Permanent residency
Since 1 October 2026 permanent residency costs ¥200,000 when it is granted, and your household has to earn more than the average Japanese household of its size. From 1 April 2027 more tests join and spouses wait longer. Enter your dates to see the month you can apply, the rules that will decide, and what they look at.
Living in Japan without a break since
On a work status, or as a spouse or Long-Term Resident, since
Technical Intern Training and Specified Skilled Worker (i) do not count here; from April 2027 neither do Employment for Skill Development and Intra-company Transferee. Student years count toward the 10, not toward these 5.
In the last 10 years, were you away from Japan 6 months or more in one go, or 2.5 years in all?
Have you always paid taxes, pension and health insurance by the due date?
Does your household earn more than the average Japanese household of its size, year after year?
Your household is the people you live and share money with. Family on a Dependent visa add no income; relatives you support abroad count in its size. The guideline gives no yen amount.
Do you speak Japanese at B1 (an independent user)?asked from April 2027
Exempt: 6 years or more at Japanese elementary, junior high or high schools, or a permanent resident's child born in Japan whose parent has B1.
Do your children of school age go to elementary or junior high school?asked from April 2027
Earliest month to apply
April 2030
Under the rules for applications made from 1 April 2027
Your route needs 10 years in Japan, 5 of them on a work status or as a spouse or Long-Term Resident. Earliest month: April 2030.
Your period of stay counts as the longest for your status.
No long time away from Japan.
Taxes, pension and health insurance paid on time.
Household income above the average for its size: the rule since 1 October 2026.
Your future pension has to reach what 30 years in Employees' Pension at an above-average income would pay. Savings can fill a gap, and the younger you are, the less you need. The guideline gives no amounts.
Japanese at B1, or exempt.
There is also a check of what you know about life in Japan, based on the government's Living and Working Guidebook.
Children of school age at school, or none.
Fee and waiting time
¥200,000 in revenue stamps, paid only if permanent residency is granted. It was ¥10,000 for applications received by 30 September 2026.
The standard review takes 4 to 6 months. If your period of stay ends before the answer, apply to extend it before it ends: ¥10,000 to ¥75,000 at the counter, by the period you are given.
There is no appeal against a refusal.
The Minister of Justice decides each application and has wide discretion, so meeting every point here is not a promise.
The fee for permanent residency went from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000, for applications received from 1 October 2026.
Income: your household's yearly income has to be above the average Japanese household of the same size, year after year. The household is the people you live and share money with. Income of family on a Dependent visa does not count, relatives you support abroad count in its size, and from five people the bar rises with the cost of living. This applies to new applications and to those filed from 1 April 2026 still under review on 1 October.
Spouses and children of Japanese nationals and permanent residents are not tested on income, but a household living on public support, or likely to, now counts against them.
Renewing a visa or changing its status now costs ¥10,000 to ¥75,000, by the period of stay granted (table below).
For applications made from 1 April 2027 the whole revised guideline applies:
The fee depends on the period of stay you are granted, which the postcard or email after the review tells you. Online applications are paid by convenience store or bank, with a handling fee on top. Until 30 September 2026 it was ¥6,000 at the counter and ¥5,500 online.
| Period granted | At the counter | Online |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | ¥10,000 | ¥10,000 |
| Over 3 months, up to 6 | ¥18,000 | ¥15,000 |
| Over 6 months, under 1 year | ¥25,000 | ¥21,000 |
| 1 year | ¥33,000 | ¥27,000 |
| Over 1 year, under 3 | ¥48,000 | ¥42,000 |
| 3 years, under 5 | ¥64,000 | ¥56,000 |
| 5 years or more | ¥75,000 | ¥65,000 |
In financial hardship comparable to public assistance the fee can be cut to ¥10,000, at the counter only.
Read on 9 October 2026.
