2025-06-10

A foreign national can acquire Japanese citizenship through naturalization. In other words, they become Japanese citizens from foreigners, but can they invite their parents living in their home country to Japan? Let us explain in detail.

Life after naturalization

If a foreign national applies for naturalization and meets the requirements, he/she can acquire Japanese citizenship. After naturalization, you will live as a Japanese person, rather than as a Japanese person.

After the application for naturalization is approved, a “notification of naturalization” must be submitted to the municipal office of the city, ward, or town where you live. This procedure will result in the creation of your family register in about 7 to 10 days. Once your family register is created, you can have your passport made as a Japanese citizen.

In addition, if you had a driver’s license before applying for naturalization, you will need to change your legal domicile and name. It takes about one week to 10 days after submitting the “notification of naturalization” to obtain a certificate of residence. You can go through the procedure at the police station or driver’s license center with your driver’s license along with your certificate of residence.

How to invite your parents to Japan (1)

One of the ways to invite your parents in your home country after naturalization is a “Temporary Visitor Visa.

A “Temporary Visitor Visa” is literally a status of residence that allows you to stay in Japan for a short period of time. There are three types of “Temporary Visitor Visa”: “Tourism”, ‘Business’, and “Visiting Relatives”.

If you obtain a “Visiting Relatives” visa, you will be allowed to stay in Japan for a maximum of 90 days. However, since this is only a “short-term stay,” in principle, extension of the period of stay is not permitted.

How to invite your parents to Japan (2)

Another way to invite your parents in your home country after naturalization is to “support your elderly parents,” which falls under the status of residence of “Designated Activities.

However, since this “Support for Elderly Parents” is outside the scope of notification, “entry and stay in Japan are approved on an individual basis based on the content of the activity. In other words, there are no clear criteria. Therefore, the hurdles to obtaining permission are high.

In general, there are four conditions for “old parental support.

The first is that the parent must have no relatives in the home country. For example, the parent you wish to bring in has no spouse, no siblings or children in the home country, or no relatives to take care of them.

The second is when the parent in the home country is over 70 years old. Of course, there is no clear standard for age, but it is generally the case that the parent is over 70 years old and there are concerns about his or her health.

The third is when it is difficult to live alone in the home country. If the parents are able to live in their home country without any problems, there is no need for them to come all the way to Japan. However, if they have a chronic illness that makes it difficult for them to live alone, there is a possibility that they will be permitted to do so.

Finally, fourth, the child living in Japan must be financially capable. No matter how many parents are invited from their home country, if they cannot bear the cost of living in Japan, they will not be able to make a living. Therefore, the child who invites his/her parents to Japan must have enough financial ability to bear the expenses during the parent’s stay in Japan.

Summary

After naturalization, there are two ways to invite parents living in the home country to Japan: “visiting relatives” and “old parental support. However, the maximum period for “visiting relatives” is 90 days, which is quite short. On the other hand, the “support for an elderly parent” allows for a longer stay, but the hurdle to be approved is higher.