Immigration to Japan for Ukrainians
How can Ukrainians obtain Japanese citizenship?
Japanese law provides for several ways to acquire citizenship:
1. By birthright. A newborn born on Japanese soil automatically becomes a citizen, regardless of whether his or her parents are married or not. If the child was born outside the country, but one of the parents is a Japanese citizen, citizenship can and should be obtained no later than three months after birth. A child whose parents cannot be identified will also become a Japanese citizen.
2. Through naturalization or through a smooth long-term immersion in Japanese life. This method is available to migrants who have been living in the country for five years or more and have a stable income. You will also need knowledge of the Japanese language and proof of residence in Japan. To obtain Japanese citizenship, a foreigner must be of legal age in his or her home country and at least 20 years old. It is important to demonstrate a friendly attitude towards the country, its customs and culture by your behavior.
3. Reunification with relatives. It is not possible to move to Japan to live with a great-aunt or cousin: it is important that the relationship is close (children, parents, spouses).
4. Marriage registration. Immediately after marriage, a migrant receives a residence permit and only after 5 years of married life in Japan can he or she apply for citizenship. If the spouses divorce during this period, the migrant automatically loses the right to acquire citizenship and is deported from the country.
5. Investments. To obtain a Japanese passport, it is not enough to give money to local authorities for economic development. It is important to invest at least $50,000 in starting a business in Japan, and you will have to constantly maintain the amount of investment. Also, a businessman must constantly develop production and create jobs for the Japanese.
6. Education. To become a student of one of the Japanese educational institutions, a young person must obtain a student visa (it is issued for a period of 3 months to 4 years). After graduation, citizenship is possible, provided that the person wishes to work for a Japanese company.
7. Employment. Highly qualified specialists, such as engineers, programmers, and doctors, have the priority right to obtain such a visa. After 5 years of residence in the country on a work visa, a migrant can obtain a Japanese passport.
8. Refugee status. The Japanese are restrained in issuing passports to migrants who have been persecuted at home: on average, no more than 30 people a year can take advantage of this opportunity.
Conditions for granting Japanese citizenship to Ukrainians
So, there is a basis for obtaining a Japanese passport. But this is not enough: each candidate must meet certain requirements set by the country's authorities. Among them:
- the applicant must be over 20 years old (the exception is minor children who acquire citizenship together with their parents);
- the migrant must live in the country for at least 3-5 years (this period depends on the grounds for obtaining the residence permit), and during the year he/she must stay in Japan for 292 days or more;
- the candidate's official permanent salary must be at least $2,000 per month;
- confident command of the Japanese language (you need not only to speak, but also to write correctly in Japanese);
- renunciation of citizenship of the native state;
- no offenses or illegal actions against the government of Japan and its citizens.
What documents are required for citizenship?
The Japanese are very scrupulous, so they take paperwork very seriously. You should not forget about this feature of theirs and approach the preparation of documents with special care. The standard set includes:
- application form (to be filled in in Japanese)
- a valid foreign passport;
- two photos of 4.5 * 4.5 cm in size;
- a valid residence permit;
- original birth certificate;
- documents confirming income and financial solvency: income statement, bank account statement;
- a medical certificate stating that the migrant does not suffer from socially dangerous diseases and an insurance policy;
- a certificate of successful completion of the Japanese language test.
A representative of the Japanese migration service may consider this package incomplete and request additional documents from the candidate, such as documents on marital status, an employment contract, etc.
What is the procedure for obtaining Japanese citizenship?
- Submission of documents to the Ministry of Justice.
- Passing interviews with a representative of the Ministry (one or two interviews). It is not mandatory for the candidate to visit the ministry on his/her own. Often, an employee comes to the migrant's home or workplace to talk to his or her colleagues or neighbors and make sure that the applicant is trustworthy.
- After that, the migrant has to be patient and wait for the Japanese authorities to make a decision.