Naturalization in 2022

Hello again.

I'd like to make an update to my status.

Submission of application: autumn 2023
Interview: spring 2024
Status: APPROVED! September 2024. I finally saw my name in the kanpo.

All I have to wait for now is documents from my case officer to make my koseki.

I am legally a Japanese citizen.

@bervierge,

Unfortunately they consider Application date - 5 Years.. not when you arrived + 5 years...

I am not sure which region (prefecture) you are planning to apply so it might be difficult for me to find. You can try to google and have consultation with them. Most of the gyoseishoshi offer first consultation free of charge. There are some specialist gyoseishoshi for specific country (e.g. Korea, China US etc..). They only handle cases from those specific country citizens.. They are really expert to handle cases of those specific countries..

If you don't mind disclosing your nationality and region where you are planning to apply, then let me know. If I know of any specialist then I will let you know. I can ask my gyoseishoshi if he know of any reference. I will personally suggest to get service from your area because you may need your gyoseishoshi to "fight" in houmukyokyu for your application/case.

If you wish you may share your dates when you were out of Japan for last 1 year (exit and reentry date).. You can change couple of days/weeks here and there (if you are concerned about security :P ) but ensure that total days are matching.

@Maybe,

Congrats!
Would you mind sharing more specific date of your timeline?
Like how many days/months from Submission to Interview, and from Interview to Approval.

By the way, have you gotten any confirmation calls a few weeks before the Approval on kanpo?

@SaitamaApplicant

Thanks as always for your detailed prompt response!

I am from Turkey and live in Tokyo (23 wards).
Below are my trips in the most recent 1 year:

20 Dec 2023 - 4 Jan 2024: USA (15 days)
---
24 Jan 2024: Got Multiple Re-entry permit (再入国許可・数次)
---
5 Feb 2024 - 25 May 2024: Turkey (109 days)
19 Jun 2024 - 27 Jun 2024: Thailand (8 days)
13 Aug 2024 - 28 Aug 2024: Thailand (15 days)
****
Planned trip in 2024:
15 Sep 2024 - 18 May 2024: Taiwan (4 days)

All my years from 2016 to 2024 have been quite calm but the long trip back to Turkey screwed up my plans. Some additional info that (maybe) might help? I graduated from Japanese uni, have N1 in JLPT, have permanent residence.

If a skilled gyoseishoshi can help salvage this situation, it'd be amazing!

@nick

Hi,
Sure.


(Would you mind sharing more specific date of your timeline?
Like how many days/months from Submission to Interview, and from Interview to Approval.)

I submitted my documents to the houmukyoku in mid-November of 2023. They told me that my interview was going to be probably around March of 2024 but I had a 14 day trip overseas so they moved my interview to April.
After my interview in April (very short interview, by the way, about 20-25 minutes) my case worker told me that the results would come in 3-4 months but he wasn't so sure about that because the main houmukyoku was extremely busy he said.
I got the results this month as I was checking the 官報 daily about a month after my interview. So from interview to results was about 5 months and a couple of days.


(By the way, have you gotten any confirmation calls a few weeks before the Approval on kanpo?)

No, because I called them. I had to check with them about a concern I had but they said that there would be no problems. In that same conversation, they asked me the verification questions like if I moved house, changed jobs, etc...
So from that conversation to kanpo publication was about to and a half weeks.

Cheers.

Hey guys,
Those who already submitted their applications.

Is one copy + one original documents to submit

Or
Two copies + one original documents .

よろしくお願いします

Hello friends!

I've finally received the confirmation call just now asking about any changes etc.
From what I've been told, this call just confirms that my name will soon appears on the kanpo.

For those who are interest in my timeline

Osaka legal affairs bureau
Apply date: 2024/2/29
Interview date: 2024/05/09
Confirmation call: 2024/09/12

71 days from Apply to Interview, 127 days from Interview to confirmation call.
A total of 6 months and 15 days.

Good luck to others out there waiting for result!

@bervierge,

Thanks for sharing details.

I think below visit is the biggest challenge and could become cause for go/no-go decision.
5 Feb 2024 - 25 May 2024: Turkey (109 days)..

Just to confirm, you didn't return to Japan even a single time during this period?

Let me see if I can get any references from the people I know.

Meanwhile try to contact and have a free consultation with few 行政書士 from different prefectures (Just to know if they have had any such case in their respective prefecture).. If all of them says that 109 days could cause an issue then I think you need to wait 5 years.. (or hope for homukyokyu to relax 90 days/100 days visit outside of Japan)

I got a confirmation call on 2024/09/04 and still waiting...

Application Submitted: 2024/02/16
(I got engaged and my Japanese fiancee moved in together with me on 05/01)

Interview : 2024/06/18 (me and fiancee), Home Visit : Next day

(Left Japan on 07/04 and came back on 07/12), submitted some additional paper


confirmation call: 2024/09/04


My tantou-sha asked about our marriage plan during confirmation call as initially we planned to get married on on August. I said right now it will be delayed. He confirmed few times that we are not getting married in September or October.

However, I am checking Kanpo everyday since and the name has not appeared yet. Recently does it take more than two weeks?

Guys please who has the answer about RAF’s question?

Is it 1 photocopy + 1 original or 2 photocopies + 1 original documents to submit

@Queen @RAF
I submitted 1 Original + 1 Photocopy.

However, it is best to get confirmation from Hōmukyoku.

@Maxpain

My tantou-sha did told me that the result shall be up within a month.
Even @Maybe said he/she waited about a month until seeing his/her name on the kanpo.

Let's keep on checking the kanpo lol.

@nick
Yap, I understand that, I was just hoping that the result come out soon, so that all the following procedure goes smoothly and then we can get married.
International Marriage is hectic for amount of papers and processes in both countries. So we were hoping to have this result soon and we move next step faster :)
However, I guess it has been a long journey already and little more waiting/patience is needed :)

Hope you receive your good news soon as well. Cheers

I got my confirmation call last week. And now Waiting for the result in Kanpou

Tokyo for 4 people family.
Interview was on Jun 21 2024
Confirmation call was on Sept 5 2024

@HMHK (guest)

Wow that was super fast.. can you share all your timeline.
Any extra documents?

Hey guys,
Congratulations who has got citizenship already…
I’m now almost9years in japan. Came to japan as a student and now Im working in company as a 社員。
Anyone has experience please tell me that case worker is coming to see our work place?
I have heard they are coming to check. What are they checking…
Looking forward for answers
Cheers

@Mrtial

We all are Foreigner. Final Documents submission was on Feb 2, 2024.
Around May we got a call to choose interview Date. So, we decided to go on Jun 21, 2024.
Interview was Japanese test (Hiragana, Katakana, Reading and Writing) and some question about work.
We got in a car accident after the interview. We called them and We need to provide driving certificate again by mail.
No other extra documents are required.
Then the Confirmation call was on Sept 5, 2024.

@HMHK
happy to heard the good news about you and could you explain more about your story from start up to till now while naturalization and after car accident what happen hope everything is good and what they said about accident any comment from homukyakyu and could you tell me where you applyed. and you all family are foreginer and do you guys have pr before or which status .

Finally!! the wait is over. We saw our name in Kanpou. Now we need to wait for the documents.

@sharma
The accident was we hit the other car by changing lane near at the traffic light. But in that case we are not violating any traffic rules. So we did not get any ticket or point deduction. So There is no traffic violation shown up in driving history.

@HMHK
Congratulations! Glad that you got the good news!
I am little bit worried now as I still didn't see my name in kanpo but got call on 4th September!