Looking for some advice about getting my mum to move to Japan to live with me and my family and was wondering if anyone else here has been in a similar situation. Been looking online for the best way for my mum to move out here to live with us and it’s just straight up confusing. Have checked the British Embassy website and the Japanese immigration websites and I couldn’t find anything useful for my situation. Saw a Japanese lawyer’s website that listed some criteria (all of which my mother meets) but absolutely nothing about which visa I need to apply for or how to go about getting the visa. I know that she can’t get a dependant visa as that applies only to children and spouses.
To give some background, my mother is over 70 and was diagnosed with early stages Alzheimers last year, my uncle also passed away at the end of last year and I have no brothers or sisters so my mother is basically on her own with no one to look after her. I have a wife, two kids and a house here so it would be extremely difficult for us to move to the UK (and in the current situation we would be better off not to).
I need to find out what visa my mother could get (if any) to stay here, if she can be covered by my health insurance and get the medication she needs here, if she can still get her UK pension while living in Japan and if she would be expected to pay any taxes while here. Also does anyone know roughly how long a process like this will take? Her emotional state is not good at the moment and we just want her here as soon as possible.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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So to clarify.. you’re looking to move your elderly mother, who has a degenerative neurological disease, to a country where English is not her native language and where elder care is for the large part going to be limited to Japanese language only unless you’re in Tokyo? And your wife is going to let her live in your house?
Not the advice you’re looking for, but for your mothers quality of life you should look at elder care / memory care facilities in her home country. Where she’ll have access to her doctors and friends in her native language.
Speak to immigration or an immigration lawyer. It’s difficult but not impossible. It’s totally case by case.
She’d need a “designated activities” status of residency, which is basically a status of residency to cover most circumstances which fall outside the scope of the more normal status of residency.
Also she would not be able to enroll on your health insurance (only your spouse and kids can).
She can get her UK state pension in Japan though. She can also get it paid into her UK bank account and remit to Japan or just remitted to Japanese bank account (but that might come with fees/poor exchange). It’s taxable though but taxed as “Pension income” which is taxed very favorable so her taxes won’t be too high, if any at all (depending on how much of a pension and other taxable events she actually has?)
This link outlines a case study for calling parents to Japan. Again it’s very case by case: https://dsg.or.jp/column/other-visas/4920/
A facility in the UK has been ruled out? I don’t know the specificities on this, but instead of just reading the website, I would get in contact with an actual lawyer so you can iron out the details if this is the way you’ve decided on going.
With all due respect: To uproot elderly people to a culture, where they don’t know the language, the food, the culture; and possibly can’t stand the heat, have no way to make friends or just have a banter with the neighbours or the cashier at the shop – I don’t think that’s a good idea. She would likely be totally lonely and lost.
It is the reason, why we’re in Japan. We gave up a nice house and a good career in Europe to take care of my elderly in-laws here in Japan. We had them over in Europe for a bit, so they could wet their feet a little, but it was clear that they don’t belong.
IMO you should look for a way to take care of her, where she is and where she knows everything, even more so if dementia is involved.
I looked into this for my father due to the substandard and frankly financially ruinous US healthcare system. (unfortunately he had 3 other sons and his wife when I looked into this so it wasn’t possible)
The visa you want is a **DESIGNATED ACTIVITIES** visa.
You will need to gather the documentation that you are her only living relative. She might need to enter the country on a Temporary Visitor’s visa then change to a Designated Activities. I don’t think she can be covered under your healthcare, but, since she has no income and is over 70 the premiums for her healthcare will be very reasonable.
Call immigration’s foreign residents support center or have your wife contact immigration directly and find out everything you need – https://www.isa.go.jp/en/support/fresc/fresc01.html
Even people whole are needing about Japanese culture, speak the language and actively want to stay here often have a really hard time trying to adapt.
It may be a total nightmare for any 70yo person to fit in, even without alzheimer’s. All the stress might make things a lot worse.
Would be easier for both of you if you jusy move back to the UK to take care of her. UK is a nice place and unlike me, you have a choice of going back to Japan if you leave it. Japan won’t go anywhere.