Introduction

When a parent holds the status of residence “Long-Term Resident”, many families wonder whether their child can also obtain the same status or should stay under “Dependent”.
There is also an important distinction between “notice-based” Long-Term Residents and “non-notice” Long-Term Residents, and misunderstanding this difference can lead to choosing the wrong strategy for the child’s status.

Based on information from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and other public sources, this article explains how a child’s status is handled when a parent is a Long-Term Resident and clarifies the difference between notice-based and non-notice Long-Term Residents in plain English.

What is “Long-Term Resident”?

According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Long-Term Resident” is a status of residence granted to a foreign national who is permitted to reside in Japan for a designated period in consideration of special circumstances.
Typical examples include third-country resettlement refugees, third-generation Japanese descendants and certain Chinese war orphans.

The period of stay is designated individually, for example 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 6 months.
You can think of it as a relatively flexible, mid to long-term status that allows broad activities, including work, but does not provide the same permanence as “Permanent Resident”.

Possible statuses for a child when the parent is a Long-Term Resident

Main patterns of status for the child

If a parent is a Long-Term Resident, the child may obtain one of several possible statuses depending on age and living situation.

• Dependent
• Long-Term Resident , for example under Notice No. 6
• Other statuses (Student, work-related statuses, etc.)

In practice, while the child is a minor and financially supported by the parent, the child is often staying under “Dependent”, and later may change to Long-Term Resident or a work-related status when graduating from school and starting a career.

Long-Term Resident (Notice No. 6) for children

One typical pattern where a child becomes a Long-Term Resident is the category corresponding to so-called “Notice No. 6”.
Where the biological parent holds a “Permanent Resident”, “Spouse or Child of Japanese National”, “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident” or “Long-Term Resident” status, the child may be recognised as a Long-Term Resident under this category, subject to certain conditions.

Key points include the following.

• The biological parent must hold one of the above “status based on personal status or position”
• The child is supported by the parent and has a living base in Japan
• The legal parent–child relationship is proven by documents such as a birth certificate

In other words, the child does not automatically become a Long-Term Resident just because the parent holds that status; the child must also be examined individually regarding support, cohabitation and actual life situation.

Difference between notice-based and non-notice Long-Term Residents

Notice-based Long-Term Residents

“Notice-based Long-Term Residents” are those who fall under categories specified in advance by a ministerial notice issued by the Minister of Justice (the Long-Term Resident Notice).
These categories include, for example, certain Nikkei (second or third generation Japanese descendants) and their spouses, as well as spouses and children of some Long-Term Residents.

An important feature of notice-based Long-Term Residents is that they can be brought to Japan from overseas through a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) procedure.

Non-notice Long-Term Residents

“Non-notice Long-Term Residents” are cases that do not fit squarely within the categories listed in the ministerial notice, but where the Minister of Justice grants Long-Term Resident status in light of special individual circumstances.
Typical examples include foreign nationals who lost their “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” status due to divorce or death, foreigners raising a Japanese child, or persons who were not recognised as refugees but were granted Long-Term Resident status in special consideration of their situation.

Under Article 7, paragraph 1, item 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, only notice-based Long-Term Resident categories can obtain a COE and be granted landing permission for “Long-Term Resident”.
Non-notice Long-Term Residents cannot apply for a Certificate of Eligibility, and their cases are handled mainly through change or extension of status for persons already staying in Japan.

How to think about a child’s status when the parent is a Long-Term Resident

When the child is a minor and dependent on the parent

If the child is a minor and living with or being supported by the parent, “Dependent” status is usually the first option to consider.
For Dependent status, the authorities will check both the legal family relationship (for example by marriage or birth certificates) and whether the parent has sufficient financial ability to support the family in Japan.

In this stage, it is not always necessary for the child to become a Long-Term Resident; as long as the parent holds an appropriate status such as a work-related status or Long-Term Resident and can support the child, Dependent status is often granted.

When the child has long residence and is approaching adulthood

If the child has completed compulsory and high school education in Japan and has built a substantial life base here, changing from Dependent to Long-Term Resident may be considered around graduation or entry into the workforce.
Guidance from the Immigration Services Agency for those wishing to work in Japan after high school shows that, when changing status, documents such as a letter of guarantee from the former supporter under Dependent status are required.

Some professional explanations also note that, for high school students and graduates wishing to change from Dependent to Long-Term Resident, factors such as completion of compulsory education, graduation from high school (including expected graduation) and past residence records are important.

Using Notice No. 6 when the parent is a Long-Term Resident or similar

Where the biological parent holds “Long-Term Resident”, “Permanent Resident”, “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” or “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident”, and certain conditions are met, the child may be granted Long-Term Resident status as a Notice No. 6 Long-Term Resident.
In this category, the key issues are the parent’s status, the legal parent–child relationship and the actual situation of support and cohabitation in Japan.

If the parent is a Long-Term Resident and the child has been living in Japan for a long period, studying or working here and building a stable life base, a change from Dependent to Long-Term Resident (Notice No. 6) may become a realistic option.

Impact of notice-based or non-notice status on the child’s choice of status

Bringing a child from overseas

If the parent is already in Japan as a Long-Term Resident and wishes to bring a child from overseas, it is crucial to know whether the case falls under a notice-based category that allows the use of a Certificate of Eligibility.
As mentioned above, only notice-based Long-Term Resident categories can use the COE procedure, while non-notice categories cannot.

Therefore, in practice, parents often bring the child first as a Dependent, if possible, and then later consider changing the status to Long-Term Resident, depending on the child’s residence history, schooling and future plans in Japan.

Changing the status of a child already in Japan

When the child is already staying in Japan, for example under Dependent status, and needs a status change due to age or change in circumstances, the focus is not directly on whether the parent’s Long-Term Resident status is notice-based or non-notice.
Instead, the key question is whether the child can logically fit into one of the Long-Term Resident categories, such as Notice No. 6, based on schooling, residence history, support and life base in Japan.

Conclusion

A child does not automatically obtain Long-Term Resident status simply because the parent is a Long-Term Resident; rather, the child’s status is considered individually, using options such as Dependent and Long-Term Resident (for example under Notice No. 6), depending on age, support and actual life situation.
Notice-based Long-Term Residents are defined categories that allow use of the Certificate of Eligibility for entry, whereas non-notice Long-Term Residents are granted on a case-by-case basis and cannot use the COE procedure, which is a key difference.

In practice, many children stay as Dependents while they are minors and later consider changing to Long-Term Resident or a work-related status in line with their schooling and career plans in Japan.
Because the decision depends on detailed individual circumstances and on the latest practice and guidelines of the Immigration Services Agency, it is important to organise the facts of each case carefully and, where necessary, seek professional advice when planning the child’s status strategy.