| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
sabina
Joined: 11 Nov 2010
Posts: 75
|
 Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 11:50 pm Post subject: Possible Visa Issue...? |
 |
|
| I think this question has already been answered in some capacity, so forgive me but: has anyone teaching in Korea tried to get a visa processed for Japan at the Japanese embassy in Seoul? I just spoke to my home consulate in the US, and they informed me that my visa application may not be accepted there because I am American. I'll have my COE, the completed visa application (in English-will that be a problem?), a passport photo, and a copy of the contract. Should I bring anything else? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Bread
Joined: 24 May 2009
Posts: 318
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Well, I'm American and my first Japanese visa was processed in Canada, if that makes you feel any better. It really shouldn't be a problem. Sounds like you have everything you need. An English application shouldn't be a problem but they might make you rewrite your lowercase letters as capitals, I had that happen a few times. The COE means that you already passed muster to enter the country as a worker, so you don't really need much beyond that and paperwork. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sabina
Joined: 11 Nov 2010
Posts: 75
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
Did you have resident status in Canada?....I'm asking because I heard I may need an Alien Registration Card in order to get the visa processed in Korea, which I don't have. I'm also wondering if I can't get the visa in Korea, do you know if I can get it in Japan? I heard that now people w/ COEs don't have to leave Japan to get a work visa....don't know if that is true or not...  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
the4th2001
Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 130
Location: Tokyo
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 2:44 am Post subject: Re: Possible Visa Issue...? |
|
|
| sabina wrote: |
| I think this question has already been answered in some capacity, so forgive me but: has anyone teaching in Korea tried to get a visa processed for Japan at the Japanese embassy in Seoul? I just spoke to my home consulate in the US, and they informed me that my visa application may not be accepted there because I am American. I'll have my COE, the completed visa application (in English-will that be a problem?), a passport photo, and a copy of the contract. Should I bring anything else? |
I'm American and I've basically done what you're asking about. In 2007 I took my documents (the documents you listed plus my passport) to the Japanese embassy in Seoul and had my visa processed in about 4 hours. There were absolutely no problems.
| Quote: |
| I'm also wondering if I can't get the visa in Korea, do you know if I can get it in Japan? I heard that now people w/ COEs don't have to leave Japan to get a work visa....don't know if that is true or not... |
That's possible, but depending on which Immigration Office you go to and the time of year, it may take up to 3 months or more. That's why I decided on a 2 day visa run to Seoul. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 3:14 am Post subject: Re: Possible Visa Issue...? |
|
|
| the4th2001 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I'm also wondering if I can't get the visa in Korea, do you know if I can get it in Japan? I heard that now people w/ COEs don't have to leave Japan to get a work visa....don't know if that is true or not... |
That's possible, but depending on which Immigration Office you go to and the time of year, it may take up to 3 months or more. That's why I decided on a 2 day visa run to Seoul. |
Never heard of a change of status taking even close to that long unless there is a problem with the application...
@ the OP:
And let's not forget that you are supposed to have a ticket outbound from Japan if you are entering without the right stamp in your passport. So you may not be allowed to travel in on a one way ticket.
Airport check in staff are only trained to recognise visa and residence status stamps. If the check-in person and duty manager don't understand your COE and they phone the local embassy only to be fed some of the outdated info still floating about (such as, COEs must be processed outside Japan) you will be forced to buy a 2nd ticket on the spot before they will give you your boarding card.
So it is better and can save you a lot of time and money to process your COE before coming to Japan if possible.
You can process your COE at any Japanese embassy's visa section around the world. The only visa that you have to process in your home country is the WHV (which is a moot point since you're an American). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
the4th2001
Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 130
Location: Tokyo
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 3:28 am Post subject: Re: Possible Visa Issue...? |
|
|
| seklarwia wrote: |
| the4th2001 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I'm also wondering if I can't get the visa in Korea, do you know if I can get it in Japan? I heard that now people w/ COEs don't have to leave Japan to get a work visa....don't know if that is true or not... |
That's possible, but depending on which Immigration Office you go to and the time of year, it may take up to 3 months or more. That's why I decided on a 2 day visa run to Seoul. |
Never heard of a change of status taking even close to that long unless there is a problem with the application... |
I said it may take up to 3 months, but it depends on which office you go to and the time of year. Also as you suggested it may take longer if there's a problem with the application. But then again, it could very well be processed in 2 weeks. I was just telling the OP that it's a possibility.
Have you ever been to the Shinagawa Immigration Office? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 4:10 am Post subject: Re: Possible Visa Issue...? |
|
|
| sabina wrote: |
| I'll have my COE, the completed visa application (in English-will that be a problem?), a passport photo, and a copy of the contract. Should I bring anything else? |
If you will have your COE, why would you also need another copy of the other stuff? Those things were needed to get the COE in the first place, I believe. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 5:08 am Post subject: Re: Possible Visa Issue...? |
|
|
| the4th2001 wrote: |
I said it may take up to 3 months, but it depends on which office you go to and the time of year. Also as you suggested it may take longer if there's a problem with the application. But then again, it could very well be processed in 2 weeks. I was just telling the OP that it's a possibility.
Have you ever been to the Shinagawa Immigration Office? |
And I said that I've never heard of that happening before. I was just surprised that something like that can happen through no fault of your own. I never said I didn't believe you. Hence why I started my contribution with 'and' (as in adding to the previous point) as opposed to something contradicting like 'but'.
| Glenski wrote: |
| sabina wrote: |
| I'll have my COE, the completed visa application (in English-will that be a problem?), a passport photo, and a copy of the contract. Should I bring anything else? |
If you will have your COE, why would you also need another copy of the other stuff? Those things were needed to get the COE in the first place, I believe. |
Actually they need everything apart from the copy of the contract and may need some money if they charge a visa processing fee even for Americans in Korea.
The application form they are refering to is this one: http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/visa/pdfs/application1.pdf |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sabina
Joined: 11 Nov 2010
Posts: 75
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:05 am Post subject: Re: Possible Visa Issue...? |
|
|
| Glenski wrote: |
| sabina wrote: |
| I'll have my COE, the completed visa application (in English-will that be a problem?), a passport photo, and a copy of the contract. Should I bring anything else? |
If you will have your COE, why would you also need another copy of the other stuff? Those things were needed to get the COE in the first place, I believe. |
Just wanted to be prepared! When I got my visa for Korea I had to bring my contract and college transcripts.
Thank you for the replies, everyone!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 8:42 am Post subject: Re: Possible Visa Issue...? |
|
|
| sabina wrote: |
| Just wanted to be prepared! When I got my visa for Korea I had to bring my contract and college transcripts. |
To get the COE in the first place, your employer should have sent in a contract or something official with your work hours and pay listed. You won't need to bring it again. Nor will you need your transcripts. You said you had the COE already. The visa application process is 99.9% done. You just take it to the office and they rubber stamp things. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
