What's new

small question about visas?????

matt_1469

後輩
8 Jun 2003
14
0
11
Hi there, just wondering... if I am able to get a visa to work in japan, after I arrive there, is my stay in japan still valid if I engage in a different class of work.
As an example, if I get and instructors visa, then go to japan, decide I don't want to teach english, then can I work in a bar, or a factory??
If you don't know for sure, an opinion will do...

Oh, one more thing, I was reading info on pages you provided me on my earlier question (lots of info and thank you so much) but I am still unclear with one part. Is there any way to get any kind of working visa, except for a working holiday visa, without already having a job in japan??

Thanks again:D
 
Howdy Matt, I will take a stab at your questions. I don't know what you have already read on-line, but hopefully these help.

From - http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/03.html#b
Typical types of employment include the long-term assignment to Japan of foreign company personnel; employment in Japanese companies to make use of the foreigner's knowledge of other countries; entertainment activities, such as concerts, theater, and sports; and educational activities, such as foreign-language teaching ツ… When applying for a visa for the above-mentioned activities, it is advisable to apply in Japan beforehand for a Certificate of Eligibility. (See below.) If a foreigner submits a visa application to an embassy or consulate together with a Certificate of Eligibility, he or she will be able to obtain a visa in a shorter time than applicants without such a certificate.
**** Foreigners can apply for a visa without such a certificate at an embassy or consulate in the case of long-term stays also. But if the purpose of the stay is work, the application documents might be forwarded to a regional immigration authority in Japan for screening. In this case applicants are advised to leave plenty of time for their application to be processed.

In response to your last question first, it seems possible to get a visa without a Certificate of Eligibility, but not if you are in a rush. A near sure-fire way to get a visa is to have a sponsor. I have never been to Japan (long term stays) without one. With a sponsor you can have a visa in about a month (most cases). Of course it take a little time to get the certificate too.

As for changing the type of work you do after getting to Japanツ…

http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/13.html
Permission to change status of residence
This permission is required when a foreigner wishes to cease his or her present activity and engage in another activity covered by a status of residence different from the one originally granted.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/04.html
It would seem that if you are given a working visa (visa type defined as category), to then change your ツ"status of residency,ツ" teacher to bar tender for example, NOT your category, you will have some paperwork to fill out.

Best advice, call your local consulate/ embassy. Good luck!
 
Once you have a visa (& sponsor) in a designated catagory, it is possbe to change.

Letter of release -from old sponsor expressing that you have full-filled your obligations.

Letter of gurantee -from your new sponsor

Letter of contract - from your new employer..who may need to explain why he needs you over a Japanese employee.

Tax docs demonstrating you have been paying your dues.

Getting a full time contract/sponsorship in a bar is a long shot unless you have chef/ F&B management skills. Bars usually hire PT staff except in the above two catagories.
 
I'm just going to use this topic for my question. I applied to be an exchange student about 8 months ago.

Four weeks ago my agency e-mailed me about a possible placement in Kyoto, what I want to know is how long does it take to get a Certificate of Eligibility? I called them today and they said Japan is busy.
 
I'm also going to ask through this topic:

I left my visa application about 3 weeks ago, and I should leave after 2 weeks (on May 28th). I'm going to a practical training for a bit over 3 months, therefore over 90 days..I think I'm therefore getting a working visa.
Now, should I get really _nervous_ allready?? How long did it take for others to get their visas?
I called the embassy the day before yesterday, and they just said I have to wait for the consul to make his decision..
Some friends of mine who went to China for the same purposes had their visas after just one week.

..This waiting is killing me ... :unsure:
 
Chipi - how long it will take to get a visa depends on a number of factors. Do you have a sponsor? If so, the process shouldn't take very long. If you don't have a sponsor, things might take a bit longer. The embassy told you they have to wait for the consulate to make the decision. Have you called the consulate to see what the problem is?

Luc - the agency you are going through should be taking care of the certificate for you. They have to get signatures of people in Japan on the thing anyway, so I don't see how they could expect you to do anything about it. They should also have experience getting visas for people under strict guidlines, so I wound't worry too much. Just let them know your questions and they should be able to put you at ease.

Good luck all.
 
Mandy- Yeah, I called the consulate section of the embassy. There's the one person, the consul himself who hasn't decided yet. And they just said that all I, and they, can do is wait...

But thanks anyway.. :)
 
Luc said:
I'm just going to use this topic for my question. I applied to be an exchange student about 8 months ago.

Four weeks ago my agency e-mailed me about a possible placement in Kyoto, what I want to know is how long does it take to get a Certificate of Eligibility? I called them today and they said Japan is busy.

