Changing student visa to tourist visa?

Hello all,

Due to pressing reasons, there's a large possibility that I will need to cut my exchange program short. I am currently on a student visa good until March 2018 with my exchange program as my guarantor, but it's likely that my exchange program will revoke my student visa as well as their status as my guarantor.

My entire mothers side of the family are Japanese citizens, however I alone am not due to not being registered in the family registry within 3 months of my birth, so I need to change my student visa to a tourist visa! I will be here until January 7th.

How would I go about doing this? I'm currently in Togane, Chiba, but if things go the way I picture them going I will be going to Kawasaki to stay with my natural family. Bonus if the way I can do this lets me speak English- while I have decent conversational Japanese I have no idea how to describe this situation in Japanese, and I'd rather not bother my family and ask them to help me get this done.

it's likely that my exchange program will revoke my student visa

No, they can't do that.

Firas is correct in saying that the "exchange program" cannot revoke your visa (resident status). It is only the immigration authorities who "might" decide to revoke your status.

However, it is both the school's and your responsibility to inform the immigration authorities of any substantial change that might affect your resident status, such as quitting school (in your case, for student) or quitting a company (for a work-allowing status) within two weeks of that happening.

So if you decide to leave your school, both the school and you need to inform the immigration authorities.

Then they might ask you what you plan to do - you could tell them you want to stay on and travel for a while, or stay with your family for a while - then they might ask you to apply for a change in resident status. There are staff who can speak the English language (at least at the Tokyo immigration bureau in Shinagawa), so you can go and do that yourself. I might suggest going there with your family member with whom you'll be staying - I do not know what nationality you are, but just in case they ask for a guarantor. And it would also look credible if you go there with your family. Best wishes.

You don't even have to go to immigration to report that you quit your school; you can do it by postal mail or online. http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/kanri/shyorui/18.html

Also, if you move to live with your family you must of course make all the necessary moving procedures at the city office (not immigration).

Thanks for your answers guys.

I would be going back to America (resident country) January 7th

I'm not sure how fast the ball will get rolling but my exchange program said they would contact immigration, which makes me worried as I'm quite sure my exchange program will give them every reason not to give me another visa (I'm leaving as I couldn't put up with my host family and my exchange program refused to change my family so I had no choice)

How long do you guys estimate the change will take? We need to get some forms signed between my parents + exchange program.

I'm on an American passport and have been to Japan several times before with plenty of exit and entry record stamps on my passport If that makes a difference....

Because you are leaving soon, you do not need a new "visa"; your current one will not be revoked before you leave, no matter what the "exchange program" says.

Firas-

I believe if I pull out of school though, my student visa would be invalid? My school is set to end around mid December (I think 22?) and I thought we need to notify within 2 weeks of me leaving the school?

I believe if I pull out of school though, my student visa would be invalid?

That is not true.

Firas-

My exchange program stated that if I pull out of the program, they will revoke my visa... they are my guarantor so I'm just a bit nervous?

Should I switch to a tourist visa anyway to be safe?

Well, your school might say all they want, but they are not the one to decide your visa/resident status. And if you are a US citizen, US citizens are eligible for a 90-day Temporary Visitor status just with their passports.

I still suggest showing up there with your parent(s) to explain the situation and to show that you really are going to be just visiting/staying wit your family here.

They can say they are no longer going to be your sponsor, but that does not mean that the immigration would say OK, let's invalidate your visa now! or anything like that.

Switching to TV status does have some advantages, namely that it will make you eligible to the best rail passes if you want to travel a bit and that you will no longer have to do the move-in procedures at city offices (you still need to do the move-out procedure where you currently live, however).

But it is not "to be safe", I have said several times that even if you stay on your current Student status, it will not be revoked. I don't know what more I can say about this.

By the way, note for future reference that if your mother was a Japanese citizen at the time of your birth, you are eligible to "Child of Japanese National" status, if you want to come to Japan long-term again.

First of All,Why you pull out from the program,You came Japan after spending Half Million yen if not More(including return Air Fare,Transportation cost,Food,insurance(Health+Travel) etc etc.If you visit this Forum last few months,You will found Hundreds of Foreigners eagerly waiting,How they will come Japanese island and study in a reputation university and make Friendship with Thousands of Japanese nationals.So it will be a No sense Decision if not worst Decision in your life to pull out from the program.You also remember that,Thousands of Foreigners pay large amount of yen to study,On the other Hand you paid None Tuition fees Because of exchange program.

OP - your school cannot revoke your visa. They do not have the authority, although they might lie to your face about it.

I had a student visa several years ago and had 3 months left after the completion of my program. My school told me all sorts of things - that I was legally required to leave, that they would revoke my visa if I did not, that immigration authorities would come to my place to deport me. I stayed to search for a job and found one 2 months after I left the school. Immigration only cares if you're staying for a prolonged period of time - like 3+ months. They understand that it's not an easy thing to tie up all the loose ends to move to another country.

I assure you, you will be fine. Your school is just being an arse. If you're still really worried, you might be able to go to immigration and apply for a tourist visa if you have a set departure date. My friend stayed an extra 2 weeks after her visa was set to expire by switching. Just go with a plane ticket confirmation and a letter from your school saying you've ended all activities with them. But again, you don't have to do this. There's no way you'll get deported or anything for quitting school.

Hi all,

The situation has worsened- YFU Japan's second in command sent me a threatening email that if I don't go home on December 4 to the US, he will alert immigration and guarantee that I am deported and banned from Japan.

He is an extremely malicious and I feel he will definitely make good on his promise. I also do not have a return ticket booked for January 7 as YFU cancelled my previous return ticket we paid for and changed the date to Dec 4th.

I'm not sure what to do, I'm on the J1 visa and YFU told me I cannot change my visa from J1 to tourist. I have a host family who is willing to take me, but my only obstacle is my visa, I'm totally
Unsure what to do because if immigration does decide to revoke my student visa I will be permanently banned from Japan.

YFU is a malicious and unfair program- I know they will do whatever they can to try to get me out.

The situation has not worsened, this guy is just blowing smoke. Don't believe us? Just go to immigration and ask them.

Also...

I'm on the J1 visa

What? "J1" is a category of US visas (used to have one myself), nothing to do with Japanese visas.

Hi firas, thanks for the replies!

I was told I have a 'J1 visa' by the guy.... so even if he reports me to immigration as him/YFU Japan having revoked his guarantor status, I won't be deported, and my visa is fine? It's good till Feb or march 2018.

I called immigration and was told it'd be fine, but I can't shake the feeling of worry as they told me 'if you've completed school then you're fine' but I haven't finished the term in high school yet.

As I and others have told you, you can stay in Japan until your current status expires, period. (The expiration date is written on your residence card and probably also on the landing permission sticker in your passport.) You can also apply to have your status changed to "Temporary Visitor" (what you call "tourist visa").

if you leave school, you are no more a student. you can't work, even if you have a permission until 28 hours per week.
many guidelines for foreign university students state that, if you are in 休学, you have to go home.
在留資格が「留学」の学生が休学などの理由で長期（3ヶ月が目安）に渡って勉学を離れる場合、「留学」の資格で国内に滞在すると在留資格取消しの対象になります。指定された期間内に出国しなかった者は、退去強制の対象となるほか、刑事罰の対象となります。