Job Discussion Forums

[kovac]

Does anyone have any advice on expired visa's ?

Im finishing a contract in June and my working visa expires on the 23rd...I have a few vague employment opportunities lined up, but if they fall through before the end of June, do I find myself at the wrath of Japanese immigration ?

Once a visa is expired is that it ? Do you simply have to leave the country on the day it expires ? Ideally if I had a period of grace to find new employment and/or a new sponsor....Any pointers ?

[Sherri]

kovac
You asked:
Once a visa is expired is that it ?
Do you simply have to leave the country on the day it expires ?

The answers are yes and yes. You are still in a strong position while your visa is valid. Start looking for a job NOW and get your contract(s) together. You may find one fulltime job (where you will be sponsored) or go with several pt jobs (multiple sponsorship--popularly called "self-sponsorship"). If you are not sure of the exact conditions go to immigration and ask what they need. Make sure you get a letter of release from your current employer before you leave. Hope this helps.
Sherri

[joncharles]

I would go to the Immigration Office asap and renew your visa while you are still employed. I think it is only 4,000 Yen. Or find a new position soon and then have the new school sponsor you. It only takes about a week to ten days to renew an "in country" visa. (at least that's how long it took me. If you let it expire you will not be able to get a new one and must leave Japan by the expiration date.

[shmooj]

Yes, you really do need to have some contingency plans just in case you cannot get the visa renewed. Don't plan to be here without it because then you are trapped. You can't leave without them discovering you have overstayed and you can't get another visa without the same happening.

One problem you might run into in following the advice to renew now is that you will almost certainly need some info from your current employer to renew your visa i.e. they would be sponsoring you. They may be highly reluctant to do that if they are not going to be employing you.

I once had a similar thing happen to me and my wife in India. We literally had to catch a dawn bus to dodge the local police and flee to Nepal to secure a new visa leaving all our stuff in India with a friend. It was fun... but only in retrospect. At the time it was highly stressful and fly-by-night stuff.

You should have seen the local policeman's face when we showed up two weeks later back in his village with perfectly legitimate six month visas.

[homersimpson]

As shmooj pointed out -- unless you are trying for a self-sponsored visa -- you will need the required paperwork from an employer (either current or a new one). Immigration often overlooks things like letters of release, as was my experience, but they will certainly not overlook employer information.