Job Discussion Forums

[santafly]

How long does it take to get your visa processed at the Japanese embassy in Seoul? personal experiences please.

[Khyron]

I did it in Busan. As far as I remember, it took a few days at least... but then that was a few years ago.

[Glenski]

Just curious. Why do you want to do it there?

[santafly]

Ok, so....

I'm working in Seoul at the moment. I want to go on vacation in Thailand, come back to Seoul to pick up my things, and then go to Japan.

I talked with the J.embassy in Seoul and USA. The embassy said I have to get my visa processed outside of Japan. It is same day or overnight service in Seoul. good news

My employer in Japan says I can enter japan on a tourist visa and get the work visa processed there.

Anyone have any insight?

[Apsara]

Your employer is correct.

[Glenski]

Apsara is right. There is no need to do anything in Korea. Plan to interview with employers here in Japan, do it, then if you are hired, file the visa paperwork and stay in Japan until you get the visa.

[santafly]

I'm a bit neurotic but....

I have a job in Japan, they are applying for my certificate of eligibility now.

Does your guys advice still hold true - don't wanna get stuck with an extra flight to korea or lose my job.

thanks

[Glenski]

If your employer has already applied for your COE, expect 4-8 weeks to hear from him. After that, take the COE to the embassy, and it'll be about 30 minutes.

[phoenixstorm]

can you tell if you are getting a one year visa or three year visa from the COE? Or does that happen at the embassy when you turn the COE in? Like can I request a 3 year visa when giving the coe to the embassy?

[zombie_chris]

I'm on a slight hiatus from the school I work at in Osaka because Osaka Immigration told my boss that it's now impossible to change a tourist landing permit (I'm on a British passport) to a work visa inside Japan. That said, we had two different stories from Immigration - one woman told us I had to leave, and then when we visited in person, we were told that I didn't have to leave, I just needed to apply for the visa outside Japan.

[santafly]

thats interesting, please let me know what happens - maybe I can mail my passport to another country while I stay in Japan

[Apsara]

I know people who have both applied for and received their working visas without having to leave Japan. You can certainly request a 3-year visa but whether you get one or not will be entirely at the discretion of the official who processes your application- it can be quite arbitrary.

Until acquiring an alien registration card it is compulsory for all foreign nationals to carry their passports on them at all times while in Japan, so I doubt mailing it outside Japan is an option. As above, it shouldn't be necessary anyway, as Immigration can process the visa while you and your passport are in Japan.

[Khyron]

Hmmmm... another case of immigration conflicting with themselves.

Last I knew, in 2006 and again in 2007, you most definitely could change a tourist visa to a working visa from within Japan. I was told, in 2006, that this was a new thing. Prior to that sometime, you had to have it processed from outside of Japan. Perhaps the people who said it must be done outside of Japan were living in the past and didn't know what they were talking about? It wouldn't be the first time!

For the record, I got a 3-year visa initially. I assume I was just lucky.

I do remember the COE being quite a bit deal that had to be done before entering Japan then.