Dealing with imigration in Japan... with non-Japanese going to America.

[Emoni]

Alright, this is a tough one here. I'm hoping that there might be some help available from those who have met people in Japan from other countries might know some information. Semi-unrelated, yet not since it is directly related to experience with Japan. I'm also semi-desperate for finding some direction.

Here is the situation. My girlfriend is Chinese and studying in Japan where we met. I'm back in America. We figured she could come visit for a vacation since she is getting a big scholarship and is a research student in Japan now applying for graduate school. However, they turned her down not really giving any reason.

We had all sorts of plans and are pretty down now. I'm mad as hell as I know that there was truly no reason she should have been denied and was quite set in Japan and clearly wasn't going to run off to America. She has plenty of funds, applying for daigakuin and has no "record" or reason to run off.

I know there isn't much we can do and didn't really get any answers.

My question is... what can we do? If she were to apply again, what do they look for, what can be done to getting a visa? This is just for a vacation, not work, not anything else. Please, does anyone have any experience and know what we can do?

Has anyone dealt with a situation with meeting another in Japan then dealing with visa to another country FROM Japan?

Thank you to anyone who has a clue where to start or has dealt with embassies in Japan.

 

[undrentide]

Here is the situation. My girlfriend is Chinese and studying in Japan where we met. I'm back in America. We figured she could come visit for a vacation since she is getting a big scholarship and is a research student in Japan now applying for graduate school. However, they turned her down not really giving any reason.

We had all sorts of plans and are pretty down now. I'm mad as hell as I know that there was truly no reason she should have been denied and was quite set in Japan and clearly wasn't going to run off to America. She has plenty of funds, applying for daigakuin and has no "record" or reason to run off.

Sorry but I'm rather confused because of the title saying "imigration in Japan" and the above message...
Who are "they" and what they declined?
US Embassy in Japan did not give your girlfiend visa to enter the US?
Or Japanese immigration office did not give her the visa to stay further and study in Japan?
Or something quite different...?

 

[Emoni]

Sorry. This would be the American Embassy in Japan. I'm wondering if anyone who has had experience in Japan and dealt with the American Embassy, traveling outward from Japan, knows any information that might be helpful.

 

[epigene]

I think this is relevant to your girlfriend's situation:

http://starbulletin.com/2005/06/17/news/story3.html

Unlike Japanese tourists, nationals of other Asian countries undergo close study in the US visa approval process, even when it is clear the purpose is tourism.

US retaliation against China's stance?
China imposes new visa restrictions

 

[tokapi]

Late last year,US approved increase of mainland Chinese tourist visas to 100,000 annually.

 

[epigene]

Late last year,US approved increase of mainland Chinese tourist visas to 100,000 annually.

Mainland Chinese tourists are allowed in Japan in group package tours only.
How about the US? I bet it's similar.

Added: New York Times article on Chinese tourists:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/01/13/2008-01-13_chinese_tourists_invade_new_york-1.html
So, the US has a tourist visa scheme like Japan's, restricted to group tours only. In Japan, Chinese tourists are required to make a huge deposit (forgot the exact amount but something roughly equivalent to value of a large household appliance) with their tour agents in China, as guarantee that they don't disappear from the tour group during their stay here.

 

[tokapi]

Good,you found an online article backs up what I read in World Journal newspaper.

 

[Glenski]

If she can't come to you, how about you coming to her? Or meet in another country (Canada? Mexico?).

Otherwise, check with the American embassy and see if there is even an appeal process.

 

[Emoni]

Thanks for the articles, that explains the situation at least. I actually still have one of the multiple entry visas... guess it is a collectors item now!

No apparent appeals process, and they didn't really explain. She told me the process and trouble just getting to get a response and it sounds like pure hell. A short interview and turned down after all the paper work for no given reason... just the typical "didn't show enough connections in Japan to go" crap when it lists education and she is already there on educational reasons with mombusho! I mean, DAMN! What more do they want?

Thanks again. This has been a very bad day.

 

[Pepe]

Don't despair - I know what you are going through as we are constantly being thrown new hurdles whilst trying to get my fiancée permanent residence here in New Zealand. All is not lost - as someone suggested, meet on neutral ground such as Canada or Mexico so you two can have a nice holiday together.

Furthermore have a chat with someone from immigration in the US and see if there is a spouse sponsorship type of visitors visa. You never know what suggestions they have. IMHO, an embassy is a bad place to try and get information from as the staff there are sick and tired of repeating themselves. But an immigration representative in the US may show interest in your case as it is, for them, unusual. As such, they will most likely be of more assistance. However, be careful at what time you approach them - don't call at lunchtime, close to closing, first thing on a Monday or last thing on a Friday. Most people aren't too receptive at those times.

 

[pipokun]

how about you coming to her?

That's the easiest, the most practical, and probably the cheapest choice for you.

The visa status in Japan has nothing to do with the US visa application.

 

[Emoni]

Thanks guys... I'm pretty tied down now or yes, I would go see her.

On the spouse sponsorship. We aren't planning for marriage, and actually we specifically just mentioned each other as "friends" in each country as not to set off any alarms. Contacting an immigration adviser isn't a bad idea. Still I can't wrap my mind around why they could justify denying her. Of the few students who get the scholarship... and they list education as a reason for security. I dunno, I'm just really upset at this whole situation.

 

[Glenski]

No appeals process and a big government bureaucracy. This is a no-win situation except for the options I gave you.

Meet her in some other country you both travel to, or you go to Japan. Frustration will get you nowhere. Till you decide, live with video online conversations.

 

[pipokun]

Still I can't wrap my mind around why they could justify denying her.

It is simple that your government requests that people should apply a tourist visa locally at his/her country.

Forgot where I posted here, but a Vietnamese professor who worked as a J government committee also has to share the frustration. It is much easier for him to be naturalized here, but he retains his passport.

The stricter immigration control from one fingerprint to the whole ones at an airport in your country is due to some fingerprint activists who tried to find a loophole and even tried to erase their fingerprints by a surgery.

All tourists to your country surely support your loud voice against your government, though I don't know how (sorry).

 

[Emoni]

Thanks guys. Still trying to figure how to continue forward at this point with things. I appreciate the effort to help.

 

[Glenski]

Look, there is no appeals process. So, unless she wants to try again and apply, you are going to have to stop thinking that she can come to you in the USA.

You either go to her in Japan, or the two of you meet up in another country.

 

[Emoni]

^ I meant relationship wise, how to manage with the options open as the above posters mentioned.

 

[Glenski]

What options do you have for the relationship? Correspondence can be by any number of means:

email (including the sending of photos and short vids)
snail mail (including a bundle of things, vid or photographs or packaged)
phone (hellooooooooooo)
computer to computer video or audio calls (Skype is free, and it's not the only game in town)

 

[Emoni]

All of the above. Right now it is just a matter of seeing how things go as with any situation regarding relationship stuff.