Post by Admin on Jan 27, 2016 8:24:33 GMT 8
Want to Live in Japan Permanently? Here’s How to Become a Citizen
Japan is a leader in almost every aspect and is one of the five largest economies in the world. Its scenic beauty, culture, infrastructure, facilities, educational and career opportunities make Japan one of the most popular places on the planet. So, for those that would like a more permanent stay, here are the steps to becoming a Japanese national.
The process of becoming a national of a country that you are not born in is termed as ‘naturalization’. Before applying, one should find out if they are eligible for Japanese citizenship or Permanent Residency. Although both allow you to stay and work in Japan indefinitely, citizenship allows you to vote, participate in elections and you can travel abroad without a re-entry permit. Permanent residents, however, need a re-entry permit if they are staying more than a year outside of Japan. There are a few legal terms in getting naturalized into the Japanese society.
Conditions
The person has ideally stayed in Japan consecutively for 10 years or more. He/she has had a work permit for at least 5 years at the time of the application – there are many cases where citizenship is denied even though a person has lived here for 7 or 8 years. A Student Visa is generally not eligible for citizenship. Also, one is expected to stay in Japan 80% of the time of a year.
The person has been a legal tax resident without anything owing. Even a minor offense such as traffic violations can hinder your naturalization.
The person should be at least 20 years old and is mentally stable and does not pose a threat to Japanese security and lifestyle.
The person is willing to renounce his/her first citizenship or nationality.
The person should have a sufficient source of income and can support themselves and their family. He/she should also prove his/her contribution to Japanese society such as awards, honors, publications or establishments.
The person should possess some Japanese language skills especially in good oral communication. He/she should also be able to read and write in basic Japanese including Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana.
Important Things to Note
The steps after application of naturalization are as follows:
The naturalization application should be made to the Bureau of Legal Affairs first for assessment. The assessment takes 10 months to one year or more on average.
After the successful assessment, a Personal Identification Card is issued and your new nationality needs to be reported at your local municipality office.
Once your Japanese nationality is approved, a Family Register is given to you and the residence card should be returned to the Immigration Bureau. Then, you will become a Japanese national.
If you marry a Japanese national, the amount of time eligible for the application is reduced to 3 years. You have to prove that your marriage is not a ‘sham’ and you are morally obliged to financially support your family even after your divorce. That is why, you won’t lose your citizenship or Permanent Residency after divorce in Japan.
There is preferential treatment to High-Income Professionals or Highly Skilled Professionals (HSP).
Japan follows ‘Jus Sanguinis’ which means nationality is passed down through blood and not by birth. You cannot become a citizen of Japan by just merely being born there. If you are born to a Japanese father and a foreign woman, you will get nationality automatically if your father accepts you as a child albeit the marriage is broken.
This is almost everything you need to know about becoming a Japanese citizen. Hope you will keep it in mind when you are getting naturalized. For more information, you can visit your nearest immigration office in Japan or search the web.
Japan is a leader in almost every aspect and is one of the five largest economies in the world. Its scenic beauty, culture, infrastructure, facilities, educational and career opportunities make Japan one of the most popular places on the planet. So, for those that would like a more permanent stay, here are the steps to becoming a Japanese national.
The process of becoming a national of a country that you are not born in is termed as ‘naturalization’. Before applying, one should find out if they are eligible for Japanese citizenship or Permanent Residency. Although both allow you to stay and work in Japan indefinitely, citizenship allows you to vote, participate in elections and you can travel abroad without a re-entry permit. Permanent residents, however, need a re-entry permit if they are staying more than a year outside of Japan. There are a few legal terms in getting naturalized into the Japanese society.
Conditions
The person has ideally stayed in Japan consecutively for 10 years or more. He/she has had a work permit for at least 5 years at the time of the application – there are many cases where citizenship is denied even though a person has lived here for 7 or 8 years. A Student Visa is generally not eligible for citizenship. Also, one is expected to stay in Japan 80% of the time of a year.
The person has been a legal tax resident without anything owing. Even a minor offense such as traffic violations can hinder your naturalization.
The person should be at least 20 years old and is mentally stable and does not pose a threat to Japanese security and lifestyle.
The person is willing to renounce his/her first citizenship or nationality.
The person should have a sufficient source of income and can support themselves and their family. He/she should also prove his/her contribution to Japanese society such as awards, honors, publications or establishments.
The person should possess some Japanese language skills especially in good oral communication. He/she should also be able to read and write in basic Japanese including Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana.
Important Things to Note
The steps after application of naturalization are as follows:
The naturalization application should be made to the Bureau of Legal Affairs first for assessment. The assessment takes 10 months to one year or more on average.
After the successful assessment, a Personal Identification Card is issued and your new nationality needs to be reported at your local municipality office.
Once your Japanese nationality is approved, a Family Register is given to you and the residence card should be returned to the Immigration Bureau. Then, you will become a Japanese national.
If you marry a Japanese national, the amount of time eligible for the application is reduced to 3 years. You have to prove that your marriage is not a ‘sham’ and you are morally obliged to financially support your family even after your divorce. That is why, you won’t lose your citizenship or Permanent Residency after divorce in Japan.
There is preferential treatment to High-Income Professionals or Highly Skilled Professionals (HSP).
Japan follows ‘Jus Sanguinis’ which means nationality is passed down through blood and not by birth. You cannot become a citizen of Japan by just merely being born there. If you are born to a Japanese father and a foreign woman, you will get nationality automatically if your father accepts you as a child albeit the marriage is broken.
This is almost everything you need to know about becoming a Japanese citizen. Hope you will keep it in mind when you are getting naturalized. For more information, you can visit your nearest immigration office in Japan or search the web.