What Is Japan's Permanent Resident Visa (Permanent Residency)? A Complete Guide to Requirements, Documents, Processing Time and Fees

Note: This article is based on Japanese laws and materials published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) as of October 9, 2026.

A permanent resident visa (permanent residency) means the status of residence "Permanent Resident" (永住者), a status of residence with no restrictions on either your activities in Japan or your period of stay. The person concerned applies for permission for permanent residence (永住許可) at the Regional Immigration Services Office (地方出入国在留管理官署; the immigration office counter) that has jurisdiction over the area where he or she lives, and the Minister of Justice decides whether to grant it.

The "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence" (永住許可に関するガイドライン), which set out the approach to examination, were revised on October 1, 2026. They apply in full to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027. This article explains the whole picture: the requirements, required documents, the application process, processing time and the fee.

What is a permanent resident visa (permission for permanent residence)?

Permission for permanent residence is the permission to change your status of residence to "Permanent Resident", and the Minister of Justice decides whether to grant it. "Permanent resident visa" and "permanent residency" are common names; the name under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (出入国管理及び難民認定法, shortened to 入管法 in Japanese) is the status of residence "Permanent Resident".

The ISA's Guidelines position a Permanent Resident as having "the most stable legal status, with no restrictions on activities of residence or period of stay" (在留活動及び在留期間の制限のない最も安定した法的地位). A person who receives permission is expected to live in Japan for the rest of his or her life. For this reason, the Guidelines state that a particularly careful examination is needed when deciding on permission for permanent residence.

Those who can apply are people who already hold a status of residence and are residing in Japan. There is also a procedure by which a child born in Japan, among others, applies for "acquisition" of the status of residence of Permanent Resident (在留資格の取得).

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 1, "Application for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese); Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Articles 22 and 22-2

The three requirements for permanent residence

There are three requirements for permanent residence: the good conduct requirement (素行善良要件), the independent livelihood requirement (独立生計要件) and the national interest requirement (国益要件) (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 22, paragraph 2). Spouses and children of Japanese nationals, Permanent Residents and special permanent residents (特別永住者) do not need to meet two of these.

Source: Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 22, paragraph 2; Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 1 to 3, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on February 24, 2026)" (in Japanese), section 1

People who have received recognition of refugee status (難民の認定) or recognition as a person under complementary protection (補完的保護対象者の認定), among others, do not need to meet the independent livelihood requirement.

The provision is worded so that permission "may be granted" (許可することができる) only when the requirements are found to be met. The Guidelines also state that the decision is made by comprehensively considering individual circumstances. It is not a system in which permission is always granted once the requirements are met.

On April 1, 2027, the words "compliance with the obligations provided for in this Act, payment of taxes and public dues, etc." (この法律に規定する義務の遵守、公租公課の支払等) will be added to the part of the provision on the national interest requirement (as amended by Act No. 60 of 2024; coming into effect on April 1, 2027). The ISA explains that this makes clear in the law what was already being considered in examinations.

What is examined under the national interest requirement

Under the national interest requirement, the length of residence, any criminal punishment, payment of taxes and social insurance premiums, notifications under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and other matters are examined. Because the revised content applies to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027, applications filed by March 31, 2027 are examined under the Guidelines before the revision (revised on February 24, 2026) (the two items of income and burden on the public are explained in a later section).

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on February 24, 2026)" (in Japanese), section 1(3)

As for public obligations, even if everything has been paid by the time of application, a case where payment was not made within the original payment period is, in principle, evaluated negatively. In this article, the original wording "evaluated negatively" (消極的に評価, 消極評価), which means being treated as an unfavorable factor in the examination, is written as "a negative factor".

Applications filed on or after April 1, 2027 are subject to the revised Guidelines (revised on October 1, 2026) in full. The length of residence, criminal punishment, payments, notifications and so on continue to be examined, and, as the next section shows, some items change in content and some items are added.

