Handling of "Japanese Language Proficiency Certificate" in the application for naturalization

Introduction.

In an "application for naturalization" to acquire Japanese citizenship, the applicant's living conditions and eligibility are strictly checked through interviews at the Legal Affairs Bureau and examination of submitted documents. The most important of these checks are JLPT." .

After naturalization, since you will live as a Japanese citizen, you will be required to have a level of Japanese language proficiency that will not interfere with your daily life and social life. This column explains how the "Japanese Language Proficiency Test" is handled.

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Level of Japanese language proficiency required for naturalization application

• Guideline is about early elementary school age
  　Both reading, writing, and speaking must be at a level that does not interfere with daily life in Japanese.
• Emphasis on conversation and reading comprehension
  　In addition to merely being able to "speak," the applicant will also be confirmed to be able to read documents and compose simple essays.

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Methods of Japanese Language Proficiency Certification

1. if you are attending a school in Japan

• If you have graduated from or are enrolled in an educational institution in Japan, such as an elementary school, junior high school, high school, or university, your Japanese language proficiency will be verified on your certificate of enrollment or graduation.

2. certificate of JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)

• A certificate of passing the JLPT N1 to N3 level is a valid reference.
• However, it is not "required" and is only treated as reinforcement material.

3. confirmation through an interview at the Legal Affairs Bureau

• In the actual naturalization application, the Legal Affairs Bureau staff will directly check your Japanese language ability during the interview.
• The emphasis is on whether you can answer questions in Japanese and understand explanations of documents.

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Common Misconceptions

• 'Can I be naturalized without having the JLPT?'
  　→ No. The JLPT is not required. If you have studied at a Japanese school or use Japanese in your daily life, it is not a problem.
• Is it okay if we can have a conversation?"
  　→ In addition to conversation, students will also be checked to see if they can read and write simple kanji (e.g., 2nd grade elementary school level kanji).

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For those who have concerns about applying for naturalization

Japanese language proficiency is not judged solely by "scores" or "tests",Whether or not there are any obstacles to life overall can be seen.

• ✅ I don't have a JLPT, can I be naturalized?
• ✅ I stopped school halfway through, is my Japanese language ability recognized?
• ✅ I am worried about what questions I will be asked in the interview

This is a very common area of consultation.

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summary

Proof of Japanese language proficiency in the naturalization application process is not only determined by documents alone, but also by the applicant's ability to converse and adapt to life in Japan during an interview.

Our office will help you from the application preparation stage. Interview Preparation . Organize documents to prove Japanese language proficiency We are assisting the