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）
Yes, they do. In screening for 「家族滞在」, there is a growing tendency to check whether the whole household — not only the supporting person — is properly enrolled in public medical insurance and pension and has paid the premiums without arrears. The stability of the supporting person's income, and whether you are really being supported, are looked at as well.
A family living on 「家族滞在」 asks what is now being looked at in renewals and applications.
Payment across the whole household is checked, and arrears count against you at renewal.
In recent years there has been a stronger move to check whether foreign nationals staying in Japan for the medium to long term are using Japan's public medical and social security systems fairly. This also affects screening for 「家族滞在」.
If the supporting person is enrolled in social insurance through work (厚生年金 and 健康保険), check that the dependants are enrolled properly too. If you are in 国民健康保険 and 国民年金, always pay by the due date and never build up a record of arrears. This is the most important thing to get right before a renewal.
Not only the amount, but the balance between income and spending, and how continuous and stable their career is.
「家族滞在」 rests on the supporting person being able to support the family financially in Japan. In recent years this ability to support has been examined against the actual situation.
Submit a certificate of bank balance and similar documents to show that your household finances are stable and in line with your income. If the supporting person has just changed jobs, it is useful to attach the new employment contract and material showing that the company is stable (financial statements and so on), together with a 理由書 (written explanation) that sets out concretely why the income is expected to continue.
If the supported person's income is close to the supporting person's, the relationship may look reversed. For families brought from abroad, records of remittances are also looked at.
If you hold 「家族滞在」, then even with 資格外活動許可 (Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted), you are expected to keep to the work limit — as a rule up to 28 hours per week where blanket permission has been given. Working beyond that range is a major factor that counts against you at renewal screening.
3 points: everyone in the household meeting their public obligations, explaining the supporting person's career, and keeping to the working-hours limit.
Recent screening for 「家族滞在」 tends to judge the whole picture: not only the supporting person's finances, but whether everyone in the household meets their public obligations, and the family's attitude to living in Japan.
Yes. It is checked whether the whole household, not only the supporting person, is properly enrolled in public medical insurance and pension and has paid the premiums without arrears.
Yes. A history of leaving treatment costs at a medical institution unpaid is a factor that counts against you in residence screening.
No clear standard is published. A figure of 2.4 million yen (240万円) or more for every 1 person supported is sometimes mentioned, but it is said to be a rough guide used in practice.
There is a risk that it will be doubted whether they are really being supported, and that they will be judged to fall outside 「家族滞在」. Please keep any work within up to 28 hours per week.
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This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.