The Advantages and Disadvantages of Permanent Residence, and the Path to Obtaining It

What Is Permanent Residence?

Permanent Residence is the right of a foreign national to reside permanently in Japan without restrictions on the period of stay. Permanent Residence is a Status of Residence granted by approval of the Minister of Justice, upon application to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau.

Why Obtain Permanent Residence?

Obtaining Permanent Residence requires having lived in Japan for a certain period of time or more, and many foreign nationals who have lived in Japan for many years ultimately aim to obtain Permanent Residence.
For foreign nationals living in Japan, the activities they can engage in within Japan are determined by their Status of Residence, and Statuses of Residence other than Permanent Resident require renewal of the period of stay every few months to every few years.

If renewal of the period of stay is denied and a change to another Status of Residence is not possible, the grounds for staying in Japan are lost, and you must leave the country. By obtaining Permanent Residence, the period-of-stay renewal application is no longer required, and activity restrictions are removed, so you can live freely and indefinitely in Japan within the bounds of the law.

3 Advantages of Obtaining Permanent Residence

The following sections explain 3 advantages of obtaining Permanent Residence.

① The Period of Stay Becomes Indefinite, Eliminating the Hassle of Renewal Applications

By obtaining Permanent Residence, your period of stay becomes indefinite. Statuses of Residence other than Permanent Resident require renewal of the period of stay every few months to every few years, and each time, you must visit the Immigration Bureau to complete the procedures.

Renewal applications are reviewed each time, and if you are not engaged in activities corresponding to the Status of Residence you currently hold, you may be denied — renewal is not necessarily guaranteed.
By obtaining Permanent Residence, you are freed from the burden of visiting the Immigration Bureau for each renewal application and from the risk that the renewal application will be denied.

② Activity Restrictions Are Removed

For foreign nationals living in Japan, the activities they can engage in within Japan are determined by their Status of Residence, and they must engage in those activities (excluding Statuses of Residence granted based on status, such as Spouse or Child of Japanese National).

By obtaining Permanent Residence, activity restrictions are removed. For example, many foreign nationals working as company employees in Japan hold the Status of Residence “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services.” Under this Status of Residence, they cannot engage in activities as a business manager, and they cannot work in so-called manual labor occupations (construction site workers, restaurant hall staff, convenience store cashiers, factory line workers, and so on). However, by obtaining Permanent Residence, these activity restrictions are removed, and you can freely start your own business or take up any occupation you wish.

In addition, those holding the Status of Residence as a spouse of a Japanese national lose the grounds for their residence if they divorce, and must consider changing to another Status of Residence; if they cannot meet the requirements for one, they will no longer be able to live in Japan. By obtaining Permanent Residence, the risk of no longer being able to live in Japan after a divorce is eliminated.

③ Social Credibility Increases

Obtaining Permanent Residence requires having lived in Japan for many years and satisfying various requirements. It is not a status that just anyone can obtain. Therefore, by obtaining Permanent Residence, your social credibility increases — specifically, it becomes easier to take out a housing loan, and for business managers, it becomes easier to obtain financing.

The Sole Disadvantage of Permanent Residence

From the above, it may seem that there are no disadvantages to obtaining Permanent Residence, but for those holding the Highly Skilled Professional Status of Residence, a disadvantage may arise in certain cases.

Under the current system, the acceptance of parents of foreign nationals residing on Statuses of Residence for the purpose of employment is not permitted. However, (1) when raising a child (including an adopted child) of the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional or their spouse who is under 7 years of age, or (2) when providing assistance to the pregnant spouse of the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional, or to the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional themselves during pregnancy,

the entry and stay of parents (including adoptive parents) of the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional or their spouse are permitted, subject to certain requirements.

For this reason, Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals who currently have their parents accompanying them will, upon obtaining Permanent Residence, no longer be able to have their parents accompany them.

How to Obtain Permanent Residence

To obtain Permanent Residence, you must apply to the Immigration Bureau and obtain approval. The Permanent Residence review stipulates various requirements, all of which must be satisfied.

Check the requirements for obtaining Permanent Residence.

The Path to Obtaining Permanent Residence

Obtaining the Documents Required for the Permanent Residence Application (1 to 2 Months)

Unlike other Status of Residence applications, a Permanent Residence application involves an enormous number of documents to collect. First, gather all the documents required for the Permanent Residence application without omission.

⇒ Check the documents required for a Permanent Residence application

Preparing the Documents Required for the Permanent Residence Application (1 Month)

Next, prepare the application form and the written statement of reasons. Also, if there are matters that may work against you in the review and there are unavoidable circumstances, you need to prepare a written statement of reasons regarding those circumstances and provide a proper, reasonable explanation.

Applying for Permanent Residence at Your Nearest Immigration Services Bureau

Bring the documents collected and prepared in steps ① and ② to apply for Permanent Residence at the Immigration Services Bureau with jurisdiction over your place of residence. If there are no deficiencies in the documents, the application will be accepted. If there are deficiencies, the application may not be accepted, so prepare carefully before applying.

Review Period (Approximately 4 to 8 Months)

During the review period, the Immigration Bureau often requests additional materials or written statements explaining the circumstances, so respond promptly to any requests from the Immigration Bureau.

Notification of the Result

You will be notified of the result approximately 4 to 8 months after the application. If approved, you receive your Permanent Residence Residence Card at the Immigration Bureau, and the process is complete.

In Closing

Obtaining Permanent Residence is something many foreign nationals who have lived in Japan for many years aim for. On the other hand, the overall approval rate for Permanent Residence is 50% (as of 2020), meaning that one in two foreign nationals who apply is denied. A Permanent Residence application is an extremely important review that determines whether Permanent Residence in Japan will be granted, so various requirements are stipulated, and the review and procedures are very complex.

It is important to properly confirm the requirements for obtaining Permanent Residence, make thorough preparations, and then submit your application.