Job Discussion Forums

Osiyo · Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 34 Location: NC

Greetings all,

So...my current job here in Niigata will be ending at the end of this month, but my visa is good until September. I don't have another job lined up just yet, but in a few months I have some one that will hire me.

Basically, at the end of this month I will no longer have an apartment and instead of finding a new place to live for a couple months between jobs, I think it would be cheaper for me to just go home to the US in the interim. The problem is, I have no idea if this is legal or what I need to say to the City Office or the Immigration office if anything at all? Do I have to forfeit my my visa and ID as soon as my current job ends if I don't have something lined up? My visa has a multiple re-entry thing on it so I can leave and come back, but is that sketchy or something? Glenski, rescue me!!

G Cthulhu

Osiyo · Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 34 Location: NC

I see...but what if I ended up never coming back? Wouldn't they like send ninja to destroy me for not giving back my gaijin card?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

No gorillas (or guerillas) will be sent after you. The reentry permits are for just the situation you have -- thinking of coming back to Japan and retaining your visa.

It would be wise before you left to have a talk with the ward office to see what is needed to take care of payments for your health insurance and pension plan, not to mention resident taxes, while you are gone.

nightsintodreams · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558

Out of interest, say for example I have a three year VISA, what is the maximum period I can leave Japan for, without forfeiting my VISA?

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

There's no fixed period written anywhere- it's going to depend on the immigration officer you deal with at the airport when you come back in and what they think of you.

It was a few years ago now but I was out of Japan for 7 months and the officer didn't blink an eyelid when I came back in. A longer time like 2 years on a three-year visa would probably be pushing it I imagine.

Osiyo · Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 34 Location: NC

When I leave, I will no longer have an address in Japan. Is that going to be an issue? I mean, is it okay to tell the city office I will probably be coming back for another job before my visa is up, or is that going to bring up too many questions? I'm so paranoid about the whole visa/immigration situation in this country that I really don't want to do something I'm not supposed to.

Do I need to leave my bank account open here in Japan? Or can they freeze pension payments and the like? What about my cell phone? If I no longer have an address won't that be an issue? As it is now, payments are made directly from my bank account for everything automatically.

Kionon · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:52 am Post subject:

I am returning to Japan in June after spending 18 months working on my MA. In October I went back to renew my drivers license and pay my taxes. When immigration asked me why I had been gone so long, I simply told the truth- I'm was getting my MA, my employer was aware, and when I finished I'd be returning to Japan. No problem. I expect the same in three months.

I've kept in touch with my city office. I stopped my insurance, I paid my taxes, my pension is held, my bank account is open, my cell phone service was canceled.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You can stay out of Japan as long as your reentry permit says. Since it is tied to your visa, you could leave the day you get it and have whatever time exists on the visa (1 year for a 1-year visa, 3 years for a 3-year visa). Mind you, after July, we won't need a reentry permit for stays less than a year outside of Japan.

You can leave your bank account open or close it. Your choice.

Not having an address will not be an issue. Just update your alien card within 2 weeks of returning to Japan. As I've stated earlier, talk to the ward office to avoid problems with resident taxes, insurance, and pension.

Cell phone. Talk to the phone company. If you have direct withdrawal, it will probably continue until you run out of money or return, whichever comes first.

Osiyo · Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 34 Location: NC

Thanks, all. It seems like I don't need to be as concerned as I was...I will definitely talk to the city office and stuff before I go back home (if I do).