Job Discussion Forums

[chobbs19]

Hi i would really appreciate anyone who is british and has been on a working holiday visa to japan if they could tell me if it is valid for 1 year from issue date in london or from entry to japan (with some time allowed between being visa granted and when u actually enter ). I called the embassy but not sure if he understood quite what i meant.

thanks
chris

[G Cthulhu]

The reason they didn't understand you was because you don't seem to understand the process yourself. The visa will last however long it says - 3, 6 months or 12 months. It will also specify a length of stay in Japan. When you arrive in Japan they will grant you a status of residence. This will usually *but not always - it's up to the immigration officer - match the specified length of stay on the visa.

Remember, the visa is what gets you to the country. The SoR is what allows you to be in the country.

[chobbs19]

I appreciate the reply but I havent yet got the visa and all uk working holiday visas are valid for 12 months. a working holiday visa is a type of visa that i am now on in new zealand and have done in aus too, so i know what they are. however the embassy website of japan does not clarify if you have 12 months to enter japan from date of issue or if the visa is valid for 1 yr from date of issue in london.

thanks

[Apsara]

G Cthulthu has already answered your question. The visa you are given by the embassy will have a "use by" date on it, which means that you have to enter Japan before that date- usually it is around 3 months from the time of issue. When you arrive in Japan you will then be given the standard length of time for a working holiday visa for UK citizens, and the countdown for how long you can day in Japan will start that day, not the day the visa was issued.

Actually I would be surprised if it is 12 months- most working holiday visas for Japan give you a 6 month stay, which is then renewable for a further 6 months (Australians can do this twice for 18 months, but for other nationalities it's 12 months max). Maybe it's changed in the meantime though and you now get 12 months automatically, but check on that. The permitted length of stay will be on the visa stamp in your passport.

[Glenski]

According to the UK page on WHVs, it is valid for up to one year from date of issue.
http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/en/visa/work_hol.html

There is no mention there about having to renew/extend it after 6 months, although that is the known procedure. On the main WHV page (Japan), it says:

"Period of Stay:
An initial stay of up to six months is granted for Australia, New Zealand and Canada (one year for the Republic of Korea, France, Germany, U.K., Ireland and Denmark. France, U.K., Ireland, Taiwan and Hong Kong cannot be extended.) This may be extended up to another six months by the immigration authorities. Details are available from the Immigration Bureau."

The same page also says:
"Validity of Visa:
Visa recipients must enter Japan within one year (six months for New Zealand, three month for Taiwan) after the date of issue."

[Apsara]

Ah, ok then, 12 months it is for the UK- I should have checked.

[chobbs19]

hey glanski thanks a lot for finding the relevant info out for me! the second page ( http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/programme.html) seems to contradict the uk embassy page. I will call them again.

G Cthulthu may have answered a question by saying that it will tell me on my visa once i have it granted but the whole point is that i want to plan and know if i have 12 months b4 i need to enter or not.

[chobbs19]

i mean glenski, sorry

[Glenski]

My guess is that you will get this sort of explanation:

Yes, the WHV itself is good for 12 months, but procedures still require that you renew/extend/request the second half of it through official channels. Not really much effort, as I understand it.