School is threatening me about student visa

PasqualeAgnello · 18 Feb 2009

Hi everybody!

Here's my problem:

I'd like to live in Japan 1 year, including 6 months of japanese language intensive course (becouse I need the 1yr visa), and 6 months of nothing.

So I asked the if was possible to do 6 months course and still get 1 year visa.
Every school I asked said: "Yes no problem".

But now, that I've already payed the application fee and sent the documents for the visa, I got this email from the school I decided to apply:

"Once you left the school,
we SystemToyoGaigo have to report that fact
to TokyoImmigration Bureau, then your visa would be
expired."

I mean, what the hell!

Am I screwed???

School can really take away yours student visa like that?

I thought that was ok to get 1 year visa with 6 months intensive.

I cannot afford afford more than 6 months course.

How can I do if a really wants to stay 1 years? (I've already payed )

nice gaijin · 18 Feb 2009

I believe what they're saying is that once you leave school (ie after six months) your student visa is no longer valid. So you can't just go to school for six months and continue to live in Japan on a student visa you aren't using. As long as you are going to school, your visa should be valid.

But you should double check with them to make sure.

ArmandV · 18 Feb 2009

Why not take another 6-month class?

epigene · 18 Feb 2009

This is not a threat. It's a rule that had been there all the time but is being imposed on Japanese language schools and other vocational schools by the immigration authorities with closer attention.

I don't know what the schools said at first, but if they don't comply with the immigration authorities, they can even get their school licenses revoked in the worst-case scenario. No foreign student is allowed to just work and not go to school, unless it's a school break.

It's not a rule applied only to Japan. Similar immigration control is being applied to international students in North America (US & Canada) and probably in the EU countries as well.

JimmySeal · 18 Feb 2009

PasqualeAgnello said:
So I asked the if was possible to do 6 months course and still get 1 year visa.
Every school I asked said: "Yes no problem".

You would be getting a 1 year visa. There is no such thing as a 6 month visa. And the school would not be taking away your visa. As the others have said, they must report to the government that your student visa is no longer valid, at which point you can apply to change your visa to another type of visa. However "do nothing" is not a valid use of the remaining six months.

PasqualeAgnello · 18 Feb 2009

Thanks!
I totally understand now!

I think that the most viable (and cheap) solution is to re-entry the country.

But with the 90-days tourist visa I won't be able to work, right?

So, how's the undeclared employment market in Tokyo? Easy to find?

I know it's risky but still...

nice gaijin · 19 Feb 2009

Are you asking us to help you break the law? Um, how about no.

Amigo · 19 Feb 2009

If you get a part-time job just after starting studying in the school (if the school doesn't mind to allow you to get the work permision inmediately), you'll earn money to help yourself to pay for the tuition and accommodation over 6 months (I don't know up to what point your income would be by means of a part-time job in Japan).
If, for example, the tuition were 50.000 yens and the accommodation were 35.000 yens, you would need to earn at least 120.000 yens every months just to eat and do nothing more!!
It's quite difficult but it would help your savings to stay more than 6 months for sure.
Ask the school if they would allow you to get the work permision just after starting, get prepared your curriculum in English or in Japanese and look for some "hello work" office in Tokyo... It would be a matter of luck.

Man, I've been more than 3 years saving money to go there to study for 2 years, but with the brutal rising of the Yen against the Euro, my hopes slumped to a simple year. So I hope to get a job there and stay more, or much better, to pray for the Yen to get cheaper along my stay there.

Glenski · 19 Feb 2009

JimmySeal said:
You would be getting a 1 year visa. There is no such thing as a 6 month visa.

Yes, there is. Read this.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/04.html

However "do nothing" is not a valid use of the remaining six months.

Yup.

But with the 90-days tourist visa I won't be able to work, right?

So, how's the undeclared employment market in Tokyo? Easy to find?

I know it's risky but still

A word of advice. DON'T. My earlier post here does not seem to be posted. Weird. Anyway, I asked why you want to stay beyond your studies duration. If you want to make a few bucks, that's understandable, but do it legally. I can't emphasize this more. Just what had you figured on doing anyway?

I also posted earlier that students can get Temporary Visitor visas if they want to remain after their studies. Look into it.

jim84 · 27 Feb 2009

undeclared employment = illegal immigrant
it can be serious and you can be deported, less got your study permit revoked and barred from entering the country for at least 5 years or more.

Chinese call it "Jump Aeroplane'. So if you have sufficient language proficiency, try your best to get a job legally, a short term contract or whatsoever. It's not easy but i believe it's possible to do it legally.

Even if you have technically started your course and doing a part time job which exceeds 20 hours a week (or any duration limit set by the immigration dept.), you will still risk your VISA and deportation for violating the rules. Japan is very strict on immigration rules. So is any developed countries.

I agree with Glenski, let go the idea. DON'T risk it.

A7mouse · 27 Feb 2009

I wrote a very long, detailed reply to this and lost it like a week ago and haven't had the patience to type another one but for now I'll just say:

Try to start working as soon as you can get permission then keep your purse strings tight for the first 4 months or so, by that time you should have some idea as to whether you'll have enough or not. If you don't either go home for a spell and come back, or open your wallet and really enjoy the rest of your time in Japan.

I think it's 4 hours a day for the syuugaku visa (either that or 24 hours a week), but anyway, if you get any job where you're scheduled 4 hours a day, you will end up working 5 to 6 hours a day whether you want to or not. (Welcome to Japan!)

Many, many syuugaku visa-ers double up jobs, one before school, one after. Before you do this I do recommend you consider your feelings on being blocked from reentry to Japan. Then if you do it don't talk about it, especially at school, because your teachers are required to report that kind of stuff.

Good luck, I hope everything works out for you,
a7mouse

School is threatening me about student visa

PasqualeAgnello

後輩

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

ArmandV

Eight Times To Japan

epigene

相変わらず不束者です

JimmySeal

Tubthumper

PasqualeAgnello

後輩

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

Amigo

先輩

Glenski

Just me

jim84

先輩

A7mouse

先輩

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