Japan has introduced major changes to Permanent Residence (PR), including a new residence-card format, a substantial increase in the government fee and revised assessment guidelines.
Most revised guidelines will apply to applications submitted on or after April 1, 2027, although some household-income and public-burden provisions take effect earlier. The applicable requirements will therefore depend largely on the application filing date.
Prospective applicants should carefully assess their eligibility and filing strategy, particularly if considering applying before or after April 1, 2027.
Summary of the Changes
| Area | What is changing | Effective date |
| Residence Cards | Residence cards issued from June 14, 2026 are generally valid until the tenth birthday following issuance, replacing the previous seven-year validity period. | June 14, 2026 |
| Government fee | Raised to JPY 200,000. A reduced fee of JPY 20,000 is available only in limited circumstances of financial hardship and humanitarian criteria. | October 1, 2026 |
| Household finance | Financial stability will generally be assessed at the same-household level, with the applicant’s household income compared against the average income of a Japanese household of the same size. | Partially from April 1, 2026; fully from April 1, 2027 |
| Pension and assets | Pension enrolments history and projected benefits will be considered against a reference level based on 30 years of Employees’ Pension Insurance participation. Financial assets may be considered where projected pension income falls under the reference level. | April 1, 2027 |
| Spouse pathway | Spouses of Japanese nationals, Permanent Residents or Special Permanent Residents will generally require at least five years of genuine marriage and three years of continuous residence in Japan, replacing the previous three-year and one-year thresholds. | April 1, 2027 |
| Tax and social insurance | Authorities will review whether taxes, health insurance premiums and pension contributions were paid by their original deadlines. Late payment may be assessed negatively even where the amount has been settled before filing. | April 1, 2027 |
| Language & integration | Authorities will specifically consider Japanese-language ability. Applicants should demonstrate B1-equivalent proficiency, subject to specified exceptions. Understanding of the systems and rules governing life and work in Japan will also be considered. | April 1, 2027 |
| Extended absences | Without a reasonable explanation, a single absence of six months or more, or cumulative absences of two years and six months or more during the preceding ten years, may be assessed negatively. | April 1, 2027 |
| Children’s education | Where the applicant is raising a child of compulsory-school age, or is themselves of compulsory-school age, the child is required to attend elementary or junior high school in Japan, and this will be considered as part of the PR assessment. | April 1, 2027 |
| Compliance after PR | New provisions concerning revocation or alteration of Permanent Resident status become operational. A compliance issue will not automatically result in revocation, and individual circumstances and ties to Japan will be considered. | April 1, 2027 |
Which Rules Apply?
Because the changes are being introduced in stages, the PR application filing date will be particularly important:
| Application Submission Date | Applicable Treatment |
| By March 31, 2026 | The legacy guidelines revised on February 24, 2026 apply, including where the application remains under examination after April 1, 2026. |
| April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027 | The legacy guidelines generally apply, but the new household-income assessment and public-burden provisions apply retrospectively during this period. |
| On or after April 1, 2027 | The new October 1, 2026, guidelines apply in full, including the new pension, spouse-pathway, language and other assessment factors. |
Transitional Treatment for Three-Year Periods of Stay
The transitional rule allowing a three-year period of stay to satisfy the “longest period of stay” requirement ends on March 31, 2027. From April 1, 2027, applicants will generally need to hold the longest period available for their residence status.
However, applicants who hold a valid three-year period of stay on March 31, 2027 may still rely on the transitional rule for their first PR application filed on or after April 1, 2027, provided a decision is made before that period expires.
Prospective applicants should review their eligibility and filing timeline early, focusing on household income and assets, pension history, timely tax and social insurance payments, Japanese-language ability, absences from Japan and other compliance factors.
For those considering PR around April 1, 2027, the filing date may materially affect the requirements that apply.
Existing Permanent Residents should check their residence-card expiry date and continue meeting all tax, social insurance, residence-notification and residence-card obligations.
Vialto Partners can help individuals and employers understand the revised PR framework, assess eligibility and risks, develop a filing strategy, prepare supporting documents and manage the application process.
We also advise existing Permanent Residents on residence-card validity and ongoing compliance obligations.
We continue to monitor regulatory developments and provide practical guidance. To discuss how these changes may affect your organisation or employees, please contact your usual Vialto representative.
Contact us
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Noriyuki Tominaga
Partner
Jia Ee
Partner
Shuji Yamaguchi
Partner
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