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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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 Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:56 am Post subject: |
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| teacher4life wrote: |
| One can get tunnel vision from being in Japan too long. Japanese are by and large not risk-taking people. Stay there long enough and you too may lose your desire for challenge and even moderate risk-taking. |
I resent that implication. You know NOTHING about me. Please stop this harassment. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:16 am Post subject: |
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| teacher4life wrote: |
| One can get tunnel vision from being in Japan too long. Japanese are by and large not risk-taking people. Stay there long enough and you too may lose your desire for challenge and even moderate risk-taking. |
Are you trying to start a flamewar? Repetitive ad hominem criticisms are not going to win you any fans. |
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teacher4life
Joined: 22 Apr 2012
Posts: 121
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| Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:26 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| teacher4life wrote: |
| One can get tunnel vision from being in Japan too long. Japanese are by and large not risk-taking people. Stay there long enough and you too may lose your desire for challenge and even moderate risk-taking. |
I resent that implication. You know NOTHING about me. Please stop this harassment. |
I beg to differ. You have over 12,000 posts here. By reading them we can surmise what kind of person you are. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:29 am Post subject: |
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| teacher4life wrote: |
| Glenski wrote: |
| teacher4life wrote: |
| One can get tunnel vision from being in Japan too long. Japanese are by and large not risk-taking people. Stay there long enough and you too may lose your desire for challenge and even moderate risk-taking. |
I resent that implication. You know NOTHING about me. Please stop this harassment. |
I beg to differ. You have over 12,000 posts here. By reading them we can surmise what kind of person you are. |
My earlier question "Are you trying to start a flamewar?" was rhetorical, but you've answered it all the same. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| teacher4life wrote: |
| You have over 12,000 posts here. By reading them we can surmise what kind of person you are. |
The number of posts shows I'm prolific, but that's largely irrelevant because I've been on here 15 years. If you indeed have read a large number of my posts, you'll see they are informative, as accurate as possible, helpful, discerning, and usually without emotional outbursts.
I respectfully beg you once again, to please stop this outright harassment. |
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stumptowny
Joined: 29 May 2011
Posts: 310
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| Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: Coming on Tourist Visa (How to not get caught) |
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| zoazite wrote: |
Well my original plan was to have a job lined up before coming to Japan, but as of a week ago, that plan was scrapped when the company suddenly rejected me (after having made an offer).
I am definitely coming to Japan anyways, and will try to find some work.
Main question is what are some tips to avoid getting stopped at immigration. How can I make myself less conspicuous?
Thanks for any help |
they are going to turn you away so have your ticket ready for a return trip.. you need to have your life planned out completely to gain entry into japan.. |
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midnightpariah
Joined: 26 May 2007
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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My husband didn't just hand them the CoE and say, "Hey! Look at this!" As soon as they saw that his passport didn't have a visa, they asked to see his onward ticket. He said he didn't have one. When they asked him more questions, he showed them the CoE. They knew what it was, but didn't care because it wasn't a visa. He was able to buy a refundable ticket, but it was still a pain in the butt.
The boat tickets to Korea aren't expensive. Just buy one of those. It is better to be safe than sorry.
To all those attacking Glenski: I've been on this forum for 5 years now, and his posts are always informative and helpful. You guys need to back off. It isn't cool. |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:56 am Post subject: |
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| The thing is lots of people have said they have got in without a return ticket so to say it's impossible is most certainly wrong, and in most cases it seems people did get in so it would be more accurate to say "it can be done" than "it can't". That's completely different from what advice you'd necessarily give people though. I think it would look much worse to have a C of E than just to say you're going as a tourist because it shows you're planning to work. I don't know what your husband said at the airport exactly and how much baggage he had but if it looked like he was going for a long time but with no visa it would be one of the most obvious potential intended immigration infringements. I'm curious though, where was he flying from? I have a feeling the US might be stricter about this than in Europe because the tourist visa is half the length, and US immigration procedures are stricter in general. |
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midnightpariah
Joined: 26 May 2007
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:19 am Post subject: |
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I never said it was impossible nor did I infer that it was. I was telling the story of what could happen. Yes, my husband and I have gotten in without one in the past. We came together in November (2009)and had like 5 bags and didn't get questioned. I had a job arranged before I went, but he was still looking. He entered in on a tourist visa. He finally found a job and got his CoE, but had to go back to the states due to a family emergency. He came back with just 1 suitcase and a carry on. They asked him for his return ticket. It doesn't happen all of the time, but it does happen. Like I said, it is better to be safe than sorry. Buying a ticket at the counter cost him $250 more than it would have if he would have gotten it earlier. Luckily, we had the money, but if we wouldn't have, then we would have been out of luck as he wouldn't have been able to catch his flight.
By all means, try to go to Japan on a one-way ticket with no visa. Just don't come here and complain when you are asked for a return ticket. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:56 am Post subject: |
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| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| I think it would look much worse to have a C of E than just to say you're going as a tourist because it shows you're planning to work. I don't know what your husband said at the airport exactly and how much baggage he had but if it looked like he was going for a long time but with no visa it would be one of the most obvious potential intended immigration infringements. |
Ahh! Now I get it. The airport staff didn't understand what the CoE was, so they saw it as a provocation rather than a reassurance. That's why they stopped him.