Differences between applications filed by March 31, 2027 and applications filed on or after April 1, 2027

Which content your application is examined under is decided by the date you applied, not by the date permission is granted. The main items that are treated differently depending on when you apply are as follows.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 4(3), Part 2, 5, Part 3 and Part 6, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on February 24, 2026)" (in Japanese)

The level of Japanese language proficiency, how pensions are viewed and the details of when each item applies are summarized in What Changed in the Revised Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence. The three conditions for a period of stay of "3 years" are explained in The Transitional Measure for a Period of Stay of "3 Years".

How are income and "burden on the public" examined?

The revised Guidelines make it a factor to be considered whether annual household income continuously reaches "a level above the average income of Japanese households according to the number of household members" (世帯人数に応じた日本人世帯の平均収入を上回る水準). The specific amount of this level is not written in the Guidelines. In the results of the public comment procedure, the ISA states that it does not plan to publish a specific amount.

Income is an item within the independent livelihood requirement. The Guidelines before the revision describe this requirement as not being a burden on the public in daily life and being expected to have a stable life in the future as well, in light of one's assets or skills. They do not mention a level of annual income.

Spouses and children of Japanese nationals, Permanent Residents and special permanent residents do not need to meet the independent livelihood requirement. However, the revised Guidelines place "not being a burden on the public" (公共の負担とならないこと) within the national interest requirement. Where the household is actually a burden on the public, or where there is a real risk of that, and no special circumstances are found for having come to that situation, this may be evaluated as a negative factor.

Only these two items (income and burden on the public) differ from the others in when they apply. People who applied by March 31, 2026 are not covered.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 4(1)(2), Part 2, 5(7) and Part 6, "Results of the Public Comment Procedure on the Draft Revision of the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese; October 1, 2026)

Even if you are going to apply between now and March 31, 2027, it is safer to check your annual household income and number of household members under the revised approach. How to count them is explained in the article on the revision mentioned above.

Special provisions that shorten the 10-year residence required in principle

The principle is "continuous residence for 10 years or more", but depending on the applicant's personal status or status of residence, there are special provisions under which a shorter residence is sufficient. Except for spouses and biological children, etc., the numbers of years have not changed with the revision.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 3, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on February 24, 2026)" (in Japanese), section 2

The table shows the main special provisions. In addition, there are special provisions for, among others, people who carry out specific activities at an organization within the area of a Regional Revitalization Plan (地域再生計画) and are found to have made a contribution.

Regarding the special provision for spouses, the Guidelines describe those covered as "spouses of Japanese nationals, Permanent Residents and special permanent residents" (日本人、永住者及び特別永住者の配偶者) and do not draw the line by type of status of residence. Points to note when applying as the spouse of a Permanent Resident while still holding the status of residence "Dependent" (家族滞在) are summarized in The Special Provision for Spouses When Applying for Permanent Residence from Dependent Status.

For applications filed on or after April 1, 2027, these special provisions do not apply to people who have received Special Permission to Stay in Japan (在留特別許可) or special permission for landing (上陸特別許可) (limited to those who fall under grounds for denial of landing). After receiving that permission, continuous residence for 10 years or more is required, as under the principle.

Checks on taxes, pensions, medical insurance and notifications

For taxes and social insurance premiums, what is checked is not only whether they were paid but also whether they were paid by the deadline. In its explanation of the documents to be submitted, the ISA describes copies of bankbooks and receipts (領収証書) as documents to prove that there has been no payment after the payment deadline (late payment).

The documents cover the applicant and the person who supports the applicant as a dependent. For applications filed on or after April 1, 2027, the examination is, in principle, conducted on a household basis (the household sharing the same livelihood, 同一生計世帯).

Certificates for resident tax (Individual Inhabitant Tax, 住民税) are specified by a number of years, such as "for the most recent five years" (直近5年分). Whether this is counted by fiscal year or counted back from the date of application is explained in How to Count the Years for Resident Tax Certificates in a Permanent Residence Application.

