Visiting abroad while on parental leave

4 comments

1. Absolutely no rules against it. Actually I planned to do so as well, but we had some medical complications that prevented us from leaving Japan.

   Just make sure to schedule it so that you have time to do the compulsory hospital visits and, if you plan to enroll your kid in hoikuen, that you will have time for the enrollment process.

2. It’s not against the rules.

   However, It depends when youre planning to go. I wouldn’t go it in at least the first 6 months because of all the compulsory baby checkups & vacs (2 weeks, 1 month, 2 month vaccinations start, 3-5 months, 1 year check etc.)

   Probably not a problem if you planned it and maybe it has been repeated a lot, but just to let you know (again?) it takes at least 3 months before 育児休業給付金 comes to your account the first time.
   Keep in mind that you’re able to bridge that with savings or have enough financial support from family / cut costs.
   It takes 1 month before they will start counting, and they only pay once every 2 months.
   i.e. Birth in May, 育児休業給付金 starts counting in June so I miss the May payment, 2 payment months later means next is July: total 3 months before payment 1. This is something many people overlook.

3. As long as you remain a registered resident, I.e only going overseas on a holiday of up to one year, then it’s fine.

   However, that of course means maintaining an address, which unless you own the property, means paying rent (I am sure not something that is ideal for people who may go overseas for many consecutive months)

   If you remove yourself from the resident register, I.e file your moving out of Japan paperwork, then it’s not allowed because only residents can utilize maternity leave/childcare leave.

4. I traveled to the states with my whole family 2 months after the birth of the youngest. No problems!