Does the way I handle my 住民票 affect screening for 永住許可?

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?

This guide is for people who are unsure about moving house, or about keeping their 住民票 at a spouse's family home.

Why is the 住民票 looked at so closely?

To judge objectively whether your base of life is really in Japan, and whether you are settled here.

The 住民票 is the most basic official document showing where you live and who you live with. It is checked strictly against the other documents you submit (a certificate of employment, 納税証明書 (tax payment certificate), utility receipts and so on) to see whether the addresses match and whether there is anything inconsistent.

• Whether you really live there: do you actually live at the address on your 住民票
• Stability of your life: are you moving very often (it is different if there is a particular reason)
• Whether a married couple really live together: if you have a Japanese spouse, are the two of you on the same 住民票
• The reason for moving: are you moving again and again in order to avoid repaying a loan or a debt, paying pension contributions or taxes, or paying utility bills or private companies

If there is anything at all unnatural in the information on your 住民票, it may raise doubts such as "is this person's base of life unstable?" or "do they really intend to settle in Japan?", and it may count against you in screening.

What pitfalls are there?

4 of them: forgetting to file the notification, keeping your 住民票 at a spouse's family home, splitting the household, and deletion by the municipality.

Moving often, and forgetting to file the 住民票 notification

If you repeatedly move house over a short period, it may be judged that your life is unstable. Also, a surprising number of people forget to go through the procedure to move their 住民票 when they move. Having a different address on your 住民票 from the place where you actually live is a very large negative in a 永住許可申請.

Keeping your 住民票 at a Japanese spouse's family home

Some people keep their 住民票 at the family home of a Japanese spouse (a parent's house, for example) while the couple actually live somewhere else. This is judged to mean that the couple do not in fact live together, and it counts strongly against you in screening. If your 住民票 and the place where you actually live are different, it raises strong doubts about whether the marriage is real.

As a rule, a married couple should keep their 住民票 at the place where they actually live together. If you are living apart temporarily for reasons you cannot avoid, you need to explain why in a detailed 理由書 (written explanation), and to submit evidence that the marriage is continuing even while you live apart.

A record of 世帯分離, or of other people in the household

If you have split your 住民票 into separate households (世帯分離) for financial or other reasons, or if someone other than your spouse is recorded on your 住民票, an unclear reason for this may affect your 永住 application. If you have split the household, explain clearly the financial or other reasons, and show that you can still make a stable living in that situation. If someone else lives with you, be ready to explain clearly what your relationship is (a friend, a relative and so on).

A past 職権消除 of your 住民票

If you were away from Japan for a long time and there is a history of your 住民票 being deleted by the municipal office on its own authority (職権消除), you may be seen as having little intention of settling in Japan. You need to explain that period and the reason for it in detail, and to show that you have since moved your base of life back to Japan and are living here stably.

How should I manage my 住民票?

The basic point is to keep the address on your 住民票 and the place where you actually live always the same.

1. Always keep them matching
   Keep the address on your 住民票 and the place where you actually live the same at all times. This is the most basic rule.
2. Do the procedure promptly when you move
   If you move, go to your municipal office within 14 days to move your 住民票 and complete the 住居地の届出 (Notification of Place of Residence). If you show your 在留カード (Residence Card) when you file the moving-in notification, you are treated as having made the 住居地の届出 required under 入管法 (the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act) (入管法第19条の9第3項). You do not need to make a separate notification to the 地方出入国在留管理局 (Regional Immigration Services Bureau).
3. Know the history of your past 住民票
   In a 永住 application you may be asked to submit the history of your past 住民票 (such as a 住民票の除票, a record of a removed resident registration). Know your own history, and if necessary obtain the documents from the municipal office early.
4. A married couple should normally be on the same 住民票
   If you have a Japanese spouse, unless there are special circumstances it is better for the two of you to be recorded on the same 住民票.
5. Explain anything unnatural in a 理由書
   If there is something unnatural about your 住民票 situation for reasons you could not avoid, submit a 理由書 setting out the reason in detail, and where necessary attach objective evidence (a company transfer order, a doctor's certificate and so on).

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Articles

• Does a record of being refused entry abroad affect screening for 永住 in Japan?
• Does a late tax return affect screening for permanent residence?
• Does my spouse's unpaid pension affect my child's application for permanent residence?
• Does age count against you in the screening for permanent residence?

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.