Complete Guide to Required Documents for Permanent Residency in Japan | How to Read the Immigration Website and Case-Specific Pitfalls

Preparing the required documents for a permanent residency application is highly complex, and we often receive inquiries from applicants who are unsure what documents they need and where to obtain them. Simply collecting the documents can take 2 to 3 months, and applicants with a history of moving or changing jobs may need even more time.

In this article, an administrative scrivener provides a complete explanation of the 15 types of documents required for all applicants, additional documents by status of residence, and the four common document-collection pitfalls that frequently cause problems in practice. If you are preparing to apply for permanent residency, we recommend keeping this article at hand and gathering your documents in a planned manner.

This Article Is Also Explained in Video Format

The content of this article is also explained in detail through a video by Yuda, representative of Touch Immigration Law Firm. If you prefer learning through video rather than text, please watch it as well.

Overall Structure of Required Documents: 3 Categories

The required documents for permanent residency applications can be broadly divided into 3 categories.

The first category is documents required for all applicants. There are 15 types.

The second category is additional documents by status of residence. The required additional documents vary depending on whether the applicant is the spouse of a Japanese national, spouse of a permanent resident, a Business Manager, Highly Skilled Professional, Family Stay visa holder, and so on.

The third category is optional documents that are not mandatory but may improve the likelihood of approval if submitted. A typical example is a written explanation of circumstances.

Documents Common to All Applicants: 15 Types

The following 15 types of documents are commonly required from all applicants in permanent residency applications.

We will now provide supplementary explanations for each of these 15 common document types.

① Application for Permanent Residence Permit / ② ID Photo

① The Application for Permanent Residence Permit is a standard form that can be downloaded from the Immigration Services Agency website.

② The ID photo must be 4cm high × 3cm wide, taken within 3 months before application, with no hat and a plain background. To avoid mistakes, select the “visa” or “status of residence” option when using an ID photo machine. Applicants under 16 years old do not need to submit a photo.

③ Certificate of Employment of the Applicant or the Person Supporting the Applicant

Document ③ is the certificate of employment of the applicant or the person supporting the applicant. For example, if you are working on a work visa, you should obtain your own certificate of employment. If you came to Japan under Family Stay and your spouse supports the household through employment, you should obtain the certificate of employment of that spouse, who is the supporter.

Self-employed applicants should submit a copy of their filed tax return instead of a certificate of employment. If you have a business permit, attach a copy of that as well.

④ Residence Record for the Entire Household

For document ④, you need a residence record for the entire household, not just the applicant. My Number should be omitted, but all other items should be listed.

⑤ Resident Tax Taxation and Payment Certificates / ⑥ Tax Payment Certificate No. 3

⑤ The resident tax taxation certificate, or tax exemption certificate, and resident tax payment certificate are issued by the municipality. As a general rule, the most recent 5 years are required, although this may be shortened to 3 years or 1 year depending on the applicant’s category.

⑥ The Tax Payment Certificate No. 3 is easily confused with the above, but it is a separate document issued by the tax office. It certifies that there are no unpaid national taxes, such as income tax, consumption tax, inheritance tax, and gift tax, across 5 national tax categories. Although there are also certificates No. 1 and No. 2, only No. 3 is required for permanent residency applications. We explain this in detail in Chapter 4, “Pitfalls.”

⑦ Copies of Bank Passbooks

Document ⑦ is copies of bank passbooks. These are submitted as income and asset documents to show that the applicant satisfies the independent livelihood requirement for permanent residency, meaning that they have the financial foundation to support themselves. Prepare copies that show deposits and withdrawals for approximately the most recent 1 year. Printed online bank passbook screens are also acceptable.

⑧ Public Pension / ⑨ Payment Status of Public Health Insurance Premiums

For ⑧ pension and ⑨ health insurance payment status documents, the general rule is the most recent 2 years. Pension records can be proven through Nenkin Net or inquiry forms issued by a pension office. Health insurance can be proven through receipts or payment certificates. We explain this in detail in Chapter 4, “Pitfalls.”

⑩ Passport and Residence Card

For ⑩, the passport and residence card only need to be presented at the counter when applying. Copies do not need to be submitted. Presentation and submission are different, so please do not confuse them.

⑪ Letter of Guarantee / ⑫ Identification Document of the Guarantor

⑪ The letter of guarantee is completed and signed by the guarantor using the form downloadable from the Immigration Services Agency website. The guarantor should be a Japanese national or permanent resident.

⑫ For the document identifying the guarantor, a copy of a driver’s license or similar document is sufficient.

