Job Discussion Forums

[Yawarakaijin]

I realize there is already a pretty good post on this issue but I have a specific question I haven't been able to find the answer to online.

I am all set tomorrow to head into Tokyo with all the necessary information but it seems I may have hit a snag.

I do not have a gaurantor so I intended to fill out the " Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Gaurantor" form.

I imagined this was just a form you picked up at the embassy, filled out in front of an official and that was it.

I've come across information that leads me to suspect that this particular form still requires the signatures and contact infor of at least 4 different people who have known you in Japan for at least 2 years. Is this correct? If I dont have a gaurantor who has known me for 2 years, isn't it possible that I haven't known anyone in the country for 2 years? Seems strange to me.

I havehowever been here for 4 years and do know people but I doubt I could manage to get all their signatures by tomorrow when I had originally intened to head into tokyo.


If anyone has filled out this form recently can tell me if you need to include such information/signatures or if the process simply entails one showing up and swearing an oath at the embassy it would be greatly appreciated.

I do have the number and I do know that you can request the form be sent to you, just wondering if it is something that will delay my application until next weekend or whether I can just head into tokyo tomorrow as originally planned and take care of it myself.

[kitano]

I've done it twice since I've been in Japan but the last time was about 2 years ago. I had to give the information about the people but not their signatures. They didn't check the info either time and it didn't take long but that was in Osaka and both times I only saw the Japanese staff.

[mimimimi]

I just renewed in Tokyo two months ago. Here's exactly what you need to fill out in the "Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor" form.

Section 1 - Applicant's Personal Information

a.) Your name
b.) Your date and place of birth
c.) Your current address
d.) Your addresses in the last five years
e.) The business names, addresses, telephone numbers and nature of employment or studies, for employers or schools you attended for the last five years (they want to know what you've been doing for the past five years)

Section 2 - References

a.) The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of two unrelated (to you) Canadians living in Canada you have known for at least two years (please note that the two people must live at different addresses, and their signatures are not required)
b.) Your relationship to them
c.) How many years you have known them

Section 3 - Declaration of Applicant

a.) The reason why you don't have a guarantor
b.) Two pieces of government-issued ID (I believe they have to be different than what you used in your passport application form - but I can't remember exactly)
c.) Your signature

Good luck!

[Yawarakaijin]

Thanks very much guys/gals. I had left myself plenty of time to deal with the situation, but admittedly I could have delved into it a little more before I had bought my bus ticket to Tokyo. So, it looks like I can just go on into tokyo tomorrow and take care of it.

Thanks again for your responses. It's nice when this board works the way we all hope it would. The time it took you to fill me in on your experiences is greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend.

[mimimimi]

Small addition - - in Section 2 - References, the two people have to be different than the ones you used in your passport application form. So if memory serves - - that's four all together, unrelated and at different Canadian addresses. Two of mine were at the same address, so I had to quickly come up with another one on the spot.

Also in regards to "what you've been doing and where you've been living for the past five years", you'll need to be specific down to the month and year. They checked mine very thoroughly to make sure there were no missing months and no improper overlaps.

[timothypfox]

I am a dual US and Canadian citizen, and these extreme complications and heavy handed Canadian government control of the citizen's private lives is the reason I always travel with my US passport instead. Simply too much bother to renew my Canadian passport.