How Do You Obtain Permission for Permanent Residence? Requirements, Application Process, and Required Documents Explained

Many people start considering Permission for Permanent Residence (Permanent Residence status) when their residence in Japan reaches 10 years or more, but it is not something that can be obtained simply by living in Japan for a long time.

You must satisfy the strict requirements set out in the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence, and the documents required to do so are extensive.

This article explains the requirements for Permission for Permanent Residence (Permanent Residence status), the application process, and the required documents.

How to Obtain Permission for Permanent Residence (Permanent Residence Status) in Japan

Permission for Permanent Residence (Permanent Residence status) refers to the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence. By obtaining Permission for Permanent Residence, the restrictions on your residence activities and period of stay are removed, freeing you from procedures such as renewal of the period of stay.
You also become able to work freely, find it easier to obtain financing from banks, and enjoy various other advantages.
Because this is an exceptionally favorable Status of Residence, obtaining Permission for Permanent Residence requires clearing a rigorous review.

The Flow of a Permanent Residence Application

In Japan, foreign nationals are not permitted to land with the Permanent Resident Status of Residence from the outset.
Foreign nationals residing on a Status of Residence other than Permanent Resident come to consider the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence when they go through procedures to change or acquire a Status of Residence.
For this purpose, you must first confirm whether you satisfy the requirements for the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence.

① Confirming the Requirements

The requirements for the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence are set out in the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised November 18, Reiwa 6 [2024]).

The legal requirements are the following 3.

The good conduct requirement means satisfying the conditions of not having received imprisonment, fines, or other criminal penalties for violating Japanese laws and regulations, not having received protective measures under the Juvenile Act, and not having repeatedly engaged in illegal acts or acts disrupting public morals in daily life or social life.
Even cases where a fine was paid for violating traffic rules may be judged as not satisfying the good conduct requirement, so caution is required.

The independent livelihood requirement means that you are not a burden on public funds in daily life, and that a stable life can also be expected in the future based on the applicant’s occupation, assets, etc. Put simply, it comes down to whether you are not receiving livelihood protection and whether you have stable employment.
Note that even when the applicant themselves does not have stable employment, there are cases where it is not a problem as long as there is a spouse and the household livelihood as a whole is stable.

The national interest requirement is a set of requirements that begins with the residence-in-Japan requirement: as a general rule, having resided continuously in Japan for 10 years or more.
Beyond this, satisfying the following requirements is also required.

Note that the residence-in-Japan requirement may be relaxed in certain cases.
For example, those recognized as having made contributions to Japan in fields such as diplomacy, society, economy, or culture may be approved with as little as 5 years of residence.

The above are the legal requirements, but with this explanation alone, it can be quite difficult to grasp what specific situations would satisfy the requirements for Permission for Permanent Residence.

The following sections explain the practical requirements based on the current Immigration Bureau review manual and actual cases.

Having Resided Continuously in Japan for 10 Years or More

Continuous residence in Japan of 10 years or more is required. However, within this period, 5 years or more of continuous residence on a work-related Status of Residence (excluding “Technical Intern Training” and “Specified Skilled Worker (i)”) or a status-based Status of Residence is also required.
* For Highly Skilled Professionals, spouses of Japanese nationals or Permanent Residents, biological children of Japanese nationals or Permanent Residents, Long-Term Residents, and so on, the 10-year residence requirement is relaxed.

Because the term used is “continuously,” caution is required if there have been long-term departures within the 10-year period of residence. A long-term departure may cause your residence years to be considered reset (that is, to zero).

Specifically, the following cases fall under this:

However, if there are reasonable grounds for the departure — such as a long-term overseas business assignment ordered by your company or returning home for childbirth — there is a possibility that it will be judged as no problem, so it is important to provide a proper explanation in a written statement of reasons at the time of the Permanent Residence application.

Having an Annual Income of 3 Million Yen or More

A Permanent Residence applicant is required not to be a burden on public funds in daily life and, based on their assets, skills, etc., to be expected to lead a stable life in the future, and must demonstrate that they have continuously earned income.
Generally, an annual income of 3 million yen or more serves as the guideline, with an additional 200,000 to 300,000 yen per dependent required when there are dependents.
Income is, as a rule, assessed based on the resident tax taxation certificate issued by the municipality.

Note that for income in a Permanent Residence application:

are reviewed.
In other words, those holding a work-related Status of Residence are, as a rule, required to maintain income of 3 million yen or more for 5 consecutive years.

Having Fulfilled Public Duties Such as Taxes, Pension, and Insurance

You must have fulfilled public duties such as various taxes, pension, and insurance. In a Permanent Residence application, the following items are checked.

Furthermore, it is not enough for these amounts to be paid in full; during the above periods, payments must have been made on time, within the deadlines, as a condition for obtaining Permission for Permanent Residence.

Being of Good Conduct and Not Having Received Fines or Imprisonment

It is important not to have received fines or imprisonment. If you have received such a sentence in the past, a certain period (approximately 5 to 10 years) must have passed since the date of disposition.
The number of traffic violations is also checked in the review. For those who have received a driver’s license suspension, Permission for Permanent Residence will not be granted for at least 5 years from the day the license suspension was imposed, so caution is required.

