Japan permanent residency (eijuken): the requirements, explained
This is a plain-English summary of the official Immigration Services Agency (ISA) guideline for permanent residence. It is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Eligibility is case-specific and examiners have discretion — for your own situation, consult the immigration bureau or a licensed professional (see the end of this page).
Permanent residence (eijūken, 永住権) lets you live and work in Japan with no status renewals and no occupational restrictions. It is discretionary: the ISA weighs several criteria, and meeting the basics does not guarantee approval. Here is what the official guideline actually says — including the changes that took effect in 2026.
The three legal requirements
The ISA guideline sets three core requirements:
“(1) good conduct / (2) having assets or skills sufficient to make an independent living / (3) the person’s permanent residence being found to conform to the interests of Japan” (ISA guideline, translated)
The second requirement is deliberately qualitative — the guideline looks at whether your assets or skills point to a stable future livelihood, not a published income number (see the FAQ on income). The third — “national interest” — is where the residence-length and visa-period rules live.
How long you must have lived in Japan
| Your situation | Residence requirement |
|---|---|
| Standard rule | 10+ years continuous residence, incl. 5+ years on a work-eligible status (excl. Technical Intern Training & SSW (i)) or a resident status |
| Spouse of a Japanese national / permanent resident / special permanent resident | 3+ years of substantive married life and 1+ year continuous residence |
| Highly Skilled Professional — 70+ points | 3+ years maintaining that point level while resident |
| Highly Skilled Professional — 80+ points | 1+ year maintaining that point level while resident |
“As a rule, having continuously resided in Japan for 10+ years … within which, 5+ years on a work-eligible status (excluding ‘Technical Intern Training’ and ‘Specified Skilled Worker (i)’) or a resident status.” (ISA guideline, translated)
The 5-year-visa (longest period of stay) rule
As part of the national-interest criterion, you must currently hold the longest period of stay prescribed for your status — in practice, the 5-year period.
“Holding the longest period of stay prescribed in Appended Table 2 of the Enforcement Regulation for your current status of residence.” (ISA guideline, translated)
Public duties — and the 2026 tightening
You must not have been sentenced to a fine or imprisonment, and must have properly performed public duties — paying taxes, public pension premiums and public health-insurance premiums, and meeting immigration notification obligations.
Under the guideline revised on 24 February 2026, the timing matters more than before:
“Regarding performance of public duties, even if payment is complete at the time of application, if it was not made within the original payment period, it is in principle evaluated negatively.” (ISA guideline, translated)
How to apply
- Where: the regional immigration bureau with jurisdiction over your place of residence.
- Fee: ¥10,000 on approval (paid by revenue stamp).
- Processing: a standard 4–6 months; there is no appeal if denied (you can re-apply).
- Documents: the application form, a guarantor’s letter (身元保証書), and status-specific evidence (tax certificates, proof of pension/health-insurance payments, etc.). Since 1 October 2021, a signed acknowledgment form (了解書, available in several languages) is also required.
Meeting your public duties along the way matters: paying residence tax, pension and health-insurance premiums on time is exactly what the guideline examines.
FAQ
How long do I have to live in Japan to apply for permanent residence?
The standard rule is 10+ years of continuous residence, of which at least 5 years must be on a work-eligible status (excluding Technical Intern Training and Specified Skilled Worker (i)) or a resident status, per the ISA guideline. Shorter paths exist: the spouse of a Japanese national/permanent resident (3+ years married and 1+ year resident), and Highly Skilled Professionals (3 years at 70+ points, or 1 year at 80+ points).
Do I need to be on a 5-year visa to apply?
Generally yes. As part of the "national interest" criterion, you must currently hold the longest period of stay prescribed for your status (in practice, the 5-year period). There is a transitional measure: until 31 March 2027, holding a "3-year" period is still treated as meeting this requirement — but this transitional treatment is applied only once for a person still on a 3-year period as of that date.
What changed in 2026?
The ISA guideline was revised on 24 February 2026. A key point: for the public-duty requirement, even if your taxes and social-insurance premiums are fully paid by the time you apply, failing to have paid them within their original due period is, in principle, evaluated negatively. Separately, a 2026 law amendment added new grounds for revoking permanent-resident status, including intentionally not paying public dues. Pay taxes and premiums on time.
Is there an official minimum income for permanent residency?
The official ISA guideline does not publish a specific income figure. It uses qualitative language — that your assets or skills point to a stable future livelihood. Figures quoted on some websites (e.g. a set yen amount per year) are not from the official guideline, so treat them as commentary, not a rule.
Where do I apply, and how much does it cost?
You apply at the regional immigration bureau with jurisdiction over your place of residence. If approved, the fee is ¥10,000 (paid by revenue stamp). Standard processing is 4–6 months, and there is no appeal procedure if it is denied. Since 1 October 2021, applications must include a signed acknowledgment form (了解書) in addition to the application and guarantor documents.
Important: permanent residence is discretionary and assessed case by case. The ISA explicitly warns that meeting the checklist does not guarantee approval, and this page cannot tell you whether you personally qualify. Rules and guidelines also change (the quotes here are translated from the Japanese ISA/MOJ pages below, retrieved 2026-07-13). For your specific case, contact the Immigration Information Center (0570-013904) or a licensed immigration lawyer / gyoseishoshi.
Sources
- ISA/MOJ — Guideline for Permission for Permanent Residence (requirements, residence rules, 2026 revision) (retrieved 2026-07-13)
- ISA/MOJ — Application for Permanent Residence permission (where to apply, fee, processing) (retrieved 2026-07-13)
- ISA — Q&A on new grounds for revoking status of residence (2026 amendment) (retrieved 2026-07-13)