Hello everyone! I actually already managed to move to Japan but as this is a visa question I thought this subreddit is appropriate. I enjoy being here so much that I naturally want to make sure I can stay forever now. Like many of you I presume, my dream is to get the Permanent Resident visa, and I understand there are two main ways to get it: the point system (similar to the HSP visa) and the 10 years of continuous stay rule.
1) Are the points criteria fairly largely interpretated or is it pretty strict? For example regarding Bonus point 6 "foreign qualification related to the work", does any kind of qualification (such as TOEFL and TOEIC) count or is there a precise list somewhere?
2) Where can I find the public notices mentioned in Bonus Points 4 and 12? I could only find the one from Bonus Point 11
3) Now let's say I do not reach 70 points (as I expect). In that case the 10 years rule will be my only hope. I have a 5 years engie/humanities visa, let's say it gets renewed for another 5 years. Can I apply for the PR before the engie/humanities visa expires (i.e. before I completed the full 10 years)? This is a huge question. Because if not, that means I must first manage to get the 5 years visa renewed a second time, and I just learned that if they renew it as a 1 year visa instead of 5 you cannot apply for the PR. Some people say they are already doing exactly that, allegedly to force foreigners to renew their visa yearly, which conveniently will soon cost a lot of money, all so that the government can collect tons of cash…
4) Actually before the pandemic I spent a couple years in Japan as an exchange student / working holiday. But I assume they will completely ignore those years and they do not count at all towards the 10 years rule right (since it must be continuous stay)? Therefore, if for whatever question I must leave Japan for a year or two, does that mean that all the years I have already put in for the 10 years rule completely reset? Must I really restart from zero?
5) Now let's assume my application for PR is rejected, for example because I forgot to pay some tax at some point. Can I just pay the said tax and we're good, I can apply again? Or am I shadowbanned from getting a PR forever (every application will 99% be rejected)?
6) They say you should also never have been fined. I miiight have got a fine for taking a train without the correct ticket during my WH many years ago. Am I cooked?
Now I said there are only two ways to get the PR, but there seems to be a few exceptions… I have questions about two of those: the special requirements 1 and 2.
7) Regarding the first one, I understand it is a kind of permanent spouse visa. I know that the normal spouse visa is immediately cancelled upon divorce, but does that also apply to the permanent one?
8) And regarding the second…What is it actually? What is this "status of long-term resident" and how do I get it?
Thank you for your time m(_ _)m
by ShortChapter5246