"Elbow" <tokyoelbow@totalise.co.uk> wrote in message
news:515ab8e4.0307111948.a6c035@posting.google.com...
> Im thinking of applying for a residency visa, what are the benefits if
> any over my current spouse of japanese visa?
> The only one I can see is not having to apply for a visa every 3 yrs.
> But then I cant see very far.
>

"Thinking about applying" is all fine and dandy - but do you qualify?  How
many times have you renewed that spouse visa so far?  Do you have any
children?  Are you self-employed or salaried?  Are you the sole bread-winner
in the family?  Have you lived and worked exclusively in Japan for the
entire period of your visa?

The benefits of permanent residency status are, as you mention, not having
to re-apply for a visa every 3 years (through you'll still have to apply for
a re-entry visa since they still only run to a maximum of three years).  The
other main benefit is, or so other members of the group have stated, the
ability to take out a house loan.  I'm still not permanent, but I had no
problem securing a house loan AND a business loan.  Other loans and credit
card applications are apparently much easier too.  If you divorce you can
remain in the country.

I renewed my 3 year visa in February - two weeks before my son was born.
I'll wait until next year and then pay my immigration 'lawyer' (though in
fact he's an accountant) to sort out a permanent visa.  One trip alone to
the Nagano immigration office was enough to convince me that this particular
piece of Japanese bureaucracy was something best dealt with through monetary
expenditure.


-- 
jonathan
--
"Never give a gun to ducks"