Previously, the guarantor’s certificate of employment, resident tax taxation certificate, withholding tax slip, and similar documents were also required. However, after the form revision in June 2022, the requirements were significantly simplified, and now only a copy of an identification document is needed.

⑬ Statement of Reasons

The Immigration Services Agency’s required document list simply states that the statement of reasons is in “free format,” and no specific form is designated.

In fact, a statement of reasons is not mandatory for every permanent residency application. For example, applicants with the status of Spouse of a Japanese National, etc., for whom submission is optional, do not necessarily need to submit one.

On the other hand, for applicants applying for permanent residency from work-related statuses such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Skilled Labor, or Intra-company Transferee, the statement of reasons is both mandatory and important. Because the way it is written can significantly affect the result, we provide a full explanation in our separate article, “How to Write a Statement of Reasons for Permanent Residency｜Explained by an Administrative Scrivener with Sample Text by Pattern.” Please refer to it as well.

外国人永住ビザサポートセンター｜行政書士法人タッチ

永住理由書の書き方｜パターン別の例文つきで行政書士が解説

https://touch.or.jp/eizyu/sinnseiriyuusyo-kakikata/

永住理由書は、永住許可申請の必要書類の中で唯一、自由形式で書く書類です。書式に決まりがないからこそ、「これさえ上手く書けば許可がもらえる」と過大な期待を持たれがちですが、実際の理由書の役割は「許可を勝ち取る武器」ではなく、「不必要な不許可を回避するための整理」です。本記事では、理由書の本当の役割から、6つの構成要素、4パターン別の書き方のポイント、そして4パターンの完全記載例まで、行政書士の視点で完全解説します。これから永住申請をご検討中の方は、ぜひ本記事を参考に、ご自身の理由書を準備してくださ...

⑭ Consent Form

⑭ The consent form became a required document for permanent residency applications on October 1, 2021, and can be downloaded from the Immigration Services Agency website.

Its content is a pledge by the applicant stating, “I understand that if any of the following changes occur during the examination of my permanent residency application, I will promptly report them to immigration.” Reportable changes include the following.

⑮ Permanent Residency Application Self-Check Sheet

⑮ is the “Permanent Residency Application Self-Check Sheet” created and provided by Touch Immigration Law Firm. This sheet allows you to easily check whether you meet the requirements and whether there are any disadvantageous factors before applying for permanent residency.

▶ Download the Permanent Residency Application Self-Check Sheet

Additional Documents by Status of Residence

Next, let us look at additional documents required according to the applicant’s status of residence, in addition to the 15 common documents.

Applying from Spouse of Japanese National or Spouse of Permanent Resident

Applicants with the status of “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” who have been married for at least 3 years and have continuously resided in Japan for at least 1 year must obtain, in addition to the 15 common document types, the family register transcript of the Japanese spouse. A family register transcript can be obtained from the municipal office of the registered domicile. Recently, it can also be obtained at convenience stores using a My Number card.

Applicants with the status of “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident” must additionally submit a marriage certificate. A marriage certificate issued in the home country should be submitted together with a Japanese translation.

For spouse visa holders, the standard practice is for the Japanese national or permanent resident spouse to serve as the guarantor.

Applying from Long-Term Resident

Long-Term Residents must submit, in addition to the common documents, documents clarifying their status relationship. Specifically, prepare documents such as family register transcripts, birth certificates, or marriage certificates that show the circumstances under which the applicant resides as a Long-Term Resident.

Applying from Business Manager

Applicants managing a company under a Business Manager visa need a relatively large number of additional documents: the company registration certificate, financial statements for the most recent two years, and copies of receipts for company health insurance and employees’ pension insurance premiums for the most recent two years.

In permanent residency applications from Business Manager status, immigration examines not only the applicant’s own income and tax payment status, but also whether the company being managed is operating stably and whether social insurance premiums have been properly paid.

Please Note the New Requirements for the Business Manager Visa

Applicants applying for permanent residency from Business Manager status will not be granted permanent residency unless they satisfy the new requirements for the Business Manager visa. Please refer to the article below for details on the new requirements.

経営管理ビザサポートセンター

【2025年改正後】経営管理ビザ更新の新ルールを解説｜経営管理ビザサポートセンター

https://touch.or.jp/keiei/visakoushin/

2025年10月10日に公布された省令改正により、経営管理ビザの更新許可のハードルは以前とは比べ物にならないほど高くなり

Four Document-Collection Pitfalls: Most Important

This is the most important section of this article. We will explain in detail the 4 document-collection pitfalls that many applicants struggle with in practice.

Pitfall ① Resident Tax Taxation Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate

This is a very common issue. Many applicants say, “I went to the city office where I currently live to get all 5 years’ worth of documents at once.” However, resident tax documents can only be obtained from the municipality where your address was registered as of January 1 of that year.

