Permanent Resident Visa

[Gareth]

The immigration website has just been updated. Looks like there is some move to being able to apply for visas online. Not for Permanent residency for the time being though.

Here is the Permanent Residency section:
http://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/p ... /16-4.html

There are still loads of broken links, including the English page for PR, but I guess it's a work in progress

[Gareth]

Applied for my PR yesterday at Tachikawa on Tokyo. I asked the chap at the desk how long it would take to receive an answer and he said 7 to 8 months. The wait begins.

[Beaglehound]

Applied for my PR yesterday at Tachikawa on Tokyo. I asked the chap at the desk how long it would take to receive an answer and he said 7 to 8 months. The wait begins.

Best of luck. I applied six weeks ago and they told me they would be in touch to ask for other ‘necessary’ documents, which I took to mean that nobody could possibly interpret the paperwork requirements 100% correctly first time. No contact yet though.

[Gareth]

Best of luck. I applied six weeks ago and they told me they would be in touch to ask for other ‘necessary’ documents, which I took to mean that nobody could possibly interpret the paperwork requirements 100% correctly first time. No contact yet though.

Cheers. You too. Seems there are a few us on the forum applying at the moment. Let's hope we are all successful!

My guess for extra documents (should I have nailed the documentation in my initial application!) would be an updated kazeishomeisho once they become available in summer to account for 2020's taxes.

[Nini]

I moved back to Japan in the summer of 2017, after living abroad for 10 years.

I applied for PR in the summer of 2019 and was approved a few months later. I had to show proof of employment (在職証明書), show that my tax and pension payments etc were up to date - I basically only had documentation for the last year, but that wasn't a problem; my (non-working) wife was the guarantor, and...that was it. It was ridiculously quick and easy.

I applied under one of the new rules, that says that if you've been married for more than three years and have lived in Japan for more than one year, you can apply for PR. It was dead easy. I literally spent more time and effort getting my mobile phone....

Does anyone know if a Japanese national lived overseas for 25 plus years and obtained citizenship in the US could get permanent status in Japan easily? And if so, what is the process? I heard rumors about Japan reconsidering dual citizenship but that appears not to be the case. Appreciate any input. Thanks.

[Tony]

Upon obtaining US citizenship (if it wasn't by birth), they would automatically be giving up their Japanese citizenship, so to Japan they would be the same as any other foreigner, and to get permanent residency status would have the same requirements as anyone else, ie. 10 years of consecutive residence in Japan, 1 year of residence in Japan if married to a Japanese national for 3 or more years, however many points on the point based system, or 1 year(?) of residence with a HSP visa.

[adamu]

Does anyone know if a Japanese national lived overseas for 25 plus years and obtained citizenship in the US could get permanent status in Japan easily? And if so, what is the process? I heard rumors about Japan reconsidering dual citizenship but that appears not to be the case. Appreciate any input. Thanks.

What do you mean by Japanese national? If you mean citizen, then no, Japanese citizens are not subject to immigration policy and can live in Japan by right.

[mighty58]

Upon obtaining US citizenship (if it wasn't by birth), they would automatically be giving up their Japanese citizenship

No, it's not automatic. The person in question would have to notify the Japanese government on their own accord and formally renounce. In practice, most Japanese who go abroad and end up getting citizenship somewhere just don't bother informing the Japanese government of their new citizenship, thus effectively keeping both.

[RetireJapan]

No, it's not automatic. The person in question would have to notify the Japanese government on their own accord and formally renounce. In practice, most Japanese who go abroad and end up getting citizenship somewhere just don't bother informing the Japanese government of their new citizenship, thus effectively keeping both.

I believe the law says that as soon as an adult gains a new nationality they immediately and automatically lose their Japanese one. So one could try to keep this from the government, but as soon as they found out (by not finding any visas in the Japanese passport you tried to renew) the law would be applied. So it is a dangerous line to walk.

[adamu]

Here's the law verbatim:

（国籍の喪失）
(Loss of Nationality)
第十一条　日本国民は、自己の志望によつて外国の国籍を取得したときは、日本の国籍を失う。
Article 11　(1)　If a Japanese citizen acquires the nationality of a foreign country at his/her choice, he/she loses Japanese nationality.
２　外国の国籍を有する日本国民は、その外国の法令によりその国の国籍を選択したときは、日本の国籍を失う。
(2)　A Japanese citizen having the nationality of a foreign country loses Japanese nationality when he/she selects the nationality of that foreign country according to the laws and regulations thereof.