Does my spouse's unpaid pension affect my child's application for permanent residence?

This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails. Read the Japanese original（日本語版を読む）

What is this enquiry about?

An enquiry from a father who is a 永住者, asking whether his spouse's unpaid pension and insurance contributions affect his 17-year-old child's application for permanent residence.

Is screening for permanent residence done at household level?

Yes. What is examined is not only the applicant but the financial base of the whole household that lives on one budget, and how it has met its public obligations.

Screening for permanent residence looks at whether you can stand on your own feet in Japanese society as a permanent resident and properly bear your share of public burdens. For that reason, not only the applicant but the financial base of the whole household that lives on one budget, and how it has met its public obligations, are checked.

Even if the head of the household has sufficient income and a record of paying tax, if there is a fact that the spouse, as a member of the household, has not met their public obligations, it will be judged that there is a problem with the conduct of the household as a whole.

Unpaid 国民年金 and 国民健康保険 contributions are said to be one of the matters checked most strictly in screening for permanent residence. This is because your reliability in meeting your public obligations is at issue.

Does it affect my child's application too?

Yes. Even where the residence requirement is relaxed, the conduct requirement and the requirement to be able to make a living are looked at at household level.

For the children of a 永住者, it is said that there is a treatment under which the residence requirement is greatly relaxed. For a child under 18, for example, the child can apply after residing in Japan for at least 1 year.

However, what is relaxed is the residence requirement; the conduct requirement and the requirement to be able to make a living are, as a rule, not relaxed. These are looked at at household level, so unless the problem of the spouse's unpaid contributions is resolved, the child's application is also more likely to be denied.

What should I do once I find out something is unpaid?

Pay what is unpaid promptly, and submit the record of payment as evidence.

1. Paying what is unpaid and drawing up a payment plan
   Check exactly which periods are unpaid and pay the full amount promptly. If paying the full amount is difficult, be sure to discuss payment by instalments with the pension office or the relevant body, then draw up a concrete payment plan for clearing the arrears and add it to the documents you submit.
2. Submitting payment records
   For the pension, submit the payment record for the past 2 years (such as the ねんきん定期便, Pension Coverage Regular Notice) and proof that the arrears have been paid. For health insurance too, you need proof that there are no unpaid periods, or that the arrears have been cleared.
3. Reconsidering when to apply
   Even after the arrears have been cleared, a period of building up a record of payment may be expected. Making sure to build up a payment record for about 6 months to 1 year after completing payment, and only then applying, is said to be a guide figure in practice.

When you apply, it is important to show with documents and evidence that you have already resolved the problem, and that you intend to keep meeting your public obligations faithfully from now on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Articles

• Does a late tax return affect screening for permanent residence?
• Applying for permanent residence on 高度専門職: should I add my spouse as a dependant and pay back pension contributions first?
• If my spouse changes jobs often, should we apply for permanent residence together?
• Should the child apply for permanent residence first, or is it better for all 3 of us to apply together?

This article provides general information. Immigration rules change, and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Please check the Immigration Services Agency website or consult a qualified specialist.
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.