Permanent Resident Visa

Generally, it is called “foreigner’s visa”, but it is originally “status of residence”. However, for the sake of clarity, we will use the term “foreigner’s visa” here.

The Japanese law (Immigration and Refugee Recognition Act) stipulates 28 different types of visas. And every foreigner living in Japan has one type of visa that is appropriate for their activities.

For example, if you are married to a Japanese person, there is a “marriage visa” or a “spouse visa”, if you are a working person, there is a “working visa” and if you are a permanent resident, there is a “Permanent Resident visa”

In this section, we explain “Permanent Resident”.

Benefits of a Permanent Resident visa

The benefits of a permanent resident visa are that there is no need to renew the visa because it does not expire, and there are no restrictions on working.

It may be easier to get loans and financing.

Requirements for a Permanent Resident is followed.

• Be of good conduct.
• Have sufficient assets or skills to earn an independent living.
• The applicant’s permanent residence is deemed to be in the interests of Japan.

Be of good conduct.

The requirement is that you are obeying Japanese laws and living in a socially acceptable manner.

A criminal record will be checked.

Traffic violations will also be identified.

Have assets or skills sufficient to earn an independent living.

This requirement ascertains whether the person can live without public assistance and without financial problems.

This is a household decision, not an individual decision, so even if the foreigner has no income, there is no problem as long as the spouse has more than a certain amount of income.

The more dependents you have, the more income you will be asked to make.

The applicant’s permanent residence is deemed to be in the interests of Japan.

Have been living in Japan for more than 10 years.

You must have been living in Japan for at least 10 years continuously.

If you have been away from Japan for a long period of time, the period may have been reset.

If you’ve been posted overseas for work or had a home birth,  the period may has been reset.

Also, you must have a work visa for five out of the last ten years.

For example, six years as an international student and four years after working, that’s a total of 10 years. However, since the period of work is less than five years, it is not allowed.

The 10-year period of stay will be eased in the following cases

(1) In the case of a spouse of a Japanese national or permanent resident, the spouse must have been married in an actual conditions for three years or more, and must have resided in Japan for one year or more. Children of Japanese or permanent residents must have resided in Japan for at least one year.

(2) Have been residing in Japan for five years or more with the status of “Long Term Resident”.

(3) Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for the Standards in the Lower Column of the High Level Profession in Appended Table 1-2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (hereinafter referred to as the “High Level Profession Ordinance”) A person who has 70 points or more when calculating the points set forth in (a) and (b), and who falls under any of the following

(a) You must have resided in Japan for three years or more as a “Highly Skilled Professional”.

(b) A person who has been residing in Japan for three or more years and has scored 70 or more points when calculating the points prescribed in the Ordinance of the Highly Professionalized Professionals with reference to three years prior to the application for permanent residence permit.

(4) A person who has 80 points or more when calculating points as specified in the Ordinance of the Ministry of Advanced Professional Services, and who falls under any of the following

(a) You must have resided in Japan for one year or more as a “Highly Skilled Professional”.

(b) Those who have been residing in Japan for one year or more and have scored 80 points or more when calculating the points provided for in the Ordinance of the Highly Professionalized Professionals with respect to one year prior to the date of application for permanent residence permit.

The maximum period of stay for the status of residence that you currently have.

You must have been granted a period of stay of at least 3 years.

Properly fulfilling public obligations (tax payment, payment of premiums for public pensions and public medical insurance, and notification, etc. stipulated in the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act)

If you are delinquent on your taxes, you will not be allowed.

You also have to pay your pension and health insurance properly.

If you are a company employee, you will be fine as long as you pay your social insurance, etc. with payroll deductions.

Even if you are a company employee, if your salary is not deducted, or if you are self-employed, you should check the status of your payment at the municipal office or pension office.

From 2019, there will be strict checks on the status of pension payments to ensure that they are not unpaid and that they are paid on time.

How long does the permanent visa process take?

The process for a permanent resident visa takes six months to a year.

In some cases, the review process can take a year or more.

If you change jobs or your situation changes before you get your results, you will have to submit additional documentation. This means it will take even longer.

If your visa expires before the results are in, your current status will expire.

You must understand that the review process will take a long time and you must consider when to apply.