Recently we have had discussions with foreign residents in Japan on the “Permanent Residency Permit” (P.R.P.).
There are many advantages in having a P.R.P.:
- Renewal of term (period) of stay becomes unnecessary
- There are very few restrictions on livelihood matters
- It is also an advantage to have a P.R.P. if one intents to stay in Japan after being divorced
A P.R.P. is granted after certain conditions are met and passing a screening process. As a general rule, an applicant needs to have been in Japan for more than 10 years. However, this rule is expected to be deregulated in the future.
In 1998, the Immigration Office announced that foreign spouses of Japanese citizens, people with a P.R.P., or people with special a P.R.P. meet the conditions to be granted a P.R.P. after staying in Japan for 3 years after his/her marriage. However, in the case where he/she had been married abroad, a P.R.P. may be granted after three years of marriage and 1 year living in Japan. The foreign spouse must have a “Spouse of a Japanese Permit” and have proof of the marriage when applying for a P.R.P...
The following are other cases where a P.R.P. may be granted:
- To foreign residents with a residency permit and have lived in Japan for more than 5 years
- To people who have been recognized as refugees and have stayed in Japan for more than 5 years
- To people who have studied and graduated from Japanese schools while having a “Student’s Permit” and have worked in Japan for more than 5 years with a “Working Permit”
In each case the applicant must have stayed (lived) in Japan for at least the maximum period of the permit they hold.
To apply for a P.R.P. an applicant must fulfill the conditions above and have documentation of I.D., occupation and guaranty (sponsorship). In general, it takes about 6 months to process and screen an application. In some cases it may take longer.
For more detailed information, with interpretation services, please contact:
* NGO Foreigners’ Supporting Net [GQ-net]
078-232-1290
English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese
Wednesdays 14:00-2:00 & Saturdays 11:00-17:00
* Kobe Foreigners’ Center [KFC]
078-731-6926
Vietnamese & Japanese
Tuesday thru Friday 10:00-16-30
* Information Center for Foreigners in Japan
078-326-5141
English, Chinese, Portuguese (Tues only) & Spanish (Thu only)
Monday thru Friday 10:00-16:00