What is asked at the interview for naturalization application?Points to know

Flow from naturalization application to interview

What you must do when applying for naturalizationInterview with the officer in charge.
The flow of naturalization application is first,We will go to the legal affairs bureau that has jurisdiction over the applicant's address and consult in advance.
Since the required documents for naturalization application differ from person to person, we will confirm the required documents in advance consultation.
after that,After preparing all the documents and collecting the necessary documents, go to the Legal Affairs Bureau again and apply.
If there are no defects in the application documents at that time, the application will be accepted, but if there are any defects, the application will not be accepted, so please check carefully before applying.
Depending on the legal affairs bureau to which you apply, advance consultations and applications are available by appointment only.The date is often more than a month in advance.
If there is a problem and you have to reschedule your reservation, your application may be delayed for more than a month.

Within a few weeks after applying, the officer in charge will make a decision, and the officer will contact the applicant for an interview.
The timing of the interview will vary depending on the applicant, but the interview will take place 2 to 4 months after the application for naturalization.
Basically, the number of interviews is one per person, but in some cases two or more interviews may be conducted.
All applicants over the age of 15 are required to undergo an interview, and the interview is only held on weekdays when the Legal Affairs Bureau is open, so be sure to keep track of your and your family's schedule.

Points to note when interviewing

▼ Make sure there are no falsehoods in your answers

Questions asked during the interview are basically based on the documents submitted at the time of application.
Of course, the content to be stated in the application form must be factual, but there are some who describe something that is slightly different from the fact in order to improve the impression.
However, if you write something that is not true, you may not get the same answer when you are suddenly asked a question.
Of course, even if you have written the facts, it is possible that you have forgotten what you wrote because what you wrote is something you don't usually think about.
However, the officer in charge is reading the submitted documents, so if there are discrepancies with the written contents, they cannot overlook them.

As a general rule, do not lie about the contents of your application or your answers during the interview..
Since the application for naturalization is a very important application for Japan, the Legal Affairs Bureau will also carefully examine it.
There are many people who are lied to in the process of the examination.
Unless your answer leaves a very bad impression, it is hard to imagine that your answer will be rejected based on an honest answer, so even if it is something that makes you wonder, "Is it okay to say this?"answer honestlyPlease do so.
There is no falsehood in the answerWhen,Consistency with application documentsLet's pay attention to two points.

Also, through this interviewJapanese abilityis also seen.
At the time of the interview, I get nervous and sometimes I can't speak Japanese as usual.
One of the reasons for this is that you speak too quickly when you're nervous, so be conscious of answering slowly and clearly in a loud voice during the interview.

▼About clothes

There is no dress code for the interview, so you may wear casual clothes instead of a suit, but be careful not to make yourself feel uncomfortable.
The interviewer is also human.If you look dirty, your impression will be bad.
There is nothing good about an interviewer being impressed.
Come to the interview dressed appropriately so that you can make a good impression.

Questions to ask in an interview

In the naturalization application, I think that the applicant is most concerned about the interview.
The questions asked during an interview vary from person to person, so you won't know what you will be asked until the time comes.
But,The questions that are often asked are generally determined.Therefore, if you prepare to some extent in advance, you will be able to answer smoothly.
The following items are often asked.

▼ Background to naturalization application Place of birth and motive

You will be asked about the country of birth, how you came to Japan, and why you came to Japan.
You will be asked why you want to be Japanese, so it's a good idea to read the contents of your resume and motivation.
You may also be asked about your moving history and future moving plans.
In particular, it is easy to forget your moving history, so be prepared to answer even roughly.

▼ Regarding status relationships such as family members

You will be asked about your family, fiancée, cohabitant, etc.
As for the family, you will be asked about the pros and cons of becoming a Japanese person by applying for naturalization from the family relationship and the reason.
For fiancés and spouses, you may be asked about the background from meeting to marriage, and you may also be asked about the division of housework.
In addition, if you have a cohabitant other than your family, you may be asked about your relationship with that cohabitant and the allocation of rent.

▼ Health status

What do officials think of people who are in poor health?
If you are living on the income of the applicant for naturalization, you may be able to receive public assistance if you become unable to work due to illness or other reasons.
Health is not a requirement for naturalization, but the risk of not meeting the livelihood requirements due to poor health can also be a factor.

▼ Status of residence (past illegal acts, etc.)

Bad residence status, such as having committed a traffic violation or engaging in illegal activities in the past, is one of the factors that will disallow naturalization.
But even soHiding past illegal activities will be even more negative..
One of our customers' first application was denied because he had forgotten about a traffic violation he committed 20 years ago and did not mention it, but on his second application, he submitted an honest confession in writing and was granted permission. became.
Although past illegal acts are a serious reason for disapproval,Hiding it will further increase the chance of rejection.Please answer honestly, as this may lead to confusion.

▼ About work and livelihood

livelihood requirementsis essential for living a stable life as a Japanese person.
The ideal is to stay in one workplace for a long time, but I think that there are many people who have repeatedly changed jobs these days.
People who change jobs frequently should be able to reasonably explain why they changed jobs.
You will also be asked what kind of company you work for and what kind of work you do.

If there is someone in your family who has another income, be sure to understand their work and be able to explain who is paying how much for their living expenses.

▼ History of overseas travel

Overseas travel history is directly linked to the address requirements for naturalization applications.
If the travel period is long,It is determined that you have not lived in Japan for more than 5 years.Because there are things.
During interviews, you may be asked about this travel history, but people who have traveled a lot often do not remember the details.
In such a case, it is enough if you can answer roughly as much as you can understand.
Be honest and tell them that you don't remember what you really don't understand.

About the time required for the interview

The length of time an interview takes varies greatly from person to person.
It may take 20 to 30 minutes, but it may take more than an hour, so it is best to leave some time open on the day of the interview.
Although we do not know in advance how long it will take, interviews tend to take longer in the following cases.

1. A.Those who have discrepancies between the content of their application documents and their answers during the interview
2. Two.If you have a traffic accident or violation
3. Three.People who are worried about their income

In addition, it tends to be longer for those who have a lot of divorce history and career changes.
After all, people with more anxiety tend to spend more time on interviews.

Summary

As mentioned in the text, the basics of the naturalization application interview areto answer honestly and honestly.
It may seem simple, but people want to make themselves look as good as possible, and if that's the answer to an interview, they tend to try to make themselves look even better.
However, the attitude of trying to look good is important when applying for naturalization.opposite effectThere is a high possibility that this will happen, so be sure not to lie during the interview.

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