How can You extend your period of stay?

As most foreigners living in Japan are probably aware, there is a period of stay for the status of residence.
The shortest period of stay is 14 days. The shortest is 14 days, and the longest is 15 days to 5 years, during which time the foreigner is permitted to stay in Japan to engage in activities corresponding to the status of residence.
Those who stay longer than 90 days are called “mid- to long-term residents” and are given a resident card.
In order to continue to live in Japan, you must go through the renewal procedure before the expiration date of your visa, which can be a hassle.
Not only do you have to be nervous about whether or not you will be able to renew your visa, but you also have to wait at the immigration office for half a day.
Therefore, you want as long a period of stay as possible. In addition, you cannot apply for permanent residence or naturalization unless you have currently resided in Japan for at least three years.

So, how can you get a longer period of stay granted?
It depends on why your current period of stay is so short.

■What determines the length of stay?
It is difficult to say, but it is usually divided into two categories: either “the reason is the applicant’s own” or “there is a problem with the organization (company) to which the applicant belongs”.
Especially for those who came to Japan for the first time through an application for a certificate of eligibility, “1 year” seems to be the most common case.
Of course, if you are highly educated and your place of employment in Japan is a large company such as “Category 1” or “Category 2,” some people can receive a “5-year” status of residence even if it is their first time coming to Japan.

However, in the case of status of residence such as “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” or “Business Administration,” there are many cases where the immigration office will only grant “1 year” as a way to see if the married life or the company they started will work out.
In the case of a change of status of residence from “College Student” to “Engineer/Humanities/International Services,” “1 year,” “3 years,” or “5 years” seems to be determined according to the size of the company.
More to the point, if there is a history of poor status of residence (crime, illegal employment, overstay, non-payment of taxes or social insurance, etc.), etc., the “1 year” renewal is likely to continue.

■Can a 5-year period of stay turn into a 1-year period?
Even if the current period of stay is 5 years, of course the period of stay can be shortened.
If you have a defective residence status, it is quite possible that it will be reduced to “1 year” at the time of the next renewal.
Also, if you quit a large company in category 1 and started your own business, or if you were invited by a friend to work for a sole proprietorship company, the newly established company falls under category 4, so your period of stay at the time of renewal may be reduced to 1 year.

■How can you get a longer period of stay?
First of all, it is necessary to avoid committing crimes, traffic violations, and paying proper taxes and social insurance premiums in order not to become ineligible for a visa.
It is also important to properly notify the immigration office of your divorce if you change jobs, which is an obligation of the immigration office.
Furthermore, in the case of a spouse visa, it is important to live together with your spouse as much as possible and live in harmony.
If you are working for a small company such as a sole proprietorship on a working visa, there have been cases where you were deemed Category 3 and received a 3-year period of stay by submitting a “total statutory record of withholding tax for salaries of employees for the previous year,” which the Immigration Bureau measures at the company level.

However, the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act submitted to the current Diet session is expected to add a requirement for permanent residence status to be revoked.