Thanks all for your responses. I know these matters are often murky. Plus they often depend simply on what pencil pusher has got his mitts on your application.
To answer you question Glenski, I don't trust pyramid schemes, and I don't see how this one has kept going or how it can keep going much longer. I have heard of people who did not get any money out despite what they put in and the reason cited was they didn't pay one or two yen, which was actually a bureaucrat's mistake. I would rather be homeless than imprisoned and I am just the type to make big headlines if I got so screwed over. Nope. I am good with working until I drop.
Also, my current situation is too tight to afford any more expenses. Health insurance alone is completely killing me.