What to do now, from day 1
A late payment from three years ago can't be fixed the week before you apply. Here's what to keep, what to check each year and which deadlines to watch on your route, with the official source for every point.
Sources last checked 6 November 2026
Pick your route
- PR: 10-year route Working toward permanent residence on the standard route: 10 years in Japan, 5 of them on a work or residence status. 33 items
- PR: spouse or child route Spouses and children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents or special permanent residents applying for PR. 29 items
- PR: Highly Skilled Professional route Applying for PR after 1 year (80+ points) or 3 years (70+ points) under the HSP points system. 33 items
- PR: Long-Term Resident route Long-Term Residents (定住者) applying for PR after 5 years. 30 items
- Already a permanent resident People who already hold PR: what can affect keeping it. 12 items
- All foreign residents Changes that touch every mid- to long-term resident: fees, cards, renewals, and payment records. 16 items
- Business Manager visa Holders of, and applicants for, the Business Manager (経営・管理) status. 19 items
- SSW, trainees and 育成就労 Specified Skilled Workers, technical intern trainees, and the 育成就労 system that replaces technical intern training. 20 items
- Naturalisation Applying for Japanese nationality. 21 items
Start with these three
Whatever your route, most of the work comes down to three habits.
- Pay everything by its due date. Paying late can count against you even after you’ve caught up.
- Keep every payment receipt. ISA’s document lists tell you to, because receipts are how you prove you were on time.
- Report changes within 14 days. Moving home and changing jobs both have deadlines, and missed ones count against you later.
How far back each route looks
A PR application asks for proof of payment going back a set number of years. These are ISA’s document lists as of November 2026, and they may change when the new guideline starts in April 2027.
| Route | Resident tax | Pension and health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 10-year route | 5 years | 2 years |
| Long-Term Resident | 5 years | 2 years |
| Spouse of a Japanese national or permanent resident | 3 years | 2 years |
| Child of a Japanese national or permanent resident | 1 year | 1 year |
| Highly Skilled Professional, 70 points or more | 3 years | 2 years |
| Highly Skilled Professional, 80 points or more | 1 year | 1 year |
| Special Highly Skilled Professional (J-Skip) | 1 year | 1 year |
Every route also needs a national tax certificate showing nothing is unpaid. Naturalisation works differently: Tokyo’s Legal Affairs Bureau asks for 5 years of resident tax and 2 years of pension and health insurance.
Treat these as the minimum. ISA says it checks unpaid tax and premiums as far back as the records can be confirmed.
This is information about published rules plus our own suggestions, not legal advice. Doing all of it doesn't guarantee a permit: ISA decides each application on its own facts. Check with ISA (0570-013904) or a licensed gyoseishoshi before acting. Spotted an error? Tell us