Job Discussion Forums

[ohdannyboy]

Hi I worked in Japan for 2 years before returning to my native England to study for my MA in English Language Teaching with a view to returning to Japan and applying for a university teaching job. On My birthday back in england I made a terrible mistake, i was caught in possesion of a class A drug, arrested and given a caution. I am terrified that this caution will make it difficult or even impossible for me to get a working visa in Japan. Is this the case, does anyone know for sure. has anyone been in this situation themselves???

Many thanks
Daniel

[stillnosheep]

ohdannyboy,

Unless you tell them that you are the sort of evil futhermucker who once intended to take an eckie on his/her birthday, how on earth are they going to know?

On your way and sin no more.

sns

[Tonester]

Well, in order to answer this question I have to ask:

Is a caution for possession in the UK considered a conviction for legal purposes?

If so, then you're stuffed. If not, then take sns's advice.

[stillnosheep]

Panicking is unlikely to help.

People have committed far greater sins than you are likely ever to have done and they are walking this earth, spreading mayhem and darkness around wherever they go.

Relax, have a cool beer and get on with your life.

If you happen to find a couple of the questions on the visa application a little ambiguous (eg What's a conviction? Is that where you believe in something so much that you know that you must, always and for ever, be in the right. If so I'm damn sure that I'll never have one) - then answer them as best you can bearing in mind that for every honest person who disqualifies him/herself from coming here another idiot will surely jump into his/her place.

Peace.

[stillnosheep]

OP: Why did you make this a poll issue?

People will vote according to their beliefs as to whether someone with a caution for possession of a birthday eckie should recieve a Japanese work visa. Not according to whether, as a matter of fact, they would.

The Poll results are meaningless as measurement of the likelihood of you recieving a work visa..

I repeat my point: Unless you tell immigration they will never know.

sns

[PAULH]

Overseas Japanese diplomatic establishments may not issue a visa to an applicant who comes under the following categories or is suspected of coming under these categories:

- If the applicant does not possess a genuine and valid passport.
- If the contents of the application are false.
- If the applicant has a criminal record including more than one year's imprisonment.
- If the applicant has a criminal record involving narcotics, marijuana, stimulants, prostitution, etc.
- If the application is made within five years of the applicant having been deported from Japan for illegal residence.
- If the applicant's purpose for entering Japan does not fall within the activities that can be conducted in Japan as stipulated by the Immigration Control Act.
- If the applicant's purpose for entering Japan does not comply with the Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria for Landing Permission under the Immigration Control Act. (See Appendix 1.)
- If it is feared that the applicant will engage in activities that harm the interests of and disturb public order in Japan.



If a visa has been denied, it is possible for the same applicant to apply again. For further information, please inquire at the embassy or consulate where the application was made or at the Foreign Nationals' Affairs Division if the application was forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the embassy or consulate.

Just in case you dont know, Diego Maradona was refused a visa to enter Japan as he had a conviction for cocaine during the World Cup.

You dont actually say you were tried and convicted in a court for drugs, or whether police just took your mugshot for their photo album

You can apply for a visa, hope they dont ask about a record, and hope to God you dont get caught lying on your application.

[ohdannyboy]

I caution is what you get if you admit to a minor offence, it saves the bother of going to court where you may get a conviction, a far more serious punishment. A caution is basically a bloody good telling off. However my prints were taken, as was my mugshot which now exist on police records.

I am hardly Maradona, I didn't go to court, however this indicent goes on record.

[Sweetsee]

No one will know unless you tell them.

[Laura C]

ohdannyboy,

You weren't taken to court and convicted -- a caution is different, as you know. So you wouldn't even be lying to the J'ese authorities if you said you had no drug convictions.

I understand that you would probably be worried anyway, just in case. Why not get independent legal advice? I'm sure an immigration or visa lawyer in the UK could help you. Or you could investigate how long the police will keep their file on you -- maybe a caution is 'spent' after a while the way minor convictions are.

Good luck.

L

[Sadken]

You should be cool, mate. A caution is not a criminal record; you are only required to disclose a criminal record; you'll be alright.

Incidentally, a caution expires after 5 years. I had one at 16, one at 18, no more since and no more in the future. My persian days are long gone.