Japan Permanent Residency Made Simple！ 7 Key Requirements, 3 Hidden Traps, and How to Get Approved Faster

“I want to keep living in Japan.”

“I want to build a safe and stable life with my family.”

If you feel the same, you may be thinking about applying for permanent residency in Japan.

Hello, I’m Megumi Suzuki, an immigration lawyer at Megumi Immigration Law Office.
I provide multilingual support in English, Chinese, and Japanese, helping many foreign residents with their visa and residency matters.

Permanent residency offers many advantages — no more renewals and greater freedom in your work and life.
But the screening process is strict, and even well-prepared applications can sometimes be denied.

Don’t worry. There are clear points the immigration authorities look for.
In this article, I’ll explain them simply and clearly, so you’ll know what to do next and feel confident taking your first step toward approval.

Let us support your new beginning in Japan with care and sincerity.

What Is Permanent Residency? – Three Major Benefits of Obtaining It

Permanent residency (status of residence “Permanent Resident”) is one of the most powerful residence statuses for foreign nationals who wish to build a stable life in Japan.
Let’s take a look at the specific benefits it offers.

Benefit ① Peace of Mind — No Need to Renew Your Visa

The greatest advantage of permanent residency is that your period of stay becomes unlimited.
You no longer need to renew your status every few years
(although your residence card itself must still be renewed every seven years).
This frees you from the anxiety of wondering, “Will my next renewal be approved?”
and allows you to settle down and plan your life in Japan with peace of mind.

Benefit ②Greater Career Freedom — No Restrictions on Employment

Once you obtain permanent residency, you are no longer limited by the type of work permitted under your previous visa.
You can freely choose any job, change employers, or even start your own business.
With this freedom, you can explore new opportunities and build a career that truly matches your goals and lifestyle in Japan.

Benefit ③ Higher Social Credibility — Easier Access to Housing Loans

Being a permanent resident is seen as a strong sign of stability and trustworthiness in Japanese society.
Because of this, many financial institutions are more willing to offer housing loans or business financing to permanent residents.
This increased level of trust helps you build a more secure and lasting foundation for your life in Japan.

Let’s meet the three key requirements for permanent residency in Japan！

Now, let’s take a closer look at the specific requirements for obtaining permanent residency in Japan.
According to the Immigration Services Agency, there are three major criteria outlined in the official guidelines for permanent residence.
Clearing each of these step by step is the first milestone toward getting your application approved.

① Good conduct and respect for the law

This refers to whether you follow the law and live in accordance with social rules.
In concrete terms, it means you must have no criminal record—such as imprisonment or fines—for violating Japanese laws.

One thing to pay special attention to is traffic violations.

You might think, “A minor parking ticket should be fine, right?”
In reality, while a single violation may not be a serious issue, repeatedly breaking traffic rules can make immigration officers question your respect for the law—and that can have a significant impact on your application.

It’s important to always maintain a strong awareness of following traffic rules in your daily life.

②Financial independence (having a stable income)

Immigration authorities also carefully review whether you can maintain a stable life in the long term based on your own assets and skills.
You need to demonstrate that you have a solid financial foundation and can support yourself independently without relying on public assistance.

Although the Immigration Bureau does not officially disclose a required income amount, in practice there are some general benchmarks.
For single applicants, an annual income of around 3 million yen or more is often considered the minimum standard.
If you have dependents, you should expect to need an additional 700,000–800,000 yen per person.

What really matters, however, is consistency — your income should be stable and continuous.
Even if your earnings were high only in the most recent year, your application may be viewed unfavorably if your past income record shows instability.

Also, when applying as a married couple, note that immigration officers focus not only on your combined household income but especially on the main applicant’s own earnings.

③ Contributing to Japan’s national interests (your role in society)

This requirement is about evaluating whether your permanent residency would bring benefits to Japan as a whole.
It might sound a little abstract, but in practice, immigration officers check four key points to make this judgment.
This is considered one of the most important parts of the entire screening process for permanent residency.

Important! Four Key Points for Meeting Japan’s “National Interest” Requirement

Let’s take a closer look at the “national interest” requirement by breaking it down into four specific checkpoints.
If you can meet these points, you’ll be one big step closer to getting permanent residency in Japan.

①Is your stay in Japan long enough? Let’s talk about the “10-Year Rule.”

In principle, you need to have lived continuously in Japan for at least 10 years.
Within that period, the most recent five years or more must have been under a work visa or residence visa status.

② Be careful with long overseas business trips! The hidden trap of “continuous residence”

Another key point is maintaining continuous residence in Japan.
This means that your main base of life must remain in Japan.
If you travel abroad too frequently for business or personal reasons, your period of residence might be considered interrupted — which could reset your record toward permanent residency.

Risk Level	Duration of Each Trip Abroad	Total Annual Days Abroad	影響
Low	Under 90 days	Under 100 days	This range is generally acceptable for short business trips or regular vacations.
Moderate	90–180 days	100–150 days	You’ll need to provide a clear explanation for the reason. Otherwise, there’s a risk that your period of residence may be considered reset.
High	Over 180 days	Over 150 days	There’s a very high chance that immigration officers will consider your stay in Japan to have been interrupted, and your accumulated residence period may be reset.