It really depends...visa in general can be difficult and the waiting can be even more terrible. I guess I'm kind of lucky to have a spouse visa and mine is permanent (spell?). I only have to worry and remember to get my re-entry visas when I go on vacation. Anyway, back to your question....especially since Japan has gotten popular to go to in the last century then the wait for exchange students has grown dramatically, so I hate to say it but it could be a long wait before you got accepted for it.
 
I see thanks for the reply Mandylion and Buddha, I want to get this done quick since the school year has already started.
 
A friend of mine recently became a Japanese citizen. (He's from Hong Kong and has U.S. green card). He said it was pretty easy -- much easier than getting permanent residency. I thought that was odd. I never would have guessed that it would be so easy. He's not married and wasn't even employed in Japan at the time.

==edit==
In case it wasn't clear from what I wrote, he never tried to get permanent residency. He was on various work visas in Japan for about 8 years before he applied. I think he was employed when he first applied.
 
Last edited:
..ok.everything's fine now...because I just got a message that I can go and get my visa from the embassy,..therefore, I am leaving to Japan on friday!!!
_I_can't_believe_it_!! Sorry about this not so important message, but I'm so excited.My heart is just pounding... 😄
 
Chipi said:
..ok.everything's fine now...because I just got a message that I can go and get my visa from the embassy,..therefore, I am leaving to Japan on friday!!!
_I_can't_believe_it_!! Sorry about this not so important message, but I'm so excited.My heart is just pounding... 😄

Glad to hear.....never know, maybe I'll see you around if you're coming to Tokyo.
 
Buddha Smoker, I'll let you know if I find my way to Tokyo :)
It might be though that I don't have the chance to visit there, I'll mainly be at Kyoto, and visit Osaka and some villages nearby a few times...only 2 days to go now.. ;)
 
Chipi said:
Buddha Smoker, I'll let you know if I find my way to Tokyo :)
It might be though that I don't have the chance to visit there, I'll mainly be at Kyoto, and visit Osaka and some villages nearby a few times...only 2 days to go now.. ;)

Sounds like a plan.
 
I finally got my Certificate of Eligibility yesterday, so I rushed to the Japanese Embassy to apply for a visa. It took me 10mins to find the door to enter the embassy and this huge security guard followed me around he kept calling me "she would". At first I though he was talking about a girl at the visa department but the rest of the things he talked about didn't make any sense either. When I got to the visa department I found an old man o_O while I was filling the form I had to ask him if any girls worked there with him, he said "I wish!" and started to laugh so I joined in the laughter.. good times.

I don't know when I will leave for Japan but I'm going to Kyoto, maybe I'll meet up with Chipi.
 
So here I am, in Kyoto :)
Everything is still so amazing and Im just getting used to the idea that I really am here..everyone is beeing so friendly at me, which actually helps a lot. If it werent for them, things would be a lot harder.
So Luc, whenever You get here, just notify me and well meet :)
 
Chipi said:
So here I am, in Kyoto :)
Everything is still so amazing and Im just getting used to the idea that I really am here..everyone is beeing so friendly at me, which actually helps a lot. If it werent for them, things would be a lot harder.
So Luc, whenever You get here, just notify me and well meet :)

Where are you at in Tokyo? I live close to Tachikawa.
 
Buddha Smoker said:
Where are you at in Tokyo? I live close to Tachikawa.

Sorry, but Im not in Tokyo, Im in Kyoto. I dont know if Im going to visit Tokyo in the end of august though...well see about that :)

-Chipi
 
This is off topic but here goes:

I got my plane ticket from my agency it's marked to arrive at Narita airport Monday. Now my home is in Kyoto so I have to get to Tokyo and then take a bullet train there.

Now I've never been to Japan, don't speak any Japanese and I get lost very easy. So this bullet train where is it located?
 
Tokyo Station.

Take the Narita Express to Tokyo Station and take the bullet train from there (assuming you're going straight to Kyoto). You *will* get lost. But don't worry about it. You will eventually find your way. Have fun.
 
mdchachi said:
Tokyo Station.

Take the Narita Express to Tokyo Station and take the bullet train from there (assuming you're going straight to Kyoto). You *will* get lost. But don't worry about it. You will eventually find your way. Have fun.

Hopefully you won't get too long but just try to ask someone and I'm sure they can point you in the right direction. There are also, lots of English speakers in the Airport and Tokyo station do it won't be too bad..I hope.
 
Once my wait for the certificate of eligibility was so long that my tourist visa expired. I did not have time to stay even overnight abroad, so I had to take the plane trip to Korea, and then turn around and get on a plane straight back to Tokyo. Talk about worry--the word was that sometimes immigration will get suspicious when you do that and turn you away. But it worked, and I did another Korea trip a few weeks laterv to get the visa.

When I was at Kimpo airport, all I did was go to the men's room. So I usually refer to the run as the longest trip to the bathroom I've ever taken. Certainly going to Korea just to pee is not part of my normal routine....
 
Back
Top Bottom