LONG-TERM RESIDENT (定住者 Teijusha) is a visa status which is granted by the Minister of Justice considering specific reasons according to the applicants circumstances.
This visa status is basically divided into 2 categories depending on whether the situation is prescribed by the Ministerial Ordinance (Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, paragraph 1, item 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act) or not;
- Prescribed Long-term Resident 告示定住者
- Non-Prescribed Long-term Resident 告示外定住者
Under LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa status, you can engage in working without limitation.
Also, residence requirement for PERMANENT RESIDENT application is relatively relaxed in case you obtain “prescribed” LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa status.
NOTE: In terms of Japanese descendent, it requires blood relationship to a Japanese national. Child here includes legitimate and illegitimate child, but doesn’t include step-child and adopted child.If
IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH VISA PROCEDURES IN JAPAN, JUMP TO INTRODUCTORY PAGES BELOW FIRST:
TYPE of LONG-TERM RESIDENT
PRESCRIBED LONG-TERM RESIDENT (告示定住者)
“Prescribed” LONG-TERM RESIDENT is a general visa status which is prescribed by the Ministerial Ordinance (Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, paragraph 1, item 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act).
- No.1: Myanmarese refugees
- No.2:（deleted）
- No.3: Child born as a biological child of Japanese (2nd and 3rd Generation Japanese)
- No.4: Biological Grandchild of 1st Generation Japanese (3rd Generation Japanese)
- No.5:
- Spouse of Child of Japanese
- Spouse of LONG-TERM RESIDENT (except for the Japanese descendent)
- Spouse of LONG-TERM RESIDENT (2nd and 3rd Japanese)
- No.6:
- Unmarried minor who is a child of naturalized Japanese, PERMANENT RESIDENT or SPECIAL PERMANENT RESIDENT.
- Unmarried minor who is a child of LONG-TERM RESIDENT (except for Japanese descendent).
- Unmarried minor who is a child of LONG-TERM RESIDENT (Japanese descendent or spouse of Japanese descendent).
- Unmarried minor who is a child supported by his/her biological mother obtaining SPOUSE of JAPANESE visa or SPOUSE of PERMANENT RESIDENT visa and being separated from ex-husband by death or divorce.
- No.7: Child up to 6 years old, adopted by Japanese, PERMANENT RESIDENT or SPECIAL PERMANENT RESIDENT or LONG-TERM RESIDENT.
- No.8: Japanese War Orphans Left in China and the relatives.
NON-PRESCRIBED LONG-TERM RESIDENT (告示外定住者)
“Non-Prescribed” LONG-TERM RESIDENT is a visa status granted considering special reasons which is not prescribed by the Ministerial Ordinance (Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, paragraph 1, item 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act).
- Recognized Refugee who is recognized as a refugee by the Minister of Justice.
- Those who are recognized to be appropriate to obtain LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa status considering their special circumstance, for example;
- Spouse of a Japanese national, PERMANENT RESIDENT or LONG-TERM RESIDENT who got separated from the husband or wife by death or by divorce and wishes to keep staying in Japan
- Biological mother who is supporting her child born to a Japanese husband
- PERMANENT RESIDENT who couldn’t come back to Japan within the valid period of RE-ENTRY PERMIT but enter Japan and wishes to keep staying in Japan again
Basically, this type of LONG-TERM RESIDENT would be granted considering each of special reasons in case you have been living in Japan for a specific period already and you should be recognized as a law-abiding resident in Japan and be capable of living in Japan independently financially.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
Immigration Office judges your eligibility for LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa status comprehensively – In order to be eligible for this visa status, you need to certify blood relationship, marriage etc. by the documents.
Here’s the list of basic requirements for LONG-TERM RESIDENT;
Regardless of which visa status you apply for, you need to satisfy basic criteria first;
>> WHAT IS VISA STATUS?
