Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence


Procedure Name   Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence
Governing Law   Paragraph 22-2, Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act
Applicant   A person who gives up Japanese citizenship or intends to stay in Japan without the landing procedures due to birth or any other event, and wishing to stay in Japan for more than 60 days after the occurrence of such event
When to submit   Within 30 days since the applicant becomes eligible to acquire the permission
How to submit

  Applicant must fill in necessary application forms, make ready attached documents and submit a service counter at regional immigration office.

Who may submit
  1. Applicant;
  2. The following persons are authorized to submit application form on behalf of the applicant foreign national:
    • A staff member of organization that is run by or employs the foreign national;
    • A staff member of organization that trains or educates the foreign national; or-
    • A nonprofit organization authorized by the competent authorities under the Article 34 of the Civil Code for the purpose of smooth acceptance of foreign nationals;
  3. A lawyer or administrative scrivener that gives notice to the director of regional immigration bureau;
  4. A legal representative of the foreign national;* or
    * "Legal representative" in this context means a legal representative of an applicant who is younger than 16 years old, is always unable to make sense of his/her surroundings due to mental disorder, or significantly lacks such abilities.
  5. The applicant's relative, housemate or other similar person who are regarded as appropriate by the director of regional immigration bureau (if the applicant is not able to visit the regional immigration bureau by himself/herself because of illness or other reasons).
Fee   Free of charge
Necessary documents (the number of necessary copies)
  • Application form 1copy
  • A copy of document is necessary for the following categories:
  1. A document that proves the applicant's citizenship (if the applicant gives up Japanese citizenship);
  2. A document that proves the birth of the applicant (if the applicant is born); or
  3. A document that proves necessary facts (if the applicant does not fall under (a) or (b) above, but needs to acquire a status of residence)(As applicant sometimes needs to submit document material(s) other than stipulated in the Immigration Control Act Enforcement Regulation, please refer to your regional immigration office or immigration information center.)
  • A document that proves the status (if a legal representative or agent submits the application form on behalf of the applicant)
Format
  • Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence[PDF] [EXCEL]
    (Note 1) The immigration bureau accepts this format if you print it out on Japanese Industrial Standards A4 format.
    (Note 2) You sometimes print it out on a smaller format than A4. To avoid it, please turn off "Shrink Oversized Pages to Paper Size (K)" in the print dialogue box.
How to fill in, and example   Refer to your regional immigration office or immigration information center.
Where to submit   The regional immigration office in charge of applicant's address (Refer to your regional immigration office or immigration information center.)
Office hours   9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:00, weekdays (For more information on office hours or days of week for specific application procedures, refer to your regional immigration office or immigration information center.)
Information services   Regional immigration office or immigration information center
Screening criteria   Applicant's intended activities in Japan on the application form must not be false, and must fall under one of the activities as stated in the lower column of Annexed Table I of Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act or the activities of a person with the civil status or position as described in the lower column of Annexed Table II (the civil status or position in the lower column under "Permanent Resident" shall be excluded).
   In addition, the applicant must face an adequate cause that requires acquisition of resident status.
   The activities to be engaged in while in Japan stated in the application must not be false, and must fall under one of the activities described in the right-hand column of Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act Annexed TableI , or the activities of a person with the civil status or position described in the right-hand column of Annexed TableII (the civil status or position in the right-hand column under "Permanent Resident" shall be excluded; )
   When an application for Permission to Acquire status of residence has been submitted, the Minister of Justice may grant permission only when he finds that there are reasonable grounds to acquire status of residence on the strength of the documents submitted by the foreign nationals.
Standard procedures duration   Two weeks to three months
Administrative appeal   None.

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