How To Become A Japanese Citizen
Possessing stunning views, fresh atmosphere, unique cuisine and great social welfare, Japan or the Land of the Rising Sun, has attracted plenty of immigrants who want to establish citizenship. The procedure can be time-consuming, but the percentage of approved applicants for citizenship is very high (about 90%). If you would like to know how to become a Japanese citizen, check this blog out right now!
1. Getting Japanese Citizenship By Birth
To get Japanese citizenship, you need to be born in Japan, have a Japanese parent or have a Japanese father
1.1. Be Born In Japan
In case you were born in Japan and stated as abandoned, you are automatically recognized as a Japanese citizen.
1.2. Have One Parent Who Is A Japanese Citizen
If either your father or your mother was a Japanese citizen when you were born, you would definitely acquire Japanese citizenship.
1.3. Have A Japanese Father
According to Article 2(2) of the Japanese National Law, if you are the child of a Japanese father who died prior to your birth, you absolutely become a Japanese citizen.
2. Obtaining Japanese Citizenship By Acknowledgement
2.1. Provide Notification That You Claim Citizenship
You must go to the appropriate office of the Ministry of Justice and write a notification. At the Ministry, you take a form, complete and submit it.
2.2. Report In Person To The Appropriate Office
You can claim citizenship by appearing in person at the appropriate office of the Ministry of Justice. If you live in Japan, you should report to the district legal affairs bureau for the district where you are living. If you live outside of Japan, you can go to any Japanese embassy of consulate to claim your citizenship.
Remember that you must report in person to claim citizenship. However, there is an exception here. If you are under 15 years old, you need a legal guardian or a representative to claim on your behalf.
2.3. Meet The Minimum Requirements For Citizenship
How to become a Japanese citizen in case you have one Japanese parent, but your parents are unmarried? Is it hard to get Japanese citizenship in this situation?
Well, to acquire Japanese nationality in this case, you need to meet some Japan citizenship requirements below:
- You must not have been a Japanese national before
- You must be under 20 years old
- You must be legally acknowledged by one parent
- When you were born, the acknowledging parent must have been a Japanese national
- When you are acknowledged, the acknowledging parent must be a Japanese national
3. Acquiring Japanese Citizenship For Foreigners
3.1. Live In Japan For At Least Five Consecutive Years
To become a Japanese citizen, you must live in the country for at least five consecutive years. You may not meet this requirement, but you can still gain citizenship in Japan if you satisfy one of the following criteria:
- You have one Japanese parent and you have lived in Japan for three years or more
- You were born in Japan and have resided here for three consecutive years, and one of your parents was born in Japan
- You maintained a domicile in Japan for ten consecutive years or more
- You will need to provide copies of passports, visas or other similar official documents that demonstrate the range of dates when you maintained a residence and the dates when you left Japan and when you returned during the relevant period
As a foreigner, you need to live in Japan for at least 5 consecutive years before applying for citizenship
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3.2. Demonstrate That You Can Support Yourself In Japan
Another requirement for getting citizenship in Japan is that you must be able to support yourself financially.
If you are married and your spouse supports the family, this requirement is satisfied.
If you are employed, immigration officials may visit your workplace to make sure whatever information you report is true.
Being sble to support yourself financially is another requirement for gaining Japanese citizenship
3.3. Be At Least 20 Years Old
In Japan, you must be at least 20 years old before you can be eligible to apply for citizenship. This age minimum can range from 18 to 21 depending on the countries. If you are not certain, you can check with an attorney in your home country.
The age minimum is also important when applying for citizenship in Japan
3.4. Demonstrate That You Have No Criminal Record
You must submit an official criminal records check to make sure you are “of upright conduct”. Having a history of criminal activity can prevent your application for Japanese citizenship, but each case is examined individually. Therefore, if you unluckily have a criminal record, you can still become a citizen in Japan based on the seriousness of your crime.