No.3: Child born as a biological child of Japanese (2nd and 3rd Generation Japanese)
You must be applicable to one of the following situation and be considered as a person of good conduct;
- Grandchild of Japanese: 3rd Generation Japanese
- Child of ex-Japanese: 2nd Generation Japanese in case the ex-Japanese was born to a Japanese national and has renounced Japanese nationality BEFORE you were born (*)
- Grandchild of ex-Japanese: 3rd Generation Japanese in case the ex-Japanese was born to a Japanese national and has renounced Japanese nationality AFTER your parent (child of ex-Japanese) was born
(*) In case the applicant was born before his/her parent has renounced Japanese nationality, he/she is applicable to SPOUSE/CHILD of JAPANESE visa status.
No.4: Grandchild of 1st Generation Japanese (3rd Generation Japanese)
This is applicable to the following situation and be considered as a person of good conduct;
- Grandchild of ex-Japanese: 3rd Generation Japanese in case the ex-Japanese was born to a Japanese national and had obtained Japanese nationality once but has renounced Japanese nationality before your parent (child of ex-Japanese) was born.
No.5: Spouse of CHILD of JAPANESE, Spouse of LONG-TERM RESIDENT
You must be applicable to one of the following;
- Spouse of CHILD of JAPANESE: In case the CHILD of JAPANESE visa holder was born to a Japanese national.
- Spouse of LONG-TERM RESIDENT (not a Japanese descendant): In case the LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa holder obtained the visa status with 1-year or more of period of stay based on the requirement other than No.3, No.4 or No.5-1.
- Spouse of LONG-TERM RESIDENT: In case the LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa holder obtains the visa status with 1-year or more of period of stay based on the requirement of No.3 and No.4 and you are considered as a person of good conduct.
Moreover, the marriage must be legal as well as substantial.
No.6: Unmarried minor child of naturalized Japanese, PERMANENT RESIDENT, Special PERMANENT RESIDENT, or LONG-TERM RESIDENT
The applicant must an UNMARRIED MINOR who falls under one of the following;
- Child of naturalized Japanese: In case the applicant was born AFTER the parent had naturalized to a Japanese national.
- Child of PERMANENT RESIDENT or Special PERMANENT RESIDENT in case;
- the applicant was born outside Japan.
- the applicant was born in Japan but has not been living in Japan.
- Child of LONG-TERM RESIDENT (not a Japanese descendant): In case the LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa holder obtained the visa status with 1-year or more of period of stay based on the requirement other than No.3, No.4 or No.5-3.
- Child of LONG-TERM RESIDENT (Japanese descendant or spouse of Japanese descendent): In case the LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa holder obtained the visa status with 1-year or more of period of stay based on the requirement of No. 3, No.4 or No.5-3. and the applicant are considered as a person of good conduct.
- Child of SPOUSE of JAPANESE, SPOUSE of PERMANENT RESIDENT, SPOUSE of LONG-TERM RESIDENT: In case the applicant’s biological mother is a SPOUSE of PERMANENT RESIDENT visa holder, Special PERMANENT RESIDENT visa holder or LONG-TERM RESIDENT visa holder with 1-year or more of period of stay and the mother is supported by the mother’s current husband.
MINOR here refers to as a minor prescribed by the Japanese Civil Law, which is under 18 years old (since April 1st, 2022).
Biological child in No.6 here is supposed to be supported by the parent(s). An independent/self-supported child who has ability to make living by himself/herself has to be excluded. Also, the minor has to live together with the parent(s) . If they live separately each other without any reasonable grounds, the Immigration Office would not acknowledge the parent’s support and would cause for denial.
No.7; Child up to 6 years old adopted by Japanese, PERMANENT RESIDENT, Special PERMANENT RESIDENT or LONG-TERM RESIDENT
The applicant must be a child up to 6 years old who is adopted and supported by the following perent:
- Japanese national
- PERMANMENT RESIDENT
- LONG-TERM RESIDENT with 1-year or more of period of stay
- Special PERMANENT RESIDENT
ADOPTED CHILD here shall incude “adopted child by Special Adoption (特別養子 Tokubetsu Youshi)” and “adopted child by Regular Adoption (普通養子 Futsuu Youshi)”.
Non-Prescribed: those who are allowed to enter and stay in Japan in consideration of special circumstances
The following cases would be applicable to this category, this visa status would be granted in consideration of special circumstances of each case.
- Those who are acknowledged as Refugee by the Minister of Justice.
