Are there reasons why I shouldn't maintain Permanent Residency status?

[adamu]

we assume it applied to me as well.

Interesting. Is there an address on your residence card or "moved out" entry on the back or something? I've been wondering about this aspect of PR for a while and you're the first person I've seen with experience of it.

[bryanc]

i am interested in this as well!
what happens if you dont come back one time before the 5yr entry permit expires?
if you come back after say 3 yrs,can you extend the entry permit at that time or do you have to time your visit to towards the 5yr entry permit
expiry date??

would advise holding PR if every any chance of you returning to japan to live

[Foremost]

I'm away from home for a couple of nights and will check my card when I get back, but I don't think there's any such statement.

As for bryanc's questions, I'm not sure exactly what happens if you fail to return within the limits of your reentry permit. I haven't tried. I guess that's the call of the airport immigration officer. As a citizen of one of 68 countries allowed visa-free entry, perhaps you may be given permission to stay for 90 days.

There is provision for extending the reentry permit from overseas if you can provide evidence of exceptional circumstances, but the extension is good only for one additional year.

As for renewing your reentry permit early, I have done that in the belief that it was better to obtain a maximum extension rather than gamble on a return within the time remaining on the old permit. The immigration officer pointed out that my reentry permit was still valid and verified that I wanted to cancel it and buy a new one. At only ¥5000 for a five year permit, it's a small loss.

[TokyoWart]

...I'm not sure exactly what happens if you fail to return within the limits of your reentry permit...

I can help you with the answer to this one (unfortunately) because it happened to some of my family members. If you fail to return within the limits of your reentry permit your Permanent Residency is automatically cancelled and your name is removed from wherever you were registered as living. This happened to so many people during the pandemic travel restrictions that they temporarily created a way to re-instate your PR status with a simplified application.

[Foremost]

Right. But how do they resolve the issue of a foreigner in the airport with an expired reentry permit? Send that person back to where they came from?

[TokyoWart]

Right. But how do they resolve the issue of a foreigner in the airport with an expired reentry permit? Send that person back to where they came from?

Right now they would not even let you board the plane in the country of origin because the airline is responsible for your repatriation. Before the pandemic restrictions (which make it impossible to enter on a tourist visa) you could enter on a tourist visa issued at the airport but your PR status was still vacated.

[bryanc]

I'm away from home for a couple of nights and will check my card when I get back, but I don't think there's any such statement.

As for bryanc's questions, I'm not sure exactly what happens if you fail to return within the limits of your reentry permit. I haven't tried. I guess that's the call of the airport immigration officer. As a citizen of one of 68 countries allowed visa-free entry, perhaps you may be given permission to stay for 90 days.
As for renewing your reentry permit early, I have done that in the belief that it was better to obtain a maximum extension rather than gamble on a return within the time remaining on the old permit. The immigration officer pointed out that my reentry permit was still valid and verified that I wanted to cancel it and buy a new one. At only ¥5000 for a five year permit, it's a small loss.

thanks -most interesting- i have some additional questions though:
so basically you come back twice in the 7yr time period that the alien registration card is valid for..
is there a window near expiry you have to hit to renew the alien registration card or are they flexible with this?

[Foremost]

Bryanc, I just checked my email correspondence from 2015 and found that I didn't even renew the zairyu card myself. My wife went for a visit (we were living in Dubai at the time) and renewed the card for me. I have a copy of a letter to immigration authorities explaining the circumstances of my absence. I guess it worked! The previous renewal I don't recall and would have been on the old Alien Registration Card.

Regarding the window of renewal, that's one of the things I need to check at my upcoming meeting. Online info says it must be renewed _within_ 30 days of expiry. Don't know if you can apply ahead of that date.

[adamu]

Regarding the window of renewal, that's one of the things I need to check at my upcoming meeting. Online info says it must be renewed _within_ 30 days of expiry. Don't know if you can apply ahead of that date.

The immigration website says it can be renewed earlier than two months in advance if you have a good reason (living abroad is probably a good one). Although I still want to know whether you have an active residency record as it seems to be mutually exclusive to being a non-resident.

However, if it is difficult to apply to extend the validity period of the residence card within the application period noted below due to such unavoidable reasons as treatment for long-term illness or an extended overseas business trip, the individual may apply for an extension of the validity period of the residence card prior to the application period.

[zeroshiki]

I assume they have their residency in the wife's parents' address. Its what a lot of people do.