Extended/Long-term Tourist Visa?

Hi, okay so originally I was going to do a visa-run. I'd go Japan for almost 3 months, then go Taiwan for like 2 weeks, and back to Japan for like another 3 months. However, I read that this is risky and my entry to Japan completely depends on my immigration officer at the airport. I'm not going to Japan to work or study, but will be there for traveling.

So I wanted to take a safer route and e-mailed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan if I had any other options. I got reply saying that I could apply for a long-term tourist visa under cultural activities. This was what they replied with:

----------
As you said, attaining another 90 day is one possible way to get back in Japan from Taiwan.
Another option is to get a long-term tourist visa. This visa will cost $9 and along with a visa application form, passport photo, you will need to submit a Certificate of Eligibility.
Certificate of Eligibility will serve as a proof that you are in Japan for a purpose; in your case, for touring, not for working.
In this case, your trip itinerary will serve as Certificate of Eligibility.
It won't be a bad idea to have evidence of additional activities as well (e.g.,copy of your receipt for a show/concert ticket)
Please refer to the two links below for more details.

"If your objective is work or a long-term stay"
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa5.html

Visa Information
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/travel_and_visa/travel_and_...
----------

The problem is, when I asked my local embassy in Honolulu, Hawaii, they had no idea about this long-term tourist visa and they said that my itinerary "cannot" serve as a certificate of eligibility.

Anyone have any idea about this? Thank you in advance.

I'd go Japan for almost 3 months, then go Taiwan for like 2 weeks, and back to Japan for like another 3 months. However, I read that this is risky and my entry to Japan completely depends on my immigration officer at the airport.

There is always the chance that you will get stopped, but a first time visa run is not particularly risky especially for Americans.

So I wanted to take a safer route and e-mailed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan if I had any other options. I got reply saying that I could apply for a long-term tourist visa under cultural activities.

I've never heard of a long term tourist visa for US citizens. Perhaps they confused your citizenship, because some other countries are able to extend tourist visas past 3 months with a good reason. Sounds like this is what they are suggesting for you. Unfortunately as a US citizen you wouldn't be eligible for that option.

Sounds like a visa run is the best (only) option to me.

I've never, never heard of long-term tourist visa, in my about 20 years of dealing to quite some extent with Immigration (coming in and out of Japan with my non-Japanese spouse).

"Cultural activities" visa is usually granted to people who want to study some Japanese culture/arts at a very advanced level under a master (not at any accredited school) in Japan, for which purpose the visitor needs to be in Japan beyond what the Temporary Visitor Status allows them to.

For some countries that have reciprocity for Japanese natinals, they used to allow extension of 3-month Temporary Visitor Status to 6 months after arrival in Japan, but that was not guaranteed, and in the first place I don't think that applies to US citizens.

Maybe, maybe Immigration had to change the interpretation of "cultural activities" status to allow for new types of applicants - for example, interns (university students) who engage in completely unpaid work - that they came up with that interpretation.

All you can do is to apply for Certificate of Eligibility through the embassy, with proof of funding and tentative itinerary attachd, and explain to the embassy people that the source of information was MOFA in Japan.

Note that there is no visa named "long-term tourist" visa, so be sure to apply for Certificate of Eligibility for "cultural activities" status. And CoE is something you apply for, using your itinerary (with certain events you attend included in it, preferably, so that you have a firm ground to show that you NEED to be in Japan that long time). The itinerary itself does NOT serve as CoE.

I don't think you have to worry much about it. Since staying 3 months and come back after 2 weeks for another 3 months is not usual for most tourists, I am sure immigration officer will want to ask you a few things. But no need to worry. You CAN enter Japan multiple times on visa waiver and each entry is treated independently. Legally you can enter Japan as many times as you want. Officer's only concern is making sure you are not entering Japan to work illegally.

All you need to do is show them you have enough money to support yourself and place to live for 3 months (such as cash, traveler's check, debit, credit card, accommodation itineraries and return flight booking). You should be OK.

Hi, thank you all for the very useful response. I think I'm just gonna take a chance with the visa-run, especially since this is my first time doing it and I'm not doing anything illegal like working there.

Yeah, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure the person who emailed me about that "long-term tourist visa" made a mistake. I mean, if I'm getting different answers from the same place, someone probably got things mixed up.