- Those who wish to continue to live in Japan after being separated from his/her spouse who is a Japanese, a PERMANENT RESIDENT or a Special PERMANENT RESIDENT by divorce or by death.
- Requires Japanese language skill for everyday life to some extent
- Considered as being financially stable and being able to make living in Japan.
- Fulfilling public obligation as a resident in Japan.
- Living life together as a married couple (husband and wife) during the marriage and being supported each other mutually during living separately.
- Generally requires at least 3 year of substantial marriage.
- Those who are caring and supporting a biological child of a Japanese national.
- Considered as being financially stable and being able to make living in Japan.
- Must have parental authority of the child.
- Has been caring and supporting the child for reasonable period until now.
- In case of illegitimate child, acknowledgement of the biological father must be required.
- Generally requires the biological father’s cooperation for the application.
- Those who wish to continue to live in Japan while the marriage to a Japanese national is failed practically.
- The divorce has not been completed but the marriage has been failed practically already.
- Considered as being financially stable and being able to make living in Japan.
- Fulfilling public obligation as a resident in Japan.
- Generally requires at least 3 year of substantial marriage.
- Those who were granted 1-year period of stay under DESIGNATED ACTIVITIES in consideration of special circumstances after being denied of Recognition of Refugee status and wishes to apply for Change of Visa Status to LONG-TERM RESIDENT.
POINTS TO NOTE
In case of Filipino parent who would like to live in Japan with the Japanese child (minor).
Since it is appliable to NON-PRESCRIBED category, you must contact directly to the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines first and apply for the eligibility for the visa in the Philippines through them.
For the details, jump to the website of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines and check the requirements etc. >> Filipino Parent travelling to Japan with JFC (Japanese- Filipino Children)
For the process, you should follow advise/instruction of the Japan Embassy/Consulate-general in the Philippines, we cannot help this application from Japan.
HOW to PROCESS
In case you are currently residing outside Japan yet or you are staying in Japan as a TEMPORARY VISITOR:
>> COE APPLICATION
In case you have been living in Japan under specific status and holding RESIDENCE CARD already:
>> CHANGE of VISA STATUS
PERIOD of STAY
Each visa status has the expiration date – you can stay in Japan under the visa status during the specific period stated on Residence Card issued by Immigration Office.
Period of stay shall be decided by Immigration Office depends on the applicant’s circumstance.
In case you wish to extend the period of stay granted, you may apply for EXTENSION of PERIOD of STAY before the expiry date.
>> EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF STAY (VISA RENEWAL)
In case you would like to travel outside Japan temporarily under the visa status.
>> RE-ENTRY PERMIT
BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
The Immigration Office considers your eligibility for the visa status by your situation and by documents you provide. You are required to prepare documents which certify that the contents of the application are true and correct. The Immigration Office will request at any time if they have any questions or would like to confirm the information you provided case by case.
Specific documents are varied depending on the situation of each applicant and the host organization/company, however, the basic documents for this visa status are as follows;
In case of COE APPLICATION and CHANGE of VISA STATUS
[A] In case the applicant is 3rd Generation Japanese
- Application form
- Photo
- [In case of CHANGE of VISA STATUS] Residence Card and Passport
- Transcript of Family Register (戸籍謄本 or 除籍謄本) of Japanese grandparent
- [In case the birth/marriage/death has been reported at the city/ward office in Japan] documents below as required;
- Applicant: Certificate of Acceptance of Report of Birth (出生届受理証明書)
- Grandparents and Parents: Certificate of Acceptance of Report of Marriage (婚姻届受理証明書)
- Grandparents and Parents: Certificate of Acceptance of Report of Death (死亡届受理証明書)
- [In case the applicant will live at the same residence together with relatives in Japan] Certificate of Residence (住民票写し)
- All the members in the same household must be listed.
- No omission except for the items related to “My number (個人番号)”.
- Document to certify financial ability to make living in Japan
- Bank statement and Employment Certificate which can certify occupation and income/savings
- [In case the applicant’s supporter is in Japan or application for Change of Visa status] Tax/Income Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate for Resident Tax for the last year (直近1年分の住民税の課税・所得証明書および納税証明書)
- Documents to certify relationship to grandparents and parents;
- Grandparents: Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate (if applicable), copy of passport or ID card etc.
