Japan PR self-check sheet: the 7 questions and evidence for each

ISA's 永住許可申請セルフチェックシート (permanent residence self-check sheet) asks seven yes-or-no questions about your residence, taxes, pension, health insurance, period of stay and criminal record. ISA says that a single "No" makes a refusal more likely, and that seven "Yes" answers do not promise permission. Each "Yes" should rest on a document you will submit anyway; below are the official wording, what each question means, and that evidence.

Three sheets, one per route

ISA's 永住許可申請 page links three versions:

• 就労関係の在留資格の方 (work statuses), also used by highly skilled professionals and J-Skip. The application page for work statuses and 家族滞在 links the same work-status sheet.
• 「定住者」の方 (long-term residents).
• 「日本人の配偶者等」「永住者の配偶者等」の方 (spouses and children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents and special permanent residents).

Each sheet opens with 「永住許可の要件に該当するか、事前に確認していただくためのものです。」: it is for checking in advance whether you meet the requirements. It ends with a signature and date line, and ISA's application pages ask you to submit the completed sheet together with your other documents. It is still a self-check, not the application: the 永住許可申請書 (application form) and the supporting documents are required as well.

The review windows on the sheets

Route	Q2 住民税	Q4 pension	Q5 health insurance
Work statuses, 家族滞在, 定住者	5 years	2 years	2 years
Highly skilled 70+	3 years	2 years	2 years
Highly skilled 80+, J-Skip	1 year	1 year	1 year
Spouses of Japanese nationals or (special) permanent residents	3 years	2 years	2 years
Children of Japanese nationals or (special) permanent residents	1 year	1 year	1 year

The seven questions

The wording below comes from the work-status sheet; differences on the other sheets are noted.

1. Residence period

「日本に引き続き１０年以上在留しており、かつ、就労資格（「技術・人文知識・国際業務」等）又は居住資格（「日本人の配偶者等」等）で引き続き５年以上在留している。」

"I have lived in Japan continuously for 10 years or more, including 5 years or more on a work status or a residence-based status." The work sheet adds that highly skilled professionals answer "Yes" after 3 years with 70+ points, or 1 year with 80+ points or as J-Skip. The 定住者 sheet asks about 5 years as 定住者 (the 10-year rule also counts). The spouse sheet asks spouses about 3 years of real married life and 1 year in Japan, and children about 1 year in Japan.

Evidence: your own dates: first entry, changes of status and, for spouses, the marriage date shown on the 戸籍謄本 or marriage certificate in the document list. These periods change for applications filed from 1 April 2027; see what changes in 2027.

2. Resident tax

「直近５年間、住民税を適正な時期に納税している。」

"In the last 5 years I have paid resident tax at the proper time." The note reads 「未納や当初の納税期限を超えて納税したことがある場合は、「いいえ（Ｎｏ）」を選んでください。」: answer "No" if anything was unpaid or paid after its original deadline. The window is 3 years for highly skilled 70+ and spouses, 1 year for 80+, J-Skip and children.

Evidence: the 課税（非課税）証明書 and 納税証明書 for each year (one certificate showing both income and payment is enough), and, for any period not under 特別徴収 (salary deduction), proof of on-time payment: 通帳の写し (bank-book copies), 領収証書 (receipts) or a printed Web通帳 history that cannot be edited. See resident-tax receipts.

3. National taxes

「国税（源泉所得税及び復興特別所得税、申告所得税及び復興特別所得税、消費税及び地方消費税、相続税、贈与税）の未納がない。」

"I have no unpaid national taxes (withholding income tax, self-assessed income tax, consumption tax, inheritance tax and gift tax)." There is no window: the question is about today.

Evidence: a 納税証明書（その3） covering all five taxes, issued by the tax office for your current address or requested through e-Tax. ISA notes that it proves no unpaid tax as of the certificate date, so no period has to be specified. It cannot show past late payments, which the guideline's late-payment rule still covers.

4. Pension

「直近２年間、年金保険料（国民年金及び厚生年金）を適正な時期に納付している。」

"In the last 2 years I have paid pension premiums (national pension and employees' pension) at the proper time." The same note on late payment applies; the window is 1 year for 80+, J-Skip and children.

Evidence: the pension office's 被保険者記録照会回答票 with 納付Ⅰ and 納付Ⅱ, the full-period ねんきん定期便 sent in an envelope, or a ねんきんネット printout of 「各月の年金記録」, plus copies of all 国民年金 receipts for any 国民年金 months. Business owners add the 健康保険・厚生年金保険料領収証書 or a 社会保険料納入証明書 (or 納入確認書). See late pension payments.

5. Health insurance

「直近２年間、医療保険料（健康保険、国民健康保険及び後期高齢者医療保険）を適正な時期に納付している。」

"In the last 2 years I have paid health insurance premiums (employee health insurance, national health insurance and late-stage elderly insurance) at the proper time." The windows are the same as for question 4.

Evidence: a copy of the health insurance card for everyone in the household or, where no card can be issued any more, a マイナポータル screen showing the date you joined (taken within 3 months) or a copy of the 資格確認証. For 国民健康保険 months add the 国民健康保険料（税）納付証明書 and copies of all receipts. If you were in employee health insurance for the whole 2 years, the card copy is enough. Black out the insurer number and the insured person's symbol and number.

6. Period of stay

「現在の在留資格について、在留期間「３年」又は「５年」が決定されている。」

"For my current status, a period of stay of 3 or 5 years has been granted." Evidence: your 在留カード (residence card). A 3-year period counts as the longest period for applications filed by 31 March 2027; after that, only under the one-time transition rule. A 1-year period means "No".

7. Criminal record

「過去に、日本の法令に違反して罰金刑・懲役刑・禁固刑を受けたことがない。」 (the spouse sheet says 日本国の法令)

"I have never been sentenced to a fine or imprisonment for breaking Japanese law." The guideline now uses 拘禁刑, which includes the former 懲役 and 禁錮. A traffic 反則金 paid within its deadline closes the case without a criminal trial (National Police Agency), so it is not a 罰金; a fine imposed in criminal proceedings is. There is nothing to attach: answer from your own history.

Dependents answer with the supporter's record

The spouses and children sheet adds a note under questions 2, 4 and 5: 「あなたが扶養を受けている場合は、あなたの扶養者の納税状況を回答してください。」 (for 4 and 5 it says 納付状況). A supported spouse therefore answers with the supporting spouse's tax, pension and health-insurance record. The work-status sheet has no such note, but ISA's application page for 家族滞在 asks for the tax and insurance documents of both the applicant and the person who supports them.

Answer from documents, not memory

ISA checks the certificates and receipts you submit and may ask for more during the review, so an answer that your own documents contradict will show. Check each "Yes" against the paper before you sign. If a "No" is true, it helps to know when the late payment leaves your window; our audit calculates that date with a cautious reading that is ours, not ISA's. We explain the questions; you complete and sign the sheet yourself. A licensed 行政書士 can prepare an application for a fee.

The free check asks these questions in plain language and reads one of your documents.