Benefits of Permanent Residency in Japan

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Benefits
1. No visa renewal procedures required:
2. No restrictions on residency activities:
Residency status and restrictions on activities:
Change of activity and application for permission to change status:
Death or separation from spouse does not affect residency status:
Permanent residence special provisions:
3. Augmented Social Credit in Japan:
Simplification in Mortgage Procurement:
Easier to obtain a mortgage.
4: Special residence permit likely:
Points to Consider for Permanent Residents
1. Points to note after obtaining permanent residence
2. Need to return to Japan within a certain period of time when going abroad:
Implications for Those in Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa holders:
What is a “Highly Skilled Professional” (HSP) visa?
What is preferential treatment?
Loss of preferential treatment after permanent residence:
Change of parental call conditions:
Reference page

Benefits

1. No visa renewal procedures required:

Holders of permanent residence are exempted from the customary visa renewal procedures predicated on the duration of stay. Typically, foreigners must apply for visa renewal at stipulated intervals, undergoing a thorough review. If permanent residence is obtained, these recurrent renewal protocols and reviews are negated. Thus, one can remain in Japan without any time constraints. This becomes especially beneficial for individuals intending to reside in Japan for protracted durations. The absence of cumbersome visa renewal procedures, coupled with the uncertainty of renewal denial, offers a profound sense of security.

The visa renewal procedure, which is based on the period of stay, is no longer required.

Permanent residence allows foreigners to live permanently in Japan without any restrictions on their period of stay. Normally, foreigners must apply to renew their visa (status of residence) at regular intervals and undergo an examination. At the time of renewal, it is checked whether the foreigner is carrying out the activities corresponding to the current status of residence and satisfies the various conditions, and if the conditions are not met, the renewal may not be granted.

However, if you have a permanent residence visa, you do not need to go through these renewal procedures and examinations. In other words, once you have a permanent residence visa, you can then stay in Japan indefinitely. This is a huge advantage for foreigners living in Japan for an extended period of time. In particular, if you are staying in Japan for a long time for business or family reasons, being free from the hassle of visa renewal procedures and the risk of not being granted a renewal brings a great sense of security.

In view of the above, permanent residence is a very attractive option for foreigners staying in Japan for an extended period of time.

2. No restrictions on residency activities:

Permanent residency removes the compulsion to apply for a change in one’s residency status if there’s an alteration in their Japanese activities. Moreover, it grants you the latitude to pursue various activities, unencumbered by the constraints associated with specific visa statuses.

If you want to change your activities when you do not have permanent residence, you must submit an application for permission to change your status of residence. In addition, there are restrictions on the activities you can carry out depending on your status of residence. Once you have permanent resident status, you are no longer restricted in your activities, which gives you much more freedom when working in Japan.

Residency status and restrictions on activities:

The stay and activities of foreigners in Japan are restricted based on their status of residence. For example, student visa holders are primarily supposed to engage in academic activities and are not allowed to work full-time in a regular full-time job as a rule (although part-time work is possible within certain limits if permission “Shikakugai Katsudo Kyoka” is obtained). These restrictions on activities by status of residence are intended to clarify the activities that foreigners are allowed to carry out in Japan and to ensure appropriate management.

Change of activity and application for permission to change status:

If the activities a foreigner wishes to carry out in Japan change, it is necessary to change the status of residence to one appropriate for that activity. For this reason, there are situations where it is necessary to apply for permission to change status of residence and obtain a new status of residence. Gyoseishoshi Lawyers often provide support for such application procedures.

Death or separation from spouse does not affect residency status:

If a foreigner is staying in Japan under the status of ‘spouse or child of a Japanese national’, that status is based on marriage to a Japanese spouse. Therefore, if a death or separation from the spouse occurs, the basis for the status of residence is lost.

In such cases, the foreigner will need to obtain a new status of residence or leave Japan. In particular, if the separation or bereavement is sudden, it may be difficult to obtain a new status of residence and there may be cases where the visa cannot be renewed and the foreigner has to return home.

However, if you have a permanent residence visa, you do not need to worry about this. Permanent residence entitles you to stay in Japan unconditionally and not on the basis of specific activities or conditions. Therefore, even if your relationship with your spouse changes, the right of permanent residence itself will not be affected. This gives you peace of mind that you can continue to live and work in Japan even if unexpected life events occur.

This advantage of “death or separation from spouse does not affect status of residence” is a very significant reassurance for foreign nationals with permanent resident status to continue a stable life in Japan.

Permanent residence special provisions:

Foreigners who have acquired permanent resident status are free from the above-mentioned restrictions on activities per status of residence. This is considered a special exception to facilitate long-term stay and diverse activities in Japan. With permanent resident status, you are free to engage in any activity within the scope of the law, from business to studies to part-time work.

3. Augmented Social Credit in Japan:

Possessing permanent resident status substantiates one’s prolonged stay in Japan, thereby enhancing their credibility, especially when seeking financial accommodations like loans.

Having permanent resident status is evidence that you have lived in Japan for a long period of time, which gives you an advantage when accessing loans and financing.

Having permanent resident status is evidence that the person has lived in Japan for a long period of time. For many Japanese organisations and institutions, this is a sign that the person is familiar with Japanese society and culture and has built a stable life in Japan, which contributes to improved credibility in a variety of situations.

The applicant’s creditworthiness is a very important factor, especially when applying for loans and financing at financial institutions. Having a permanent residence visa is expected to work to the applicant’s advantage when assessing loans and financing, as it is considered that the person intends to stay in Japan for a long period of time and is likely to continue a stable lifestyle afterwards.

