Immigration Immigration agency tightens permanent residency guidelines

Japan's immigration agency has tightened its guidelines for permanent residency. This is part of a broader government drive to take firmer action on foreign nationals and tourists. The revision, issued yesterday, raises the required visa validity from 3 years to 5 years. It also strengthens screening of applicants with unpaid tax or health insurance premiums, even if those arrears have since been settled.

Under the new rules, applicants must continue to meet three statutory conditions: good conduct, financial self-sufficiency and residence deemed to serve Japan's interests. In principle, candidates must have lived in Japan for at least 10 consecutive years. That period must include five continuous years under a work-related status of residence or a status based on personal ties, such as a spouse visa.

However, one key point of the revision affects the requirement that applicants hold the longest available period of stay under their visa category at the time of application — typically five years for categories such as engineer or spouse of a Japanese national. Until now, a three-year period of stay was treated as satisfying that condition for permanent residency screening. But the latest revision allows the three-year period of stay only for those already holding status through 31 March 2027. A disposition issued within that period will be treated as satisfying the requirement on a one-time basis.

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