2022-09-142022-10-04

If you apply for a permanent residence permit or a special residence permit, whether the application is approved depends on the review by the Legal Affairs Bureau.

By looking at past cases, you can get an idea of what types of applications are likely to be denied.

This article provides an overview of the cases in which the application for a residence permit was denied.

What is a permanent residence permit?

Once a foreigner obtains a permanent residence permit, they can stay in Japan without any restriction on the length of stay.

The permanent residence permit is considered difficult to obtain. The main reasons for this are the large number of documents required and the strict requirements for obtaining the permit.

Cases in which permanent residence was denied

The following are examples of cases in which permission to apply for permanent residence was denied.

There was an application by a person who contributes to the breeding and training of Japanese racehorses, but it was denied because the applicant’s stay in Japan was quite short – only one and a half years.

There was an application from a painter who produces a large number of works and donates them to museums, but the permit was not granted because there were problems with residency status, such as illegal stay.

There was an application from a person who does volunteer activities such as interpreting in addition to his work as a teacher at a high school. It was decided that these activities alone could not be considered a social contribution, etc. and therefore the application was not approved.

What is a special residence permit?

The special residence permit is a system that allows foreigners who enter or stay illegally to stay in Japan if they have family members here.

Cases in which a special residence permit was denied

The following are examples of cases in which the special residence permit was denied.

• The applicant had been living in Japan for 7 years and 3 months, including 4 years in illegality. Although she had no criminal record, she was denied the permit because she had suspicions about her cohabitation and marriage with her spouse.

• The applicant had given medical treatment as a reason for his stay in Japan, but the doctor decided that treatment in his home country was possible.

• The applicant had lived in Japan for almost 19 years and had been classified as an illegal resident. After reporting his status, he was found guilty of driving without a license and using stimulants, and his application was denied.

• The applicant operated a snack bar and had been living in Japan for about 13 years, during most of which time he was classified as illegal.
  He was denied because he employed several illegal overstayers at the snack bar.