fee.
- Screening criteria aren't published, but residence period, income, and credit history are typically considered (approval is not guaranteed).
- PayPay integration and multilingual app support are also useful criteria when choosing a card.
Many foreign residents get turned down because of a short stay in Japan or a thin credit history. The good news: you don’t need a credit card — or a credit check — to send money home or handle everyday payments. Start here:
Credit cards for foreigners in Japan: with a residence card and stable income, several no-annual-fee cards are open to foreign residents. Here are 5 picks for 2026, compared by how easy they are to get.
Approval depends on your income, residence status and credit screening. This guide compares 5 cards by approval ease, annual fee and eligibility, and shows how to apply online with a residence card.
① Credit Card Comparison for Foreigners
- 🥇 Epos Card: free forever · comparatively easy to get (◎) · no stay-period requirement · same-day issuance possible at Marui stores ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 🥈 Rakuten Card: free forever · 1% points (up to 3%+ on Rakuten Ichiba) · Rakuten ecosystem integration ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 🥉 Life Card: free · reportedly flexible screening for foreigners · 3x points in your birthday month ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 4. Saison Card: points never expire · in-person support counters nationwide ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 5. SBI Sumishin Visa Debit: no credit screening — just open a bank account ⭐⭐⭐
We don't rank based on whether a card advertises with us. We compare objectively how easy each card is for foreign residents to apply for, using the criteria below.
- Application requirements: whether a residence period and residence card alone are enough
- Annual fee: whether it's free forever
- Approval-difficulty estimate: track record and conditions for foreign applicants (approval is not guaranteed)
- Multilingual/app support: whether sign-up and the app are available beyond Japanese
- Perks: PayPay integration, point rewards, and everyday convenience
※Subject to screening; the card may not be issued depending on your period of stay, income and credit information.
※Approval depends on your circumstances at application (income, period of stay, credit history) and is not guaranteed. The ◎○ approval-ease ratings are the editorial team's estimates.
② Tips to Prepare for Application & Screening
- A longer period of stay (1+ year) helps. If yours is short, consider renewing your residence card first.
- Show income stability: full-time, dispatch, or contract work is viewed more favorably than part-time.
- Don't apply to multiple cards at once: rapid multiple applications are flagged and screened harder.
- Prepare a payment account: a Japanese bank account is required for debits.
- Build credit history: starting with a debit or prepaid card is a valid path.
For the steps to open a Japanese bank account for your card's payment debit, see the bank account opening guide for foreigners.
Card screening may consider your income and tax payment status. You can learn the basics of tax filing and resident tax in the Tax Filing & Resident Tax Guide.
Card payments require a Japanese bank account. To see which banks are easier to open, check the guide to opening & comparing bank accounts for foreigners.
- Credit card screening is based on residence status, length of stay, income, credit history, and similar factors, and some cards can be applied for with just a residence card.
- The Epos Card can be applied for with a residence card, and is said to have a strong track record of approvals for foreign residents.
- If your period of stay is short or your credit history is a concern, you may not pass screening — in that case, a deposit-type credit card, where you set aside a security deposit to secure a credit limit, is also an option.
- A longer period of stay tends to work in your favor during screening, and demonstrating stable income and avoiding applying to multiple companies at the same time are cited as key points.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A. Screening is based on residence status, period of stay, income, and credit information, and many cards can be applied for with just a residence card. However, if your period of stay is short you may not pass screening, and approval is not guaranteed.
A. The Epos Card has no particular stay-period requirement and can be applied for if you have a residence card; it is said to have a strong track record of issuance to foreign residents. At Marui stores, showing your residence card can sometimes allow same-day issuance. Please check the latest annual fee and conditions on the official website.
A. Options include a deposit-type credit card (such as the Nexus Card), where you place a security deposit to secure a spending limit, and a debit card with no credit screening (such as the SBI Sumishin Net Bank Visa Debit). Neither guarantees that you will pass screening.
A. A longer period of stay (one year or more) tends to be more favorable in screening; other points raised include demonstrating stable income, not applying to several companies at once in a short period, preparing a Japanese bank account for payment withdrawals, and building credit history with a debit or prepaid card.
A. You need a Japanese bank account (Japan Post Bank, a megabank, or an online bank) as the withdrawal account. For account-opening steps, see the guide to opening a bank account for foreigners.
If you’d still prefer a credit card, the Epos Card is one of the more accessible options for foreign residents (approval is not guaranteed):
No annual fee, popular with foreigners — EPOS Card
Apply with your residence card. Same-day issuance at Marui stores. VISA with travel insurance.
- Apply with just a residence card
- Don't want an annual fee
- Also want travel insurance
※Approval is not guaranteed (depends on income, residency, etc.). This article contains promotion.
Worried you might not pass screening? A deposit-type (secured) card — where a security deposit sets your spending limit — can be an option, and unlike a debit card it helps you build a credit history (approval is not guaranteed):
A deposit-type (secured) card — Nexus Card
If you were declined by another issuer, or you are new to Japan with no credit history, a deposit-type (secured) credit card can be easier to apply for: you place a security deposit and the same amount becomes your available spending limit. The deposit is collateral that supplements your credit — it is not a bank deposit and cannot be used to pay your bill. Unlike a debit card, a secured card lets you build a credit history.
- Annual fee:
- ¥1,375 (incl. tax) ／
- Card issuance fee:
- ¥1,100 (incl. tax)
- International brand:
- Mastercard (shopping only; cash advance not available)
- Deposit refund:
- After you request to close the account and return the required documents and card, once no new usage is confirmed (about two months later) it is refunded to your registered account. Any unpaid card balance is offset from the deposit first, and the remainder is refunded.
- Were declined by another card issuer
- New to Japan with no credit history
- Want to build a credit history
※Approval is not guaranteed (screening results depend on your application). Please check the latest annual fee, card-issuance fee, deposit-refund conditions, late-payment charges and other terms on the official site. This article contains promotion.