What Documents Are Required for a Permanent Residence Application? How to Write the Statement of Reasons (With Videos and Sample Text)

You Can Also Check How to Write the Statement of Reasons in Our Videos

 

What Is a Permission for Permanent Residence Application?

A Permission for Permanent Residence application is the procedure by which a foreign national staying in Japan changes their current Status of Residence to that of Permanent Resident. By obtaining Permanent Residence, your stay in Japan becomes indefinite and many restrictions related to employment and daily life are removed, so many foreign nationals who wish to make their living in Japan aim to obtain this status. However, an application for Permanent Residence requires strict conditions to be met and many documents to be prepared.

A Permanent Residence application is made to the Immigration Services Agency. The review proceeds once the applicant has assembled the required documents and gone through the proper procedures. The review is conducted strictly from various perspectives, including legal compliance, economic self-sufficiency, and contributions to Japan.

Points to Note When Applying

There are several points to note when applying for Permanent Residence. Understanding the following points in advance can help prevent deficiencies and delays in your application.

① Note the Validity Periods of Documents

Many of the documents required for a Permanent Residence application are certificates issued in Japan, and typically only documents issued within the past 3 months are valid. When you apply, please confirm that all documents are within their validity periods. In particular, for documents such as the certificate of residence, tax payment certificates, and documents proving occupation, it is important to obtain them shortly before applying to prevent any of them from expiring.

② Confirm Tax Payment and Pension Payment Status

In a Permanent Residence application, whether the applicant or the person supporting the applicant has properly paid taxes and pension premiums is subject to review. Since there must be no unpaid taxes or pension premiums over the past several years, it is necessary to confirm this carefully before applying. Any unpaid amounts or delayed payments carry the risk of denial of Permanent Residence, so particular care is required.

③ Additional Documents May Be Required

Depending on the applicant’s individual circumstances, additional documents beyond the standard required documents may be requested. This may happen, for example, when there are dependents, when the applicant has changed jobs during the application period, or when there is a history of changes in Status of Residence. It is important to prepare your documents with no omissions, checking not only the basic documents but also the “Documents That May Be Required Depending on Circumstances” section described later.

Choose the Timing of Your Application Carefully

A Permanent Residence application must be made before the expiration of your current Status of Residence. The review takes about 1 year, so apply with plenty of time to spare. If your period of stay will expire during the review, you will need to apply separately for renewal of the period of stay at the same time.

Also, even when the requirements are satisfied before the Permanent Residence review, there are cases where changes occur during the review period and the requirements come to be unmet, so please choose the timing of your application carefully.

Required Documents for a Permanent Residence Application

When applying for Permanent Residence, a variety of documents are required. The required documents cover a wide range — relating to the applicant’s residence situation, financial situation, personal guarantee, and so on — and it is important to prepare them accurately and completely. The following sections explain the general documents required for a Permanent Residence application.

Basic Required Documents

The basic required documents are as follows.

☑ Permission for Permanent Residence application form
The basic form required for a Permanent Residence application. It can be downloaded from the Immigration Bureau’s website.

☑ Written statement of reasons
Describe your reasons for applying for Permanent Residence in a free format (details follow below). If written in a language other than Japanese, attach a translation.

☑ ID photograph (4 cm tall × 3 cm wide)
Submit one ID photograph taken within the past 3 months, without a hat and with no background. Write the applicant’s name on the back of the photograph and affix it to the application form.

☑ Copy of your bank passbook
Submit copies of the cover, the second page, and the page showing the final balance of your bank passbook.

☑ Copy of your health insurance card
A copy of both sides of your health insurance card is required.

☑ Copy of National Health Insurance premium receipts
If you have been enrolled in National Health Insurance at any point in the most recent 2 years, submit copies of the receipts proving payment of National Health Insurance premiums.

☑ Printout of the “Monthly Pension Records” screen from Nenkin Net
Submit a printout of the Nenkin Net record screen showing your pension payment status.

☑ Copy of National Pension premium receipts
If you are enrolled in National Pension, copies of premium payment receipts for the most recent 2 years are required.

☑ Copy of your most recent graduation certificate
To prove your most recent academic background, submit a copy of your graduation certificate.

