"Permanent Resident (永住者)" Visa - Permanent Residence
"Permanent Resident" visa grants permanent residence to foreign nationals.
Holders of this visa can stay in Japan without any restrictions on the length of their stay.
How to apply for a "Permanent Resident" Visa (Working Visa Holders)
Here's how to prepare for a "Permanent Resident" visa application if you have a working visa such as an "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務)".
Preparation steps:
1. Check your eligibility. (Working Visa Holders)
Make sure that you meet the eligibility requirements for the "Permanent Resident" visa.
You can check it with our basic checklist for working visa holders.
We do not recommend applying for permanent residence without carefully reviewing the requirements.
Not only will your application for permanent residence be denied, but your current visa status may also be affected at the time of your next visa renewal application if your records, especially the payment of taxes and social security contributions, have a problem.
If you do not feel confident, it may be a good idea to consult with us.
2-1. Prepare certificates and official documents. (Case 1/2: You have been a company employee for the past 2 years. You are not married to a Japanese national or a permanent resident.)
Obtain and collect the following certificates and official documents if you have been a company employee on a working visa for the past 2 years.
| Document | Qty |
Note |
| Certificate of residence (住民票) | 1 |
*"My Number - Individual Number" must be omitted. *You can get one at your local municipal office. |
| Certificate of employment (在職証明書) | 1 | *You must submit one within 3 months of the date of issue. |
| Certificate of taxation (or non-taxation) for Residence Tax for the past 5 years (直近5年分の住民税の課税証明書又は非課税証明書) | 1 for each year |
*You must submit one within 3 months of the date of issue. *You can get ones at your local municipal office. You will need to get ones from the local municipal office if you have lived in a different municipality in the past. |
| Certificate of tax payment for Residence Tax (stating the total income and tax payment status for one year) for the past 5 years (直近5年分の住民税の納税証明書 （1年間の総所得及び納税状況が記載されたもの）) | 1 for each year |
*You must submit one within 3 months of the date of issue. *You can get ones at your local municipal office. You will need to get ones from the local municipal office if you have lived in a different municipality in the past. |
| Certificate of tax payment (No. 3) for Withholding Income Tax and Special Income Tax for Reconstruction, Self-assessed Income Tax and Self-assessed Special Income Tax for Reconstruction, Consumption Tax and Local Consumption Tax, Inheritance Tax, and Gift Tax (源泉所得税及び復興特別所得税、申告所得税及び復興特別所得税、消費税及び地方消費税、相続税、贈与税に係る納税証明書（その３）) | 1 |
*You must submit one within 3 months of the date of issue. *You can get one at your local tax office. |
|
No.1: Printed screen of "Pension Record for each month" on the "Nenkin Net" (ねんきんネットの「各月の年金記録」の印刷画面)
OR
No.2: "Hihokensha-kiroku-shokai-kaitohyo (被保険者記録照会回答票) = Insured Person Record Inquiry Response Form" and "Hihokensha-kiroku-shokai (Nofu I, Kabusokuno) (被保険者記録照会（納付Ⅰ・過不足納）) = Insured Person Record Inquiry Response (Payment I, Overpayment or Underpayment)" |
- |
*You can register with the "Nenkin Net" on the website of Japan Pension Service. The system shows only Japanese. *You can get "No.2" documents at a Japan Pension Service office. *You must black out your basic pension number (年金基礎番号) on the documents. |
|
Photocopy of health insurance card (健康保険証の写し) |
1 |
*You must black out your insurer number and insurance number/code on the photocopy. |
|
Photocopy of Passbook (預貯金通帳の写し)
OR
Printed screen of "Web bankbook" system capable of confirming bank account transactions (Web通帳の画面の写し等（取引履歴が分かるもの）)
OR
Certificate of registered information of your owning real property (不動産の登記事項証明書) |
1 | *You can get a certificate of registered information of your owning real property at your local Legal Affairs Bureau. |
2-2. Prepare certificates and official documents. (Case 2/2: You are a company employee, and have had a period of self-employment or a period of non-employment in the past 2 years. You are not married to a Japanese national or a permanent resident. )
Obtain and collect the following certificates and official documents if you are currently a company employee on a working visa and have had a period of self-employment or a period of non-employment in the past 2 years.
