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Permanent Residence — recognised refugee five-year exception

JapanLong-term residence

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

What exact status does accumulated residence lead to?

Permanent Resident (Eijusha) status, granted through permanent residence permission under Article 22 of the Immigration Control Act (application to change to, or acquire, Permanent Resident status).

See recorded sources

What qualifying residence period is required and when does the period begin?

For persons recognised as refugees or as complementary-protection beneficiaries: 5 or more years of continuous residence in Japan after recognition.

See recorded sources

Which types of residence count fully, partially or not at all where the official rules specify this?

The checked official sources did not provide enough route-specific evidence to confirm which types of residence count towards the qualifying period.

What absence/continuity rules affect accumulation of the qualifying residence period?

The checked official sources did not provide enough route-specific evidence to confirm the absence and continuity rules for the qualifying period.

What other major conditions apply, how is the status obtained, and what renewal, document-validity, retention or loss rules matter?

Other conditions are good conduct; sufficient assets or skills for an independent livelihood; no fine or imprisonment sentence and proper fulfilment of public obligations (taxes, public pension and health insurance contributions, Immigration Act notifications); currently staying with the longest period of stay for the current status (until 31 March of Reiwa 9 a 3-year period is treated as the longest); no public-health risk. Applications are made at the regional immigration office with jurisdiction over the place of residence; the fee is 10,000 yen if granted and standard processing takes 4 to 6 months. Recognised refugees, recognised complementary-protection beneficiaries and third-country resettled refugees are exempt from the independent-livelihood requirement. The official source does not state residence card validity or rules on loss or revocation of Permanent Resident status.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Renewal/validity of the residence card and rules on loss or revocation of Permanent Resident status are not stated in these sources.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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