What you need to know about naturalization: Conditions and procedures for naturalization

What does naturalization mean?

What foreigners always hear when living in Japan isNaturalization.
Perhaps some of my family and friends have been naturalized.

On the other hand, it is said with the same nuance as naturalization.permanent.

Naturalization and permanent residence are both qualifications that make it difficult to understand what is different, as there are places where you can spend time in Japan for an unlimited period of time.
However, if you do not know the differences between them, you may find yourself involved in complicated procedures after actually applying.

First, let's take a look at the differences between naturalization and permanent residence.

▼ What is naturalization?

Naturalization means that a foreignerrenounce one's nationalityThen,Obtain Japanese nationality and become JapaneseIt means that.

Since you become Japanese, you can naturally acquire the same rights as Japanese.
You can get suffrage such as voting rights and eligibility for election, and you can also have a Japanese passport.
For example, even if it is difficult to obtain a visa with your current nationality, you can get a visa exemption just by having a Japanese passport.
If you want to live in Japan for a long time, naturalization may be a candidate as an option.

On the other hand, there are also disadvantages to naturalization.
For example:

• ● I have to give up my current nationality
• ● It may be difficult to return to the original nationality after naturalization
• ● In principle, it is necessary to apply for naturalization on a family basis.

If there is even the slightest possibility that you will have to return to your home country, you should think carefully about whether or not to naturalize.
It depends on the country, but once naturalized, it is not easy to regain the nationality of your home country.
This is because the situation is "You chose Japan over your home country, right?"

Although there are countries where it is easy to return to nationality, such as Nepal, there are many countries where it is not possible to return to nationality.
Therefore, consider carefully whether or not to naturalize with an eye to the future.

▼ Difference from permanent residence

What is the difference between naturalization and permanent residence?
If you can stay in Japan for an unlimited period of time, you should be able to choose permanent residence without choosing naturalization.

Permanent residence means that foreignersEligibility to continue living in Japan with your current nationalityRefers to.
If you are currently living and working in Japan but would like to return to your home country in the future, or if you frequently return to Japan for work, etc., we recommend obtaining permanent residence.

Unlike naturalization, where you have to create a new family register, permanent residence requires different documents for application.
Compared to the examination time after application, which takes more than a year for naturalization, the results can be seen in about 1 to 6 months for permanent residence.
For that reason, it can be said that permanent residence is psychologically easier.

On the other hand, permanent residence is a residence status.Cancellation of permission,Deportationmay receive
Also, the examination itself is more carefully carried out for naturalization,The requirements for applying are definitely stricter for permanent residence.Some people choose to naturalize because they cannot meet the requirements for permanent residence.

In the case of naturalization, once the permit is granted, it is basically Japanese, so the permit is not revoked.
On the other hand, since permanent residence is just a type of residence status and you are still a foreigner, it is easy for the Japanese government to grant or take away your status.
In this way, since you will live permanently in Japan as a foreigner, if something happens to you, you will be treated as if you were a foreigner.

Requirements for naturalization

What are the conditions for naturalization?

The naturalization conditions in Japan are said to be stricter than in other countries, and you must clear various requirements.
There are certain conditions to be met in order for your naturalization application to be approved, but you must be aware of the following as a major premise.

• ● Satisfy all the various naturalization conditions
• ● Prepare all necessary documents for each situation
• ● Create application documents without mistakes

It may seem easy at first glance, but the reality is that it is quite difficult to apply.
First, let's take a closer look at what parts you should pay attention to when applying.

▼ Seven basic requirements for naturalization

To apply for naturalization, you must meet the following seven basic conditions.

XNUMX.Address conditions

Have you continued to live in Japan for more than 5 years?

XNUMX.ability condition

Are you an adult under both Japanese and home country laws?

XNUMX.Behavioral conditions

Are you following the rules and living your life seriously?

XNUMX.livelihood conditions

Can you live without worrying about money in the same household with the same wallet?

XNUMX.Conditions to prevent dual nationality

Can I give up my current nationality to obtain Japanese nationality?

XNUMX.Conditions of compliance with the constitution

Do you belong to an organization with ideas that are dangerous to Japan?

XNUMX.Japanese language proficiency requirements

Do you have the vocabulary level of a 2nd grade elementary school student?

The above are the basic conditions.
If you have lived in Japan for more than 5 years, and if you follow the rules and live seriously, you will understand that the conditions can be met by anyone.

However, what you need to be careful about is "Conditions to prevent dual nationality".
This is a condition of whether or not you can abandon your current nationality in order to acquire Japanese nationality, but it clearly depends on the nationality law of each country.
In some countries, you may not be able to lose your nationality if you have not completed military service or have tax obligations.
Therefore, before relinquishing your current nationality, make sure that you meet the requirements before applying.
Even if the conditions in Japan are met, it may mean that you could not apply in your home country.

