Professional Immigration Services. 入管、永住・帰化申請のスペシャリスト

About Your Visa	International Marriage	Permanent Residence	Japanese Citizenship

Permanent Residence

What is the status of Permanent Residence?

• The status of permanent residence is granted when certain conditions have been satisfied by foreign nationals who reside in Japan under another status of residence and who have applied for change of status of residence to permanent residence or by those who have applied to acquire status of residence due to birth or renouncement of Japanese nationality.
   
  If a foreign resident is authorized to stay in Japan on a permanent basis, he/she will stay in Japan with the status of residence "Permanent Resident." The status of residence "Permanent Resident" provides much more advantageous treatments than other statuses of residence because it does not limit the status holder's activities or period of stay.
   
  For this reason, the immigration control authority needs to examine permanent resident applicants much more closely than other applicants for merely changing their status of residence. From this viewpoint, immigration control legislations set forth separate provision for permanent resident status, independent from ordinary procedures for change of Status of Residence.
   

What are the Requirements to become a Permanent Resident?

• 1.The alien's behavior and conduct must be good
  • Behaving good means he/she does not have any criminal record and pay his/her taxes properly.
• 2.The alien must have sufficient assets or ability to make an independent living.
  • Even if the applicant does not meet this requirement by himself/herself, the applicant is regarded as satisfying it as long as he/she is expected to continue a stable life on a household basis including his/her parent or spouse.
• 3.The Minister of Justice may grant permission only when he deems that his permanent residence will be in accordance with the interests of Japan.
  • He/she must have lived in Japan for more than 10　years continuously with valid status of residence.
  • The applicant must be recognized as beneficial to the Japanese society and economy if the applicant is granted the permanent residence status.
     
    In making this judgment, the immigration control authority pays attentions to Japan's capacity to accept foreign nationals (such as Japan's national land conditions, or demographic trends) as well as immigration control-related circumstances at home and abroad, and other factors.
     
    Minister of Justice has a wide range of discretion in making judgment on if or not he will grant permanent residence status to foreign nationals.
• How ever, in case an applicant is a spouse or child of Japanese national, permanent resident of Japan, or special permanent resident of Japan, he/she may not be required to fulfill the conditions mentioned above in 1 and 2.
  • You must have lived more than 3　years in Japan instead of 10　years.
  • You must have lived more than 1　year in Japan if you got married outside of Japan and have been married for more than 3years.
     
• In case of applicant is recognized as a refugee he/she may not be required to fulfill the condition mentioned above in 2.
   

Required Documents

1. Application for Permanent Resident
2. Passport and Alien registration card(presented)
3. Written reasons; why you need a permanent residency
4. Certificate of residence card for all family members
5. Certificate of Employment or Business license
6. Certificate of Tax statement for last 3 years
7. Proof of Assets (savings, real-estates)
8. Guaranteed letter (guarantor's certificate of employment, proof of income)
9. Others upon requirement