Many landlords and real estate agents also place more emphasis on credit information for foreigners when signing property leases. Having permanent residence status means contract stability and long-term tenancies, which may also give you an advantage when screening and signing a lease.

Thus, permanent residence can be a powerful tool for foreigners to facilitate various procedures and contracts in Japan.

Simplification in Mortgage Procurement:

A recurrent impetus behind permanent residency applications is the streamlining of mortgage acquisition processes. For those with extensive residence history in Japan, the inclination to own property here is natural. With permanent residency, the pathway to mortgage acquisition becomes more congruent with that of native Japanese residents.

Easier to obtain a mortgage.

Many customers say that the reason for applying for permanent residence is that it makes it easier to obtain a mortgage.

It is natural for foreign nationals who have lived with their families in Japan for a long time to want to buy a house in Japan. Indeed, many choose to take out a mortgage when buying a house.

For foreigners married to a Japanese spouse, it is conceivable that the spouse could act as joint guarantor and take out a mortgage. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to take out their own mortgage due to the risk of returning home.

However, once a permanent residence visa is obtained, it is possible to obtain a mortgage on almost the same terms and conditions as for Japanese nationals. For this reason, acquiring permanent residence status is a very significant advantage for foreign nationals who are considering buying a house.

4: Special residence permit likely:

In the unlikely event that you fall under the grounds for deportation, if you have obtained a permanent residence permit, you are more likely to be granted a special residence permit as a special exception to the decision of the Minister of Justice under Article 50 of the Immigration Control Act.

How to apply Permanent Residency? Please refert to “Permanent Residence — “Eiju” Green Card in Japan“.

Points to Consider for Permanent Residents

1. Points to note after obtaining permanent residence

Even if you obtain permanent resident status, you will still be treated as a foreigner in Japan. For example, a re-entry permit is required when leaving Japan. If you do not return to Japan after the re-entry permit expires, you may lose your permanent resident status.

If convicted of a crime or drug offence, they are forced to leave Japan and lose their permanent residency.

One of the advantages of acquiring permanent resident status is that there are no more term renewal procedures or work restrictions. However, some people mistakenly believe that permanent residents can bring their parents to Japan, which is incorrect. Permanent Residents, like other statuses of residence, cannot independently bring their parents to Japan.

2. Need to return to Japan within a certain period of time when going abroad:

They must return to Japan within a specific period of time and, even when in their home country, their activities are restricted as a foreigner and they must comply with any regulations on the number of days they can stay.

Foreigners with permanent resident status generally obtain a Re-entry permit when leaving Japan. If you have a re-entry permit, you must re-enter Japan within a specific period of time, usually five (5) years. If this period is exceeded, the re-entry permit becomes invalid and the permanent residence permit is at risk of expiring.

The context of this system is to ensure that foreign nationals with permanent resident status are actually living in Japan. This restriction is put in place because if a person leaves Japan for an extended period of time, it may not be possible to say that he or she is continuing to live in Japan.

However, if you need to leave Japan in a hurry for urgent reasons, e.g. illness or family reasons, you can leave the country and re-enter Japan without having to apply for a re-entry permit at the immigration office by going directly to the airport and declaring a Special re-entry permit. However, the special re-entry permit always requires that you re-enter Japan within one year. If you fail to re-enter, your right of permanent residence is automatically lost. This cannot be done by going to a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad. It is also not possible to ask a Gyoseishoshi Lawyer such as ourselves to carry out the procedures on your behalf. The only way is to re-enter Japan.

Foreigners with permanent resident status should therefore give due consideration to this point when leaving Japan for an extended period of time or when their re-entry plans are unclear. In particular, if there is a possibility that their stay outside Japan may be extended due to unforeseen circumstances, it is important to gather information in advance on the expiry date of the re-entry permit and how to obtain it, and to take the necessary procedures.

These systems and rules are designed to ensure that foreigners with permanent resident status continue to live in Japan and to protect their rights. At the same time, however, these restrictions must be understood and dealt with appropriately.

Implications for Those in Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa holders:

In the case of highly skilled professions, the conditions for preferential treatment and parental call-in are no longer fulfilled.

What is a “Highly Skilled Professional” (HSP) visa?

‘Highly Skilled Professional’ is one of Japan’s ‘residence status’, which allows foreigners with specific skills and experience to carry out activities in Japan. The purpose of this status of residence is to attract foreign nationals with highly specialised knowledge and skills to Japan and enable them to contribute to the development of the Japanese economy and society.

For more detail about Highly Skilled visa, please refer to “What is the Japanese “Highly Skilled Professional” (HSP) Visa?“.

What is preferential treatment?

Foreigners with highly specialised status of residence are entitled to various preferential treatment if they meet certain conditions. These include a shorter period of time to obtain permanent residence, and the ease of bringing in or accompanying family members.

Loss of preferential treatment after permanent residence:

When a foreigner with highly skillde professional status becomes a permanent resident, he/she loses the entitlement to preferential treatment as a highly skilled professional. This is because, while permanent residence frees them from the restrictions of various residence statuses, it also prevents them from enjoying the unique advantages of certain residence statuses.

Change of parental call conditions:

If you have a status of residence as a highly skilled professional, you can bring your parents to Japan under certain conditions. However, once you acquire permanent resident status, these conditions no longer apply and you must follow the normal conditions for ‘inviting parents’. This means that the procedure for bringing new parents to Japan after acquiring permanent residence status may be more stringent.

In light of the above, it is important that foreigners with advanced professional status are fully aware of these changes and their impact on their permanent residence status and make the appropriate decision.

It should be noted that it is legally permissible for a foreigner who is a permanent resident to renounce his/her permanent resident status and change to a highly skilled professional visa status.