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Getting ready for Permanent Residency application

Sunday post on September 22nd, 2019 by Watabe.
I guess many foreigners staying in Japan are seeking for Permanent Residency. Since the guideline for PR application changed stricter in the last May, you had better prepare for PR application soon after you start staying in Japan. Or, if you have already been staying Japan for a while, you need to make actions right away in order to avoid being too late.
I will give you some tips according to your visa status. Please read till end because I will add common tips more for all visa status.


1. Spouse visa
Let your spouse apply for joining you into his/her Shakaihoken soon after you come to Japan.
If he/she does not have Shakaihoken hoken, apply for national health insurance (Kokumin kenko hoken) and pension right away. If your family doesn’t have enough income, you could apply exemption for pension payment.


2. Working visa
If your company doesn’t have Shakaihoken, you need to join national health insurance and pension by yourself.


3. Student visa
Join national health insurance and pension right away. You could apply for exemption for pension payment.


4. Business visa
You are supposed to join  Shakaihoken for yourself and your employees when you start running your company.


For all:
You need to pay residential tax according to your income from the second year in Japan. Pay promptly before due date and keep the receipts (tiny slips). If possible, set the automatic withdrawal system through bank account or pay everything in the beginning of the year in order not to make late payment. One single late payment would cause the disapproval for your future PR application.
If you are staying in Japan with your family, you need to follow the instruction above for all adult members of your family.

I understand pension is just too much for some of you. But if you join longer than 3 years and go back to your country, you could get lumpsum refund, or for some countries, you could include your pension period in Japan into your own country’s.


There are some other requirements for PR application. If you are not sure if/how you are qualified to apply PR, please send a message to our Facebook page inbox.