Immigration

April 11, 2016

Do you need to pass a Japanese language test to naturalize as a Japanese citizen?

One of the requirements that foreign nationals must meet before being allowed to naturalize as a Japanese citizen is that the foreign national have a very basic level of Japanese language ability.  The way the foreign national can prove that he or she meets this requirement is by taking a simple Japanese language test as part of the naturalization process.
March 16, 2016

How do you become a permanent resident of Japan?

Permanent residency allows a foreign national to stay in Japan legally without having to worry about renewing a visa every year.  In addition, becoming a permanent resident also lets the foreign national work in any field, not just the industry specified on his or her visa. 
February 24, 2016

What are the requirements to become a Japanese citizen?

There are several ways for a foreign national to become a Japanese citizen but one of the most common methods is listed in the Japanese Nationality Act and is composed of six requirements.
February 24, 2016

If a foreign national’s baby is born in Japan, will the baby be a Japanese citizen?

While most Japanese citizens acquire their citizenship at birth, Japan does not offer automatic citizenship to babies born within Japan. There are three ways a person may obtain Japanese citizenship by birth: 1) if the father or mother is a Japanese citizen at the time of birth; 2) if the father died before the child’s birth, but was a Japanese citizen; and 3) if the child is born in Japan and both of the parents are unknown or without nationality.