Permanent Residence Applications When You Have a Criminal Record

Permanent Residence Applications When You Have a Criminal Record

For those living in Japan who wish to continue residing here over the long term, Permission for Permanent Residence is the Status of Residence that many foreign residents seek. However, if you have committed a crime in the past, does it affect your Permanent Residence application?

Legal Requirements for Permission for Permanent Residence

As a legal requirement for Permission for Permanent Residence, the applicant must be “of good conduct,” which is defined as complying with the law and leading a life as a resident that is not socially criticized in daily life. Furthermore, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan also explicitly states that the applicant must not have received a fine, imprisonment, or similar penalty.

Can You Apply for Permanent Residence Even with a Criminal Record?

Does even a single mark on your record mean that a Permanent Residence application is impossible? Not necessarily. For example, in the case of a traffic violation involving only 1 demerit point or only an administrative fine, there is a possibility of obtaining Permission for Permanent Residence if such minor violations have occurred only a few times. However, even minor violations will result in denial if they have occurred many times. As mentioned above, if you have received a fine or imprisonment, Permission for Permanent Residence will not be granted.

That said, this does not mean that Permission for Permanent Residence can never be obtained for the rest of your life. Once a certain period has passed since the sentence, there is a possibility of approval.
As a general guideline:

 

Once these periods have passed, the possibility of obtaining Permission for Permanent Residence arises.

As shown, having a criminal record does not make a Permanent Residence application absolutely impossible. However, the review naturally becomes stricter compared to that for a person without a criminal record. If you are considering a Permanent Residence application, it goes without saying that we recommend making every effort to lead a daily life that complies with the law. There is no such thing as “this traffic violation was minor, so it won’t affect the Permanent Residence application,” so it would be wise to take even greater care to lead a proper life in other respects as well (for example, paying taxes correctly).

Summary: Permanent Residence Applications with a Criminal Record

Applying for Permanent Residence while having a criminal record is naturally more difficult, and there are various circumstances to consider. Even if denied, reapplication is possible, but because the review period for a Permanent Residence application is long, multiple applications in a single year are not feasible. If you are considering an application despite having a criminal record, please feel free to consult our office.