For example, if you moved from City A to City B three years ago, City B can only issue documents for 3 years. The remaining 2 years must be obtained separately from City A. If you have a history of moving, we recommend starting early.

Pitfall ② Tax Payment Certificate No. 3

Because the names are similar, many applicants mistakenly believe they can obtain everything from the municipality.

The “Tax Payment Certificate No. 3” proves that there are no unpaid “national taxes,” such as income tax, consumption tax, inheritance tax, and gift tax. It is issued by the tax office with jurisdiction over your address. It can be obtained at the tax office counter or by mail.

Company employees rarely pay income tax or consumption tax directly, so some may think it does not apply to them. However, this document is mandatory for all permanent residency applicants, so be sure to obtain it.

Pitfall ③ Pension Records

At our office, this is the most common point where applicants who prepared documents themselves get stuck. Many people bring the Nenkin Teikibin notice and say, “This was delivered to my home.” However, permanent residency applications require more detailed monthly payment status.

Our recommendation is to register for the “Nenkin Net” website and save the “Monthly Pension Records” page as screenshots or export it as a PDF. If you have a My Number card, you can register quickly.

If you cannot use Nenkin Net, please visit a pension office and request the following three documents: “Insured Person Record Inquiry Response Form,” “Insured Person Record Inquiry (Payment I),” and “Insured Person Record Inquiry (Payment II).” If you bring identification documents, they can generally be issued on the spot.

Pitfall ④ National Health Insurance Premiums

Applicants enrolled in National Health Insurance, such as sole proprietors, self-employed individuals, and freelancers, need to be especially careful here.

National Health Insurance premiums are paid by bank transfer or by payment slips at counters or convenience stores, but you must keep all of the receipts.

Company employees enrolled in social insurance can submit a copy of their health insurance card or similar document.

Strategic Use of Optional Documents: Written Explanation of Circumstances

So far, we have explained documents that are required for the application. Next, we will discuss optional documents that are not mandatory but may be worth submitting.

Written Explanation of Circumstances: For Addressing Disadvantageous Factors

One optional document is the “written explanation of circumstances.” This is a document used by applicants who have circumstances that may be disadvantageous in a permanent residency application to explain the background and any improvements made.

However, there is a very important premise to understand.

It is rare for a written explanation of circumstances to fully recover from a disadvantageous factor.

In particular, applicants who have had late payments of public dues——that is, delays in paying pension premiums, resident tax, or health insurance premiums, are, under current practice, almost always refused no matter how carefully the explanation is written.

The only exceptional case approved by our office involved a situation where the applicant could prove with objective evidence, such as hospitalization records, that they were physically unable to pay by the deadline because they were hospitalized. Other ordinary reasons, such as “I forgot,” “there was insufficient balance in my account,” or “I was busy during job-change procedures,” are realistically very difficult to recover from through a written explanation.

Therefore, if you have past late payments of public dues, the most reliable response is not to rely on a written explanation, but to apply only after a clean period with no late payments has passed. For example, for late pension premium payments, wait until 2 years have passed from the month of the delay. For late resident tax payments, wait until 5 years have passed.

So who should submit a written explanation of circumstances?

Even so, a written explanation may still have value in cases such as the following.

Even in these cases, please understand that a written explanation is not a magic tool that erases the disadvantageous factor itself, but a way to properly organize and communicate facts that have already improved.

Summary: Final Checklist for Document Preparation

Finally, here is a final checklist for document preparation.

Permanent residency application documents consist of a combination of 15 types of common documents, additional documents by status of residence, and an optional written explanation of circumstances.

Related Articles

Please also see the other articles in our complete guide series on permanent residency applications.

• Part 1/4: Complete Guide to the Three Requirements for Permanent Residency｜Updated for the 2026 Guidelines
• Part 3/4: How to Write a Statement of Reasons for Permanent Residency｜Explained by an Administrative Scrivener with Sample Text by Pattern
• Part 4/4: From Permanent Residency Application to Approval｜An Administrative Scrivener Explains How to Respond If Refused
• Special Article: All Cases in Which Permanent Resident Status Can Be Revoked

We Offer Free Consultations for Permanent Residency Applications

Touch Immigration Law Firm offers free consultations for permanent residency applications. If you are having trouble preparing documents, have a history of moving or changing jobs that makes document collection complicated, or find it difficult to assess your case on your own, please feel free to contact us.

In particular, document preparation usually takes 2 to 3 months. If you are considering applying for permanent residency, we recommend consulting us early.

Please contact us anytime through the inquiry form on our website or by phone.