Work Visa With 90 days?

I'm from Canada and I'm plaining to go to Japan for the 90 days in July 2015. My question is, is it possible to have a work visa kick in on lets say the 89th day and then can stay longer to volunteer or would I have to leave and then come back.

Cheers, Nathan

There is no general "volunteer" visa. Depending on what exactly you want to do, there may or may not be a suitable visa, such as "cultural activities". If you are a Canadian citizen, a working holiday visa is another option. Depending on which visa you want to get, it may or may not be possible to bypass the visa process entirely and change your residence status while in Japan.

By the way, there is no general "work" visa either. Each visa is tied to a specific activity, such as Engineer or Researcher. Again, there may or may not be a suitable one for what you want to do.

I had my work visa application process initiated on the 89th day. I wasn't allowed to stay longer being that my tourist visa was expiring and there was no possibility of the work visa "kicking in" before it did.

@hitori You shouldn't have applied forca visa, but for a change of status, because then you can stay in Japan until a decision is made on your application.

That kind of thing is why I'm saying the distinction is important...

�—Firas

I am not sure if the visa status change application would have worked because by the application it gets filed, it would have been day 100 or so for me. I would have become an illegal in the transition period?

Besides, I have several lose ends to tie up at my home country that have to be done by myself so it isn't all bad. I left pretty much everything I brought at a friend's place in Chiba too.

My question is, is it possible to have a work visa kick in on lets say the 89th day and then can stay longer to volunteer or would I have to leave and then come back.

Theoretically yes, it is possible to have a work visa kick in on day 89, but not for volunteer work. It has to be a salaried job to qualify for a work visa.

I am not sure if the visa status change application would have worked because by the application it gets filed, it would have been day 100 or so for me. I would have become an illegal in the transition period?

No, the filing takes place when you submit your application, and a stamp is placed in your passport allowing you to stay.

While this is correct of residency status renewals/applications for a change os residency status from a mid/long term status holder, it may not be true for a 90 day "tourist visa". PErhaps as these generally can't be extended in themselves. There have been a few reports of people told no way by immigration when applying at a late time in the 90 stay and a couple of people that claim to have filed ok, but when going to collect their approved residency status got a lot of teeth sucking from the immigration and were found to be an overstayer despite the in application stamp in the passport. (however, such reports always lack essential details and shouldn't be regarded as fact, but there enough hints out there to suggest that a 89-day stay followed by residency change application might not be possible in all cases).

Many people don't fully grasp the details of immigration procedures, so I wouldn't give their stories much credence. One thing that is plausible is to be rejected on the spot when you try to apply, it simply means that the official made a strict interpretation of the law, and does not contradict what was written above. When you apply for something, there's of course always a chance you may be rejected.

Many people don't fully grasp the details of immigration procedures, so I wouldn't give their stories much credence. One thing that is plausible is to be rejected on the spot when you try to apply, it simply means that the official made a strict interpretation of the law, and does not contradict what was written above. When you apply for something, there's of course always a chance you may be rejected.

Yes, and oftentimes the odds are against the applicant especially since this requires the official to go out of his way to do something (that is still legal) out of the norm. Personally, I wouldn't place much hope on the good favour of a random Japanese official.