# Getting Naturalized as Nihonjin



## arvindkidambi (Mar 30, 2016)

Hi, I am a software engg from India seeking to migrate to Japan with a view to ultimately become a Japanese citizen. I have tried to lookup on how easy or difficult is it to become naturalized. I was trying to lookup Japanese naturalization experience of others but found very little info. All I was able to gather was that that we have to submit buttloads of documents for naturalization. I would like to know what are the possibilities of someone who does not have any outstanding accomplishment like a researcher or an Olympian or a Musician being granted citizenship.


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## larabell (Sep 10, 2007)

I don't think you'll find much in the way of official documentation online. There's only scant online information on visas, even though the government is supposedly trying to encourage skilled workers to immigrate. But I personally know at least two people who did it and, from what I've heard, it's not all that difficult and you don't need to be famous (that's a common myth I've also heard said about permanent residency that turns out not to be the case).

You do have to have lived here long enough to show a reasonably permanent connection with Japan. The undocumented rule-of-thumb for permanent residency is 10 years so I would plan to spend at least that long here before applying. At the very least I would expect you would have to show a reliable means of support and a compelling reason why you should remain in Japan permanently. Of course, those same criteria apply to permanent residency so I would suggest you make that your target for now.

You might also search for "Debito Arudou". He naturalized and wrote about the steps and his experience along the way. That's only one data point, obviously, but you're probably not going to find many people who naturalized since permanent residency gives you pretty much the same benefits, except the right to vote, but without giving up your original nationality.


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## arvindkidambi (Mar 30, 2016)

Thanks a lot for your response.


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