What is a Guarantor for Permanent Residency in Japan?｜Role, Requirements, and What to Do If You Don’t Have One

✅ Introduction｜Is a “Guarantor” Really Necessary? Who Can Be One?

When applying for a Permanent Residency visa in Japan, you’ll be asked to submit various documents—and one of the more confusing ones is the “Letter of Guarantee” (mimoto hoshosho).

While technically optional, in practice, submitting a guarantor is strongly recommended, as it adds credibility to your application.

Still, many applicants wonder:
“What exactly is a guarantor?”
“Who should I ask to be my guarantor?”
“What if I don’t have anyone to ask?”

This article explains everything you need to know about guarantors from an administrative scrivener’s perspective—including their role, eligibility criteria, and what to do if you can’t find one.

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Chapter 1｜What Is a Guarantor? The Role in a PR Application

A guarantor is someone who agrees to support and vouch for your ability to live a stable life in Japan.

The “Letter of Guarantee” includes a pledge to cover the following three areas:

• Your living expenses (if needed)
• Your repatriation costs (if necessary)
• Your compliance with Japanese laws and regulations

Importantly, this is considered a moral or social responsibility, not a legal obligation.
Guarantors are not financially liable for your debts or legal problems.

✅ Why Is a Guarantor Important?

In PR applications, immigration officers place strong emphasis on how well-integrated and stable you are in Japanese society.

Having a personal guarantor—especially a Japanese citizen or permanent resident—can provide reassurance to the reviewing officer and strengthen your application.

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Chapter 2｜Requirements to Be a Guarantor【Income, Status, Relationship】

To serve as a guarantor, a person should generally meet the following conditions:

✅ Basic Requirements

Category	Criteria
Nationality/Status	Japanese citizen or Permanent Resident preferred
Income	Stable income (e.g. full-time employee, public worker)
Age	Must be a legal adult (20 years or older)
Relationship	Must have a clear, genuine relationship with applicant

✅ Common Disqualifying Cases

• Someone with no or unstable income (e.g. part-time workers only, freelancers with unclear tax history)
• Foreign nationals who are not permanent residents (e.g. students, technical trainees)
• Acquaintances with no real connection, asked only for formality’s sake

These cases may be deemed unreliable by immigration and should be avoided.

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Chapter 3｜Who Should You Ask? Three Common Guarantor Types

In actual applications, guarantors typically fall into one of the following three categories:

🔹 Type 1: Family Members (Spouse or Relatives)

This is the most common and reliable type.
If your spouse is a Japanese national or permanent resident, they are usually the ideal guarantor.

🔹 Type 2: Employer or Company Representative

Common for those applying for PR from a work visa.
A company president or HR manager may serve as guarantor, which also reinforces your employment stability.

🔹 Type 3: Longtime Friends or Community Contacts

If you’ve had a long-standing relationship with someone in Japan (such as a close friend or community member), they may serve as a guarantor.
However, be cautious—superficial or recent acquaintances may lack credibility.

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Chapter 4｜What If You Don’t Have a Guarantor?【Practical Alternatives】

If you don’t have anyone you can ask, don’t worry—guarantors are not legally mandatory.

However, submitting without a guarantor may result in stricter scrutiny, so alternative strategies are necessary.

✅ Option 1: Emphasize Self-Sufficiency

Demonstrate your:

• Stable and sufficient income
• Proper tax and pension payments
• Long, incident-free stay in Japan

This helps convince the examiner that you are fully capable of supporting yourself without a guarantor.

✅ Option 2: Submit a “Statement of Explanation”

Prepare a written statement explaining why you couldn’t find a guarantor.

Examples may include:

• No family in Japan
• Potential guarantors are too elderly
• Limited social connections due to your work or personal situation

This kind of explanation can help neutralize the absence of a guarantor if it’s sincere and well-reasoned.

As an administrative scrivener, I have supported many such cases successfully and can provide tailored advice based on your situation.

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Chapter 5｜FAQ: Common Misconceptions About Guarantors

Q1. Can an elderly person (e.g. someone over 70) be a guarantor?
→ There is no age limit, but if their income is only a small pension, it may be better to choose someone else.

Q2. Can I ask my ex-spouse?
→ Technically yes, but immigration may question the nature of the relationship, so be cautious.

Q3. Can a non-Japanese person be my guarantor?
→ Only if they have Permanent Resident status. Otherwise, it’s usually not accepted.

Q4. Can my guarantor help me with translations or photo preparation?
→ Yes. But avoid giving the impression that you’re overly reliant on them.

Q5. Can I submit more than one guarantor?
→ One guarantor is standard, but submitting two may be helpful in some cases (e.g., spouse + employer).

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Chapter 6｜How Our Office Can Help【Even If You Don’t Have a Guarantor】

At Ishinagi Administrative Scrivener Office, we offer support for applicants with or without a guarantor.

✅ Our Support Services Include:

• Strategic planning for PR applications without a guarantor
• Drafting a Statement of Explanation to submit with your application
• Advice on supplementary documents to strengthen your case
• Full review and support for your PR application

Not having a guarantor does not automatically disqualify you.
What matters is how you compensate for it.

We’ll propose the most appropriate strategy based on your unique situation.

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✅ Conclusion｜A Guarantor Is Not Mandatory, But It Helps

While having a guarantor is not legally required, it often helps reassure immigration officials and strengthen your application.

If you can secure a reliable guarantor, great.
If not, there are still ways to succeed by showing your self-reliance and presenting your case properly.

Need help? Feel free to consult with us—we’ll support you every step of the way.

Ishinagi Administrative Scrivener Office

“I want to obtain permanent residency quickly and securely.” “I’m worried about preparing all the documents.”
If this sounds like you, please feel free to contact our office in Osaka (Yodogawa-ku). We support clients from all over Japan, providing the most effective assistance based on our extensive experience with immigration procedures.

If you want to secure your permanent residency smoothly and confidently, contact our office today.

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