80-Point / 1-Year Route
Research date: 15 September 2026
Eligibility assessment: ELIGIBLE SUBJECT TO DOCUMENT VERIFICATION
Submission status: NOT YET CLEARED TO FILE
your reported profile presents a credible 80-point / one-year PR case. However, I would replace “Strong YES” with:
Your reported qualifications appear sufficient for this route, provided the documents establish the necessary points, residence history and compliance. Approval is not automatic, and your supporting evidence has not yet been audited.
Your application objective is a fully evidenced package covering eligibility, documents, forms, submission and follow-up—not merely an 80-point estimate. That is also the objective of your uploaded application plan.
There is also a significant, time-sensitive fee change affecting your filing-date decision.
A. Executive assessment
| Requirement | Your reported position | Assessment and remaining verification |
|---|---|---|
| Points at application | 80 | Plausible; not yet evidenced. Reconstruct from degree, experience and qualifying remuneration. |
| Points one year before application | 80 | Plausible; historical documents required. |
| Points maintained during the qualifying year | Not separately established | Check every salary, employment, qualification or other relevant change. |
| Continuous residence | Since May 2024 | Dates and travel history still need reconciliation. |
| Qualifying professional activity | Senior DevOps Engineer | Likely technical category; verify actual duties and residence status. |
| Education | Two master’s degrees | Verify awarding institutions, exact qualifications and award dates. |
| Relevant experience | Approximately 20 years | Establish at least ten qualifying years by the historical reference date. |
| Remuneration | Approximately ¥14 million | Main points-verification priority: establish the qualifying components at both dates. |
| Current period of stay | Five years | Positive; obtain the exact status and expiry date. |
| Tax, pension and insurance | Reportedly paid on time | Obtain records; distinguish timely payment from merely having no arrears now. |
| Absences | Approximately 30–40 days total | No obvious concern from that description, but a dated travel schedule is needed. |
| Conduct and immigration history | Not fully documented | Confirm offences, penalties, notifications and any unauthorised activity. |
| Financial stability | Employment and income reported | Employment, income and assets package still required. |
| Guarantor | Not identified | Outstanding. |
| Forms and supporting documents | Not reviewed | Outstanding. |
The published PR requirements still include good conduct, independent livelihood, public-interest considerations, proper public payments and immigration obligations. Having 80 points does not replace these requirements. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Immediate filing-date issue: October 2026 fee increase
The current official fee announcement and accompanying schedule state:
| When the PR application is accepted | Published PR permission fee |
|---|---|
| By 30 September 2026 | ¥10,000 |
| From 1 October 2026 | ¥200,000 |
The transitional rule preserves the earlier fee for applications accepted before October, even when permission is granted afterwards. Payment is associated with permission, not an upfront application-processing payment. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
My recommendation: assess immediately whether a complete, accurate September application is realistically possible. Do not submit an unsupported points claim or incomplete package simply to save the fee difference.
Another change to monitor—not a current requirement to invent
An August 2026 draft revision proposes changes concerning income, future pension/resources, Japanese ability and understanding Japanese rules. The consultation has closed, but the material retrieved remains labelled a draft. Importantly, its Japanese-language provision contains exceptions for specified highly skilled applicants; it is not accurate to say the draft automatically requires every HSP-route applicant to pass a language test. (Public Comment)
Its proposed application and transitional provisions also differ by requirement. Do not treat the draft as current law, or assume that filing now permanently freezes every future assessment rule. Recheck the final published position immediately before filing.
B. Your exact route and eligibility dates
Correct application category
Because you do not currently hold HSP status, the relevant ISA checklist is:
永住許可申請４－（１）－イ
Applicants not residing under HSP status who establish at least 80 points at application and one year earlier.
A prior conversion to an HSP residence status is not required merely to use this category. Your likely points classification is 高度専門・技術活動, corresponding to 高度専門職１号ロ, subject to your actual work duties. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Two calculations—and a continuous-year audit
The February 2026 PR guidelines expressly refer to maintaining 80 or more points continuously for at least one year while residing in Japan. Therefore, two successful endpoint calculations alone should not conceal a period below 80. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Use the following timeline:
| Item | Date or period |
|---|---|
| Actual application date | T — TO CONFIRM |
| Historical calculation date | T minus one calendar year |
| Current calculation | Facts applicable on T |
| Continuous-points audit | Every relevant change between those dates |
| Employment/remuneration certificates | Must establish the applicable facts at each reference date |
| Residence-card expiry | TO CONFIRM independently of the five-year grant |
| Recent certificates | Collect against the actual filing date, not today’s planning date |
Example only: filing on 15 September 2026 means a historical calculation at 15 September 2025. Filing on 30 September moves that historical date to 30 September 2025.
For your file, I recommend a one-page change log covering salary changes, employer changes, unpaid leave, employment gaps and any change of professional activity. A move between technical, research or management activities would require specific category analysis.
