‘student’ to ‘temporary visitor’ status?

Hi,

I just had an unpleasant experience at the Immigration Office and a few urgent questions as a result.

Some background information:

I've been in Japan for close to a year as an exchange student; I therefore have the status of residence as a 'student' (—¯Šw�j. According to my landing permission, I am allowed to stay here for another two weeks.

As I do not have a degree, I did not come here with the intention of finding a job. My goal was simply to enjoy the opportunity to be here for a year as a student and then return home.

Since I came here I've worked as a translator and interpreter at numerous international conferences. I work fast and reliable and got good recommendations. Last week I was offered the opportunity to work as a coordinator for an international academic exchange program.

The long-term contract would begin next year in April. I would therefore like to stay here until the project begins.

The obvious problem is that my current status of residence expires in two weeks and I couldn't think of a good way to stay here legally (ideally with the option to work freelance during this period). So I went to the Immigration Office to ask two questions:

1. What options do I have to to stay here until April 2018?
2. Can I apply for a change of my status of residence from 'student' to 'temporary visitor' at the Immigration Office?

The staff was rather unfriendly and treated me like an illegal immigrant. Probably due to my insufficient knowledge of the rules and regulations (which was obvious from the questions I asked).

I was basically told that I had to leave the country immediately as the activity for which my visa was granted (studying at a university) ended when summer vacation began. Regular students are allowed to stay longer, but as I came here as an exchange student, I had to leave at once.

I made the mistake of taking the expiration date on my landing permission as the time period I was allowed to stay here.

The Immigration Office also told me that it is not possible for exchange students to change their status of residence to 'temporary visitor'. I have to leave at once.

Looking through the threads and the information I found online, it seems as though it is indeed possible to change the status from 'student' to 'temporary visitor' without leaving the country. I have a EU passport and as a 'temporary visitor' I would be permitted to stay in Japan up to 6 months under the visa exemption arrangements.

Does the Immigration Office have the legal rights to deny my application for a change of status because I haven't notified them that the semester at the university ended?

What options do I have to stay here?

Ideally I'd like to stay here, travel around and occasionally do some freelance translation/interpretation work. It doesn't look as though there's any way for me to be granted a visa for that (without a B.A.). I've already been asked to interpret at two conferences this year (which I would have to decline once my current status expires).

The only valid options I could find are: student visa (for studying Japanese at a costly language school) or a 'temporary visitor' status.

Reading through various threads I can see that 'visa-runs' are often recommended in this situation. I do intend to travel around Asia once I've signed my contract and got all my arrangements done, but I do not see the necessity to do a premature visa-run (that may not even work - as it would depend on the immigration officer's goodwill).

I apologize for the long message I just wrote.
If I had more time, I would spend more time to do research on my own. I didn't expect the spontaneous opportunity for me to stay in Japan.

Best regards,
Friedrich

They certainly can deny your application for any reason they like. And if they do, you have to leave.

I would just go to your home country now and start preparing for the visa from there. Overstaying even more will look very bad on your application. Besides, April is a long time away. Do some part-time work at home, save some money so you can pay key money and deposit when you return.

Speaking of which, since you don't have a degree, how will you actually expect to get the work visa for the job you've been offered?

If you really want to stay Japan more than 1 year,Then you have a lot of opportunity.I went my Embassy located in Tokyo,Then they give me Job,I show this certificate to the Immigration Office,then they renew my visa.Some of My Friend study Japanese in a language school called Kudan Institute ,It is unimaginable cheap,In Japan,we Thousands of Foreigners live with our Japanese spouse or partners.Do you have?
If yes,She can be your sponsor/guarantor.It is their country,So they can tell you to leave Japan,after your visa expire.But they ,Immigration Office has no right to behave with you like a Animal.

You are lucky the immi didnt lock you up and deport you back to your country, and ban you from entering Japan for certain period.
Why ? Because you engage in freelance work under student status, without permission to engage in other activities? And somemore you 'demand' the immi to give you temp visa so that you can work frelance until job offer next april?

Are you serious or just being plain ignorant ?

I hope you did obtain "permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted" in order to do some freelance work on your "student" status.

Ideally I'd like to stay here, travel around and occasionally do some freelance translation/interpretation work. It doesn't look as though there's any way for me to be granted a visa for that (without a B.A.).

No, this is not even an issue with not having a bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degree might be a requirement in certain types of work visa, but that would usually mean a full-time work.

There simply exists no such visa/resident status except for Working Holiday Visa, which nationals from only a limited number of countries are eligible for, and for which (if you are eligible) you need to apply from your home country after living in your country for some time (other restrictions apply).

If you did any paid work on "temporary visitor" status, that would be illegal.

There are very many problems with your situation, I don't know where to start...

Firstly, even assuming you did obtain permission to work, it only allows you to work while attending school, so if you worked after your exchange program ended, you worked illegally.

Secondly, entering visa-free and changing your status to TV are completely different things. The allowed duration of stay under TV status, assuming the change is granted, is determined by the immigration official granting the change; the rules governing visa-free entry have nothing to do with it.

In any, the chances of being granted TV status until next April are zero. Let alone of being granted a "work permit" under it.

You were correct, however, in thinking the expiry date on your landing permission is the date until which you can stay in Japan. The officials lied to you on that one.

Speaking of which, since some people here apparently need a reality check: just like police officers and others in similar positions, immigration officials are not your friends. If they see that you don't know your rights, they will lie to you or otherwise intimidate you into doing what they want, even if the law says otherwise.

"I was basically told that I had to leave the country immediately as the activity for which my visa was granted (studying at a university) ended when summer vacation began."
if there is no education in summer vacation for you, it is correct.
the reason is that exchange student is a "spot" education and you are not REAL student in school system. you are a guest student from a foreign university.

You over-stayed illegally already. You worked illegally already (you don't say you got permission - did you pay your taxes?). You told immigration (at least one of the two).

As others have mentioned, you are lucky not to be deported or worse. You do not have a "right" to be in the country. You can leave and come back as a visitor, or you can leave and apply for CoE and work visa with your new prospect, but that is more than six months away so you couldn't stay on the visa waiver permit that long anyway.

You do not have a "right" to be in the country.

Actually, yes, once you are granted a status of residence, you have a right to stay in Japan until it expires, by which I mean that the Government can only force you to leave earlier under certain conditions clearly prescribed by law. Until proven otherwise, I assert that just because your study program has ended is not one of them.

Ok.

My understanding of the law is different. However, notification of changes that impact on status of residence would still apply (like no longer doing activities specified under the grant of residence.)

The broader point was about the expectation that visitors have a "right" or privilege when there is no actual "right" granted.