The Advantages of Obtaining Permanent Residence

The Advantages of Obtaining Permanent Residence

After living in Japan for a long time, “obtaining Permanent Residence” is something many foreign nationals come to consider. Beyond the ability to live in Japan for the rest of one’s life, Permanent Residence offers other advantages. The following sections introduce the advantages of obtaining Permanent Residence.

No More Visa (Status of Residence) Renewals

Unless Permanent Residence is revoked, you can continue to live in Japan indefinitely. Since this is the nature of the Status of Residence, visa renewals naturally become unnecessary. Foreign nationals staying in Japan all hold some kind of Status of Residence, each with its own expiration date that requires renewal procedures.

Furthermore, for example, if you obtained the Spouse visa (“Spouse or Child of Japanese National”) through marriage to a Japanese national and lived in Japan, but later divorced or were bereaved, you would need to change your status. Changing or renewing visas can be quite cumbersome and is not particularly stable, so being freed from these procedures is a major advantage when living in Japan over the long term.

That said, even after obtaining Permanent Residence, you continue to hold a Residence Card, and the Residence Card itself must still be renewed, so please be aware of this point.

Removal of Employment Restrictions

For example, the “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” visa obtained through marriage to a Japanese national has no employment restrictions, but in principle, each type of visa carries its own restrictions on employment. You can only work in the industry or occupation specified when that visa was obtained.

Notifications are also required when you change jobs. By obtaining Permanent Residence, employment restrictions are removed, and like Japanese nationals, you can freely choose and engage in any kind of work.

Social Credibility

Obtaining Permanent Residence also serves as proof that you have lived in Japan stably over the long term. If you have lived in Japan for many years and plan to continue doing so, you will likely need to purchase real estate such as housing or a car. When purchasing a home in Japan and taking out a loan, most financial institutions require foreign nationals to have “obtained Permission for Permanent Residence” as a condition.

It is not impossible to take out a housing loan without Permanent Residence, but the choice of financial institutions becomes limited, and additional conditions may apply, such as needing a Japanese-national spouse as a joint guarantor. Being able to take out a housing loan leads to a more stable and settled life in Japan, which is a considerable advantage.

Your Nationality Does Not Change

When considering Permanent Residence, many people also consider obtaining Japanese nationality — that is, applying for Naturalization — as one option. Acquiring Japanese nationality brings advantages different from Permanent Residence, such as receiving a Japanese passport and being granted political rights.

However, Japan does not recognize dual nationality, so applying for Naturalization means losing your home country’s nationality. In this respect, with Permanent Residence, your nationality does not change. You can continue to hold your home country’s nationality while living in Japan over the long term. Views on nationality vary from person to person, but since nationality is part of one’s identity, for those who wish to keep their home country’s nationality while continuing to live in Japan, we recommend applying for Permission for Permanent Residence.

In day-to-day life, you may not feel much inconvenience with your current visa, but Permanent Residence offers many advantages. If you meet the requirements to apply for Permanent Residence and wish to live in Japan over the long term, applying for Permission for Permanent Residence is recommended. Also, since the Permission for Permanent Residence review takes time, if you are interested in Permanent Residence, please apply as early as possible.