The cost of applying for naturalization in Japan! Breakdown of fees, agency fees to administrative scriveners, etc.

update date 2024/05/17

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How much does it cost for a foreigner to apply for naturalization to become a Japanese citizen?

This article explains the types of naturalization applications and how they differ from permanent residence, and then provides a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in the application, including fees for issuing the necessary documents and fees for administrative scriveners. Please refer to this article if you are considering naturalization.

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What is an application for naturalization? Difference from Permanent Residence

Naturalization is the legal procedure for a foreigner to acquire Japanese citizenship and become a Japanese citizen. Applying for naturalization is called an "application for naturalization.

On the other hand, "permanent residence" is a status of residence that allows foreign nationals to live in Japan indefinitely without acquiring Japanese citizenship. Once a permanent resident status is obtained, there is no need to renew the period of stay, and there are no restrictions on working in Japan.

However, unlike Japanese nationals, permanent residents do not have the right to vote or be elected, and cannot become public officials. Furthermore, if your status of residence is revoked for committing a crime, you will be subject to deportation.

On the other hand, if you become a Japanese citizen through naturalization, you will have the same rights as a Japanese citizen and will not lose your status of residence. Another major advantage of naturalization is that descendants can also inherit Japanese citizenship.

Permanent residence also has its own advantages. Please also check the following article for a detailed explanation of the conditions for acquiring permanent resident status, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.
▶︎ Conditions for obtaining a permanent residence visa in Japan (Permanent Resident Visa) and advantages and disadvantages of obtaining a Permanent Resident Visa

Two types of naturalization

There are two types of naturalization

(1) Ordinary naturalization

Naturalization for ordinary foreigners seeking to acquire Japanese citizenship is called "ordinary naturalization. The main conditions under which ordinary naturalization is granted are as follows

At least 20 years old and an adult under the laws of his/her home country
Continuously reside in Japan for at least 5 years
be of good conduct
Able to make a living from the assets and abilities of themselves or their spouse or other relatives with whom they share a livelihood

(2) Simplified naturalization

Foreign nationals who fall under any of the following categories are eligible for "simplified naturalization" with relaxed requirements for ordinary naturalization.

Japanese spouse
Japanese child or specially adopted child
Born in Japan and have lived in Japan for at least 3 years
Those who lost their Japanese citizenship when they were under 20 years of age if one of their parents is Japanese.

In the case of simplified naturalization, if the conditions are met, naturalization may be granted even if the period of residence in Japan is less than three years.

In applying for naturalization, several conditions must be met, and the degree of difficulty varies greatly from person to person. Please refer to the following article for a summary of the difficulty level of naturalization compared to obtaining permanent resident status and the basic application process.
▶︎ How difficult is it to obtain permanent residence and naturalization in Japan? Application requirements, flow, and tips for success.

Fees for naturalization application and their breakdown

Next, let's take a look at the costs involved in applying for naturalization. Although there is no application fee for the naturalization application itself, there are actual costs for the issuance of the various documents required for the application and for round-trip transportation to and from the municipal office or Legal Affairs Bureau. You may also need to pay for the translation of documents written in a foreign language and fees for requesting an administrative scrivener to complete the procedures.

The cost of a naturalization application varies greatly from person to person, but can generally be broken down as follows

cost item	Amount of money
Fee for issuing certificates and other necessary documents	Total: several thousand yen to 10,000 yen
Actual expenses for transportation, photocopying, etc.	Total: several thousand yen to several tens of thousands of yen
Translation of foreign language documents	Total: several thousand yen to several tens of thousands of yen (not necessary if you do the translation yourself)
Request fee for administrative scriveners	50,000 to 300,000 yen (not required if you do the procedure yourself)

In other words, if you do not request an administrative scrivener and can translate foreign language documents by yourself, you may be able to reduce the total cost to less than 10,000 yen, which includes only the fee for issuing certificates, etc. and actual expenses.

On the other hand, if translation of many foreign language documents is required and an administrative scrivener is asked to translate them, the total cost could be 500,000 yen or more in some cases.

The next section will provide a detailed breakdown of each of the main fees for naturalization applications.

