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Please recommend a good lawyer for a PR

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majimekun

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Hi,

I'm going to apply for PR next April and I don't want to do it on my own.
Could you recommend a lawyer in Tokyo who you had good experience with?

Thanks!
 
Good luck the hardest thing is the wait & getting all the tax info from your guarantor.
 
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Nice.

I mean, I'm not going to say that you sound like a total asshole, but I could...
 
OP, there was one guy who was on NHK TV. He speaks English & does visa & immigration work only. Never had any business dealings with him although we sometimes chat on Line. He calls himself Yamauchi Solicitors. Located in the Styx (not Tokyo) but seems enthusiastic and competent.. Tel 080 3637 6380. https://g.page/yamauchivisaoffice?share

Good luck with it. Let us know how you go.
 
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Some embassy websites list Japanese lawyers who can speak English and are willing to accept foreign clients.
 
I didn't know you need a lawyer for Japan's PR, isn't it very straight forward? I just looked up on the website and got the documents that they asked for and went into the office and applied. 6 or 7 months later I received the postcard to tell me it is approved and please go picked it up.

Also have New Zealand's PR, and that process was really something, I had a lawyer for that application at the beginning, although I fired her later, as it turns out the only thing she was efficient at was sending me the bill to pay for her service.

Be careful of who you choose, otherwise you are just wasting your money.
 
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chun011980 said:
I didn't know you need a lawyer for Japan's PR, isn't it very straight forward? I just looked up on the website and got the documents that they asked for and went into the office and applied. 6 or 7 months later I received the postcard to tell me it is approved and please go picked it up.

Also have New Zealand's PR, and that process was really something, I had a lawyer for that application at the beginning, although I fired her later, as it turns out the only thing she was efficient at was sending me the bill to pay for her service.

Be careful of who you choose, otherwise you are just wasting your money.
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i would agree with that
Didn’t need a lawyer either
Just filling paperwork and being patient
 
Frenchy said:
Just filling paperwork and being patient
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Very anti-climatic for me. I had to draw a map from the nearest station to my castle so they could show up unannounced to check if I am always wearing sandals at home and have my nagagi left over right. They also said it is going to take a year or so on and then they just send me a postcard two weeks later.

But definitely you don't need to lawyer up, just remember to write the kanjis nicely in your story why the heck you want to live in Japan. Not saying I got someone to write mine by buying her several bottles of fine wine but just that I cannot even myself read my own handwriting even when it is in alphabet.
 
As others have said; its a very simple process and you really dont need a lawyer. BUT if you want a lawyer just to be sure, there are loads to choose from and they all offer the same service (because its so easy) they also generally wont take on your case unless they know it will be successful.
Pretty sure you can trust any lawyer that comes up in the first page of a google search for ‘japan pr visa lawyer’.
Should cost around 10man.

Seriously though this is the same as the ‘mortgage advisors’ that focus on expats in japan. They prey on the fact that many foreigners here are intimidated by paperwork and government offices. In fact usually its much easier than you think. The actual service they provide is basically telling you which forms to print out and where to sign.
 
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Frenchy said:
i would agree with that
Didn’t need a lawyer either
Just filling paperwork and being patient
Click to expand...

I'm single and I don't want to ask friends to become my guarantor.
Which is the reason why I will need good advices from a lawyer.
Plus, I don't want to waste my time with the paperwork.

I did the naturalization process all on my own and the failure of it kind of traumatized me so this time, even if it's supposed to be easier, I want to able to count on someone reliable.
 
First thing my 真面目friend, you don’t need a lawyer 弁護士for this.

A 行政書士 scrivener is more tha. Good enough for this .
Line most things in Japan there are set criteria for things and if you have the paperwork in order the. It is difficult for them to reject you.
The only things in business and visa issues that I have ever been rejected for in Japan has been due to the paperwork being a little off. Correct it and you sail thru.

Most of the guys calling them selves immigration lawyers in Japan are these scriveners.
Much like chiropractors calling themselves doctors, the 行政書士is just an exam you have to pass.
You don’t go to law school or study for the bar exam to get it.
 
