Job Discussion Forums

skelonas · Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 17

Quick question: If I accept a job offer from the states, can I go to Japan beforehand while my visa is being processed (as a tourist)?

I know that if you find a job while in Japan you no longer have to leave the country to get your visa, so I'm hoping that also applies to entering the country after the visa has been applied for.

Thanks for your help!

AgentMulderUK · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 2:44 am Post subject:

yes you can do that. I am doing that right now, for the 2nd time.

However, if your tourist visa should expire BEFORE the visa has been finally completed you have to leave and come back.

skelonas · Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 17

Ok, so I have to make sure that my working visa is issued before the end of the 90 days that I can stay in Japan as a US passport holder, correct?

How does the process work differently, being in Japan? I know that if I stayed in the states I'd have to apply for a visa at a Japanese consulate with a COE once I receive it. How do I get my COE while in Japan and what do I do with it to get the working visa stamp in my passport?

Thanks so much for your help!

AgentMulderUK · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject:

Basically your employer should be able to get the forms (COE application). If not you have to go there yourself which is a pain in the neck in Tokyo (Shinagawa). The company also needs to give you a Company Register document which justs shows their income/capital and such stuff (shows they are a legitimate company)

So throw all that stuff at the Immigation office and await the COE to be posted to you. After that its another trek to immigration for the final visa process. Takes from 4-6 weeks, from what I heard from other peoples' experiences as well as my own.

And yes, you have to be able to stay in Japan during this period, if you want to get your new visa from within Japan. If your tourist visa expires you can't sit and wait in Japan for the Visa process to complete, you will have to leave and return. However, most countries get a fair amount of time on a tourist visa, so really shouldn't be a problem.

If you can get the COE process kicked off before you arrive, all the better. I saw plenty of people applying for future employes/students/etc at immigration by proxy. I can't think of any reason why an employer can't start the COE process before you arrive, as long as they got your details and copie of passports& degree certificates, but there again its late at night and I have been swamped by brat classes today Wink

While I think about it, the immigration does NOT need the original certificate despite what companies like Interac & Nova will have you believe. To quote the girl at immigration last month "Copy OK"

Sorry I can't really be of any more help, I am only doing this myself for the second time but this time does seem easier. Probably with the decline of the Japanese economy the managers at Immigration decided they can't afford as much red tape nowadays.

skelonas · Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 17

Why do you suppose companies like Nova and Aeon say that you can't go to Japan beforehand? Nova in particular said that you can travel anywhere else in the world while your visa/COE is being processed, just not in Japan. Based upon your experience, I'm assuming this must be a company policy and not actually anything related to Japanese immigration law?

AgentMulderUK · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:37 am Post subject:

Because they don't want to go through the hassle (and minor expense) of making a visa only to have "the typical untrustworthy dishonourable gaijin" not bother coming to Japan after all.

That and I think they want to make it clear from the start who's in charge of who Wink

These kind of companies are very rigid in their thinking.
They prefer not to make exceptions as it too much trouble. They like the new troops lined up and marching in time.
A classic example is GEOS. I applied to them from Japan. They were interested in me. They said if I want an interview I must go back to London, as they don't interview in Japan at the moment....... Laughing

skelonas · Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 17

Wow, that is so short sited of a company to make you leave the country to interview for a job!

Do you think that there is really anything a company could do to prevent me from coming early? I suppose they would expect me to accept the COE from them in the mail in the states and then apply from there, but if I had a relative mail it to me, and then applied for the visa from within Japan myself, would they have any way of knowing as long as I showed up to work the first day with a working visa stamped passport? I'll likely have offers from both Aeon (who already said you can't) and Peppy Kids Club (not sure what their policy) in the next couple of weeks.

skelonas · Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 17

Do you know how the following info applies to the situation we're talking about? Is it old information? I pulled it from the MOFA website.

AgentMulderUK · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 2:34 am Post subject:

Yep, but you will have a visa after you arrive, albeit a tourist visa.

Then you have to change the tourist visa to a work visa. (yes another form!)

Hope that masks sense.

At the end of the day, if you have found a company willing to do all this visa stuff for you, I would be tempted to let them do it. It is a pain doing the COE and visa conversion. Maybe you have a good reason to come here early, but I am not sure Iwould recommend it. Without the prepared visa you can't get a alien registration card which in turns means you can't open a bank account or get an apartment, but I am not sure if any of those things concern you at this point? It's not going to be cheap living here whilst you do all this stuff.

skelonas · Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 17

Ok, that makes sense. So in the rule from MOFA, 'visa' means either work visa set up beforehand, or tourist visa in the form of a US passport in my case. As long as you have one of the two, you can get in the country, correct?

If the COE application is already in process by my company as I'm arriving in Japan, can't I just take that to immigration once it is granted and make the change? Is this that much more of a pain than taking the COE to a Japanese consulate in the states, or is there some reason why they won't be able to apply for it on my behalf if I'm in the country while it's being applied for?

Thanks again so much for your help. As for why I want to come here early- just to do some traveling. We'll probably stay at hostels/guest houses in Hokkaido and get some early season skiing in. We're hoping that we'll be able to get the visa in the states in time to do this (once a visa is granted you can come right away, right?) but want to know that we'll have the option to come earlier if the COE isn't granted yet.