Notifications under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act include the Notification of Place of Residence and notifications concerning the organization you belong to or your spouse. The deadline and the place to file for each notification are summarized in Notification Obligations under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act That Are Checked in a Permanent Residence Application.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Permanent Residence 3" (in Japanese), items 7 and 8, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 5(2)(3); Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Articles 19-7 to 19-16

If you are concerned about your payment status or the timing of your application, we can review your situation with you through our consultation on applications for permanent residence.

Required documents

The required documents differ depending on the applicant's status of residence and personal status. The ISA gives guidance on the documents on separate pages for each category of applicant, from "Application for Permanent Residence 1" (永住許可申請1) to "Application for Permanent Residence 5" (永住許可申請5).

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Permanent Residence 1" (in Japanese), "Application for Permanent Residence 2" (in Japanese), "Application for Permanent Residence 3" (in Japanese)

Documents that differ by category of applicant

What differs by category is the period covered by the resident tax and insurance premium documents, and the additional documents required. The table below shows the content of the ISA's pages as of October 9, 2026.

When applying as a highly-skilled foreign professional or a Special Highly-Skilled Professional, a statement of reasons and documents certifying assets are also required (they are not required in the categories for spouses and biological children, etc.).

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Permanent Residence 1" (in Japanese), "Application for Permanent Residence 2" (in Japanese), "Application for Permanent Residence 3" (in Japanese), "Application for Permanent Residence 4" (in Japanese), "Application for Permanent Residence 5" (in Japanese) (all checked on October 9, 2026)

The list of relatives is submitted by those whose status of residence is "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" (日本人の配偶者等) or "Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident" (永住者の配偶者等) (excluding biological children and children adopted through special adoption). Those who are the business owner of a workplace covered by social insurance at the time of application, such as people who run a company, also need documents on the workplace's insurance premiums.

The application process

An application for permanent residence is filed, by the date your period of stay expires, with the Regional Immigration Services Office that has jurisdiction over your place of residence. The steps from application to permission are as follows.

1. Use the ISA's self-check sheet to see whether you meet the requirements
2. Check the documents on the page for your category and collect them. Certificates issued in Japan must be ones issued within the past three months
3. Submit the application documents to the Regional Immigration Services Office that has jurisdiction over your place of residence
4. The immigration office examines the application. During the examination, you may be asked for additional documents
5. When permission is granted, pay the fee and receive your residence card

There are three kinds of self-check sheet: for spouses, etc., for Long-Term Residents, and for work-related statuses. The ISA states that if even one item applies as "No", the likelihood of denial becomes high. Even if there is not a single "No", this is not a promise of permission.

The application documents can be submitted by the applicant, a legal representative or an authorized filing agent (取次者). Authorized filing agents include Gyoseishoshi (administrative scriveners) and attorneys who have filed the required notification with the director of the regional immigration services bureau and have been engaged by the applicant.

The permission takes effect when the residence card is issued (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 22, paragraph 4).

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese), "Application for Permanent Residence 3" (in Japanese), Points to Note

Processing time

The time taken to examine applications for permanent residence was 310.2 days on average nationwide for permissions granted in July 2026. The ISA publishes the following two periods.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese), "Processing Time for Residence Examinations" (in Japanese; permissions granted in July 2026)

The figure of 310.2 days is the average only for applications that were granted. Denials and withdrawals are not included, and the days until additional documents were submitted are included. The number of days the examination takes differs for each application.

If your period of stay expires during the examination, you need to apply separately for an extension of period of stay (在留期間の更新) by the date it expires.

Fee

The fee for permission for permanent residence is 200,000 yen, paid with a revenue stamp (収入印紙) when permission is granted. This amount applies to applications accepted on or after October 1, 2026.

For applications accepted by September 30, 2026, the fee is the pre-revision amount of 10,000 yen, even if permission is granted on or after October 1.

