- How to get Japanese citizenship
- Algorithm for passing the procedure
- Factors affecting citizenship acquisition
Most Russian citizens, deciding to move to a permanent place of residence abroad, choose, first of all, the countries of Western Europe or the United States. Much less often you can meet those who are looking for an answer to the question of how to obtain Japanese citizenship. After all, the country of the Rising Sun remains in many ways a mystery for a European.
Meanwhile, in the issue of acquiring citizenship, the Japanese authorities are on the same positions as in other states of the planet. In order to become a full-fledged citizen, you must meet several important conditions, as well as show your ability to integrate into Japanese society.
How to get Japanese citizenship
There are several ways to obtain Japanese citizenship, but naturalization and marriage are the most popular for foreign nationals. In the list of basic requirements imposed by Japanese laws on a potential candidate, the following important positions can be noted:
- the period of residence must be at least 5 years;
- the person submitting the application must be legally competent;
- age 20 years (in Japan it is believed that it is by this age that a person becomes able to make responsible decisions);
- no criminal record, correct lifestyle, decent behavior;
- material support (either income from activities, or maintenance by relatives);
- renunciation of the citizenship of the country where the person used to live.
Naturally, it is not so easy to legally live in Japan, first a visitor visa is issued, its period is 90 days. The easiest way is for those people who came to the country to marry an indigenous resident who has all the rights of a Japanese citizen.
Legal marriage with a Japanese gives the opportunity to obtain a permanent residence. In the future, this will help to obtain citizenship, since the countdown of the time of stay in Japan begins from the moment of registration of an immigrant who has arrived for permanent residence in the country. Easier to solve the issue of obtaining citizenship by children born in international families. Until the children turn 22, they have the right to choose which country to be a citizen of, Japan, as one of the parents, or any other, as the second parent.
Algorithm for passing the procedure
For a long time Japan remained an almost closed country for foreigners. Today, those who would like to get acquainted with ancient history and culture, masterpieces of architecture or fine art are warmly welcomed here. But, as before, they are suspicious of those foreigners who would like to move here forever, and even get all the rights that a native Japanese has.
Therefore, potential applicants for Japanese citizenship need to be prepared for lengthy bureaucratic delays, a huge number of completed papers and paperwork. They will also have to deal with immigration officials who conduct thorough interviews, trying to find out the true reasons for immigration to their country.
During interviews, professionals use a variety of methods to screen potential candidates for citizenship. In the list of their actions, there may be calls to their immediate supervisor (or a former director) with a request to clarify the moral and volitional qualities, the degree of reliability. The police officer can visit the future citizen at home to get acquainted with the living conditions, clarify other points.
The naturalization process in Japan is only possible if the applicant demonstrates his material well-being. Confirmation is the presence of a certain amount in the accounts, about 20 thousand US dollars.
Factors affecting citizenship acquisition
Experts studying the practice of acquiring Japanese citizenship note that there are a number of factors that can either simplify the process of obtaining citizenship, or, conversely, complicate it. A positive role in obtaining the rights of a citizen of Japan is played by the fulfillment of the following conditions: having a health insurance policy; the presence of pension insurance, of course, Japanese; property registered in the territory of the country.
The lack of some documents from a potential applicant may significantly complicate the citizenship procedure. Moreover, if the requirement of his own birth certificate can still be recognized as justified, subject to logical explanation, then the requirement of a marriage certificate of the parents (the original document) lies outside the logic of a European. But in Japan, in addition to the original certificate, they may require a letter from the parents, the essence of which is that the mother and father of a potential applicant will be immensely proud of their adult child, if he receives the rights of a citizen of Japan.