- Parents: Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, Passport copy, Death Cetificate (if applicable), copy of passport or ID card etc.
- Applicant: Birth Certificate, Cerificate of Acknowledgement (if applicable), Passport copy
- Certificate of Criminal Record (Police Clearance Certificate)
- Letter of Guarantee signed by a relative living in Japan who is a Japanese national or a PERMANENT RESIDENT status holder (You can download it from the website of the Immigration Office)
- [If you wish 5-years of period of stay as an adult] Document to certify Japanese language proficiency, such as Certificate of JLPT N2, Certificate of BJT score (over 400 points) etc.
[B] In case the applicant is Spouse of 2nd Generation Japanese
- Application form
- Photo
- [In case of CHANGE of VISA STATUS] Residence Card and Passport
- [In case that your marriage has been reported in Japan already] Certificate of Acceptance of Report of Marriage (婚姻届受理証明書)
- Marriage Certificate (or equivalent official/legal document) issued by the authorities in the applicant’s country.
- Certificate of Residence (住民票写し) of 2nd Generation Japanese
- All the members in the same household must be listed.
- No omission except for the items related to “My number (個人番号)”.
- Document to certify financial ability to make living in Japan;
- 2nd Generation Japanese: Tax/Income Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate for Resident Tax for the last year (直近1年分の住民税の課税・所得証明書および納税証明書)
- 2nd Generation Japanese: Document to certify his/her occupation such as Employment Certificate, Tax Return Form (in case of self-employed or freelance) etc.
- Letter of Guarantee signed by 2nd Generation Japanese (You can download it from the website of the Immigration Office)
- Questionnaire (You can download it from the website of the Immigration Office)
- Documents which confirm development of relationship between you and your 2nd Generation Japanese spouse.
- Snapshot which were taken together with the Japanese spouse or each family etc. while you and your spouse are in a relationship
- Photos at the wedding, marriage ceremony and travel of each country are also effective.
- Other material such as emails, call log, message/SNS log etc.
- [If you wish 5-years of period of stay as an adult] Document to certify Japanese language proficiency, such as Certificate of JLPT N2, Certificate of BJT score (over 400 points) etc.
[C] In case the applicant is Spouse of 3nd Generation Japanese
- Application form
- Photo
- [In case of CHANGE of VISA STATUS] Residence Card and Passport
- [In case that your marriage has been reported in Japan already] Certificate of Acceptance of Report of Marriage (婚姻届受理証明書)
- Marriage Certificate (or equivalent official/legal document) issued by the authorities in the applicant’s country.
- Certificate of Residence (住民票写し) of 3nd Generation Japanese
- All the members in the same household must be listed.
- No omission except for the items related to “My number (個人番号)”.
- Document to certify financial ability to make living in Japan;
- 3nd Generation Japanese: Tax/Income Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate for Resident Tax for the last year (直近1年分の住民税の課税・所得証明書および納税証明書)
- 3nd Generation Japanese: Document to certify his/her occupation such as Employment Certificate, Tax Return Form (in case of self-employed or freelance) etc.
- Letter of Guarantee signed by 3nd Generation Japanese (You can download it from the website of the Immigration Office)
- Questionnaire (You can download it from the website of the Immigration Office)
- Documents which confirm development of relationship between you and your 3nd Generation Japanese spouse.
- Snapshot which were taken together with the Japanese spouse or each family etc. while you and your spouse are in a relationship
- Photos at the wedding, marriage ceremony and travel of each country are also effective.
- Other material such as emails, call log, message/SNS log etc.
- Documents to certify the applicant information issued by the authorities in the applicant’s country.:
- Birth Certificate
- Certificate of Criminal Record (Police Clearance)
- Copy of passport or ID card
- [If you wish 5-years of period of stay as an adult] Document to certify Japanese language proficiency, such as Certificate of JLPT N2, Certificate of BJT score (over 400 points) etc.
