# Permanent residency in Japan: requirements, fee and the 2027 changes

URL: https://japanhow.com/visa/residency/permanent-residency-japan-requirements/
Author: japanhow editors
Updated: Oct 20, 2026

## Summary

As of October 2026, permanent residency (永住) in Japan usually needs 10 years of continuous stay, including 5 years on a work or residence-based status, plus good conduct, enough income, and taxes, pension and health insurance paid on time. Spouses of Japanese nationals and highly skilled professionals with 70 or 80 points have shorter routes. The fee rose to ¥200,000 on October 1, 2026. A stricter guideline applies from April 1, 2027, including a B1 Japanese factor and a 5-year marriage rule for spouses.

## Key facts

- Usual residence: 10 years (5 on work or residence status)
- Fee from Oct 1, 2026: ¥200,000
- Standard processing: 4 to 6 months
- Stricter guideline: From April 1, 2027

The main requirements for permanent residency (永住, eijū) in Japan are **10 years of continuous stay**, with at least **5 of those years on a work or residence-based status**, plus good conduct, enough income to live on, and **taxes, pension and health insurance paid on time**. Spouses of Japanese nationals and highly skilled professionals can apply sooner. The fee is **¥200,000** for applications received from October 1, 2026. This is the position as of October 2026, from the Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁, ISA).

**Informational only:** This page explains the published rules. It is not advice on your case. Confirm with your regional immigration office or the ISA information center (0570-013904). For a complex history (gaps, late payments, a past refusal), consider an immigration lawyer or a certified administrative scrivener (行政書士, gyōseishoshi).

## What are the basic requirements for permanent residency in Japan?

The law (Immigration Act, Article 22) sets three tests. ISA's guideline explains how it applies them.

| Test | What ISA looks at |
|---|---|
| Good conduct (素行善良) | You follow the law and live without social criticism. No fines or prison sentences. |
| Independent livelihood (独立生計) | Your assets or skills let you live without becoming a public burden, now and in future. |
| In Japan's interest (国益) | 10 years' stay, public duties met, longest available period of stay, no public-health risk. |

"Public duties" means taxes, public pension and public health insurance premiums, and the notifications the Immigration Act requires, such as reporting a new address. Late payment counts against you **even if you paid everything before you applied**.

You must also hold the **longest period of stay** available for your current status. Until March 31, 2027, ISA treats a 3-year period of stay as meeting this.

Spouses and children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents and special permanent residents don't have to pass the good-conduct and livelihood tests in law. They still need the other conditions.

## Which years count toward the 10-year rule?

You need 10 years of continuous stay. Within that, at least 5 years in a row must be on a **work status** or a **residence-based status** (such as spouse visa or long-term resident).

Time on Technical Intern Training (技能実習) or Specified Skilled Worker (i) (特定技能1号) does not count as work status for this purpose.

## Who can apply before 10 years?

ISA's guideline lists shorter routes. These apply to applications made up to March 31, 2027.

| Your situation | Time needed |
|---|---|
| Spouse of a Japanese national, PR or special PR | 3 years of real married life and 1 year living in Japan |
| Biological child of the above | 1 year living in Japan |
| Long-term resident (定住者) | 5 years on that status |
| Highly skilled, 70+ points | 3 years at 70+ points |
| Highly skilled, 80+ points | 1 year at 80+ points |
| Special highly skilled professional (J-Skip) | 1 year |
| Recognized refugee or complementary protection | 5 years after recognition |
| Recognized contribution to Japan | 5 years in Japan |

For the highly skilled routes, you can also qualify if your points, counted at the date 3 years (or 1 year) before you apply, were already at 70 (or 80) and stayed there. This route is open even if you were not on the Highly Skilled Professional visa.

## What changes for applications from April 1, 2027?

ISA published a revised guideline on October 1, 2026. It applies in full to applications made **on or after April 1, 2027**. Its income rules also apply now to applications made from April 1, 2026.

The main changes:

- **Spouse route gets longer:** 5 years of real married life and 3 years in Japan, instead of 3 and 1. Children of Japanese or PR need 3 years in Japan.
- **Income test:** your household income must stay above the average income of a Japanese household of the same size. Income of family members on a dependent visa (家族滞在) does not count. Relatives you support abroad add to your household size.
- **Pension test:** ISA compares your projected pension with what a person at that income level would get after 30 years in employees' pension (厚生年金). Savings can make up a gap.
- **Time abroad:** in the last 10 years, a single trip of 6 months or more, or 2 years 6 months in total, counts against you without a good reason.
- **Japanese ability:** B1 level on Japan's reference framework (日本語教育の参照枠) becomes a factor. Highly skilled applicants and their families, and people with 6+ years of Japanese schooling, are among the exceptions.
- **Rules of life in Japan:** ISA will check your understanding of Japanese rules, centered on its Living and Working Guidebook (生活・就労ガイドブック).
- **School-age children** must attend elementary or junior high school.

