Permanent Residence Application Support
Permanent Residence Application Support in Japan
For foreign nationals who have lived in Japan for a long time and wish to continue building a stable life in Japan, permanent residence is an important option. Immigration authorities review not only your length of stay, but also your income, tax payments, pension and health insurance status, traffic violations, family situation, and current status of residence.
Key points reviewed
- Length of stay and current status of residence
- Income, dependents, and financial stability
- Tax, pension, and health insurance payment records
- Traffic violations, criminal record, and immigration notifications
- Guarantor and possibility of family applications
About Permanent Residence
What is permanent residence in Japan?
Permanent residence allows a foreign national to stay in Japan without a fixed period of stay while keeping their current nationality. Once permanent residence is granted, renewal of the period of stay is no longer required, and there are generally no restrictions on work activities.
However, permanent residence is not granted simply because a person has lived in Japan for many years. Immigration authorities review the applicant’s overall situation, including residence history, income, tax payments, pension and health insurance status, traffic violations, family circumstances, and current status of residence.
Who Should Consider
Who may consider applying for permanent residence?
Work-related status holders
Foreign nationals who have lived in Japan for many years under work-related statuses such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Skilled Labor, or Business Manager.
Spouses of Japanese nationals or permanent residents
Immigration may review the actual marital relationship, length of stay, cohabitation, and stability of life in Japan.
Long-Term Residents
Residence period as a Long-Term Resident, family situation, income, and living foundation in Japan may need to be reviewed.
Highly skilled professionals
We review the possibility of applying under the 70-point or 80-point route, or under special rules for highly skilled professionals.
Key Requirements
Main points reviewed in a permanent residence application
1. Length of stay in Japan
As a general rule, the applicant must have continuously resided in Japan for 10 years or more. Within this period, the applicant must generally have stayed in Japan for 5 years or more under a work-related or residence-based status.
2. Income and financial stability
Immigration reviews whether the applicant or household can maintain a stable life in Japan. Income, number of dependents, employment type, and whether the applicant recently changed jobs may all be relevant.
3. Taxes, pension, and health insurance
Payment records for residence tax, income tax, pension, and health insurance are important. Even if payments have already been made, late payments may still be reviewed negatively.
4. Good conduct and traffic violations
Criminal penalties, traffic violations, and compliance with immigration notification obligations may be reviewed as part of the good conduct requirement.
5. Current status of residence and period of stay
As a general rule, the applicant is expected to hold the longest period of stay available for their current status of residence. Applicants with a 3-year period of stay should carefully confirm the current treatment before applying.
Risk Check
Cases that may increase the risk of refusal
Even if one of the above applies, it does not always mean that an application is impossible. It is important to carefully review the timing of the application, supporting documents, and any explanations that may be necessary.
Our Support
How our office can support you
Tommy’s Legal Service provides support for foreign nationals considering permanent residence in Japan, including eligibility review, document preparation, drafting of explanation letters, and application handling before the Immigration Services Agency.
- Eligibility review for permanent residence
- Review of residence history, work history, and family situation
- Review of tax, pension, and health insurance records
- Identification of possible refusal risks
- Preparation of a required document list
- Drafting of reason statements and explanatory letters
- Application handling before the regional immigration office
Information we usually check first
- Current status of residence and expiration date
- Residence history in Japan
- Employer, annual income, and dependents
- Tax, pension, and health insurance status
- Traffic violations or criminal penalties
- Whether family members will apply together
Process
Application support process
Consultation and review
We review your current status of residence, length of stay, income, tax, pension, health insurance, and traffic violation history.
Assessment of application strategy
We assess whether you should apply now or wait for a better timing.
Document preparation
We organize documents related to you, your employer, family, taxes, and social insurance.
Application forms and statements
We prepare application forms, reason statements, and supporting explanations.
Submission support
As a certified immigration application agent, we support the submission to the regional immigration office.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
If I have lived in Japan for 10 years, will permanent residence always be granted?
No. Ten years of residence is an important benchmark, but immigration also reviews income, tax payments, pension, health insurance, traffic violations, and current status of residence.
Is it enough to pay taxes or pension later before applying?
Even if payments have been made by the time of application, late payments may be evaluated negatively. It is important to review the records before applying.
Can my family apply for permanent residence together?
It depends on each family member’s status of residence, length of stay, income, and dependency relationship. We review the situation of all family members before deciding the application strategy.
Can I apply soon after changing jobs?
A recent job change may require careful review of income stability and consistency with your status of residence. The timing of the application should be considered carefully.
Consultation
For those considering permanent residence in Japan
Permanent residence applications should not be decided based only on the length of stay. Before applying, it is important to review taxes, pension, health insurance, income, family situation, status of residence, and traffic violations as a whole.
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