[D] In case the applicant is a unmarried minor child who makes living under living/financial support of naturalized Japanese, PERMANENT RESIDENT, LONG-TERM RESIDENT, SPOUSE/CHILD of JAPANESE, SPOUSE of PERMANENT RESIDENT, or Special PERMANENT RESIDENT
- Application form
- Photo
- [In case of CHANGE of VISA STATUS] Residence Card and Passport
- [In case the applicant is supported by Japanese] Transcript of Family Register (戸籍謄本) of Japanese
- Certificate of Residence (住民票写し) of the supporter
- All the members in the same household must be listed
- No omission except for the items related to “My number (個人番号)”
- Documents to certify supporter’s financial ability:
- Tax/Income Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate for Resident Tax for the last year (直近1年分の住民税の課税・所得証明書および納税証明書)
- Documents to certify supporter’s occupation:
- [In case of employee] Employment Certificate
- [In case of self-employed or freelance] Copy of Tax Return Form
- Documents to certify the applicant information issued by the authorities in the applicant’s county;
- Birth Certificate, Cerificate of Acknowledgement (if applicable), Passport copy
- [In case the applicant is a Japanese descendent supported by LONG-TERM RESIDENT] Copy of passport or ID of Grandparents and Parents
- Letter of Guarantee signed by the supporter (You can download it from the website of the Immigration Office)
- Letter of Reason explaining the reason why the applicant needs to be supported in Japan
[E] In case of Child up to 6 years old, adopted by Japanese, PERMANENT RESIDENT or Special PERMANENT RESIDENT, or LONG-TERM RESIDENT
- Application form
- Photo
- [In case of CHANGE of VISA STATUS] Residence Card and Passport
- [In case the applicant is supported by Japanese] Transcript of Family Register (戸籍謄本) of Japanese
- Certificate of Residence (住民票写し) of the supporter
- All the members in the same household must be listed
- No omission except for the items related to “My number (個人番号)”
- Documents to certify supporter’s financial ability:
- Tax/Income Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate for Resident Tax for the last year (直近1年分の住民税の課税・所得証明書および納税証明書)
- Documents to certify supporter’s occupation:
- [In case of employee] Employment Certificate
- [In case of self-employed or freelance] Copy of Tax Return Form
- Documents to certify the adoption issued by the authorities of the applicant’s home/mother country
- Certificate of Acceptance of Adoption Report (養子縁組証明書): In case the adoption report was submitted to the city/ward office in Japan or in case that there are no entry related to adoption in the Transcript of Family Register (戸籍謄本) of the Japanese parent
- Documents to certify the applicant information issued by the authorities in the applicant’s county;
- Birth Certificate, Cerificate of Acknowledgement (if applicable), Passport copy
- [In case the applicant is a Japanese descendent supported by LONG-TERM RESIDENT] Copy of passport or ID of Grandparents and Parents
- Letter of Guarantee signed by the supporter (You can download it from the website of the Immigration Office)
- Letter of Reason explaining the reason why the applicant needs to be supported in Japan
In case of EXTENTION of PERIOD of STAY
- Application form
- Photo
- Residence Card and Passport
- Document to certify financial ability to make living in Japan
- Tax/Income Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate for Resident Tax for the last year (直近1年分の住民税の課税・所得証明書および納税証明書)
- Other documents such as bank statement (deposit certificate), Employment Certificate which can confirm the salary etc.
- [In case of self-employed or freelance] Copy of Tax Return Form (確定申告書の控えのコピー)
- Letter of Guarantee signed by your guarantor
- Certificate of Residence (住民票の写し)
- All the members in the same household must be listed.
- No omission except for the items related to “My number (個人番号)”.
NOTE / REMARK
- All the documents written in foreign languages need to attach the Japanese translation.
- Additional documents may be requested by the Immigration Office during the screening.
- Some documents may be exempted in case your visa sponsor is classified under specific categories as follows: 1) listed corporation, government related organization, Independent administrative institution and other organization specified in this category 2) the total amount of annual withholding tax on the latest “Records for Salary Payment and Withholding Tax (給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表)” counts 10 million JPY or more, 3) your visa sponsor can submit a copy of the latest “Records for Salary Payment and Withholding Tax”.
- Any certificate issued by the Japanese authorities (Tax/Income Certificate, Certificate of Residence, Certificate of Company Register etc.) has to be the one issued within 3 months before the date of application.