② Collection and Preparation of Documents

The review for the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence has the significance of being the final review of immigration status for that foreign national. Because of this, the Immigration Services Bureau conducts a rigorous review, and the required documents also tend to be extensive. Collect and prepare them carefully so that nothing is overlooked.

For those currently holding a work-related Status of Residence, the general required documents are as follows.

Note that the required documents differ depending on the Status of Residence under which the applicant is currently staying, so please contact a specialist administrative scrivener for the exact list of required documents.

③ Application

The Immigration Services Bureau asks applicants to confirm before applying whether they meet the requirements for Permission for Permanent Residence.
This is not an issue if you have consulted and engaged an administrative scrivener, but if you are applying based on your own judgment, use the checklist provided by the Immigration Services Bureau to carefully confirm whether you satisfy the requirements.

④ (Only When Necessary) Submission of Additional Documents

The review for Permission for Permanent Residence is more rigorous than for other Statuses of Residence, so you may be asked to submit additional documents.
In that case, you must prepare and submit the documents promptly.

In addition, even when an application proxy files the Permission for Permanent Residence application, if there are points on which the Immigration Services Bureau wishes to ask the applicant directly, the applicant may be required to appear at the Immigration Services Bureau.
In that case as well, the applicant must make time to appear.

⑤ Confirming the Result

Once the review for Permission for Permanent Residence is complete, a notice of the result of the Permission for Permanent Residence application is sent to you.
If approved, prepare the result notice and the required documents and receive your new Residence Card at the Immigration Services Bureau.

Depending on the Immigration Services Bureau, options such as receiving the card on a later date, or bringing a red Letter Pack (Letter Pack Plus, 600 yen) so it can be mailed to you later, may also be available.

Required Documents for a Permission for Permanent Residence (Permanent Residence Status) Application

The required documents for a Permission for Permanent Residence application differ depending on what your current Status of Residence is.

Broadly speaking, cases are divided into those where you hold a work-related Status of Residence and those where you hold a non-work-related Status of Residence.

Examples of the former are Statuses of Residence such as “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services,” “Highly Skilled Professional,” and “Designated Activities.”

Examples of the latter are Spouse or Child of Japanese National, biological child of a Japanese national, Long-Term Resident, Dependent, and so on.

When aiming for the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence from a work-related status such as “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services,” a “written statement of reasons for requiring Permission for Permanent Residence” is required, 5 years of resident tax payment certificates are required, and the required documents tend to be more numerous.

On the other hand, when a Spouse of a Japanese National aims for the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence, no “written statement of reasons for requiring Permission for Permanent Residence” is required, and 3 years of resident tax payment certificates are sufficient, so the required documents are fewer.

The required documents for a Permission for Permanent Residence application vary from case to case, so if you are unsure, please consult a specialist administrative scrivener.

The Review Period for a Permission for Permanent Residence (Permanent Residence Status) Application

The review period for a Permission for Permanent Residence application is longer than for other Statuses of Residence.
The Immigration Services Bureau publishes a standard processing period of 4 months, but it can take 6 months or even 1 year.

Because the period is this long, various circumstances may change during the review.
One of the required documents for a Permission for Permanent Residence application is the Letter of Acknowledgment, which is a document containing the pledge that you will promptly report to the Immigration Services Bureau if you change jobs or the like during the review period.
During the review period for a Permission for Permanent Residence application, you should avoid as much as possible any actions that change the situation from the time of application, but if you unavoidably change jobs, you must promptly report this to the Immigration Services Bureau.

Key Points for Obtaining Permission for Permanent Residence (Permanent Residence Status)

To obtain the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence, the key is to satisfy the requirements set out in the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence.
The 3 main requirements are the good conduct requirement, the independent livelihood requirement, and the national interest requirement; what is important is to comply with Japanese laws and regulations on a daily basis and not to fall behind on tax payments and the like.
Being employed in economically stable work and residing continuously in Japan for 10 years or more is the guideline, but this period is case by case.

Also, a Permission for Permanent Residence application requires documents going back several years. If you run into problems with past tax payment status or income, obtaining Permission for Permanent Residence becomes difficult.
It is not as simple as automatically being able to obtain Permission for Permanent Residence once your residence in Japan reaches 10 years, so if you wish to obtain Permission for Permanent Residence in the future, consult an administrative scrivener early and aim to be in a state where you can clear all the requirements at the time of application.

Those Considering a Permission for Permanent Residence Application — Please Consult a Specialist Early

Our office provides full support for Permission for Permanent Residence (Permanent Residence status) applications.
We can confirm whether you satisfy the requirements for the “Permanent Resident” Status of Residence, and if you do, we can prepare all the required documents.
Even if you do not satisfy the requirements, we can advise you on what to do to obtain Permission for Permanent Residence.

The bar for obtaining Permission for Permanent Residence is high and the process can be extremely difficult, but with our office’s support, you can proceed with the procedures smoothly.
If you are considering a Permission for Permanent Residence application, please consult “Administrative Scrivener Corporation Touch.”