Job Discussion Forums

mtheta · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 76

I really need advice. My employer in Japan was in the process of getting me a visa. She took all the paper work to immigration on July 13th. I am leaving for Japan on August 21st. She emailed me today and said that immigration informed her that my visa will take another month to process! My question is what do I do now?? I leave in 2 weeks, do I try and get a working holiday visa? Is there another type of visa I can get in the short term? Any advice will help. I'm freaking out just a little.

earthmonkey · Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 188 Location: Meguro-Ku Tokyo

Ask her for the application number, and call the Immigration department yourself. If she cannot provide you with the application number, then she is lying. She would need this number to find out that it is going to take another month. If she doesn't have it, abort!!!

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

July 13th to now is less than a month. Pretty slim for getting that COE anyway (although is HAS happened to some). Take earthmonkey's advice, but don't be surprised if it's true. Average processing time is 4-8 weeks anyway. You (obviously) shouldn't have made a plane reservation without having the COE in hand.

Working holiday visa? What's your nationality? Americans can't get it. Are you 18-30 years old? That's the age restriction.

mtheta · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 76

HEy there. I'm Canadian, under 30 yeras. I will take your advice, but why do you think she would be lying??

earthmonkey · Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 188 Location: Meguro-Ku Tokyo

Sorry, my first post was a bit harsh.

I'd certainly give her the benefit of doubt, but I'd protect myself. Schools have been known to keep putting a teacher off about delays in immigration processing a visa, when in fact they never submitted the paperwork at all. We've all read the horror stories on this board.

Immigration is slow. Taking over a month is not unusual at all. If you are sure that the employer is legit, and your visa is being processed, you can enter on a tourist visa and change to your work visa here.

mtheta · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 76

O.k I am heading to the Japanese Consulate today to try and secure a visa within the next few weeks. I read that you absolutly can not work with a tourist visa and that your return ticket must be schedualed 90 days after departure, which mine is not. The tourist visa seems to be more of a hassle then a WHV which I qualify for, so I think I am going to aim for that.
The sucky thing is obviously you can't go to the consulate and explain the situation and ask what to do. If they know that I am going there to work and just waiting on my real visa to be processed, then they might not issue me any temporary visa.
I am all nervous about this now. I see no reason why I would be denied a WHV, but I hate lying.
I will let you know how it goes Confused

BradS · Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 173 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Wait a sec. Don't you get a stamp in your passport when you apply for an extension? That should be good enough until you get the real thing.

earthmonkey · Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 188 Location: Meguro-Ku Tokyo