SOFA Visa Validity

Hello there

I have a valid SOFA visa and have not entered Japan for the last 12 months due to business commitments in my home country. My ex-husband is still with active with Military Service and he just said he didn't cancel my SOFA visa. Can I still enter Japan? My worry now is Japan immigration might question why I was of Japan for a year and might get held up in the immigration. Thank you and look forward to receiving a reply.

SOFA status is quite separate from the usual Japanese immigration system that tourists and visitors go through, so I am not sure, but is the visa still valid (for entry into Japan) after 12 months? Is your purpose to come see your ex-husband, who is so to say the sponsor for your visa?

If you are not going to stay with your ex, I guess the most straightforward thing would be to just have it cancelled, and come visit Japan on Temporary Visitor Status, which is given to US nationals upon entry into Japan with just their passport (if coming for a sightseeing visit is your purpose).

Thanks for your prompt reply. Yes, SOFA visa is still valid up until next year. My ex-husband doesn't know I'm planning to go back to Japan using his sponsorship, and I don't want him to know at all! Planning to stay there for 3 months to arrange some personal matters while I still have my visa valid. Just worried that immigration might question why I have been out of Japan for quite so long.

Thank you!

Hello!
I happened to visit this site and I have a concern on this matter.

SOFA is an agreement between U.S. and Japan for U.S. military activities in Japan, so if you are not a family member of your sponsor who is under SOFA, the SOFA visa is no longer good. To enter to Japan, you might be asked for your sponsor's military order or some type of order for re-entry.

Hi Naiko

Thanks for your reply. I am still under my ex-husband's sponsorship, and visa is still valid till next year. My worry is that the SOFA visa might have a certain time frame where you have go back to Japan within 6 mos time, and in exceed of that, they might automatically cancel my visa?

Thanks again.

I called one of immigration offices nearby.

Here is my findings.

Your SOFA visa is invalid once you leave Japan. It doesn't matter how long you are away from Japan. There is no re-entry permit for SOFA visa. You have to reapply for it. How? You have to show documents such as military order with your name on it, a letter from authority or installation commander, and your military or dependent ID card.

If your status changed since your first entry to Japan, your sponsor should report it to his/her personnel section.

As mentioned earlier, if you are American you'll automatically be granted a 90 day stay in Japan without a visa. That should suit the timeframe you listed without involving your ex-husband at all.

For a short-term stay (visa waiver), do you have to show your return flight ticket to the immigration officer?

No, but you have to show the form you fill out on board the aircraft and I think you have to put in the duration of your stay and maybe the flight number of your departure from Japan. I cannot recall if that's what you have to put. But I do know you only show that form and your passport to immigration at your port of entry.

But if you don't have a return ticket when you go to the airport to board your plane, they most likely will not let you on the plane.

Hi Naoki

I've been in and out of Japan since I got my SOFA visa. I have been out like for 2 months and came back to Japan successfully without them (immigration) asking for anything. Its just that the situation now is different, I have been out for a year.