Entering Japan on CoE for a few days

Dear All,

Sorry for long post - I have this scenario, I would like to take your valuable advice, thank you so much!

(1) I was confirmed for a Job in a company Japan.
2) They had processed my CoE as High Skilled Professional (Technical/IT) for 5 years.
(3) My CoE was issued on 2019-Oct-11.
(4) I have also got the VISA sticker from local Japan embassy in my current city.

So now the twist starts:

(5) The company had originally confirmed my selection for the job by email and messaging. They are yet to send my employment contract.

(6) Recently, they informed my project might start *delayed*. It may take another couple of months before they will send me the contract. I think it is depending on their internal process or business sign-off with their clients etc. [ I know this company very well and they are not fraud.]

In this scenario, my CoE will expire in 3 months from the issue date.
So I need to enter Japan by 2020-Jan-10 to keep the VISA.

So I am planning to do below:

Temporary visit with CoE
(i) Go to Japan for a week before CoE expiry date. With CoE & VISA, but without Contract.
(ii) Get the Residence Card at Narita Airport for 5 years.
(iii) Do not report to Registration at Municipal Office.
(iv) Stay for 8-10 days in Japan. Then leave.



Long-term stay for work
Later on in about 2 months, my company will send me the contract. Then:

(v) I will enter Japan again with the residence card already issued. This time for actually starting my work and staying for long term.
(vi) Report to Municipal Office for address registration.

Do you see any problem on my plan? Esp since first time I will visit just for few days without contract and will not inform the municipal office?

Thank you very much.

BR

Nothing illegal, but it could raise some eyebrows so make sure the company is prepared to bzck you up with immigration if they get suspicious.

Tell your intention to the Japanese company and ask permission to enter Japan without work contract.

Í think you should discuss with the company which is best for your situation.
Now you you planning something without knowing if this is the right way

I agree with others above that you should discuss the matter with your employer. They might not be aware of the fact that your visa has an expiry date. (So you will be - if you do what you describe- entering with a visa already in your passport, not just with CoE, correct?)

thank you. Yes, my company is aware of the CoE expiry date and they are also aware this short trip.

I have both CoE and VISA.
But I do not have the employment contract yet. This may take another couple of months to get the contract.

In this short trip:

I will enter Japan for about 10 days - mainly to get the residence card, so that we do not loose the VISA.


my main question is, regarding the address registration at ward office. As I have 2 choices:

A) this short trip, I skip address regi. at ward office.
In this case, do you think, I can re-enter with only the residence card but without any address registration on back of it? Will they question at airport why I didn't register address last time?

Another option is:

B) this short trip, I do address registration at ward office (I am taking AirBnB house).
But then should I report again after 10 days, I am going out of Japan for several weeks?

What do you think is the best option?

I think you have other concerns than an address registration.

Since you do not have a contract yet but you have a working visa you may not comply with the requirements of the visa. For immigration it does not matter if you have short trip or not, they check if you comply with the visa requirements.

Again it is better to discuss with your employer and including immigration to prevent misunderstanding.

I also think the problem arises regarding the Address registration and if/when the immigration notes it on your second entry to Japan you will be questioned and asked to show proof of intended permanent address.
My suggestion is that you ask the company to provide you an address of a dormitory so that every thing will be normal and when you return back to work permanently you can simply change the residing address by visiting the city office.
I have known students who come on government scholarships to study at Japanese Universities and they stay in hotel for nearly 1 month during the orientation period. The University provided some temporary address for them for 1 month and once they completed the orientation they changed their addresses to respective city office where they intended to live

A) this short trip, I skip address regi. at ward office.
In this case, do you think, I can re-enter with only the residence card but without any address registration on back of it?

Yes.

Will they question at airport why I didn't register address last time?

Maybe; it's of course impossible to predict. If they ask, tell the truth.

@Ad It is illegal to register an address where you don't actually live.