C. Your conservative 80-point calculation
Proposed one-page points defence
| Claim | Application date | One year earlier | Evidence required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recognised master’s qualification | 20 | 20 | Degree awarded before the historical date |
| At least ten years of relevant professional experience | 20 | 20 | Employer evidence establishing sufficient completed experience by the historical date |
| Qualifying annual remuneration of at least ¥10 million | 40 | 40 | Current and historical remuneration evidence |
| Age | 0 claimed | 0 claimed | Not needed for this conservative calculation |
| Japanese language | 0 | 0 | Not claimed |
| Additional bonuses | 0 claimed | 0 claimed | Not needed unless the baseline fails |
| Conditional total | 80 | 80 | All three substantive claims remain unverified |
These point values follow the official specialised/technical points framework. (moj.go.jp)
Education: two master’s degrees are not automatically 40 points
For this baseline, use one qualifying master’s for 20 points. A separate multiple-degree bonus may be available for advanced degrees in different fields, but it must be verified rather than assumed. Your second degree might provide a useful buffer; it is not necessary if the conservative calculation succeeds. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Experience: prove ten years properly
You do not need to claim an increased score simply because you have approximately twenty years. The practical priority is to identify the clearest documentary chain establishing at least ten relevant, non-overlapping years before the historical date.
Salary: the most important verification task
The HSP remuneration assessment is not simply “all money received last calendar year.” ISA’s guidance distinguishes expected remuneration, including eligible bonuses, from items such as overtime that cannot simply be assumed in the annual projection. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
For your ¥14 million, prepare:
| Component | Treatment in this initial audit |
|---|---|
| Contractual base salary | Establish the amount and effective dates |
| Documented employment bonus | Establish its contractual basis and expected amount |
| Regular allowances | Identify each component and whether it is remuneration or reimbursement |
| Overtime | Do not use it to rescue an otherwise deficient expected-remuneration claim |
| RSUs, stock awards or options | Not counted yet: obtain case-specific confirmation where decisive |
| Investment gains, rent or unrelated business receipts | Keep separate from the claimed employment remuneration |
| Expense reimbursements | Keep separate pending classification |
Illustrative audit: ¥12 million established base pay plus ¥2 million uncertain compensation may leave the threshold safely established. ¥8 million base plus ¥6 million uncertain compensation does not establish the same conclusion.
Historical evidence must establish the remuneration applicable at T−1 year—not merely show that your current salary is ¥14 million.
D. Information still required from you
Your reported facts can populate the case file, but these details materially affect execution:
| Information needed | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Intended filing date | Sets the historical points date, freshness window and fee regime |
| Current residence status and card expiry | Confirms the correct underlying application documents and renewal timing |
| Exact arrival date in May 2024 | Forms and residence chronology |
| Current city/ward and address on 1 January 2026 | Immigration jurisdiction and municipal-tax issuer |
| Current employer, employment start date and any changes during the qualifying year | Duties, salary continuity and notifications |
| Salary breakdown at application and one year earlier | Validates the 40-point claim |
| Both degree titles, fields, universities and award dates | Validates education and any optional bonus |
| Employment-history dates and certificates available | Validates the 20-point experience claim |
| Pension/insurance systems and any switches or direct-payment periods | Determines conditional documents |
| Tax collection method and any corrections, late payments or undeclared-income concerns | Determines compliance evidence |
| Guarantor availability | Required application package |
| Offences, immigration issues, dependants and cohabitants | Accurate disclosure and household scope |
Exact passport identity details and date of birth will also be needed for forms. There is no need to post MyNumber or complete account numbers here.
E. Master document checklist
Status of every item below: not reviewed unless subsequently established from an uploaded document.
The original/copy column describes the proposed handling for your pack. Where the official instructions do not prescribe an exact format, I have identified the practical approach rather than presenting it as a legal rule.
