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metropolis
Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 32
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 Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:19 am Post subject: Visa renewal |
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So I have the application filled out and the paperwork from my job. I checked that paperwork and didn't find any specific dates on it. When I go to renew my visa, do I just write in one year? Does immigration call my company and verify the length of time to renew?
How does the renewal process actually work? I hand in the documents and then wait for something in the mail? Do I need to give something to my employer before getting the visa?
Thanks! |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:02 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah, just go to Immigration, hand your documents in and they'll give you a postcard that you have to write your address on and they send it to you when your visa's ready to collect. Immigration don't, or at least shouldn't and I don't see any reason why they should, talk to your employer. Your immigration status has nothing to do with them, apart from the fact you have to be working legally of course. If you've filled the form in like you said you had you should have already filled in a space that asks for your desired length of extension. You can write whatever you like, within the parameters. I always asked for a 3 year visa and always got one, although I was married to a Japanese woman for some of that time which might have made a difference, but I sometimes wonder if a lot of people on working visas not married to a Japanese only got one year visas just because that was what they had written down, not expecting anything more. Funnily a lot of my friends on spouse visas only got 1 year ones even though they'd asked for 3. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:13 am Post subject: |
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| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| Funnily a lot of my friends on spouse visas only got 1 year ones even though they'd asked for 3. |
I got a 1 year visa for my first spouse visa, and a 3 year visa for my second. We went out of our way to provide all kinds of documentation to show that our relationship and financial position were strong. For example, we provided documents to show that we had enough money saved up to support ourselves for quite a long time.
Do you think I can get a permanent visa next? 
Incidentally, I believe the maximum length of visa is now 5 years, rather than 3. |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:49 am Post subject: |
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| Pitarou wrote: |
Do you think I can get a permanent visa next?
Incidentally, I believe the maximum length of visa is now 5 years, rather than 3. |
Yeah easily I think. I've only just renewed my visa too. I put down 3 years just cos I don't know how much longer I'll be here. |
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Be ambitious and write 3 years  When I got my first 3 year visa I had actually written down 1 year but was given 3 anyway, even though my contract was only for 1 year.
Last year I was given a 5 year spouse visa even though I had requested 3 years- I didn't know 5 years was an option so was quite surprised. A friend who has been married to a Japanese national for about the same amount of time as me and has a baby close in age to mine requested 3 years and got 1 year. Immigration's criteria for the length of the visas they give out is a complete mystery, after multiple visa renewals over the last 15 years I still have no idea how they allocate them! |
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metropolis
Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 32
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| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:18 am Post subject: ha |
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| I wasn't too ambitious. I just wrote down 1 year and that is what I received. By the way, I renewed my visa with the paperwork that my current job gave me, but I am no longer staying with them. I'm moving on to another job that is also an Instructor visa type position. Do I need to go back to immigration and change my residence card because I changed jobs? |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:47 am Post subject: |
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| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| Pitarou wrote: |
Do you think I can get a permanent visa next?
Incidentally, I believe the maximum length of visa is now 5 years, rather than 3. |
Yeah easily I think. I've only just renewed my visa too. I put down 3 years just cos I don't know how much longer I'll be here. |
You should have asked for 5. Since July last year, the maximum visa length is 5 years, not 3. |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Actually they gave me 5 in the end anyway. The thing was as I said before I don't know how much longer I'll be here, it'll either be a short while or forever so I was thinking I'd either be off soon in which case the visa length wouldn't matter, or I'd be going for PR when I did have to renew it. Another thing was I always find it interesting to see how long I get compared to how long I ask for. My very first visa was one year, then I asked for 1 and got 2, then asked for 1 and got 3, then asked for 3 and got 3, now asked for 3 and got 5, so they just seem to do what they want whatever I ask for, but never give me less so I can't complain. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| I don't know how much longer I'll be here, it'll either be a short while or forever so I was thinking I'd either be off soon in which case the visa length wouldn't matter, or I'd be going for PR when I did have to renew it. |
Well, if you wanted PR, you definitely should have asked for 5! Under the new rules, you can't apply for PR unless you already have the longest class of temporary visa, and which is 5 years.
(As an exception, people like me who still have a 3 year visa under the old system can also apply for PR.)
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| My very first visa was one year, then I asked for 1 and got 2, then asked for 1 and got 3, then asked for 3 and got 3, now asked for 3 and got 5, so they just seem to do what they want whatever I ask for, but never give me less so I can't complain. |
That's interesting. Which immigration office have you been applying at? |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:07 am Post subject: |
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| Pitarou wrote: |
Well, if you wanted PR, you definitely should have asked for 5! Under the new rules, you can't apply for PR unless you already have the longest class of temporary visa, and which is 5 years.
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| My very first visa was one year, then I asked for 1 and got 2, then asked for 1 and got 3, then asked for 3 and got 3, now asked for 3 and got 5, so they just seem to do what they want whatever I ask for, but never give me less so I can't complain. |
That's interesting. Which immigration office have you been applying at? |
Ha, yeah that's a good point about the 5 years. I was lulled into complacency because they always give me the longest available visa. I'm not sure but maybe after the 1st or 2nd renewal they give out the longest one they can. Perhaps by that point you could be seen to have "proved" your trustworthiness. The first time was in Tokyo and all the ones after that have been at Chiba Immigration, first 3 work visa, last 2 spouse visa. |
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stumptowny
Joined: 29 May 2011
Posts: 310
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| Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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| no one knows, hence this topic. depends on the person reviewing your papers and that is it. nothing you do really matters coz we have heard every result for every situation and anomalies for each... |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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| stumptowny wrote: |
| no one knows, hence this topic. depends on the person reviewing your papers and that is it. nothing you do really matters coz we have heard every result for every situation and anomalies for each... |
Like ignorant savages trying to appease the weather gods, eh? |
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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka
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| Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:43 am Post subject: |
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I have had great fortune with immigration. Two 3-year renewals on my Nova-sponsored work visa. When I first switched to a spouse visa, I got a 3-year visa. Processed in four days, mind you!
I just applied for another renewal and got a 5-year visa. Again, in four days.
Maybe the immigration gods like me! |
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