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Consultation content: I want to obtain permanent residency five years after marriage
Mr. A (35 years old), a Japanese, and Mr. B (28 years old), a Taiwanese, got married in Taiwan five years ago, and Mr. B moved to Japan three years ago and has been living a stable life ever since. Currently, Ms. B wants to obtain permanent residency in Japan, but her residence status as a “spouse of a Japanese national” expires in three years. We received a consultation about the procedures required for Ms. B to obtain permanent residency.
Checkpoint: Important points to check when applying for permanent residency
The conditions and points to note required to obtain permanent residency are summarized below.
- Period of residence status: The actual married life, whether domestic or overseas, must have continued for three years or more and have resided in Japan for one year or more. The period of residence status must also be three years or more.
- Stability of income: The annual income of the person or the Japanese spouse must be stable.
- Actual state of married life: Evidence must be submitted to prove that the marriage is actually taking place.
- Delinquent and delayed tax payments: There must be no delinquency or delay in payment of resident taxes, pensions, etc. for three years or more.
Solutions from an administrative scrivener: What you need to do to obtain permanent residency
Prepare documents to prove the reality of your married life
When applying for permanent residency, it is important to prove that your married life is real. For example, you need to be careful if you are living apart from your spouse, such as when you are working away from home.
・The place of residence must be the same: If you are living apart, permanent residency will not be granted. If you are living apart from your spouse, such as when you are working away from home, you will need to prove these things.
・If you have many long-term business trips For example, if you leave the country for more than 100 days a year and repeatedly go on medium- to long-term business trips lasting more than three months, it may be difficult to prove the reality of your married life, and you may not be granted permanent residency. If there are unavoidable circumstances, you will need to prove these things.
Period of residence
Japanese spouse visas require a continuous residence status of more than 10 years, such as other work visas, but if you have a total marriage period of more than three years both at home and abroad, have lived in Japan for more than one year, and have a residence period of more than three years, you can apply for permanent residency.
Documents to prove financial stability
Financial stability is emphasized. If the person in question has been retired and their annual income is not stable, it may be advantageous to submit a certificate of annual income of the Japanese spouse. It is also important that there are no unpaid taxes or delays in paying taxes.
Applicable residence status: “Permanent resident”
The residence status that falls under this pattern is a status-based residence status, and mainly applies to spouses of Japanese nationals and spouses with permanent residence status.
Documents required at the time of application in this case
The following documents are required when applying for permanent residence. Having these documents ready in advance will make the application go smoothly.
- Permanent residence permission application form: Fill out and submit based on the specified format.
- Reason for application: If necessary, provide a detailed description of the reason for wanting permanent residence and the stability of life in Japan.
- Residence card
- Passport
- Resident registration card
- Family register
- Marriage certificate: Not required if you do not have a marriage certificate.
- Various tax payment certificates: Certificates of resident tax and payment for the last 5 years, certificates of pension payment for the last 2 years, and other documents showing that there are no outstanding payments. Please submit tax-related documents of your Japanese spouse if necessary.
- Copy of health insurance card
- Certificate of employment: Please submit a certificate of employment if necessary.
Summary: It is important to make sure you are prepared for permanent residence
Acquiring permanent residence is a very important goal for many foreigners. In particular, if there is an age difference between couples or if there are problems with income or tax payment status, the screening process may be stricter. Therefore, be sure to prepare documents that prove the actual state of your married life and your economic situation, and do not have any criteria that would cause the Immigration Bureau to reject your application. The Immigration Bureau will check the documents to see if you meet the criteria for permanent residence, so please check with an expert for details.