E1. Application, identity and household
| ID | Document / Japanese name | Required? | Issuer / where obtained | Handling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A01 | PR application — 永住許可申請書 | Yes | Current ISA form; completed by you | Signed application |
| A02 | Photograph — 写真 | Yes | Photo provider/booth | Attach compliant photograph |
| A03 | Reason statement — 理由書 | Yes for the relevant work-status package | You | Japanese statement; sign/date recommended |
| A04 | Passport — 旅券 | Yes | Your passport | Present original; keep relevant copies ready |
| A05 | Residence card — 在留カード | Yes | Your current card | Present original; front/back copies ready |
| A06 | Household resident certificate — 世帯全員の住民票 | Yes | Municipal resident-registration counter | Recent issued certificate |
| A07 | Acknowledgement — 了解書 | Yes | ISA form; completed by you | Signed form |
| A08 | Route document checklist — 提出書類チェックシート | ISA-requested checklist | Correct non-HSP/80-point route page | Completed copy |
| A09 | Work-status self-check — 永住許可申請セルフチェックシート（就労資格用） | ISA requests submission | ISA | Answer from evidence, not optimism |
The underlying work-status checklist supplies the core application documents; the special 80-point checklist supplies the route-specific modifications. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
E2. Points, employment, income and assets
| ID | Document / Japanese name | Purpose | Issuer / retrieval | Proposed handling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Current 高度専門職ポイント計算表 | Current 80 points | ISA calculation form | Completed sheet |
| B02 | Historical 高度専門職ポイント計算表 | Historical 80 points | Same applicable framework | Separately dated calculation |
| B03 | Degree evidence — 学位記／学位取得証明書／卒業・修了証明書 | Master’s points | University; existing diploma or replacement certificate | Copy plus Japanese translation; carry irreplaceable original |
| B04 | Experience certificates — 職歴証明書／在職期間・職務内容証明書 | Experience points | Previous/current employers | Employer-issued evidence plus translations |
| B05 | Current remuneration certificate — 年収見込証明書／報酬見込証明書 | Salary points now | HR/payroll | Recent employer-issued certificate |
| B06 | Historical remuneration confirmation — 過去の報酬額に関する証明書 | Salary at historical date | HR/payroll | Issued now, expressly describing past facts |
| B07 | Contracts and amendments — 雇用契約書／労働条件通知書 | Corroboration | HR/your records | Copies |
| B08 | Current employment certificate — 在職証明書 | Current employment | HR | Recent certificate |
| B09 | Withholding statement — 給与所得の源泉徴収票 | Calendar-year earnings | Payroll | Copy |
| B10 | Payslips — 給与明細書 | Pay and deductions | Payroll portal | Copies/printouts as relevant |
| B11 | Assets evidence — 預貯金通帳の写し等 | Financial position | Bank/app/statements | Identifiable bank evidence; property ownership is not assumed |
| B12 | Duties/continuity explanation — 職務内容説明書／経歴説明書 | Connect evidence and explain changes | You and/or employer | Practical supporting document |
The official route requires evidence supporting the claimed points; the certificate titles B05–B06 describe useful employer evidence rather than nationally standardised government forms. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
E3. Tax, pension and health insurance
| ID | Document / Japanese name | Applies when | Issuer |
|---|---|---|---|
| C01 | Resident-tax assessment — 住民税の課税証明書; non-taxation certificate where applicable | Your standard tax package | Relevant municipality |
| C02 | Resident-tax payment — 住民税の納税証明書 | Your standard tax package | Relevant municipality |
| C03 | Timely-payment evidence — 領収証書／口座振替記録等 | Direct-payment periods in the required year | Your receipts/bank records |
| C04 | National no-arrears certificate — 納税証明書（その３） | Standard package | NTA/e-Tax/tax office |
| C05 | Tax return and acceptance evidence — 確定申告書控え／受信通知 | Where relevant to your income or an explanation | You/e-Tax/accountant |
| D01 | Pension record/payment evidence — 被保険者記録照会回答票・納付記録等 or accepted alternatives | Pension package | Japan Pension Service/Nenkin Net |
| D02 | National Pension receipts — 国民年金保険料領収証書 | Relevant National Pension months | Your records |
| D03 | Exemption/correction evidence — 免除承認通知書／記録訂正資料等 | Only where applicable | Japan Pension Service |
| E01 | Current health-insurance qualification evidence | Current coverage | Myna Portal/insurer |
| E02 | NHI payment certificate — 国民健康保険料（税）納付証明書 | NHI periods in scope | Municipality |
| E03 | NHI receipts — 国民健康保険料（税）領収証書 | NHI periods in scope | Your records |
| E04 | Coverage-transition explanation and proof | Gaps, employer changes or unclear records | HR/insurer/municipality |
For this route, the standard tax and social-insurance documentary period is one year, rather than blindly adopting the longer generic work-status checklist periods. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
E4. Guarantor and conditional documents
| ID | Document | Applies to you? |
|---|---|---|
| F01 | PR-specific 身元保証書 | Yes |
| F02 | Guarantor identity evidence — 身元保証人の身分事項を明らかにする書類 | Yes |
| G01 | Family relationship documents — 婚姻証明書／出生証明書等 | Only where your actual circumstances require them |
| G02 | Outside-activity permission — 資格外活動許可書等 | If held/relevant |
| G03 | Representative identification/authority | If using an eligible representative |
| G04 | Business-owner social-insurance evidence | Only if you are the relevant business operator—not simply an employee |
| G05 | Awards/recommendation letters | Optional, only genuine and useful |
| G06 | Explanation of unavailable documents — 資料を提出できない理由書 | Only where necessary; not an automatic substitute |
Guarantor identity evidence is part of the current standard package; the historical practice of routinely demanding a guarantor’s income, employment and tax certificates should not be imported into your checklist without a current request. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
F. Tax package: exact documents and periods
Resident tax
For a September 2026 filing, the latest resident-tax certificate will ordinarily be:
令和８年度 — FY2026, reflecting calendar-year 2025 income.