You must also demonstrate that you have no criminal record
3.5. Declare That You Relinquish Any Other Citizenship
When applying to be a Japanese citizen, you must give up your current citizenship. You cannot have dual citizenship as a Japanese. Japan does not accept this in order to avoid any potential clash of interest that could occur.
However, in some cases, you can retain both citizenships. It is possible to obtain Japanese citizenship without forgoing another citizenship if you can demonstrate exceptional circumstances that justify doing so. In addition, individuals who are younger than 20 years of age can maintain dual citizenship. Before they reach 20, they need to choose to retain Japanese citizenship and relinquish the other or relinquish Japanese citizenship.
To become a Japanese citizen, you must relinquish any other citizenship
3.6. Take A Prequalification Interview
The next phase in getting Japanese citizenship is you must participate in a prequalification interview. You should contact the Ministry of Justice of the local district legal affairs bureau where you reside in Japan so that they can set up the interview for you. This interview can be conducted by phone or in-person and it aims to ensure that you have satisfied all or most of the requirements.
Participating in a prequalification interview is the next step in getting Japanese citizenship
3.7. Participate In A Second Interview
After taking the initial interview, how to become a Japanese citizen? Well, you will need to take a second interview. In this subsequent interview, you will learn the different items that you will be expected to provide to prove your eligibility for citizenship. There is no established list of requirements, but just be sure to have most of your documents intact. You can generally expect to need to produce the following types of documents:
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Proof of mental and physical conditions
- Proof of education (transcripts, diplomas)
- Evidence of criminal history
- Evidence of assets
- Evidence of employment
- Proof of residency or domicile
- Proof of international travel
Taking a second interview is indispensable to prove your eligibility for citizenship
3.8. Watch A Naturalization Video
During the second interview, you will need to watch a video related to the procedures and expectations for naturalization in Japan. This video will last for about an hour.
Watching a naturalization video is included in the second interview
3.9. Compile Your Evidence And Study The Guide Book
When the second interview ends, you will have a list of specific documents that you must provide and a guide book that describes the requirements for naturalization. You need to study all the materials and start to compile the documentation. Be patient as this can take you months to complete. When you are ready, contact the official in charge to set up an application meeting. At the end of this meeting, you will get the name of a contact person and a case number for your application.
Compiling your evidence and studying guide book can take you months to complete, so be patient!
3.10. Participate In The Application Meeting(s)
When you have done all the pre-application work, contact your case officer and set up an application meeting. This meeting is to cross-check all the details of your application. If any item is missing or incomplete, you will be sent to complete them. It is also likely that you need to add new materials to the list.
Having done all the pre-application work, you can contact your case officer and set up an application meeting
3.11. Wait While Your Materials Are Checked
Now you have submitted all necessary documents. What you need to do is waiting while the officials check and verify the authenticity of your application. The verification may include a visit to your home or your workplace. The officials may also interview references you provide as personal contacts or employers. Also, there are two more things you need to know during this phase of application:
- At any time during this process, you may be contacted to provide additional information
- This process may take several months
Now you have submitted all necessary documents and what you need to do is waiting
3.12. Attend A Final Meeting
When everything is satisfactory, you will be contacted for a final meeting. At this meeting, you will sign required oaths and the local Legal Affairs Bureau will formally accept your application. Then, the Legal Affairs Bureau will send your completed application with your signed statements to the Ministry of Justice. When the Ministry of Justice receives and approves your application, you’ll gain Japanese citizenship.
Attending the last meeting means your application for Japanese citizenship becomes final
Watch this video and you may become more confident to apply for citizenship in Japan!
Conclusion
Now that you have known how to become a Japanese citizen, right? Well, it can be a matter of months to apply for Japanese citizenship, but hope that this blog will be a useful guide for you on the way you achieve citizenship in Japan. If you have any questions about how to gain Japanese citizenship, feel free to contact Question Japan!
Great article and Guide. Thank you for sharing!