I think you're wrong about the immigration rules, by the way, but thanks for giving me that insight. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:28 am Post subject: |
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I think there's a lot of false controversy on this thread, so I'm going to throw up a statement which (I believe! hope!) everyone can agree on:
| Quote: |
| If you're coming to Japan on a one-way ticket, and you don't have a 100% obvious and legitimate looking visa in your passport, you should consider buying a ferry ticket to Korea. It's cheap to cancel, and could save you a lot of trouble and expense. |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Pitarou wrote: |
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| I think it would look much worse to have a C of E than just to say you're going as a tourist because it shows you're planning to work. I don't know what your husband said at the airport exactly and how much baggage he had but if it looked like he was going for a long time but with no visa it would be one of the most obvious potential intended immigration infringements. |
Ahh! Now I get it. The airport staff didn't understand what the CoE was, so they saw it as a provocation rather than a reassurance. That's why they stopped him.
I think you're wrong about the immigration rules, by the way, but thanks for
giving me that insight. |
Just curious why you disagree. It seems a pretty obvious conclusion to make as an immigration official. Having an obvious plan to work but no visa...??
I agree with your above comment. If you want to eliminate any risk it would be better to have that ferry ticket. I just take exception to some comments that have been that "You can't enter Japan without a return ticket" when one example to the contrary negates that, let alone the masses of people you can easily find quoted all over the internet stating the opposite. We shouldn't confuse facts with advice. Give people the facts and they can make their own mind up about what to do. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| Pitarou wrote: |
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| I think it would look much worse to have a C of E than just to say you're going as a tourist because it shows you're planning to work. I don't know what your husband said at the airport exactly and how much baggage he had but if it looked like he was going for a long time but with no visa it would be one of the most obvious potential intended immigration infringements. |
I think you're wrong about the immigration rules... |
Just curious why you disagree. It seems a pretty obvious conclusion to make as an immigration official. Having an obvious plan to work but no visa...?? |
If you already have a job lined up, there is no problem with you coming into Japan on a tourist visa and converting to a work visa after you arrive. The C of E shows that your case has already been examined by the Immigration Bureau, and they are happy to give you a work visa. Therefore, coming to Japan with a C of E shouldn't be a problem.
Or have I missed something? |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 10:57 am Post subject: |
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| Pitarou wrote: |
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| Pitarou wrote: |
| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| I think it would look much worse to have a C of E than just to say you're going as a tourist because it shows you're planning to work. I don't know what your husband said at the airport exactly and how much baggage he had but if it looked like he was going for a long time but with no visa it would be one of the most obvious potential intended immigration infringements. |
I think you're wrong about the immigration rules... |
Just curious why you disagree. It seems a pretty obvious conclusion to make as an immigration official. Having an obvious plan to work but no visa...?? |
If you already have a job lined up, there is no problem with you coming into Japan on a tourist visa and converting to a work visa after you arrive. The C of E shows that your case has already been examined by the Immigration Bureau, and they are happy to give you a work visa. Therefore, coming to Japan with a C of E shouldn't be a problem.
Or have I missed something? |
Because a C of E is not a guarantee you'll get the visa, you don't have a visa so you might be tempted to work illegally before you get it or in the event you don't get it, and because technically you're not supposed to be looking for work and thinking about changing your visa status when you enter as a temporary visitor, so an immigration officer should be very suspicious. However in typical Japanese style there is completely contradictory information given by their own embassies. From the UK J-embassy website,
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You may have problems on arrival and you may not be permitted to enter Japan if you undergo immigration inspection as a temporary visitor despite your real intention being to stay for a long period to work or settle. Also, you will not always be permitted to change your status of residence even if you are given permission to enter as a �Temporary Visitor.� Accordingly, please ensure that you apply for the appropriate visa with a �Certificate of Eligibility� at an Embassy/Consulate-General of Japan before you depart for Japan. |
Yet on the US J-embassy website it says,
| Quote: |
| The Certificate of Eligibility has the advantage of reducing the time required to obtain a visa and complete immigration procedures, since a foreigner in possession of such a certificate can probably acquire a visa at an embassy or consulate without any inquiries being made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, by showing the certificate to the immigration officer, obtain landing permission more easily. |
Landing permission sounds like when arriving in Japan but this doesn't make sense to me if it is the case. You'd be entering on a tourist visa so a C of E wouldn't be relevant. It couldn't "help". |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 11:46 am Post subject: |
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| hagiwaramai wrote: |
| However in typical Japanese style there is completely contradictory information given by their own embassies. |
I see. Not so much a grey area as total administrative incompetence.
My guess is that the advice about not entering with a CoE was accurate in the days when you couldn't change your visa from within Japan. These days it's perfectly acceptable to come to Japan with a job lined up, and complete your visa application after you arrive in Japan. For what it's worth, I was told this by the immigration bureau in Chiba. |
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