The relevant issuing municipality is generally the municipality responsible for your tax based on your address on 1 January 2026, not necessarily your present ward. (Shinjuku City)
| Certificate | What it establishes | What it does not necessarily establish |
|---|---|---|
| 課税証明書 | Assessed income and resident tax | That each instalment was paid on time |
| 納税証明書 | Payment status | Every original payment deadline and payment date |
| 所得証明書 | Income | The complete tax-assessment/payment package |
Municipal document names and combined certificates differ. Order documents showing the information Immigration requires, rather than assuming that something labelled “income certificate” is sufficient. (Shinjuku City)
For your audit, separately identify whether resident tax was deducted from salary throughout the relevant year. For any 普通徴収 direct-payment period, match the bill’s due date to the receipt or bank debit. A recent “no unpaid amount” certificate alone does not answer that timing question.
National tax: request その３, covering all five categories
| Japanese tax category |
|---|
| 源泉所得税及復興特別所得税 |
| 申告所得税及復興特別所得税 |
| 消費税及地方消費税 |
| 相続税 |
| 贈与税 |
The NTA’s PR instructions show selecting all five for 納税証明書（その３）. Do not substitute その３の２, which covers a narrower combination.
e-Tax collection workflow
Log in → request 納税証明書の交付請求（電子交付用） → choose PDF and その３ → select the five categories → state the PR purpose → submit and pay → download and print the certificate.
NTA provides a PR-specific workflow for printing the electronic PDF for Immigration. The published electronic その３ fee is ¥370, not five times that amount merely because five tax categories are included.
Case-dependent review: disclose any side business, overseas income, amended return or overseas-dependant deduction issue to the tax professional checking your Japanese compliance. Do not assume payroll withholding covers every possible obligation.
G. Pension and health-insurance audit
Pension collection
A useful pension-office request is for your complete enrolment/payment record, including applicable versions of:
被保険者記録照会回答票, 被保険者記録照会（納付Ⅰ）, and 被保険者記録照会（納付Ⅱ）.
The current work-status guidance lists these records and alternatives. The route-specific one-year instructions must then be applied to your situation. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
For Nenkin Net, use:
年金記録を確認する → 詳細な年金記録を確認する → 月別の年金記録を確認する → 印刷する
Print the identifying information and relevant monthly records, not a cropped screenshot showing only an account balance. An electronic 被保険者記録照会回答票 can also be obtained through the notification area. (Pension Information Network)
For National Pension months, retain the actual payment receipts and reconcile them with the record. A summary of enrolment alone is not the same thing as evidence of timely payment. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Current health-insurance evidence
Use current qualification evidence—not an expired legacy health-insurance card as the sole current proof. The current system uses Myna health-insurance information or an insurer-issued 資格確認書. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
ISA’s route instructions specify a recent Myna Portal screen showing 資格取得年月日, or the alternative qualification document. The ISA page uses the wording 資格確認証 in that passage; the standard insurer document is called 資格確認書. Confirm the exact alternative with the receiving bureau where necessary. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Privacy: mask the basic pension number and specified insurance identifiers in submitted copies as instructed. Do not mask the information needed to identify you or establish coverage. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Monthly audit template
Use one row for every relevant month:
| Month | Employer | Pension system | Health insurer | Tax collection method | Direct-payment deadline/date | Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY-MM | To enter | 厚生年金 / 国民年金 | To enter | 特別徴収 / 普通徴収 | To enter where relevant | None / explain |
Classify exceptions accurately:
| Finding | Treatment in your case file |
|---|---|
| Unpaid amount | Resolve and obtain professional assessment before filing |
| Paid after deadline | Do not label “compliant” merely because the balance is now zero |
| Approved exemption | Attach approval and explain its context |
| Employer/record-processing delay | Obtain HR and pension-office clarification |
| Coverage gap | Establish the actual required coverage and corrective action |
The published PR guidelines expressly distinguish timely fulfilment from payment made only later. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
H. Employer, experience and degree evidence
What to request from HR now
This is a recommended evidence request, not an official mandatory wording:
Please provide employment and remuneration evidence for my Japan permanent-residence application.
The documents should confirm my legal name, employer, employment start date, employment type, position and principal technical duties.
Please separately confirm the annual remuneration applicable on [historical date] and the expected annual remuneration applicable on [application date], identifying base salary, bonuses and other components, together with effective dates of any changes.
Please distinguish remuneration from reimbursements, overtime and equity-related amounts, and provide copies of the relevant contract or compensation amendments.
