Taxes, Pension, and Health Insurance to Confirm Before Applying for Permanent Residency
When considering an application for Permanent Residency, many may think, "I've paid all my taxes and pension contributions, so I'll be fine."
However, the review for Permanent Residency does not merely check for outstanding payments at the present time. It verifies whether public obligations such as taxes, pension contributions, and public health insurance premiums have been properly fulfilled.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan's "Guidelines for Permanent Residency" explicitly state that even if taxes and contributions have already been paid at the time of application, if they were not fulfilled within the original payment deadline, they will generally be evaluated negatively.
Therefore, for those considering a Permanent Residency application, it is crucial to organize your payment status once before gathering the necessary documents.
1. For Resident Tax, check not only the "Certificate of Taxation" but also the "Certificate of Tax Payment."
For Permanent Residency applications, both a Certificate of Taxation (or Non-taxation) and a Certificate of Tax Payment for Resident Tax are required documents.
The required number of years varies depending on your current status of residence, etc.
For example, the list of required documents published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan indicates that the necessary period differs by application category, such as the most recent three years for spouses of Japanese nationals or spouses of Permanent Residents/Special Permanent Residents, and the most recent five years for Long-Term Residents or Dependents.
Furthermore, if there were periods when Resident Tax was not specially collected (deducted) from your salary, supporting documents such as a copy of your bank passbook may be required to prove that Resident Tax was paid at the appropriate time.
The key is not to assume "there are no outstanding payments on my Certificate of Tax Payment, so there's no problem," but to verify including the payment dates.
2. Those who have changed jobs should pay attention to their Resident Tax payment method.
For company employees, Resident Tax is typically "specially collected" (payroll deducted) from their salary. However, depending on the timing of resignation or job change, it may switch to "ordinary collection" (direct payment by the individual).
Be sure to check whether you overlooked payment slips or missed payment deadlines during such periods.
We particularly recommend that those who have changed jobs frequently or have transitioned from a company employee to a sole proprietor organize their past Resident Tax payment status before starting to prepare for their Permanent Residency application.
3. For pensions, check payment records, not just enrollment status.
For Permanent Residency applications, the enrollment and payment status of public pensions are also verified.
Documents such as the "Insured Person's Record Inquiry Response," "Insured Person's Record Inquiry (Payment I)," and "Insured Person's Record Inquiry (Payment II)" may be required.
Particular verification is necessary not only for periods of enrollment in Employees' Pension Insurance as a company employee but also for periods when you switched to National Pension from resignation until joining your next company.
It is important to review your pension records for the period subject to review, not just assume "I am currently enrolled in Employees' Pension Insurance."
4. Health insurance is also subject to review.
The proper enrollment and payment status of public medical insurance are also verified.
If you were enrolled in National Health Insurance, documents such as a Certificate of National Health Insurance Premium (Tax) Payment or a copy of the receipt may be required.
On the other hand, if you are enrolled in Health Insurance and Employees' Pension Insurance through your workplace, documents related to social insurance premium payments may be necessary depending on the applicant's position and circumstances.
If you had periods when you switched from social insurance to National Health Insurance due to job changes or resignation, be sure to check those periods as well.
5. "Paid later" and "Paid within the deadline" are not the same.
This is a particularly important point to note when preparing for a Permanent Residency application.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan's guidelines state that regarding public obligations, even if already paid at the time of application, if they were not fulfilled within the original payment period, they will generally be evaluated negatively.
In other words, you need to check not just current certificates to assume "there are no outstanding payments, so it's fine," but also whether there were any past payments made after the deadline.
Things to check once before applying
If you organize at least the following points, your subsequent document preparation will be smoother:
* Resident Tax taxation and payment status * Whether Resident Tax was paid within the deadline * Pension enrollment records and payment records * Health insurance enrollment status * Payment status for periods enrolled in National Health Insurance * Status of pension and health insurance transitions during periods of resignation or job change * Whether there were any periods of delayed payments in the past
The required certificates and verification periods vary depending on your current status of residence, application category, etc.
Therefore, it is important to confirm the necessary documents according to your own situation, rather than simply referring to documents submitted by others.
Our office provides support from consultations regarding Permanent Residency applications, pre-application status checks, guidance on required documents, to the preparation and submission of application documents.
Please feel free to contact us for a consultation, even if you are unsure "how many years of documents I need for my case" or are "concerned about my pension and tax records because I've changed jobs in the past."
Please see here for services related to Permanent Residency and Status of Residence.