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Rusty Trombone said:
You don’t go to law school or study for the bar exam to get it.
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And you still get to charge the confused foreigners like you did took the exam.
 
majimekun said:
I'm single and I don't want to ask friends to become my guarantor.
Which is the reason why I will need good advices from a lawyer.
Plus, I don't want to waste my time with the paperwork.

I did the naturalization process all on my own and the failure of it kind of traumatized me so this time, even if it's supposed to be easier, I want to able to count on someone reliable.
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Lawyer cant be a guarantor. You need a friend / acquaintance thats either a PR holder or a national to sign off a few things for you.
 
Maybe he wants the guarantor to send the paperwork to the lawyer.
 
The reasons you failed naturalization would be the same for PR, you need to fix it before hand I guess, if it's taxes, requirements...etc
 
Mhmoochy said:
The reasons you failed naturalization would be the same for PR, you need to fix it before hand I guess, if it's taxes, requirements...etc
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Not completely inaccurate but Naturalization process differs from PR and is supposedly more difficult to obtain.

PR is a straight forward, checklist kind of thing and if you meet the criteria with all required documents, you should get it. The only real factor with PR is amount of time in country and previous statuses, which could just require more time in-country before it's approved.

I believe that Naturalization is handled directly by 法務局 (Ministry of Justice) where as PR is handled through the MOJ sub-agency, 出入国在留管理庁.
To date, I have not attempted more than just PR; so I don't know the steps involved but PR → Naturalization is a reasonable step if you don't plan on keeping your original nationality and/or plan to remain in Japan for the rest of your life.
 
TAG Manager said:
The only real factor with PR is amount of time in country and previous statuses
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Worth noting that now they also look at pension payments (fully paid up last two years) and residence tax (no tax outstanding, payments for previous three years made on time) - and those are minimums, they may choose to look at a longer period. Lots of people being denied PR on these counts recently. They also look at police involvement - even traffic tickets.
 
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Sudsy said:
Worth noting that now they also look at pension payments (fully paid up last two years) and residence tax (no tax outstanding, payments for previous three years made on time) - and those are minimums, they may choose to look at a longer period. Lots of people being denied PR on these counts recently. They also look at police involvement - even traffic tickets.
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Yeah, I kind of assumed people knew that those had to be in check. I only know of 2 people that didn't get it on the first go since they were technically under the 5 year rule unless they had a spouse visa beforehand... that status seems to negate the 5 year thing for some. Assuming a very vanilla case and everything is lined up, it should be a easy win. (y)

(I didn't do my own PR application. Shame on me. :LOL:)
 
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Durg50 said:
Lawyer cant be a guarantor. You need a friend / acquaintance thats either a PR holder or a national to sign off a few things for you.
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Where did I write that I wanted to use the lawyer as my guarantor??
Who would try to do such a silly thing?
 
Mhmoochy said:
The reasons you failed naturalization would be the same for PR, you need to fix it before hand I guess, if it's taxes, requirements...etc
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You clearly know nothing about naturalization.

I failed the naturalization process just because I'm not good at writing Japanese the analog way (with pen and paper).
There is no such requirement for a PR.
 
TAG Manager said:
...
PR is a straight forward, checklist kind of thing and if you meet the criteria with all required documents, you should get it. The only real factor with PR is amount of time in country and previous statuses, which could just require more time in-country before it's approved.
....
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10 years in Japan without leaving the country a single time, taxes/revenues kept to the simplest form etc. so the only difficulty for me will be the guarantor.

That's why I'm thinking about paying some individual to become my guarantor but I need a proper opinion from a lawyer before trying this route.
 
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You can use another foreigner with PR for a guarantor. Your guarantor can send the required docs to your lawyer to make it easy.
Don’t ask someone who owns a company.

majimekun said:
10 years in Japan without leaving the country a single time, taxes/revenues kept to the simplest form etc. so the only difficulty for me will be the guarantor.

That's why I'm thinking about paying some individual to become my guarantor but I need a proper opinion from a lawyer before trying this route.
Click to expand...
 
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