2025-03-17

Permanent residence is a status that allows foreigners to stay in Japan, but unlike other statuses, there are no restrictions on the period of stay. Therefore, the examination process is more rigorous and the examination period is longer than for other statuses of residence. The examination period will be longer than that of other statuses.

What is permanent residence?

Permanent residence is literally a right that allows a foreigner to reside permanently in Japan. Normally, a status of residence has a “period of stay” of 5 years, 1 year, etc., but permanent residence has no limit on the period of stay. In other words, once you obtain a permanent residence visa, you do not need to renew it.

However, there are strict criteria. First, the applicant must be of good conduct. Specifically, you must not have violated any laws. Minor violations, such as traffic violations, may not be a problem, but repeated violations may be.

Second, the applicant must have sufficient assets and skills to earn a living. In other words, you must have the income, qualifications, and skills to live in Japan. However, the entire household, not just the foreign national himself/herself, will be looked at, so there is no problem if the applicant has assets and sources of income not only personally but also from family members and relatives.

Third, the applicant’s permanent residence must be beneficial to Japan. For example, the applicant has been working in Japan for many years and has contributed to society, has paid taxes properly, or is free from infectious diseases and has no public health problems.

How long is the examination period for permanent residence?

There is a certain amount of time required for the “examination period” before an application can be approved, not only by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, but also by other administrative agencies. This is because it is necessary for applicants to know in advance how long they have to wait to obtain permission.

The examination period for permanent resident status is 6 to 7 months. Therefore, if you are in Japan with another status of residence, you should apply for permanent residence at least 6 to 7 months before your “period of stay” expires.

How can I avoid prolonging the examination period?

The “examination period” of 6 to 7 months as explained earlier is only for cases where the examination is conducted smoothly and without any problems. For example, if the application is incomplete or there are shortages in the required documents, it may take longer than that.

If this happens, there may be a situation where the period of the status of residence you currently have expires. Therefore, it is necessary to devise ways to avoid prolonging the examination period.

First of all, it is important to avoid incomplete applications and missing required documents. It is also effective to check the application form many times before submitting it, have it checked by an administrative scrivener or other specialist, or have them check it on your behalf.

Secondly, be very careful to ensure that there are no delinquent payments of taxes, social insurance premiums, pensions, etc. As I explained earlier in the criteria, “Are you in violation of the law?” If you have not paid your taxes and other obligations as a Japanese citizen, it will be very difficult to obtain a permit.

And you also need to be very careful about your stay abroad. If you travel back and forth too often, you may be asked, “Don’t you intend to take your time and settle down and live in Japan? or “What is the reason for your frequent trips back and forth overseas? or “Why do you travel back and forth overseas so often?

One guideline is to limit overseas business trips and stays to no more than three months at a time, and no more than 100 to 150 days in a year.

Conclusion

The examination period for permanent residence is usually around 6-7 months. However, it may take longer if the application is incomplete or if the required documents are missing. If this happens, it is possible that the expiration date of your current status of residence may be exceeded, so you must be very careful when applying.