Job Discussion Forums

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

Quick question,

I took my COE to immigration offices in Japan and they are now processing the application.

Can I begin work with the visa pending or do I have to wait?

southofreality · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 579 Location: Tokyo

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

Sorry, I was thinking of picking up a part-time job and places are asking to verify visas... and I have an application pending sticker in mine.

So I was curious if that would work or be rejected to most places?

fluffyhamster · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:56 am Post subject:

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

If you already had the COE, that means you and the employer have already filed for the visa. Having the COE means they accepted you and sent the COE to your employer, who then sent it to you. Bringing it back to immigration is the next step all right, but you are finished then. At that time, immigration will stamp your passport as ready to go to work, and you will have to buy a 4000 yen sticker to put in it for that purpose.

You can't just buy or apply for a COE without an employer sponsoring you.

I'm terribly confused about just what the heck you are doing, wayne.

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

Well to start off, I was in Japan with the COE. What they do here is, when you bring in the filled out forms and COE to immigration, they take it and tell you they'll send you a post card. Once you get the postcard (takes over a week), you then have to head back to immigration with your 4000 yen in tow.

Sorry if I mucked up the question. I was looking to set myself up with part time work, so I was wondering how employers would even look at me what with my visa application still underway.

Well, moot point now, since I got my postcard in the mail telling me to bring my money to immigration.