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Strange Visa Situation
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2007/8/30 10:31
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I am a 34 year old Canadian in Kurashiki on a 90-day visitor.
I am getting an apartment with my girlfriend who I am planning to eventually marry.
I don't want to get married to get a spousal visa, I want to try and stay here under my own power.
I have sufficient income from my Canada work which I can do over the internet. I do not need a Japanese job in order to support myself.
I don't want to get a Japanese job if I don't need to. I make good money with my Canadian work and I would probably make less at a Japanese job.
I do have a high school degree and a two-year college diploma so can probably find a TESL job if need be.
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When I call immigration offices I get the same pat response "You need to get a work visa, you can't extend your 90-day visitor status". One lady even said "You can work anywhere? Why are you in Japan?" after I had explained about the girlfriend and all that. She said it in a rude manner and I was a little shocked, but I will put it down to her English (which was actually very good).
As with any beaucracy, people give you pat responses but then after digging and digging you realise there are other avenues you can follow.
Are there any resources out there for someone in my situation? Preferably not just a website but someone that I can talk to about it.
I have already done a lot of searching through this forum and other websites but can't seem to find the right information.
Thanks in advance!!!
Ken
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by Ken
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Well you're out of luck. There really isn't any other Visa status you can stay in Japan under.
If you are not getting married then you can't get a spouse visa.
You are too old for a Working Holiday Visa.
And you don't qualify for a work visa.
So whats left, well you can try to get a student visa, by going to school in Japan, maybe a language school, that visa would probably be good for at least 6 months to 2 years maximum, plus its good to pick up the language anyways. Then get married and you'll have your spouse visa.
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by John
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Ignore the "out of luck" part if you plan on going and qualify as a student. Though you'll probably be one of the oldest students there if you qualify for one.
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by John
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John is right. You must apply for one of the existing visa categories if you want to stay in Japan. Spouse visa seems easiest. Even if your job allows you to work anywhere, you still have to satisfy the requirements of Japan Immigration.
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by Sira
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Decision to be made
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2007/8/30 12:38
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Thanks for responses!
I think tonight we will have a serious talk about my options and what she feels. I hate organized language study like what I would have to get for a student visa. I feel you cannot seriously learn a language that way. I am more of a jump in the deep end and start talking kind of person (this from personal experience at trying to class learning).
We have already talked about marriage and we have lived together for 8 months in Canada so perhaps we will have to move up the date a bit.
Cheers
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by Ken
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Ken, Really if you are getting married go for a marriage visa it is the best way toward getting your permanent visa in the end. There is nothing wrong with having a marriage visa, if you try to do it on your own it is next to impossible.
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by bob
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Spousal mindset
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2007/8/31 13:51
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If you are ready to marry, then do it and be happy that as a bonus, you get a visa. But i agree that you shouldn't marry her if getting the visa is your main reason. But don't avoid marrying her just cause others might think you are after the visa. Its really something that you have to be confident with by yourself. I hope that helps. i am kind of in a similiar position.
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by Ortney
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Ortney if you read his original post he doesn't plan on getting married just for the spouse visa, thats why he's looking for alternatives so they can have more time before marriage.
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by John
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bunka visa
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2007/8/31 22:39
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You might be interested in a Cultural Visa. You have to study something Japanese...ie.Judo, tea ceremony, calligraphy, flower arrangement, karate, pottery,etc...
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by dunit
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which was the original post?
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2007/9/6 15:55
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Hi John,
i was resonding the the post which contained this quote "I don't want to get married to get a spousal visa, I want to try and stay here under my own power."
i am new on this board so just to make sure i am doing this right, was thie above quoted post infact the "original" post you were talking about? if not, i might have missed the orginal post. i am quite interested in this topic and want to read all relevant posts about it.
thank you
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by ortney
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Its hard for me to express this....
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2007/9/6 15:58
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i just felt that maybe he did want to get married but didn't want to do it for the wrong reasons, and that is definately a good thing, however if he plans to get married ( regardless of the visa) then he should avoid it simply out of worry that he might be doing it for the wrong reason. Arghh...i'm sorry if i'm not able to be more clear about this, i mean well really i do.
o..
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by ortney
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Hi Ortney, I undertand your original post. If I am ready to marry her then who cares what others think. Do it and don't worry.
Just as getting married to get a visa is strange, not to marry because I might get a visa is just as strange.
I don't want to decide that right now, maybe in a couple weeks. I am still trying to adjust to this new land. (:
Cheers,
Ken
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by Ken
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another suggestions
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2007/9/7 14:19
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Whew! thanks Ken,
i'm glad you got it! You probably know this, but incase you don't,
The short term solution to this may be a bit troublesome but it could work out for you.
You can simply stay on a tourist visa which for Canadians is a 90 day visa. I am not certain but it might be renewable for an additional 90 days after the first.
If Not, you could spend a few hundered bucks and fly to Korea or someplace close and then re enter on a new tourist visa granting another 90 days.
If your business makes enough money for you, this might be some thing to buy you time until a more obvious long term solution appears.
o..
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by Ortney
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whoops! i messed up again
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2007/9/7 14:23
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Whoops just realized you're already on a visitor's visa, sorry fro not reading your post carefully, but the part about bouncing out then back in again, might still be useful if you didn't know that already.
o..
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by ortney
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Hey Ortney, can you just go to Korea and turn and come back or do you have to stay there for a couple days? Will immigration be curious about the bouncing shown on the passport stamps?
Cheers,
Ken
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by Ken
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A crappy situation
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2007/9/12 19:48
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I'm self employed in the UK, I haven't lived there for over a year and a half.. as a EU citizen I can live and work any where in Europe without any papers other than my passport, so I find the situation with Japan a bit of a shock. Basically you have to do a constant come and go on Temporary Vistor passes... fortunately with a UK passport I can extend that up to six months. Not the best thing for relationships though.
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by David Jones
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