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bananamiruku
Joined: 16 May 2012
Posts: 11
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 Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 2:53 am Post subject: Tourist visa question |
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I'm pretty sure I'm going to agree to work for a particular school. I already said I would not work on a tourist visa, to which they agreed. However, they do want me to come a couple weeks before I will start working in order to familiarize myself with the area + school. That's fine. They said that if my work visa has still not been processed by my start date, other teachers will work around that until it does.
However, I'm concerned about the round trip ticket business. How can I do this without breaking the bank? I really don't have enough money to be purchasing an airline ticket that I will likely not use. Also, is there any chance that my visa will be processed before I get there? Or is it too late (August 20ish is my arrival)?
Thanks in advance! |
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Tsian
Joined: 10 Jan 2012
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:34 am Post subject: |
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Umm.. how are they applying for your visa? If they are applying from within Japan, then they can't apply for it until you are there -- which is quite probably why they are asking you to come early.
In terms of ticket prices, return tickets are, amazingly enough, often about the same price (or cheaper than) a one-way ticket. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:14 am Post subject: |
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Wow! Two WEEKS! I got only the weekend to adjust.
Seriously, I see that if they really want you to adjust, that time frame is nice, but if you don't have the visa in hand when you arrive, you will have to buy that RT ticket. Do they realize that?
When exactly are they planning to apply for the visa, or when are you supposed to start work? Time's a'wasting. If you arrive on Aug. 20 and have 2 weeks to wait around (doing what, exactly?), that might be plenty of time to get the visa, despite a few days off in mid August for Obon. No guarantees, though.
As for breaking the bank, if you don't have enough money for a ticket already, think SERIOUSLY about even coming here. You won't get paid for 6-8 weeks, you know, from the day you start. Unless you take out a loan through your employer (and owe him THAT right off the bat, usually taken out in the first 3 paychecks, leaving you less to live on), you could be in dire straits. |
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kathrynoh
Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Posts: 64
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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| You can get a ticket on the ferry to Busan (Korea) for around $100 -- they only charge a few dollars processing fee if you have to cancel it later. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:31 pm Post subject: Re: Tourist visa question |
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| bananamiruku wrote: |
| However, I'm concerned about the round trip ticket business. How can I do this without breaking the bank? I really don't have enough money to be purchasing an airline ticket that I will likely not use. |
As others have said, return tickets are often cheaper than one way. More to the point, why wouldn't you want a return ticket? Just put the return date one year out and plan on having a holiday then. Going even further, where are you flying from that a ticket to Japan would break the bank and if that's the case how on earth do you expect to survive in Japan until your first payday if you can't even afford a ticket up front?! |
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bananamiruku
Joined: 16 May 2012
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:51 pm Post subject: Re: Tourist visa question |
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| G Cthulhu wrote: |
| bananamiruku wrote: |
| However, I'm concerned about the round trip ticket business. How can I do this without breaking the bank? I really don't have enough money to be purchasing an airline ticket that I will likely not use. |
As others have said, return tickets are often cheaper than one way. More to the point, why wouldn't you want a return ticket? Just put the return date one year out and plan on having a holiday then. Going even further, where are you flying from that a ticket to Japan would break the bank and if that's the case how on earth do you expect to survive in Japan until your first payday if you can't even afford a ticket up front?! |
According to Japanese tourist visa requirements, your departing ticket must be within 90 days of your arrival.
Perhaps it is just from my area, but a one way ticket is $800, and a round trip ticket is $1400. I certainly have budgeted enough money to survive in Japan and get a ticket there. However, if I have to purchase two tickets, one of which I will not use as I will not have a long holiday during the first 90 days of my time there, I consider that "breaking the bank." It's at least $600 wasted dollars. That's not a paltry amount. For me at least.
Glenski: Yes, I will be shadowing a teacher for two weeks.
Again guys, thanks for the concern, but I am aware I will need several thousand dollars upon arriving in Japan. My concern is not that I can't afford the RT ticket, but more that I do not want to waste hundreds of dollars on a ticket I won't use that is (potentially) non-refundable.
Is from today to August 20 enough time for a working visa? Will the airline accept my ferry ticket in lieu of an airline ticket? Is there some secret place I am missing that sells RT tickets that are cheaper than one way? Those are my main questions. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:58 pm Post subject: Re: Tourist visa question |
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| bananamiruku wrote: |
According to Japanese tourist visa requirements, your departing ticket must be within 90 days of your arrival.
Perhaps it is just from my area, but a one way ticket is $800, and a round trip ticket is $1400. I certainly have budgeted enough money to survive in Japan and get a ticket there. However, if I have to purchase two tickets, one of which I will not use as I will not have a long holiday during the first 90 days of my time there, I consider that "breaking the bank." It's at least $600 wasted dollars. That's not a paltry amount. For me at least.
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Buy a ticket that allows changes, even if at a penalty. The penalties are usually only ~US$100.
| Quote: |
| Is there some secret place I am missing that sells RT tickets that are cheaper than one way? Those are my main questions. |
And an answer for that would require knowing where you're wanting to fly from and too before anyone could answer. If you want to look for airfares in general then ita software (http://www.itasoftware.com/) is exceptionally good for searching posted IATA fares - the Android version of their software is simply the best mobile flight app out there IMO. For specific countries you can find lower fares, but we'd need to know more info first. For example, if you're flying out of the US then airfarewatchdog.com is very good for finding unlisted fares on a "to" & "from" basis. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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