Job Discussion Forums

[rich45]

Hi,

I need to renew my visa in early-August, but I need to have my passport from 26th July (summer holiday). So my question is: does Immigration keep your passport during the couple of weeks it takes to process the visa renewal?

Many thanks,

Rich

[Apsara]

No, they don't. You get an "application" stamp in it and then have to bring it back when you get the postcard. Check with them about leaving the country with an application in process though- I think it is ok these days, but it's worth checking. You don't want to come back and find you've missed the deadline for visiting immigration to get the visa finalised after you've received the postcard.

[PhoenixSpirit]

No, as the poster above said, you just get a stamp with a postcard.

When I renewed the visa (Only did it as my visa ran out two weeks before I left), it only took two visits. The process was around one week waiting, but it was incredibly easy to do.

Just be aware though that the immigration offices are shut at between 12-1 which they never mentioned on the website. Well at least the immigration office I went to was

[Apsara]

The Tokyo Regional Immigration office in Shinagawa doesn't close for lunch that I've ever noticed. Smaller offices might though.

[PhoenixSpirit]

It may have changed but when I went to Shinagawa in March, they had a sign mentioning they closed for lunch. Luckily it never affected me, but I did have work colleagues who went and found it to be shut for an hour, thus wasting their journey as they had to be in work soon after.