**The 3-year visa rule after March 2027:** If you hold a 3-year period of stay on March 31, 2027, it still counts as "the longest period" for your first PR application after that date, as long as the decision comes before that 3-year stay expires.

## How much does permanent residency cost?

**PR fee:** ¥200,000 (For applications received on or after October 1, 2026. Paid in revenue stamps (収入印紙) only when approved. Applications received by September 30, 2026 pay ¥10,000.)

A reduced fee of **¥20,000** exists only for spouses and children of Japanese nationals, PR or special PR who are in serious financial hardship or need humanitarian consideration. You need proof, and you must apply at the counter: the online system can't apply the reduction.

## What documents do you need?

Lists differ by status. For work visas and dependents, ISA's list includes:

- application form and a 4 cm × 3 cm photo
- a statement of reasons (理由書) explaining why you want PR, translated into Japanese if written in another language
- household residence record (住民票) without My Number (個人番号)
- proof of employment
- the **last 5 years** of resident tax certificates (課税証明書 and 納税証明書), plus proof you paid on time if tax was not deducted from salary
- national tax certificate (納税証明書 その3) for five tax types, from the tax office
- the **last 2 years** of pension and health insurance payment records
- a letter from a guarantor (身元保証書), normally a Japanese national or PR living in Japan
- passport and residence card (在留カード), shown at the counter

Spouses of Japanese nationals or PR submit **3 years** of resident tax records instead of 5. ISA also publishes a self-check sheet: one "No" answer makes refusal likely.

For pension records, ask your pension office for the 被保険者記録照会回答票, or print from ねんきんネット. ねんきんネット is in Japanese only.

## How long does it take, and how do you apply?

PR takes effect when you receive the new residence card. ISA lists no administrative appeal against a refusal.

If your visa runs out while you wait, see our [visa renewal guide](/visa/visas/visa-renewal-japan/).

## Can permanent residency be taken away?

Yes. A 2024 amendment to the Immigration Act adds new grounds from **April 1, 2027**: not following Immigration Act duties, **intentionally** not paying taxes or social insurance, and certain serious crimes with a prison sentence.

ISA's Q&A says "intentionally" means you know you owe and can pay, but don't. Missing payments because of illness or job loss is not meant to trigger it. Forgetting to carry your card is not meant to either. In most cases ISA expects to switch the person to long-term resident (定住者) rather than remove them.

PR holders also still renew the residence card, report address changes, and leave Japan on a re-entry permit. The special re-entry permit (みなし再入国) lasts 1 year from departure.

If you are deciding between PR and citizenship, compare them in [permanent residency vs naturalization (帰化)](/visa/residency/permanent-residency-vs-naturalization/).

More guides: [spouse visa in Japan](/visa/visas/spouse-visa-japan/), [Japanese naturalization process](/visa/naturalization/naturalization-japan-process/), [visa renewal in Japan](/visa/visas/visa-renewal-japan/), [getting a mortgage without permanent residency](/housing/mortgage/mortgage-without-permanent-residency/).

## Questions people ask

### How much is the permanent residency fee in Japan in 2026?

¥200,000 for applications received on or after October 1, 2026, paid in revenue stamps (収入印紙) when you are approved. Applications received by September 30, 2026 pay the old fee of ¥10,000, even if approved later.

### Can I get permanent residency in Japan after 3 years of marriage?

For applications made by March 31, 2027, a spouse of a Japanese national or permanent resident can qualify after 3 years of real married life and 1 year living in Japan. For applications from April 1, 2027, this becomes 5 years of marriage and 3 years in Japan.

### How many points do I need for permanent residency in Japan?

70 points under the highly skilled professional point system, held for 3 years, or 80 points held for 1 year.

### Can permanent residency in Japan be revoked?

Yes. From April 1, 2027, intentionally not paying taxes or social insurance, breaking Immigration Act duties, or certain serious crimes become grounds to cancel PR. ISA says it will usually switch the person to another status, often long-term resident (定住者), rather than remove them.

### How long does permanent residency take in Japan?

ISA's standard processing period is 4 to 6 months. Your current visa must stay valid while you wait, so renew it if it expires before the decision.

## Sources

- [永住許可申請 (Permanent residency application)](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-4.html), Immigration Services Agency of Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [永住許可に関するガイドライン: application periods (notice of October 1, 2026)](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/eizyuu_00001.html), Immigration Services Agency of Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和8年2月24日改訂）](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyukan_nyukan50.html), Immigration Services Agency of Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和8年10月1日改定）](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00279.html), Immigration Services Agency of Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Fee reductions from October 1, 2026](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00273.html), Immigration Services Agency of Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [永住許可制度の適正化Q＆A (PR revocation Q&A)](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/faq/kanri_qa_00003.html), Immigration Services Agency of Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [永住許可申請３: documents for work visas and dependents](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/zairyu_eijyu03.html), Immigration Services Agency of Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [永住許可申請１: documents for spouses and children](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/zairyu_eijyu01.html), Immigration Services Agency of Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [出入国管理及び難民認定法 (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act)](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/326CO0000000319), e-Gov (Digital Agency) (accessed Oct 20, 2026)