Job Discussion Forums

bkaemingk · Joined: 14 Jun 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Nagano, Japan

So, I am currently working in Japan under my passport (equivalent to a working holiday visa 3months) and my working visa is in process. A stipulation of coming to Japan only on a passport is that you must prove that you are leaving the country within that three month time period, so I purchased a ticket to Seoul, Korea for Dec. 23 and if need be I could acquire my visa there. Well, as it turned out I only needed to go as far as Nagano to acquire my working visa. I would like however to still visit Korea as not to waste a mini vacation. I will not have my working visa by that time and my 3 month stay expires Dec. 30th. Is it possible to get a pending visa stamp on my passport and a reentry permit, so that this trip would still be possible or shall I abandon the plan altogether?

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

I don't see a predicament.

A "visa pending" stamp is not the same as a visa... You cannot get a re-entry permit because you have no visa (other than the tourist visa that has been granted you automatically because of your country of origin).

As such, you hold no obligations to stay in the country, nor does the Japanese government owe you anything either. The paperwork on your visa will continue whether you go on holidays to Korea or not....

If you leave Japan without a re-entry permit then you lose your visa status upon coming back into Japan... But since you have no visa to begin with, there is nothing to cancel.

I know of some people who regularily leave Japan every three months and return so they keep re-newing their tourist visa status...

zander7990 · Joined: 28 Oct 2003 Posts: 65

would this also apply to a working visa in process?? can i leave japan while i have a working visa pending stamp?

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

I have been told that if you leave Japan with an "Application" stamp in your passport your visa will automatically be cancelled. This applies to people who are renewing their working visas, I'm not sure if it also applies in your case, but I wouldn't risk it unless you have absolutely concrete confirmation from Immigration that leaving will not affect your application.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

Ask immigration. They will know best. But my good guess is that you will get another 3 months once you return to Japan.