Do not ask HR to backdate a certificate. A certificate issued today can truthfully attest to employment and remuneration facts from last year.
Experience evidence hierarchy
My recommended order is:
| Priority | Evidence | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Employer certificate with exact dates and duties | Clearest evidence |
| 2 | Joining/relieving/service letters plus contract | Fill missing dates or job details |
| 3 | Payslips, tax or social-security records | Corroborate employment periods |
| 4 | Acquisition/name-change evidence and successor confirmation | Explain employer identity changes |
| 5 | Your explanation plus independent records | Last-resort package requiring acceptance assessment |
These are proposed evidentiary alternatives, not a promise that Immigration will accept every substitute.
Create an employment matrix with employer, country, start/end date, role, relevant duties, evidence and translation status. Do not double-count overlapping employment.
Degree verification
For each degree, record the exact award—not a loosely translated “master’s”—and its date, field and institution. Attach transcripts only when needed to clarify the qualification or an optional different-field bonus. Foreign-language supporting documents require Japanese translations. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Your baseline should not depend on university-ranking, employer or language bonuses unless separately validated.
I. Municipal collection, freshness and originals
Resident-certificate request
A practical counter request is:
永住許可申請に使用する、世帯全員の住民票をお願いします。個人番号は省略し、国籍・地域、在留資格、在留期間等、在留カード番号、世帯主・続柄など、必要事項が確認できるものをお願いします。
Request the complete household certificate without MyNumber, following the current ISA specification. Do not assume being unmarried means there are no other household members or cohabitants to disclose. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Freshness matrix
| Document | Official position / practical collection approach |
|---|---|
| Japan-issued certificates | ISA generally requires issue within three months |
| Application photo | Taken within six months |
| Passport/residence card | Must be valid; do not confuse document validity with a certificate’s issue date |
| Foreign degree diploma | No general three-month reissue requirement established here |
| Old contracts and historical payslips | Historical evidence; not replaced by newly dated versions |
| Newly issued HR confirmations | Obtain close to filing |
| Pension/Myna printouts | Generate recent records covering the required facts and period |
| Forms and signatures | Use the current version and truthful signing dates |
Japan-issued certificate freshness comes from the route instructions; the photograph has a separate six-month rule. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Photograph: 4 cm high × 3 cm wide, clear, front-facing and compliant with ISA’s background and appearance rules. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Translation and certification
Attach a complete Japanese translation beside each relevant foreign-language document. For working control, add the translator’s name, date and contact information.
I did not establish a blanket requirement that every translation must be notarised, apostilled or produced by a certified translator. Nor should applicant-prepared translations be represented as guaranteed acceptable in every situation. Obtain specific confirmation when authenticity, terminology or an irreplaceable foreign record is in question.
Originals control
Use separate folders:
SUBMIT — signed forms, required certificates, copies and translations.
SHOW / REQUEST RETURN — passport, residence card and irreplaceable original evidence.
ISA says submitted material is generally not returned; requests to return difficult-to-replace originals should be made when submitting, not after assuming they will be returned automatically. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
J. Guarantor package
Choose a suitable individual residing in Japan who meets the published guarantor expectation—normally a Japanese national, permanent resident or special permanent resident. A colleague or friend may be suitable; the relationship must be genuine. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
| Item | Preparation |
|---|---|
| Correct form | PR-specific 身元保証書 |
| Applicant information | Passport-consistent nationality and name |
| Guarantor information | Name, address, contact information, occupation and relationship |
| Signature | Follow the form’s handwritten-name instruction |
| Supporting document | Current identity/status evidence |
| Additional financial certificates | Not a routine standard requirement merely because an old checklist lists them |
The PR-specific form concerns support for compliance with Japanese laws and public obligations. Do not use a general non-PR guarantee form by mistake. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
The immigration guarantee is generally explained as a moral responsibility rather than an ordinary enforceable loan guarantee. The current professional explanation quoting ISA’s Q&A distinguishes those concepts; this does not excuse false information or other independently unlawful conduct. (Amie Visa)
Official form: PR-specific 身元保証書.
K. Application-form completion guide
Verification limitation: I retrieved official indexed form text, but several MOJ PDF downloads were blocked. Therefore, the following is a preparation map—not a claim that your downloaded form has already been visually checked field by field. Its exact version and layout must be checked before signature.