▼ Cases where conditions for naturalization are relaxed

Naturalization requires that all of the above seven conditions be met, but in some cases it may be alleviated.
The following patterns are particularly common, so please check to see if they apply to you.

• ● Born in Japan
• ● Japanese spouse
• ● Japanese real child
• ● Adopted by Japanese

If these apply, some of the conditions will be relaxed.

If you were born in Japan, your period of stay is less than 3 years if you meet either of the following criteria: ``Residing in Japan continuously for 0 years or more'' or ``My biological father or mother was born in Japan (5 years of residence).'' However, your naturalization application may be approved.

If you are the spouse of a Japanese national, that is, if you are married to a Japanese national, the domicile requirements will be relaxed and you will be able to meet the requirements for 3 years or more.
In addition, if you marry someone who is enrolled in the Employees' Pension Plan, you will fall under the category of "Category 3 Insured Person" and will no longer have to worry about pension issues when applying.

In the case of biological or adopted children of Japanese nationals, the capacity requirements are relaxed, and if they are currently living in Japan, they may be allowed to apply for naturalization even if they are minors.
However, in the case of adopted children, unlike biological children, they can be created after birth, so although the regulations are somewhat relaxed, they are still strict.

If there are any applicable conditions, please refer to the application for naturalization.

Naturalization application flow

What is the flow of naturalization application?

As a general premise, naturalization application cannot be done immediately.
It often takes more than a year to apply.
With that in mind, let's follow the flow below.

XNUMX. XNUMX.Legal Affairs Bureau or local prior consultation

The required documents will differ depending on the individual, so check with the Legal Affairs Bureau.At this time, a reservation is always required.

XNUMX. XNUMX.Collect the documents required for naturalization application

Collect all the documents you heard when you consulted with the Legal Affairs Bureau.
Please note that some people require a huge amount of documents.
You may need documents from your home country.

XNUMX. XNUMX.Preparation of naturalization application documents

Obtain the documents from the Legal Affairs Bureau of the application and fill in the necessary items.
You have to create about 10 documents.
If it is not consistent with other certificates, there is a high possibility that permission will not be granted, so please create it carefully.

XNUMX.Inspection and acceptance of naturalization application documents

Once you have prepared the documents and collected all the required documents, submit them to the Legal Affairs Bureau.
A reservation is required at this time as well.If there are no defects, it will be accepted.

XNUMX.examination

It will be examined by the Legal Affairs Bureau.
There is no choice but to wait during this time.

XNUMX.Interview at the Legal Affairs Bureau

Shortly after receiving your documents, you will be interviewed by the Legal Affairs Bureau.
There is no problem if you tell the facts.
If you have a spouse or other family member who lives in Japan, you will be interviewed together.
Interview times vary from person to person and can take less than 30 minutes or more than 2 hours.
In some cases, a Japanese language test may also be conducted.

XNUMX.Neighborhood survey, home visit, workplace visit, workplace survey

The Legal Affairs Bureau staff may call you to confirm your enrollment at the applicant's place of employment or school, or you may visit your home.

XNUMX.Documents are sent to the Ministry of Justice

If the company in charge of the Legal Affairs Bureau confirms that there is no problem, the documents will be sent to the Ministry of Justice.
Ultimately, the Minister of Justice will decide whether to permit or disapprove.

XNUMX.Permit or disapproval decision

In the case of permission, the name will be published in the official bulletin, and a person in charge of the Legal Affairs Bureau will call you at a later date.
In case of disapproval, you will receive a disapproval notice, so check it.

XNUMX.Appear at the Legal Affairs Bureau on the date and time specified by phone or other means.

Receive your ID from the Legal Affairs Bureau and go to the Municipal Family Register Division.
There, your family register and resident record will be created with your new name.

The above is the general flow of naturalization.
The hard part is preparing to apply, and after that, you almost have to wait.
Because this process is done for all applicants, it takes time to apply for naturalization.

Summary

Naturalization and permanent residence are similar, but their essence is very different.
If you want to naturalize to Japan, you have to abandon your nationality and become Japanese, which is not a recommended method for those who frequently return to their home country.
However, as of 2022, Japan has the most countries in the world where you can enter without a visa, so this may not be an inconvenience at all.
On the other hand, with permanent residence, there is no set period of stay for living in Japan, but you cannot receive the same treatment as Japanese people, and in some cases, you may even be deported.
However, you can live in Japan with your current nationality, and the examination time tends to be shorter than naturalization.
Make sure to think carefully about whether naturalization or permanent residence is better for you now.

In addition to meeting the above seven conditions, there are many other documents required when applying for naturalization.
It usually takes more than a year after the application is submitted, the documents are prepared, and the Legal Affairs Bureau accepts them.
If your documents are incomplete, your application will take longer, so be sure to be fully prepared.

Related article

• What is the flow until the naturalization application is approved?
• What is the period required to apply for naturalization?
• Procedures required after naturalization, name change

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