RResidents in Japan

Cancel a PR application?

  • December 24, 2025

My husband will no longer support my PR application because we will divorce soon (edit: I instigated the divorce, not him. I want to leave). But I already applied in January 2025. But he will not assist with the additional supporting 配偶者 documents that were requested this week. Can I cancel my application? If I pass even without these supporting documents he says we will have to stay married at least a year, prefer two years so it doesn’t look suspicious and like a fake marriage for a green card. This is unacceptable to me. I want to divorce asap.

My next step seems to be Spouse visa-> Long-Term resident Visa-> PR.

Has anyone done this? My long-term goal is of course PR. I have two Japanese kids here with my husband, I want to live here long forever to see my potential grandchildren even after my kids grow up and I’m done ‘raising them’ In the eyes of immigration.
I also have a boyfriend with whom I see a future with, and if I don’t divorce within a reasonable time I’m going to lose him because our relationship will be stuck going nowhere 🙁

by samsg1

13 comments

  1. You have to go into immigration to inform them of any changes within the application anyway so divorcing your husband via the spousal route would count as a major change they need to be informed of. You don’t need to stay together for a year+ after you receive PR via the spousal route. Applying for a long term residency visa would be you next step because of your kids, but reapply for PR when you’re eligible.

  3. >he says we will have to stay married at least a year, prefer two years so it doesn’t look suspicious and like a fake marriage for a green card. This is unacceptable to me. I want to divorce asap.

    That’s untrue. There is no requirement for you to stay married after you have PR and they won’t take it away from you because you got divorced.

  4. Adultery while on a dependent spousal visa tends to create visa problems.

    You should let immigration know that your PR application is withdrawn and your current basis to stay in this country (spouse visa) no longer applies.

    You should be able to apply for a long term resident visa to stay with your kids, or a work visa if you have a job.

  5. I would let it go and see if you get approved without his help. When they ask for the end of the year docs it’s usually approved in a few more weeks from what others have posted/commented on similar threads.

    You don’t need to stay married afterwards, it’s not like a spousal visa. TBF, PR is what most people get as soon as they’re eligible specifically because they’re afraid of their spouse divorcing them.

    It sounds like he’s trying to get rid of you so you can’t stay in the country with your kids.

    And honestly, without your agreement he can’t divorce you without going to court, so it might be annoying for the new guy, but I would hold out until your PR goes through.
    If he wants to divorce you quickly then he should help you.

    Edit: law for women getting married after divorce changed in 2024, no more wait after divorce.

  6. I had a similar experience. I separated from my Japanese wife and had to renew my spousal visa. Of course, she refused to renew as we were headed for divorce. My only choice was to get a work visa. I too have children in Japan with her, so I have to stay. Immigration couldn’t understand why I wanted a work visa while I was still married. Anyways, they requested additional documents, including my wife’s Koseki. I couldn’t get it myself as she refused to tell me where it was. At the last minute, immigration had to request directly to her that she legally had to provide the document. So, I got my work visa. Now I have my PR, I’ve remarried, had another child and no longer have to deal with immigration bs.

  7. > But he will not assist with the additional supporting 配偶者 documents that were requested this week.

    Do not withdraw your PR application. Instead, write a letter or talk to immigration in response to request for additional supporting documentation, explaining that your husband refuse to provide requested info. Immigration has their own way to retrieve that information.

    I know someone in similar predicament, immigration officer just shrugged and said we will retrieve info ourselves and PR was approved.

    Edit: Also, refuse to divorce your husband until PR is issued, use divorce as leverage.

  8. Given your application was held since January 2025 and additional documents were requested, it is probable the application will be rejected regardless of your marriage/divorce status. Likely because you have problem with financial independence? Of course, your planned divorce status must be reflected in paperwork. Nothing bad in trying anyway – conversion of spouse visa directly to PR is perfectly normal and failure do not hamper future attempts, so just cancelling application would be unwise.

    Regarding your husband words, he either have a classical Japanese social neurosis or imitating it for his own reasons. His statement about marriage continuation duration is not true.

    One more fallback route is reattaching your family visa to one of your kids. Again, financial stability check would apply, but thresholds are less severe compared to PR application.

    Regarding your remarriage plans, these are completely irrelevant for the visa application purposes.

  9. 1. Tough noogies he’s already on the hook for acting as your guarantor for PR (it’s a character reference nothing more), my understanding is he can’t withdraw it and they never contacted my wife when I was getting PR.

    2. Make it very clear that you’re not going to agree to a divorce until PR is granted. If you want you can drag the divorce out for years and years. If he wants freedom he has to support your PR.

  10. You have boyfriend while still married and applied for PR? And you have kids. Seems very messy situation. But being honest with immigration usually the safest route, rather than playing games. Might not work but at least you’d follow the law.

    Does your husband know about the boyfriend?

  11. no need to cancel your pr application. you have 2 japanese kids so have leverage in staying in japan.

  13. Check everything your husband has said with an immigration lawyer and let the lawyer run the process from here.

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