Permanent Residency in Japan — Application Support | VisaSHOGUN

🏠 Supervised by a Licensed Administrative Scrivener ｜ Permanent Residency Application

Your Path to Permanent Residency,
Faster and More Certain

Reviews at the Tokyo Immigration Bureau now take 1.5 to 2 years. A cabinet decision in March 2026 approved a significant increase in application fees. If you meet the requirements, applying now with accurate documents is your best move.

¥3,980+Light Plan
from document prep
1–2 yrsActual review time
at Tokyo Immigration
3 langsEN / JA / ZH
support
Same dayConsultation response
reply within the day
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Do Any of These Concerns Sound Familiar?

📅
I've lived in Japan for 10 years, but I'm not sure if I actually meet the requirements for permanent residency
💰
My income was low in some years — I'm worried I don't meet the financial self-sufficiency requirement (approx. ¥3M/year)
🧾
I fell behind on social insurance, pension, or resident tax payments for a period in the past
⭐
I hold a Highly Skilled Professional visa and want to fast-track to permanent residency in 1–3 years
⏳
I want to apply before the transitional provisions expire in March 2027, but I haven't started preparing
❌
My application was denied once before and I don't know what went wrong

3 Reasons Why Applying for Permanent Residency in 2026 Is More Challenging

⚠️ March 10, 2026: Cabinet approves a major increase to permanent residency application fees The government has approved a plan to raise the current fee cap of ¥8,000 to as high as ¥300,000. The exact amount will be set by government ordinance once the legislation passes. Applying early is strongly advisable.
1
Review times at the Tokyo Immigration Bureau have stretched to 1.5–2 years
A process that once took around 4 months now routinely takes 1.5 to 2 years at the Tokyo Immigration Bureau. Delaying your application means a long wait even if you already meet all the requirements.
2
Transitional provisions end March 2027 (residency requirement increasing from 3 to 5 years)
From April 2027, applicants will need a current residence period of 5 years instead of 3. If your current visa is for 3 years, now is the time to apply while you still meet the requirement.
3
Your entire 10-year residency history is reviewed
Social insurance, pension, and resident tax payment records going back 10 years are all examined. Even a single lapse in payment or enrollment significantly increases the risk of denial. Reviewing your history before applying is essential.

Main Eligibility Requirements for Permanent Residency

Requirement Details Fast-Track Route
Length of residency Generally 10+ years in Japan (including 5+ years on a work or residence visa) HSP 70 pts → 3 years; 80 pts → 1 year
Current visa period Your current residence period must be "3 years" or "5 years" 3-year visa accepted until end of March 2027
Good conduct No criminal record or violations of Japanese law —
Financial self-sufficiency Ability to support yourself independently (approx. ¥3M+ annual income, stable and ongoing) —
Social insurance & taxes Proper payment of pension, health insurance, and resident tax for the past 2 years —
Notification obligations All required notifications (address changes, change of employer, etc.) properly submitted —

VisaSHOGUN Support Plans

Light Plan
¥3,980+
Document preparation service
  • Preparation of application documents
  • Review by a licensed scrivener
  • Personalized document checklist
  • Email & LINE support
Get a Free Consultation
✨ Full Peace-of-Mind Support
Pro Plan
¥29,800+
Full support by a licensed scrivener
  • Licensed scrivener handles everything up to submission
  • Pre-submission review of your full 10-year residency history
  • Preparation of reason statement & supplementary letters
  • Verification of social insurance & tax payment history
  • HSP point calculation check (fast-track eligibility)
  • End-to-end support through to the decision
Get a Free Consultation

📚 Guides Our Readers Also Found Helpful

📄
How to Get Permanent Residency in Japan — Requirements & Process [2026 Edition]
A complete breakdown of the fee increase, extended review times, and what to expect
›
⭐
Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa — Complete Guide
How to use the points system to fast-track your permanent residency to 1–3 years
›
⏳
Why Visa Reviews Take 4–6 Months — And What You Can Do About It
The real reasons behind the delays and what you can do to speed things up
›
📊
Tax Filing Guide for Foreign Residents in Japan
Your tax record is a key factor in the permanent residency review
›

Start with a Free
Eligibility Check Today

Our licensed scrivener will assess at no charge whether you currently meet the requirements for permanent residency and advise on the best time to apply. If you want to move before the March 2027 deadline, now is the time to act.

Start Your Free Consultation →

A free consultation does not obligate you to use our services.
Hours: Weekdays 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (LINE inquiries accepted 24/7)

🏛️
Supervised by a Licensed Administrative Scrivener This page has been reviewed by a licensed administrative scrivener affiliated with VisaSHOGUN. Last updated: March 2026

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