If you have obtained "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" status, the requirements for obtaining a permanent residence visa / Permanent visa are more relaxed than those for ordinary foreign nationals.
The following is an explanation of the six requirements for those who are married to a Japanese national to obtain permanent residence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a marriage with substance?
If you are married to a Japanese national, but you are living separately, you cannot obtain a permanent residence visa unless you are married to a Japanese national. If you have only gone through the procedural steps of marriage in order to obtain a spouse visa in the first place, it is highly likely that you will be denied permanent residence or even the renewal of your spouse visa.
However, if there are reasonable grounds for not living together, such as the husband working alone and living separately for two-thirds of the month, then there is no problem.
I have been married for more than 3 years and have lived in Japan for more than 1 year, but my status of residence is not "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" but "Work-related Status of Residence".
For example, even if you are residing in Japan with the status of "Engineer/Humanities/International Services", but not with the status of "Spouse or Child of Japanese National", if you have been married for more than 3 years and have been residing in Japan for more than 1 year, you may be eligible for permanent residence if your marriage has continued for more than 3 years and you have been residing in Japan for more than 1 year with the status of "Spouse or Child of Japanese National". If you have been married for more than 3 years and have been continuously residing in Japan for more than 1 year, you have fulfilled the requirements for permanent residence.
How much income is sufficient?
There is no clear rule on how much is enough, but it is highly likely that the application will be denied if the annual household income is not more than 3 million yen (+300,000 yen per dependent). (Example of annual income: If there are two dependents, 300,000 yen x 2 + 3 million = 3 600,000 yen)
In addition, it is desirable for annual income to have been met continuously for at least three years prior to application, as is the case for permanent residence for those with work-related resident status.
Concept of annual household income
Since the number of married couples working together is increasing, many of them may meet the annual income requirement in terms of household income.
In the case of a married couple working together with a dependent spouse: In many cases, the application is judged based on the annual income of the individual dependent. In other words, the dependent spouse's income from part-time work, etc. is not included.
If both spouses are working and the spouse is not a dependent: It is likely that the annual income of the household will be considered.
(Example: Japanese husband's annual income = 2.7 million yen, foreign wife's annual income = 2.5 million yen, totaling 5 200,000 yen annual income)
If the foreign spouse is a full-time housewife (househusband)
The Japanese spouse must meet the above income requirements. If the foreign spouse is a full-time housewife (househusband), he/she is expected to be supported by the Japanese spouse, so if he/she is supported by the Japanese spouse, the annual income of the Japanese spouse must be 3,000,000 yen + 300,000 yen = 3,300,000 yen 3,300,000 yen is required. If there are children to support, the amount is +300,000 yen per child.
In addition, the Japanese spouse is required to properly fulfill his/her public obligations such as pension, tax, health insurance, etc. as described below.
If you are a company employee and the above are deducted from your salary, there is no problem. If you are a sole proprietor or company owner, you need to be careful. Those who do not have the above deductions deducted from their salaries are required to pay (1) National Pension Insurance, (2) National Health Insurance Tax, and (3) Inhabitant's Tax without delay or non-payment.
In addition, company owners are required not only to properly fulfill their individual tax obligations, but also to properly pay the corporate and business taxes of the company they manage.
In the event of non-payment or late payment
Permanent residency is based on the last three years of payments. Therefore, it is best to apply for permanent residence after three years have passed from the date the non-payment or delay ceased. Until recently, if you had a record of no late or unpaid payments in the year prior to application, you had a good chance of being approved for permanent residence, but recently (as of June 2021) the process has become much more difficult.
Therefore, please make sure that you have no delinquent or overdue payments of pension, health insurance, taxes, etc. in the last 3 years prior to application.
Traffic violations are common, but as long as they are minor (parking tickets, speeding tickets) and have not occurred more than five times within the past five years, there is no problem.
I have the impression that the screening process for permanent residence is becoming stricter every year. Our office is always up-to-date with the latest information on the screening criteria for permanent residence. If you want to obtain permanent residence, it is important to be prepared for the current screening criteria at the time of application. Our office provides comprehensive support for those who wish to obtain permanent resident status. If you have any concerns about whether you meet the screening criteria for permanent residence, our office can provide a free consultation to diagnose your situation.
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