The official form contains the following numbered fields. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
| Field | Entry for your working draft |
|---|---|
| 1. 国籍・地域 | Passport nationality — provide exact wording |
| 2. 生年月日 | Actual date of birth |
| 3. 氏名 | Passport spelling and family/given-name division |
| 4. 性別 | Passport-consistent information |
| 5. 出生地 | Actual birthplace |
| 6. 配偶者の有無 | Single, based on your earlier information; update if changed |
| 7. 職業 | Your actual engineering occupation |
| 8. 本国における居住地 | Actual home-country locality |
| 9. 住居地・電話 | Current registered Japanese address and contact details |
| 10. 旅券 | Number and expiry |
| 11. 在留資格・期間・満了日 | Current permission details—not “PR” |
| 12. 在留カード番号 | Exact current number |
| 13. 犯罪を理由とする処分 | Answer after checking Japan and overseas history |
| 14. 申請理由 | Brief reason, with reference to attached detailed statement |
| 15. 異なる身分事項による出入国 | Whether you entered/departed using different identity particulars; not an ordinary travel-history question |
| 16. 経歴 | Required education/work chronology; continuation sheet where necessary |
| 17. 生計維持者 | Actual livelihood provider and employer/income details |
| 18. 在日親族及び同居者 | Actual relevant family/cohabitants |
| 19. 身元保証人 | Match the guarantor form and ID |
| 20. 法定代理人 | Complete only where applicable |
| Signature/date and representative area | Actual signature/date; representative section only as applicable |
The official form/sample materials also distinguish legal representation from the separate application-intermediary area. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Practical controls: type the body where convenient, use continuation pages rather than cramming text, reconcile every date against evidence, and sign only after the draft is complete. Print the submission on A4, single-sided, as ISA instructs. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
HSP calculation sheets
Prepare two clearly labelled sheets, using the appropriate technical category and the officially applicable table:
B01 — facts at application date
B02 — facts at one-year reference date
Add evidence references to a separate cover sheet:
Education → B03
Experience → B04
Current remuneration → B05/B07
Historical remuneration → B06/B07
Do not sign a sheet showing a bonus merely because it seems likely.
L. Reason statement — 理由書
For your work-status package, this is not merely optional marketing material. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
A suitable structure is:
| Section | Your content |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Identity, current status and request for PR |
| Residence history | Exact arrival and residence chronology |
| Professional activity | Actual engineering duties and employment |
| Route | Refer to the two points calculations and supporting evidence |
| Stability | Employment, established remuneration and relevant savings |
| Compliance | Statements consistent with verified tax/pension/insurance records |
| Long-term intention | Your genuine intention to continue living and working in Japan |
| Closing | Respectful request, date and signature |
A working opening—not a complete signed statement—is:
私は、現在「［在留資格］」の在留資格により日本に在留し、［会社名］において［職種］として勤務しております。今後も日本を生活の本拠として継続して就労し、安定した生活を営むことを希望し、永住許可を申請いたします。
Do not invent Japanese proficiency, community participation, family ties, home ownership or guaranteed future employment. Leave the compliance paragraph unfinished until the records support it.
M. Where to obtain documents, fees and lead times
Because your municipality and institutions are not yet confirmed, their exact fees, online availability and turnaround cannot responsibly be filled in.
| Source | Documents | Retrieval and timing |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal resident-registration counter — 住民記録／戸籍住民課等 | 住民票 | Counter; online/convenience-store/postal options depend on municipality |
| Municipal tax counter — 税務課／課税課／納税課等 | Resident-tax certificates | Responsible municipality for the tax year; ask about posting delays after recent payment |
| NTA/e-Tax — 税務署 | その３ | Electronic PDF or paper workflow; ¥370 for the described e-Tax request |
| Japan Pension Service — 年金事務所／ねんきんネット | Pension records | Online printout or office-issued records |
| Insurer/HR/Myna Portal | Health qualification | Existing portal record or insurer-issued document |
| Employer HR/payroll | Employment, remuneration, withholding statements | Request immediately; turnaround employer-dependent |
| Universities/previous employers | Degree and experience evidence | Potentially longest lead time |
| ISA | Forms/checklists | Download current versions from the official route page |
For illustration only, Shinjuku publishes ¥300 per municipal tax certificate and its own online/postal procedures. That is not a verified fee for your unknown ward. (Shinjuku City)
Bring appropriate identity documents for counter collection. Proxy collection rules are document- and municipality-specific; do not assume a friend can collect or submit everything under one generic authorisation.
N. Collection roadmap and submission order
Normal planning sequence
| Window | Work |
|---|---|
| T−90 to T−60 | Old employer/university evidence; identify missing records |
| T−60 to T−30 | Salary reconstruction, experience matrix and translations |
| T−30 to T−14 | Recent municipal, national-tax, employment and insurance documents |
| T−14 to T−7 | Monthly compliance audit; guarantor; forms |
| T−7 to T−1 | Final points recalculation, cross-check, signature and copies |
| Filing day | Confirm current instructions, submit and preserve receipt |
For September 2026: compress only work that can genuinely be completed in parallel. Missing historical proof is not solved by moving its task earlier on a calendar.
