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-chris
Joined: 09 May 2011
Posts: 17
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 Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:08 pm Post subject: impossible to change from a tourist visa to work visa |
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Hi everyone,
I have been looking for teaching jobs in Japan overseas. At the same time, I have been exploring the possibitlies of getting a job after landing in Japan. But I heard that you can't change your visa from tourist to work visa while you're a tourist in Japan.
Is that true? I have seen a lot of threads telling
successful stories of getting a job after coming over to Japan on a tourist visa (and of course successfully getting a work visa thereafter).
Could someone suggest any official website of the Japanese government with information of such kind?
Heaps of thanks!! |
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wayne432
Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 10:28 pm Post subject: Re: impossible to change from a tourist visa to work visa |
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| -chris wrote: |
Hi everyone,
I have been looking for teaching jobs in Japan overseas. At the same time, I have been exploring the possibitlies of getting a job after landing in Japan. But I heard that you can't change your visa from tourist to work visa while you're a tourist in Japan. |
You heard wrong. Who told you that?
| Quote: |
I have seen a lot of threads telling
successful stories of getting a job after coming over to Japan on a tourist visa (and of course successfully getting a work visa thereafter). |
So, why would you have to question them?
| Quote: |
| Could someone suggest any official website of the Japanese government with information of such kind? |
Immigration does not want people to come here and hunt for work, so you are going to be hard-pressed to find any flow chart which includes that. The simple fact that it has been done without any fuss by so many people should reassure you enough.
Just don't tell immigration you are coming to look for work. |
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-chris
Joined: 09 May 2011
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:31 am Post subject: Re: impossible to change from a tourist visa to work visa |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| -chris wrote: |
Hi everyone,
I have been looking for teaching jobs in Japan overseas. At the same time, I have been exploring the possibitlies of getting a job after landing in Japan. But I heard that you can't change your visa from tourist to work visa while you're a tourist in Japan. |
You heard wrong. Who told you that?
| Quote: |
I have seen a lot of threads telling
successful stories of getting a job after coming over to Japan on a tourist visa (and of course successfully getting a work visa thereafter). |
So, why would you have to question them?
| Quote: |
| Could someone suggest any official website of the Japanese government with information of such kind? |
Immigration does not want people to come here and hunt for work, so you are going to be hard-pressed to find any flow chart which includes that. The simple fact that it has been done without any fuss by so many people should reassure you enough.
Just don't tell immigration you are coming to look for work. |
There comes a technical quesiton here . I heard that you'll be asked by the airline company (and immigration as well I think) to show your return ticket if you're on a tourist visa. Does this mean that all those coming to Japan to start work on a tourist visa buy a return ticket and lie to the airline and immigration ? |
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-chris
Joined: 09 May 2011
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:32 am Post subject: Re: impossible to change from a tourist visa to work visa |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| -chris wrote: |
Hi everyone,
I have been looking for teaching jobs in Japan overseas. At the same time, I have been exploring the possibitlies of getting a job after landing in Japan. But I heard that you can't change your visa from tourist to work visa while you're a tourist in Japan. |
You heard wrong. Who told you that?
| Quote: |
I have seen a lot of threads telling
successful stories of getting a job after coming over to Japan on a tourist visa (and of course successfully getting a work visa thereafter). |
So, why would you have to question them?
| Quote: |
| Could someone suggest any official website of the Japanese government with information of such kind? |
Immigration does not want people to come here and hunt for work, so you are going to be hard-pressed to find any flow chart which includes that. The simple fact that it has been done without any fuss by so many people should reassure you enough.
Just don't tell immigration you are coming to look for work. |
There comes a technical quesiton here . I heard that you'll be asked by the airline company (and immigration as well I think) to show your return ticket if you're on a tourist visa. Does this mean that all those coming to Japan to start work on a tourist visa buy a return ticket and lie to the airline and immigration ?
is there any other way that I won't need to lie about it? |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 5:09 am Post subject: Re: impossible to change from a tourist visa to work visa |
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| -chris wrote: |
There comes a technical quesiton here . I heard that you'll be asked by the airline company (and immigration as well I think) to show your return ticket if you're on a tourist visa. Does this mean that all those coming to Japan to start work on a tourist visa buy a return ticket and lie to the airline and immigration ?
is there any other way that I won't need to lie about it? |
More or less, you have the gist of it. Japanese immigration says that all tourists should have an onward journey ticket (so one leaving Japan; it doesn't necessarily have to be a return). Airline staff are supposed to check the visa status of anyone coming in on a oneway ticket and will often make tourists buy an onward journey ticket on the spot before they will allow them to check in. Only people with a long term visa or residence status are allowed to come in on a oneway ticket. Techically you could also come in on a oneway if you have your COE in hand, but it can be hit or miss because the check in staff are only trained to recognise passport stamps and may not understand what a COE is. And even if they do, the myth that visas must be obtained before entering Japan is still pretty wide spread.
The reason I said more or less is because there are always people who slip through the net; able to make it on to their flight with a one way, no questions asked. And people will no doubt start posting their stories of how they managed it with no problem... they were just lucky. Airlines get fined heavily and must foot the cost of a return flight if they allow passengers to fly to a country and they get denied entry due to not having the correct visa.
I've flown in with a number of airlines over the years and have always been asked whether I had an onward ticket then had my passport stamps closely scrutinised because I didn't. And I have watched many people receiving the same treatment.
But if you can make it get past check in and fly over, chances are Japanese immigration will not ask you to prove you have an onward ticket... that is assuming that you don't look or act suspiciously and don't tell them that you are coming to look for work. So sorry, you may get lucky with the one way flight, but you will have to lie to immigration since you are not supposed to be job hunting on a tourist visa (waiver) and you may find yourself on the next flight back if you fess up. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 6:03 am Post subject: Re: impossible to change from a tourist visa to work visa |
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| -chris wrote: |
| I heard that you'll be asked by the airline company (and immigration as well I think) to show your return ticket if you're on a tourist visa. |
Airlines will usually not let you board if you have a one-way ticket and no visa. You won't get to immigration if that happens.
| Quote: |
| Does this mean that all those coming to Japan to start work on a tourist visa buy a return ticket and lie to the airline and immigration ? |
Lie about what? You come to look for work while you are a tourist, but just don't say anything to immigration about that. That is not lying! You are legally and technically a tourist at that point.
Customs will ask you if you are here for business or pleasure. Say pleasure. It is not a lie. You are not here for business because that means you have a job lined up, or that you are being asked by a Japanese company to perform something for them (make a presentation, demonstrate a new product, etc.), none of which applies to you as a tourist! |
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