Spouse route to PR: 5 years married, 3 years in Japan
Spouses of Japanese nationals and permanent residents will need 5 years of genuine married life and 3 years of continuous residence, up from 3 and 1. Children will need 3 years, up from 1.
The shorter PR route for spouses and children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents and special permanent residents gets longer:
| Until 31 Mar 2027 | From 1 Apr 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | 3 years of genuine marriage and 1 year in Japan | 5 years of genuine marriage and 3 years of continuous residence |
| Child | 1 year of continuous residence | 3 years of continuous residence |
Spouses and children on this route are still exempt from the good-conduct and independent-livelihood requirements.
If you already meet 3 + 1, an application filed by 31 March 2027 is assessed under the current rule, and the Japanese-language requirement and the other April 2027 changes don’t apply to it. If you won’t meet 3 + 1 by then, you can apply once you have both 5 years of marriage and 3 years in Japan.
Sources
- 永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和８年１０月１日改定）
Immigration Services Agency · Japanese · official source
- 永住許可ガイドライン改定（2026年10月1日）
Visanavi (gyoseishoshi) · Japanese · secondary source
This is information about published rules, not legal advice, and not a decision about your case. ISA decides each application on its own facts. Check with ISA (0570-013904) or a licensed gyoseishoshi before acting. Spotted an error? Tell us