Recommended pack index
This is a practical order, subordinate to any bureau-specific checklist:
| Section | Contents |
|---|---|
| 1. Cover/index | Route, name, filing date, document index |
| 2. Application | A01–A03, A07–A09 |
| 3. Identity/household | A04–A06 supporting copies/certificate |
| 4. Points | B01–B07 and one-page points defence |
| 5. Employment/finances | B08–B12 |
| 6. Tax | C01–C05 as applicable |
| 7. Pension | D01–D03 |
| 8. Health insurance | E01–E04 |
| 9. Guarantor | F01–F02 |
| 10. Conditional explanations | Applicable G-series documents |
Keep each translation immediately after its source document.
O. Immigration office, reservation and filing day
Your exact filing office remains TO CONFIRM from your residential address.
For applicants whose jurisdiction is Tokyo headquarters, the official office information identifies:
東京出入国在留管理局
Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau
東京都港区港南５−５−３０
Its published information identifies the second-floor P counter / 永住審査部門 for PR-related handling. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Tokyo’s reservation instructions include PR applications and require attention to the P-counter preliminary check before the reservation time. Follow the current reservation page rather than assuming you can simply arrive at the booked counter at the appointment minute. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
An online reservation is not an online PR application. The published online-application scope reviewed here does not establish ordinary online PR filing; plan for personal filing or an eligible authorised intermediary. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Submission-day checklist
| Before leaving | At Immigration |
|---|---|
| Signed current forms and compliant photograph | Follow the PR preliminary-check instructions |
| Passport and residence card | Present originals as requested |
| Indexed submission set and complete backup scan | Explain that the claim is non-HSP, 80-point, one-year |
| Guarantor documents | Identify any originals requested back |
| Both points calculations and salary evidence | Record requests for missing/additional documents |
| Tax, pension and insurance package | Obtain and retain application/reference details |
| Irreplaceable originals in separate folder | Check that names and contact details are correct |
| Reservation confirmation where used | Preserve proof of submission |
Do not assume a substantive interview is guaranteed. Be prepared to explain the three point claims, salary history, employment changes and reason for permanent residence.
P. After submission, approval and refusal
| Event | Your action |
|---|---|
| Application accepted | Save receipt/reference number and an exact copy of the submitted pack |
| Additional-document request | Record the deadline immediately; respond item by item |
| Employment, household or other material change | Notify the reviewing office as applicable and preserve proof |
| Existing status approaches expiry | Apply for renewal separately; PR filing does not extend it |
| Travel | Check your actual status expiry and re-entry permission before departure |
| Approval instructions arrive | Follow the stated collection deadline, documents and applicable fee |
| Refusal | Obtain an explanation where available; diagnose the issue before reapplying |
The PR acknowledgement specifically addresses reporting material changes during examination. A pending PR application does not automatically extend your existing residence permission. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
For travel, special re-entry arrangements generally operate within one year and within the existing authorised stay; permanent residence also does not remove re-entry requirements. (JETRO)
Processing expectations
ISA publishes a standard four-to-six-month period, but that is not a reliable promise for your specific office or case. I have not verified a current Tokyo-specific processing figure sufficiently to give you one. Do not plan a residence-status expiry around that standard period. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Additional-document response template
追加資料提出書
Applicant:［氏名］
Application/reference number:［番号］
Request dated:［日付］ご依頼の追加資料について、下記のとおり提出いたします。
Request item 1 → enclosed document and explanation
Request item 2 → enclosed document and explanationContact details / date / signature
Use the submission channel in the request. Where a deadline cannot be met, contact the reviewing office before it expires; do not assume an extension.
Approval and subsequent administration
Bring the documents specified in the approval instructions, pay the applicable permission fee, and verify the new card’s identity and status details. Afterwards, update employer and financial-institution records where their records require it, and check any linked municipal/MyNumber document procedures.
Do not confuse immigration 永住者 status with every tax-law use of “permanent resident.”
Refusal
ISA’s general procedure lists no ordinary administrative objection mechanism for this application. That does not justify a blanket statement that no legal remedy can ever exist. Obtain qualified advice promptly about any judicial route, deadlines and whether a corrected reapplication is preferable. (Ministry of Justice Japan)
Q. Risk, consistency and readiness audit
Your current priority risks
| Priority | Issue | Required resolution |
|---|---|---|
| 🔴 Filing blocker | Historical qualifying salary unverified | HR confirmation plus underlying compensation records |
| 🔴 Filing blocker | Degree and ten-year experience claim unverified | Evidence chain completed |
| 🔴 Filing blocker | Exact status and expiry not reviewed | Card/permission verification |
| 🟠 Material | Potential intervening period below 80 | Change-by-change reconstruction |
| 🟠 Material | Timely payments supported only by your statement | Records and payment-date audit |
| 🟡 Verify | Approximate travel total | Exact departure/return schedule |
| 🟡 Verify | Guarantor not identified | Signed form and identity evidence |
| 🟡 Verify | October fee change and evolving guidelines | Recheck against actual filing date |
| 🟡 Verify | Unknown conduct/notification history | Accurate disclosure and supporting explanation where necessary |
The first three are evidence blockers, not findings that you are substantively ineligible.
