Permanent Residency postcard

[adamu]

I didn’t get asked for any extra documents

It's like passing your driving test the first time - you get to feel smug about it whenever the topic comes up.

Congrats.

[Gareth]

Well done sir, seriously well played on nailing the documents.

Huge congratulations!

Well done sir, seriously well played on nailing the documents.

I second that!

Congratulations! Welcome to the club

I didn’t get asked for any extra documents

It's like passing your driving test the first time - you get to feel smug about it whenever the topic comes up.

Congrats.

Thanks folks! It certainly was a huge relief to get it!

To anyone else applying, I got it while holding a three year "Engineer, Specialist in Humanities and International Services" visa, not a five year. I was worried about that point as it is said you need the maximum term for your visa class. But a three year was perfectly fine for me.

Any smugness I felt about not needing any further documents (quite a bit) was wiped away with a lovely almost four hour wait today to get my new Residence Card. But it's done and dusted. Until 2028 when I need to get a new Residence Card anyway!

Went to the City Office to update my MyNumber Card. That has been extended until my birthday in 2031, although annoyingly the passwords are only valid until the original expiry date of the card. They will send me a reminder in 2024 to go and reset the passwords.

Is there any other admin I need to do? Do I need to update anything with iDeCo? Do I need to update it with my banks?

[kuma]

To anyone else applying, I got it while holding a three year "Engineer, Specialist in Humanities and International Services" visa, not a five year. I was worried about that point as it is said you need the maximum term for your visa class. But a three year was perfectly fine for me.

I got it while holding a three-year spouse 'visa'. I think the guidelines are poorly worded on this point. The official English guidelines refer to the 'longest possible period of stay', but then the following clarification is buried towards the end:

With this guideline, applicants will be treated as "residing in Japan with the longest possible period of stay" as stated in section 1, 3 (c) if they have a period of stay of "three years."

https://www.isa.go.jp/en/publications/m ... kan50.html

Is there any other admin I need to do? Do I need to update anything with iDeCo? Do I need to update it with my banks?

I'm not aware of any other admin. (I needed new jyuminhyo + photocopy of new zairyu card for my employer, but I understand you are self-employed.) If/when I recontract with my landlord, my understanding is that PR will mean I don't have to go through a guarantor company, but think that will only become relevant if/when recontracting them.

[AreTheyTheLemmings?]

a guarantor company

Sorry to digress, and I hope I don't derail this post too badly.
I've always wondered about those guarantor companies; I've never had the need to use one before but I'm mindful that I might need to one day. Are they legit? Are they accessible to foreign nationals? Which one do you use? I'd be interested to hear about your experience.

[kuma]

a guarantor company

Sorry to digress, and I hope I don't derail this post too badly.
I've always wondered about those guarantor companies; I've never had the need to use one before but I'm mindful that I might need to one day. Are they legit? Are they accessible to foreign nationals? Which one do you use? I'd be interested to hear about your experience.

We moved to Hokkaido when my wife was pregnant. She quit her job to move. I registered as head of household. I was freelance and on a 1yr spouse ‘visa’.

We found a rental apartment through a big chain estate agent. At paperwork time, they said in our circumstances, we’d have to use a guarantor company. No choice in the company. About 10,000 yen for two years, I think. They said if I had PR I wouldn’t need the guarantor company.

V happy with the apartment overall and took this surcharge on the chin. I had a shorter period of stay than the 2yr rental contract, so I can understand I’m a risk on paper.

It’s the recontracting fees that irk me...

[RetireJapan]

Guarantor companies seem to be getting more common. Here in Sendai, we've had to use them when renting our last few places (for teachers, etc.). No choice in the matter, and there seems to be no real benefit to the customer, but at least we're seeing reikin and shikikin disappear. Small consolation.

[UpDown]

It was indeed good news, new residence card delivered in five minutes with a pleasing permanent status on it.
Thanks for the help/encouragement on the forum and if anyone needs any advice on applying (particularly via the spouse route), I obviously have recent experience so don’t hesitate to ask here or via PM.

I'm going to start the process via the spouse route in a few months and would love some help, though a look around these threads more for the topic soon. (The link in this thread now leads to a blank page, so any links would be appreciated.)

[Gareth]

I'm going to start the process via the spouse route in a few months and would love some help, though a look around these threads more for the topic soon. (The link in this thread now leads to a blank page, so any links would be appreciated.)

The Immigration website now has everything you need in English. Here's the best page to start:

https://www.isa.go.jp/en/applications/p ... /16-4.html

There's a link a bit further down the page for spouses that shows what documents you need for your situation.

Good luck!

[Beaglehound]

It was indeed good news, new residence card delivered in five minutes with a pleasing permanent status on it.
Thanks for the help/encouragement on the forum and if anyone needs any advice on applying (particularly via the spouse route), I obviously have recent experience so don’t hesitate to ask here or via PM.

I'm going to start the process via the spouse route in a few months and would love some help, though a look around these threads more for the topic soon. (The link in this thread now leads to a blank page, so any links would be appreciated.)

The link Gareth posted does indeed cover it pretty well. I didn’t find it when I applied, so made some mistakes in documentation, principally not including enough information about my wife’s pension payments, and not submitting the correct residence tax certificate showing gross income.
It is not always clear what documents are required for you only, and which ones are required for your spouse too, so I would suggest erring on the side of too much information. The good thing is that if they want further documents they will just ask, without apparent prejudice.

Good luck and keep asking any questions you need to.

[UpDown]

Good luck!

Thanks for your help!