| Document | Qty |
Note |
| Certificate of residence (住民票) | 1 |
*"My Number - Individual Number" must be omitted. *You can get one at your local municipal office. |
| Certificate of employment (在職証明書) | 1 | *You must submit one within 3 months of the date of issue. |
|
Certificate of taxation (or non-taxation) for Residence Tax for the past 5 years (直近5年分の住民税の課税証明書又は非課税証明書)
And
Photocopy of all receipts for payment of Residence Tax in the past 5 years (直近5年間に住民税を自ら納付した際の領収証書の写し) or Photocopy of passbooks showing your payment of Residence Tax in the past 5 years (直近5年間に住民税を自ら納付した際の通帳の写し) |
1 for each year |
*You must submit certificates within 3 months of the date of issue. *You can get certificates at your local municipal office. You will need to get ones from the local municipal office if you have lived in a different municipality in the past. |
| Certificate of tax payment for Residence Tax (stating the total income and tax payment status for one year) for the past 5 years (直近5年分の住民税の納税証明書 （1年間の総所得及び納税状況が記載されたもの）) | 1 for each year |
*You must submit one within 3 months of the date of issue. *You can get ones at your local municipal office. You will need to get ones from the local municipal office if you have lived in a different municipality in the past. |
| Certificate of tax payment (No. 3) for Withholding Income Tax and Special Income Tax for Reconstruction, Self-assessed Income Tax and Self-assessed Special Income Tax for Reconstruction, Consumption Tax and Local Consumption Tax, Inheritance Tax, and Gift Tax (源泉所得税及び復興特別所得税、申告所得税及び復興特別所得税、消費税及び地方消費税、相続税、贈与税に係る納税証明書（その３）) | 1 |
*You must submit one within 3 months of the date of issue. *You can get one at your local tax office. |
|
No.1: Printed screen of "Pension record for each month" and "National pension record for each month" on the "Nenkin Net" (ねんきんネットの「各月の年金記録」の印刷画面) and Photocopy of all receipts for payment of national pension contributions in the past 2 years (国民年金保険料領収証書（写し）)
OR
No.2: "Hihokensha-kiroku-shokai-kaitohyo (被保険者記録照会回答票) = Insured Person Record Inquiry Response Form" and "Hihokensha-kiroku-shokai (Nofu I, Kabusokuno) (被保険者記録照会（納付Ⅰ・過不足納）) = Insured Person Record Inquiry Response (Payment I, Overpayment or Underpayment)" |
- |
*You can register with the "Nenkin Net" on the website of Japan Pension Service. The system shows only Japanese. *You can get "No.2" documents at a Japan Pension Service office. *You must black out your basic pension number (年金基礎番号) on the documents. |
|
Certificate of payment of national health insurance contributions (tax) in the past 2 years (国民健康保険料（税）納付証明書)
And
Photocopy of all receipts for payment of national health insurance contributions (tax) in the past 2 years (国民健康保険料（税）領収証書（写し）) |
- |
*You can get a certificate of payment of national insurance contributions (tax) at your local municipal office. You will need to get ones from the local municipal office if you have lived in a different municipality in the past. *You must black out your insurance number/code on the documents. |
|
Photocopy of health insurance card (健康保険証の写し) |
1 |
*You must black out your insurer number and insurance number/code on the photocopy. |
|
Photocopy of Passbook (預貯金通帳の写し)
OR
Printed screen of "Web bankbook" system capable of confirming bank account transactions (Web通帳の画面の写し等（取引履歴が分かるもの）)
OR
Certificate of registered information of your owning real property (不動産の登記事項証明書) |
1 | *You can get a certificate of registered information of your owning real property at your local Legal Affairs Bureau. |
3. Fill out an application form. (Working Visa Holders)
Download and complete an application form from the website of the Immigration Services Agency.
Here's an example of how to fill it out for working visa holders.
Attach your face photo to the application form.
The photo must meet the following requirements.
- Photo size: 4 cm high and 3 cm wide
- Facing front without a hat or cap
- No background (including shadows)
- The photo must be clear and sharp.
- Taken within six months of the submission date
- Write your name on the reverse side.
4. Prepare a written statement of reasons for the application
Write a letter explaining why you wish to become a permanent resident of Japan. The letter should convince the immigration authorities that you meet all the requirements for permanent residence;
- How you have lived and worked from the time you arrived in Japan to the present.
- How you fullfill all the requirements for permanent residence.
- Why you wish to continue living in Japan as a permanent resident.
You will need to prepare a Japanese translation if you write it in a foreign language.
Because the content of this letter varies from applicant to applicant, it may be a good idea to seek professional assistance if you are unsure of what to write.
5. Prepare a letter of guarantee.
The guarantor must be a Japanese national or a permanent resident.
Download a letter from the Immigration Services Agency's website and ask your guarantor to fill it out and sign it.
Prepare documents proving the guarantor's identity (photocopy of driver's license, etc.)
Note: The letter states, "In connection with the person applying for permission for permanent residence above, I hereby guarantee to provide him/her with necessary support to fulfill his/her civic duty and to abide by Japanese laws and regulations during his/her stay in Japan". This does not mean that your guarantor has legal responsibility. The guarantor has only moral responsibility.
The Immigration Services Agency explains on its website: A guarantor under the Immigration Control Act is a person who promises to the Minister of Justice that they will provide financial guarantees, daily life guidance for compliance with laws and regulations, as necessary, so that foreign nationals can stably and continuously achieve their intended purpose of entry into Japan. Regarding the nature of the letter of guarantee, the guaranteed matters promised to the Minister of Justice are not legally enforceable against the guarantor. Even if the guaranteed matters are not fulfilled, the authorities will only guide the guarantor to fulfill the promise. If the guarantor fails to fully fulfill their responsibilities, they will be considered unsuitable as a guarantor in subsequent immigration applications, and will lose social credibility. Therefore, it can be said that this imposes a moral responsibility. (Source: Q52 of "Immigration Q&A" on the website of the Immigration Services Agency. TKG Immigration Consulting Office translated it into English.)
6. Sign an Acknowledgment Form.
Download and sign an acknowledgment form from the Immigration Services Agency's website.
7. Submit application documents
Submit your application documents to a regional immigration services bureau that has jurisdiction over your place of residence.
You can check the jurisdiction of regional immigration services bureaus on the agency's website.
Present your passport and residence card at the time of submission.
Do you have any concerns about the above preparation?
Please contact us if you need assistance with your "Permanent Resident (永住者)" application.