The Permanent Visa Process

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The Permanent Visa Process
By: Terri Nii
The UMJ Volume 2.10 (Editorial)

I had to go pick up the registered letter from the post office after our friendly letter carrier had tried to deliver the notification twice that day, at 11:00 am and 6:30 pm.
The first hint that I got that the results would not be favorable was the fact that the notification came in an envelope. Where was the postcard that I had been asked to address? Was that used only for positive cases?

The second clue that something was not acceptable was that my full name, including the middle one that I almost forgot I had, was written meticulously in romaji, letter by capital letter, on the envelope. In your family, when you got into trouble, did your mother call you by your full name?

So I pretty much knew what was coming before I opened the envelope, and sure enough my application for a permanent visa was denied

What could have gone wrong? I have lived in Japan a total of 12+ years and been married over 8; have been employed and paid appropriate taxes and for my health insurance coverage; I haven't missed any visa deadlines or failed to register with the ward office.
The notification says that my "reason for applying for the permanent visa does not qualify for permission." Hmmm.

The letter I wrote explaining why I was applying for a permanent visa described how Kazuo and I have decided to live in Japan on a permanent basis; until recently we had not so concluded. Now that we had, we decided to complete the official documentation that reflected our resolution.

In the same way that a marriage certificate can be called "just a piece of paper," perhaps the permanent residence visa could be considered a mere formality, but for us it was a meaningful demonstration of our commitment to become members of this society and our immediate community. It symbolized our decision to link our futures with that of Japan and of Fujisawa.

For two people who have changed homes both internationally and domestically every two years, the words "permanent residence" have a strong meaning.

So if the didn't like my explanation, what kind of reason were they looking for? Did they need something more urgent? Was that fact that children or a business were not involved an influence?

After I submitted my application I heard from an acquaintance that the 4 years that we recently lived in California might have been an additional obstacle. She said that it was understood that the 3 years prior to application should have been spent in Japan. So although I have spent a total of 12 years in Japan since 1980, perhaps the period in the early 1990s in California worked against me.

Of course I plan to re-submit. Do you have any suggestions for me that might expedite the process? I would certainly appreciate any comments.