Cross-document checks
Before filing, compare the passport, card, resident certificate, forms, degree documents, employment records, remuneration certificates, tax records and points sheets for:
Name → dates → employer identity → address → employment periods → remuneration basis → degree-award timing → translation consistency.
A calendar-year tax income and an annual salary projection can legitimately differ. Your pack must explain the reason rather than silently make the numbers match.
Initial master tracker
Use the document IDs above; add actual request, receipt and issue dates as documents arrive.
| Workstream | IDs | Initial status | Ready condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route and dates | Case timeline | ⚠️ Verify | Filing date/status established |
| Application | A01–A09 | ⬜ Not reviewed | Correct forms and household package |
| Education | B03 | 🔴 Evidence outstanding | Qualification and historical award date established |
| Experience | B04 | 🔴 Evidence outstanding | Ten qualifying years established |
| Remuneration | B05–B07 | 🔴 Evidence outstanding | Threshold established at both dates and through year |
| Employment/assets | B08–B12 | ⬜ Not reviewed | Consistent supporting evidence |
| Tax | C01–C05 | ⬜ Not reviewed | Required certificates and timing evidence |
| Pension | D01–D03 | ⬜ Not reviewed | Relevant periods reconciled |
| Insurance | E01–E04 | ⬜ Not reviewed | Coverage and payments reconciled |
| Guarantor | F01–F02 | ⬜ Not arranged | Suitable guarantor; complete package |
| Conditional matters | G-series | ⚠️ Determine applicability | Exceptions resolved |
| Final submission | Complete pack | 🔴 Not cleared | No material unresolved claim |
I am not assigning readiness percentages without an agreed applicable-document count.
Ready-to-file decision
🔴 DO NOT SUBMIT YET
Proceed with preparation immediately, but filing is not cleared until the core evidence is verified.
Your reported facts justify working toward submission. They do not yet justify representing the application as fully audited.
R. Official source register
All sources below were checked during research on 15 September 2026. A visible revision date is shown where established; a search crawl date is not treated as the document’s publication date.
| Subject | Official source | Revision/status |
|---|---|---|
| Current PR criteria | 永住許可に関するガイドライン | 24 February 2026 revision |
| Your route | 永住許可申請４－（１）－イ | Current published checklist |
| Underlying work-status documents/forms | 永住許可申請３ | Current published checklist |
| General PR procedure | 永住許可申請 | General procedure; read fee update separately |
| HSP tables and official materials | 高度人材ポイント制・評価 | Use applicable current downloads |
| HSP interpretation | 高度人材ポイント制Q&A | April 2026 |
| October fee amendment | 令和８年１０月１日付け在留許可手数料の額の改定等 | Effective 1 October 2026 |
| Proposed guideline revision | e-Gov consultation, case 315000140 | Draft published 4 August 2026; consultation closed |
| National-tax certificates | e-Tax 納税証明書の交付請求 | Current instructions |
| Pension records | ねんきんネット・年金記録の確認 | Published guidance |
| Photographs | ISA photo specifications | Current specifications |
| Tokyo reservation | 申請予約システム | Recheck before booking |
Remaining verification limitations: municipality-specific fees and collection options, exact local filing jurisdiction, the visually checked version of your application forms, acceptance of any nonstandard salary/experience evidence, and any final replacement of the currently retrieved draft guidelines.
S. Your next 10 actions—in priority order
| Priority | Action | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Decide whether a fully supported filing by 30 September is realistic | Target date—not a rushed commitment |
| 2 | Confirm current residence status, expiry, exact arrival date and ward | Identity/residence case sheet |
| 3 | Request current and historical remuneration evidence from HR | B05–B07 |
| 4 | Provide both degree details and available certificates | Verified education claim |
| 5 | Assemble the clearest ten-year experience chain | B04 employment matrix |
| 6 | Download pension and current health-qualification records | D/E packages |
| 7 | Obtain latest resident-tax certificates and national その３ | C01–C04 |
| 8 | Complete travel, payment and employment-change audits | No unexplained gaps |
| 9 | Secure a suitable guarantor and prepare the current forms | A/F packages |
| 10 | Run the final evidence audit and confirm local submission arrangements | Cleared, indexed application pack |
Bottom line: your likely case is 20 education + 20 experience + 40 qualifying remuneration = 80 points, without relying on Japanese-language points or the second master’s bonus. The decisive next step is to prove those same qualifying facts historically and continuously, then clear the compliance and document checks. The September/October fee transition makes the filing date important—but does not make incomplete evidence acceptable.
