2023-05-132023-06-13

When applying for a naturalization permit, many people worry about how long the process will take and when they will receive the results. The time varies depending on the applicant, but in some cases the results of the review can be much faster than average. This topic explains the application process, requirements, and timeline for applying for a naturalization permit.

What is an application for a naturalization permit?

This is the procedure for foreigners to obtain Japanese citizenship. If the permit is granted, you will lose your citizenship in your home country.

You will then have no restrictions on activities in Japan and will have the same rights as a Japanese citizen, such as the right to vote, a Japanese family registry, no restrictions on employment, and the ability to obtain a Japanese passport.

Requirements for applying for a naturalization permit

1. There are seven requirements for applying for a naturalization permit.
   You must have lived in Japan for at least 5 years.
2. You must be 20 years old or older and meet the legal requirements of your home country.
3. You must be of good behavior.
4. You can live on your income or assets and skills, or on the income or assets and skills of your spouse or relatives.
5. You do not have citizenship or should lose your original citizenship by acquiring Japanese citizenship.
6. You have never founded or joined a political party or other organization that plans or advocates the destruction of the Japanese Constitution or the government established under it by force.
7. You can read, write and speak Japanese

Time required to apply for naturalization permit

Depending on the applicant, it takes approximately 10 months to 1 year from the submission of the naturalization application to the announcement of the outcome of the application.

It takes so long because many documents need to be collected before the application can be submitted. It is very time-consuming to gather the required documents by yourself.

For this reason, you can hire a specialized administrative scrivener to submit the application as soon as possible.

Cases in which approval is expedited

In some cases, approval can be expedited when you apply for a naturalization permit.

• Parents/siblings applied first

If your parents or siblings applied for a naturalization permit before you did, your application may be approved more quickly.

• Applicant is relatively young

Younger people have fewer documents than older people, and they do not have a long history, so it may be faster to get a naturalization permit.

• Company employees

Sole proprietors and company managers usually have many documents and have to undergo many examinations, while company employees usually pass the examinations easily if they have worked continuously for more than 3 years.

Summary

When you apply for a naturalization permit, it takes about 10 months to 1 year from application to approval. However, this also depends on the applicant.

If your parents or siblings apply first, if you are relatively young, or if you are an employee of a company, your permit may be issued more quickly.