If you often travel abroad for work or other reasons, you’ll need to carefully consider the timing of your permanent residency application.

③ Are your taxes, pension, and insurance payments really in order?

In recent years, this aspect — fulfilling your public obligations — has been examined more strictly than ever.
Immigration officers usually check the following three points.

• Taxes
• Public Pension
• Public Health Insurance

What’s most important here is that simply “making the payments” isn’t enough.
Immigration officers look closely at whether you’ve been paying on time, without being even a single day late.
If there’s any record of delayed payment in the past — even once — it could very well become a direct reason for your application being denied.

Even if you rush to pay off any unpaid amounts before applying, the record of late payment will still remain.
Since the payment status of your dependents is also reviewed, it’s essential for the entire household to make payments on time consistently.

④ Is your current visa valid for three years or more?

Having a three-year or five-year visa is also one of the key points under the national interest requirement.
It serves as proof that the Immigration Services Agency recognizes you as someone who is living stably in Japan.
If your current visa is valid for only one year, your first goal should be to obtain a three-year residence period.

Easier Pathways to Permanent Residency!? Special Exceptions and Fast-Track Options

In principle, you need to have lived in Japan for ten years, but there are special exceptions that allow certain applicants to apply for permanent residency in a shorter period.

If you are the spouse or child of a Japanese national or a permanent resident

If you are married to a Japanese national or a permanent resident, you can apply for permanent residency after maintaining a genuine marital relationship for at least three years and residing in Japan for more than one year continuously.
However, because the examination is conducted on a household basis, immigration officers will also review your Japanese spouse’s income and tax payment records carefully.

If you hold a “Long-Term Resident” visa

If you hold a “Long-Term Resident” visa and have lived continuously in Japan for five years or more, you become eligible to apply for permanent residency.

If you are a Highly Skilled Professional (High-Skilled Talent)

Another option is to use the Highly Skilled Professional Points System, which is designed for foreign professionals with advanced knowledge and skills.
Your educational background, work experience, and annual income are converted into points.

• If you score 70 points or more, you can apply for permanent residency after three years of continuous stay.
• If you score 80 points or more, you can apply after just one year

a significantly shorter period compared to the standard requirement.

For detailed point calculations, please also refer to the Immigration Services Agency’s official website.

The Truth About Guarantors in Permanent Residency Applications

A guarantor is required when applying for permanent residency in Japan.
Many people hesitate to ask a friend or supervisor to take on this role because the word “guarantor” often sounds like it carries a heavy responsibility.。

【Important】 This is completely different from being a loan guarantor!

The most important thing to understand here is that the guarantor’s responsibility under Japan’s Immigration Control Act is purely moral, not legal.
In other words, it’s completely different from being a joint guarantor for a debt or any kind of financial obligation.。

This simply means promising the government that you will offer support to the applicant within your ability if they ever face difficulties in Japan.
There are no legal obligations such as financial liability or responsibility for damages.
Understanding this correctly—and explaining it clearly to the person you’re asking—will make it much easier for them to agree to become your guarantor.

Your guarantor must be a Japanese national or a permanent resident of Japan.

Summary

Up to this point, we’ve covered in detail the key requirements for applying for permanent residency in Japan.

The permanent residency review is like a report card that reflects how you’ve been living in Japan up to now.

• Have you followed the laws and social rules? (Good Conduct Requirement)
• Built a stable financial foundation? (Financial Independence Requirement)
• Fulfilled your public obligations such as taxes and pension payments? (National Interest Requirement)

Clearing each of these points one by one is the surest path toward obtaining permanent residency.
Among them, paying your taxes and pension contributions on time is absolutely essential — it’s one of the most critical factors in the entire review process.

Applying for permanent residency is a major step in your life.
It’s only natural to feel uncertain or have many questions along the way.

You might be wondering, “Which conditions apply to my case?”
Or perhaps you feel unsure about preparing all the necessary documents on your own.

If you feel even a little anxious, please don’t carry that burden by yourself.
As immigration professionals, we’re here to listen carefully to your situation and help you find the best path toward obtaining permanent residency — together.

At Megumi Immigration Law Office, your first consultation is free.
Please feel free to reach out and tell us your story.
Let’s open the door to your new future, side by side.

Profile
Megumi Suzuki, Immigration Lawyer .
After graduating from universities in both Japan and Shanghai, I worked for about 12 years as an international flight attendant.
Through my encounters with people from diverse backgrounds, I was inspired by those pursuing their dreams of studying or working in Japan.

As an administrative scrivener, I focuses on supporting foreign nationals — from visa applications to broader aspects of life in Japan.
Guided by my motto, “Supporting people beyond the flight,” I provides personalized and heartfelt assistance, valuing each person’s past, present, and future.