To become a citizen

[yumeitsumo]

What do you have to do to become a citizen of Japan? What are the requirements? I know you have to know Japanese. But do you have to be fluent? And what else?

 

[Homerduff]

- You have to live in Japan for at least 5 years
- At least 20 years old
- No crime record
- Enough money to support yourself
- Willing to give up your native nationality

 

[nice gaijin]

A more poignant question might be "why would you want to?"

 

[yumeitsumo]

Because I feel like I belong there. I'm so in love with Japan.

 

[pipokun]

I forgot his name, but it is also a great love that a great American professor of Japanese literature had never come to Japan claiming the present Japan was not Japan.
Love is tough, but it may be easy to find a high school exchange program for your first step.

 

[yumeitsumo]

My mother refuses to let me do that.

 

[nice gaijin]

have you ever been there? Do you just feel like you belong there, or do you actually know it? You do realize that you can live there without being a citizen (in fact, it's a requirement of the naturalization process).

 

[yumeitsumo]

Oh really? But I thought you can only stay there a certain amount of time.

 

[nice gaijin]

it all depends on your visa status. Try visiting or studying or working there before you decide to move there for ever and ever. Are you planning on going to uni?

 

[yumeitsumo]

*BLUSHES* I can't believe I don't know this... but what is UNi?

 

[nice gaijin]

sorry, University/college. Having a 4-year degree will make it much easier to get a visa that will let you stay longer, unless if you are a student or on a spouse visa.

My recommendation is to go to college and try to get into an exchange problem there. What is your mother's objection to study abroad?