☑ Copy of Japanese-Language Proficiency Test certificate
To demonstrate Japanese language ability, submit a copy of your Japanese-Language Proficiency Test certificate (if applicable).

☑ Resident tax taxation certificate
Obtain documents proving your resident tax status for the most recent 5 years from your municipal office.

☑ Resident tax payment certificate
Obtain documents proving your resident tax payment status for the most recent 5 years from your municipal office.

☑ Certificate of residence listing all household members
Omit the Individual Number (My Number), but certificates of residence for the applicant and all members of the same household are required.

☑ Tax payment certificate for income tax, consumption tax, etc.
A document proving the payment status of taxes such as income tax and consumption tax, obtained from the tax office.
(Tax payment certificate (Type 3) for withholding income tax and special reconstruction income tax, declared income tax and special reconstruction income tax, consumption tax and local consumption tax, inheritance tax, and gift tax.)

☑ Certificate of registered matters of real estate
A certificate concerning real estate you own, obtained from the Legal Affairs Bureau (if you own real estate).

☑ Copy of the personal guarantor’s ID
A copy of the ID of the personal guarantor (a Japanese national or Permanent Resident) is required.

☑ Letter of personal guarantee
A document to be submitted by the personal guarantor in connection with your Permanent Residence application.

Documents That May Be Required Depending on Circumstances

When the applicant is the spouse of a Japanese national or the spouse of a Permanent Resident, the following documents are required.

☑ Copy of the spouse’s family register
A document to prove that the applicant is the spouse of a Japanese national.

☑ Marriage certificate
When the applicant is the spouse of a Permanent Resident, this is submitted to prove that the marriage has been legally registered.

☑ List of the applicant’s relatives
In addition, when the applicant is a manager holding the “Business Manager” Status of Residence, the following documents are required.

☑ Certified copy of the company’s commercial registration
To prove that the applicant is a manager, submit a certified copy of the company’s commercial registration.

☑ Copy of the financial statements
A document proving the financial settlement of the company as a manager. Submit the most recent one.

☑ Copies of Health Insurance and Employees’ Pension Insurance premium receipts
Documents relating to public pension and public health insurance premiums at the business establishment. Corporate business establishments or sole proprietorships (employing 5 or more regular employees) are legally required to enroll in Employees’ Pension Insurance and Health Insurance (mandatory-coverage establishments).

What Is the Written Statement of Reasons for Permanent Residence?

One of the required documents when applying for Permanent Residence is the written statement of reasons for Permanent Residence. To put it simply, this is a document explaining the reasons you wish to permanently reside in Japan and the fact that you satisfy the Permanent Residence requirements. However, many clients have no idea what to actually write.

Furthermore, since there is no format specified by the Immigration Bureau, you must create the entire document yourself. For this reason, this page introduces the key points and a sample text for preparing the written statement of reasons.

Key Points for Writing the Written Statement of Reasons

First, we explain the points that should be included when preparing the written statement of reasons. By keeping these points in mind, you can summarize and write down the key reasons you wish to obtain Permission for Permanent Residence.

① The Course of Events from Coming to Japan to the Present

Write down a general outline from what brought you to Japan up to the present.

② Your Current Employment Situation

Write about the content of your work and your relationships at the workplace. Also write about how you plan to continue working there going forward.

③ Your Personal Life

Write about your marriage, children, and place of residence.

④ Reasons for Applying

Write about why you want to permanently reside in Japan. This point is the most important.

Sample Text for the Written Statement of Reasons

Having explained the key points for the written statement of reasons above, here we introduce a sample text for the written statement of reasons.

 

Please Consult Our Office Regarding Permanent Residence Applications

An application for Permanent Residence requires many documents, and additional documents may be requested depending on individual circumstances. Many people may feel uneasy about preparing the documents, choosing the right timing for submission, or navigating the application procedures.

Administrative Scrivener Corporation Touch provides support for Permanent Residence applications.

Based on our extensive experience, we provide consistent assistance from document preparation through to filing, and we provide precise advice tailored to each individual client. If you have any concerns or questions about a Permanent Residence application, please feel free to consult our office.