(1) Fee for issuing certificates and other necessary documents

The fees for issuance of the main documents required for naturalization applications are as follows. (Fees may vary by region)

Family register: 450 yen
Copy of residence certificate: 300 yen (200 yen at convenience stores)
Copy of removal from family register: 750 yen (if the applicant has lived in Japan in the past)
Certificate of registered matters: 600 yen (if there is real estate registration, etc.)
Certificate of tax payment: number of copies x 370 yen (if you pay income tax in Japan)
Marriage or birth certificate issued by the home government: several thousand yen to several tens of thousands of yen

Of the above, a copy of the family register and certificate of residence are always required, while other documents are prepared according to the applicant's situation. In addition, the documents must have been issued within 3 months prior to the application.

Therefore, it may be necessary to obtain the certificate repeatedly without much time. The fees for doing so should also be taken into account as an expense.

The specific place to obtain the application documents depends on the type of document, but the main locations are the family registration and residence division of the city, ward, or village office or the Legal Affairs Bureau. If the municipal office is located far away, it may be possible to request the documents by mail. Please note, however, that a separate postage fee will be charged for this service, and that identification documents are required.

In applying for naturalization, it is necessary to collect a huge number of documents, and it is not unusual for the total cost to range from several thousand yen to several tens of thousands of yen, even though the issuance fee for each one may be only a few hundred yen.

(2) Actual expenses for transportation, photocopying, etc.

To apply for naturalization, you will need to make numerous trips to and from the municipal office, the Legal Affairs Bureau, and the Immigration and Immigration Bureau. If the government office is located far away, the cost of transportation alone may be quite costly.

In addition, you will need a large number of copies of the residence certificate and other documents, as well as copies of the application form, so the cost is not ridiculous. Scanners and home printers should also be utilized.

The cost of purchasing commercial envelopes and files and the cost of stamps are also modest. Be prepared to incur unexpectedly large actual expenses when applying for naturalization.

(3) Translation of foreign language documents

Marriage certificates, birth certificates, and certificates of non-criminality obtained from government agencies in your home country are usually written in a foreign language. The application for naturalization requires all of these documents to be translated into Japanese, and the cost can be prohibitive.

Normally, it costs close to 10,000 yen per certificate to have a foreign language certificate translated into Japanese. If there are multiple certificates, this alone is calculated to be an expense of several tens of thousands of yen.

One option is to ask an acquaintance who is fluent in a foreign language or to translate the documents yourself, but if you are not very knowledgeable in the language, you may end up asking a professional. If you have more than one certificate, you may need to fully estimate the cost of translation.

(4) Request fee for administrative scriveners

The process of applying for naturalization is very complicated, and it can be arduous just to find out what documents are needed one by one. Therefore, it is common to ask an administrative scrivener to apply for naturalization on your behalf.

The cost of requesting an administrative scrivener to apply for naturalization varies greatly depending on the number of people applying and the type of application, but the market rate for a simple naturalization for a single person is about 100,000-200,000 yen, and 300,000-500,000 yen for a regular naturalization for the whole family.

If you do not have the confidence to do everything yourself, one option is to take the plunge and leave it to a visa consultant (Gyoseishoshi Lawyer). The following article explains the general flow and fees for requesting a visa application from a visa consultant.
▶︎ Explanation of the process and fees when a visa consultant is hired to apply for a visa.

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summary

This article has explained the types of naturalization applications, the differences from permanent residence, and a breakdown of the costs involved in the application process. Because applying for naturalization involves many costs and the process is often complicated, it is important to gather information thoroughly and plan accordingly.

In particular, the preparation and submission of application documents is very complicated, and there is a risk that just one mistake could result in the rejection of the application, and it may be difficult for a person without expertise to handle everything on his/her own. Therefore, if you can afford it, we strongly recommend that you ask a specialist such as a visa consultant (Gyoseishoshi Lawyer) to help you. By proceeding with professional advice, you will be able to proceed smoothly with your application and achieve naturalization with a high probability.

Applying for naturalization may be a major event in your life. Preparation is hard work, but if your application is successful, your new life as a Japanese will begin. Please refer to this article, plan well, and make your life in Japan meaningful.