For those who meet certain requirements, the fee may be reduced to 20,000 yen. For permission for permanent residence, those eligible for the reduction are limited to spouses or children of Japanese nationals, Permanent Residents or special permanent residents, and certain others. The conditions for the reduction and a list of amounts, including those for extension and change, are summarized in The Revision of Fees for Status of Residence Procedures.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese), Fee, "Fee Reduction and Exemption Measures for Residence Permission Fees on or after October 1, 2026" (in Japanese)

What is required after permission is granted

Permanent Residents have no extension of period of stay, but the residence card has a validity period and must be renewed. The validity period differs depending on when the card was issued.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Issuance of a Specified Residence Card" (in Japanese), Q4-3

On April 1, 2027, a new system concerning revocation of the status of residence of "Permanent Resident" will begin. The following will be added to the grounds for revocation: failing to comply with obligations under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (such as carrying the residence card at all times and renewing its validity period), willfully failing to pay taxes or social insurance premiums, and being sentenced to imprisonment for a violation of specific penal laws and orders.

Even if one of these applies, the principle is not revocation but a change to another status of residence by the Minister of Justice ex officio. The status is revoked where it is found that it is not appropriate for the person to continue residing in Japan. The cases that are covered and those that are not are summarized in The System for Revocation of Permanent Residency.

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "About the Guidelines on Revocation of the Status of Residence of "Permanent Resident"" (in Japanese), "Guidelines on Revocation of the Status of Residence of "Permanent Resident"" (in Japanese), Part 1 and Part 4

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should I ask to be my guarantor?

The ISA states that the guarantor should usually be a Japanese national, a Permanent Resident or a special permanent resident who resides in Japan. When you apply as the spouse of a Japanese national, Permanent Resident or special permanent resident, your spouse usually becomes the guarantor.

Can I use the special provisions for highly-skilled foreign professionals even if my status of residence is not "Highly Skilled Professional" (高度専門職)?

Yes. The special provision for 70 points or more also covers people who had 70 points or more as of three years before the date of applying for permission for permanent residence and have resided continuously for three years or more with 70 points or more. The special provision for 80 points or more also covers people who had 80 points or more as of one year before that date and have resided continuously for one year or more with 80 points or more.

Can a child born in Japan apply for the status of residence of Permanent Resident?

There is a procedure for applying for acquisition of the status of residence of Permanent Resident within 30 days of birth. In this case, no fee is charged. The statutory requirements (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 22, paragraph 2) apply mutatis mutandis to an application for acquisition as well (Article 22-2, paragraph 4).

Summary

There are three requirements for a permanent resident visa (status of residence "Permanent Resident"): the good conduct requirement, the independent livelihood requirement and the national interest requirement. In principle, continuous residence for 10 years or more is examined, and for spouses, highly-skilled foreign professionals and others there are special provisions under which a shorter residence is sufficient.

The Guidelines that set out the approach to examination were revised on October 1, 2026. The number of years in the special provision for spouses, the treatment of a period of stay of "3 years", Japanese language proficiency and other items are treated differently for applications filed by March 31, 2027 and applications filed on or after April 1, 2027. The fee is 200,000 yen, and the processing time is 310.2 days on average for permissions granted in July 2026.

If you are considering applying, checking the required documents for your category and your payment status for taxes and social insurance premiums first will make it easier to decide when to apply.

References

• Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Articles 22 and 22-2 (e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, in Japanese)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese; October 2026)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on February 24, 2026)" (in Japanese; February 2026; the version before the revision)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese), "Application for Permanent Residence 1" to "Application for Permanent Residence 5" (in Japanese)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Processing Time for Residence Examinations" (in Japanese; permissions granted in July 2026)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Fee Reduction and Exemption Measures for Residence Permission Fees on or after October 1, 2026" (in Japanese; August 2026)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Issuance of a Specified Residence Card" (in Japanese)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "About the Guidelines on Revocation of the Status of Residence of "Permanent Resident"" (in Japanese; October 2026)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "The 2024 Amendments to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and Related Laws" (in Japanese)
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Results of the Public Comment Procedure on the Draft Revision of the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese; October 1, 2026)