Staying In Japan Longer

Hello everyone. I'll not waste time and I'll get straight to the point.

I'm Japanese-American (100% Japanese by blood, American by citizenship), and I would like to work in Japan. I won't say as what, but I DO KNOW plenty about what I want to get into, so no need to tell me if I can or can't get work. I'll give this much, it's not teaching and it's not IT work. This post is NOT ABOUT WORK. Anyways, I know that American citizens are given 90 days in Japan for whatever non-work related activities, however, I was wondering, if I have not yet found work, can I extend that time? And if I did get work, could I just change my visa status while in Japan?

Truthful, unbiased answers are appreciated.

Don't come to Japan on a tourist visa if you plan to work. I don't know what you mean by 100% Japanese but if either one of your parents are/were Japanese nationals then you can get the "Spouse or Child of a Japanese National" visa. If it was your grandparents who were Japanese nationals then you could get the "Long term resident" visa. You have to prove your Japanese connection with your parents or grandparent's family register. You don't even need a job lined up in Japan to get these visas as long as you have "enough" money in your bank account. "Enough" is up to the immigration officers.

You can also come to Japan on a tourist visa then change your status within Japan. It'll be easier to get a job if you already had the proper visa, though.

Well I'm coming to FIND work, THEN work. anyways, about the long term visa, do my grandma and mom still have to have japanese citizenship? Cuz my immediate family here in america all naturalized to american citizenship. All my other family members are in Japan/Okinawa

Japanese-American (100% Japanese by blood, American by citizenship)

Truthful, unbiased answers are appreciated.

Saying you're 100% Japanese by blood really doesn't mean anything if you have US citizenship.

Also that doesn't answer:

Do you speak Japanese Fluently? Not just speaking, but reading and writing?

Thats what matters, especially if you want to find a job other then English teaching or IT work.

"Long Term Resident Visas" despite is name is only valid for 6 months to 3 years and is only given out under "special circumstances".

Was your birth recorded in the family register in Japan?

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If you enter with your US passport for 90 days and it expires YOU CANNOT get an extension. You have to leave. You can come back and risk being denied entry if you leave and return soon.

If you did find a job you still need to meet the same requirements as other non Japanese looking to get a work-visa (eg Bachelors degree).
If you qualify, yes you can change to a work visa while in Japan. However if it is close to the time when you're Temporary visitors status is about to run out and your Visa is still being processed you would most likely want to leave Japan for a short period until it is approved. Because (again as a US passport holder) you can't stay beyond 90 days, even if you have a visa extension, or one in the process.

No, your parents/grandparents do not need to be Japanese nationals anymore. That's why I said "are/were" in my previous post. If your mom was a Japanese citizen when you were born then you can get the Spouse/Child visa. If not, you can get the Long term resident visa.

I have to disagree with John that the "Long term Resident" visa is given out only under special circumstances. There may be certain circumstances that may be "special" but that's not the case with the OP. As long as he can prove that he's a nisei or sansei, he will get the visa. Of course, this is assuming he's not a convict or broke. Also, he does not need a bachelor's degree for this visa. It's the same for the spouse/child visa.

But don't take my word for it. Ask the Japanese consulate; that's what they're there for.

Also, he does not need a bachelor's degree for this visa. It's the same for the spouse/child visa.

If you read what I wrote:

I wrote that if he is applying for a WORK VISA as a US citizen then he would need a bachelors degree just like everyone else. I wasnt talking about the other visas.

Yes I am fluent in reading and writing for the record, otherwise, I'd state that i was still studying. I would like to test my fluency though, and am looking into the Kanji Proficiency Exam. Anyways, okay, nice to know about that long term visa. I'll look into that. Thanks for the insight. Appreciate it.

Uhm, my mom naturalized before i was born, but my mom was born in Japan so i honestly don't know what I'd be. Probably nisei, not sure, never gave it any thought. Also one of my aunts that is still a Japanese citizen (been in LA for about 35 years, but still Japanese nonetheless). could she possible help me with the whole long-term visa thing?

I'm in the similar situation as you Ichiro. I'm thinking of moving to Japan for awhile. Both my parents were born in Japan, however I was born here in the US and my mom is naturalized, like you, however my dad is still a Japanese citizen. I'm also unsure about my eligibility for applying for extended Visas.

I would assume, you'd be considered Nisei, like me, 2nd generation.

I came across this article and site which may prove helpful. It talks about Japans citizenship laws and visa's. It seems that if you at least 3rd generation, you'll have more options for Visas.

http://www.crnjapan.com/citizenship/en/

If you find any more info or want to exchange findings, let me know and we can exchange emails. I'm going to be looking into this as well. Maybe visit the local Japanese consulate office here in Los Angeles.

No, your aunt can't help you if she lives in America. Getting your visa is a very simple process. First, get your mom's koseki touhon (can't be more than 6 months old). Check to see if she officially renounced her citizenship. It'll be noted on there. If she didn't, then she's still a Japanese citizen and you can apply for the spouse/child visa. If she did, then apply for the long-term visa.

You also need your passport, birth certificate, bank statement, and a guarantor letter from someone in Japan. That's it.

Hey Ichiro,

I'm in the same boat - I'm Japanese-American (100% Japanese by blood, American by citizenship).

Like others have said I would try going with trying to get a Japanese national visa.

I am sure you have family still there no? If their anything like mine it will be a big family / extended family.

Or you could try and get a normal job with a company there and get a working visa if you have a degree.

But I would try the Japanese national visa first.

Good Luck...

I am in the same, well, simmular situation as the OP.

My grandfather is a native from Japan, but I believe he naturalized himself here when he got married.

Thing is, he did not marry a Japanese woman... he married a Spanish woman and in turn had my mother who, in turn had me.

Now since the Japanese bloodline has been "weakened" since my mother didn't marry Japanese... am I not considered a 3rd generation?

How can I find out if my mother was even reported into the family registry back in Japan?

It's very complicated and my family having such a common last name -- it's proven to be quite troublesome. Thanks!

Merk - in your case I think the process is going to be a lot harder unless your Japanese grandfather had his wife and kids put in the family registry back in Japan, meaning your mother and she would have or your grandfather would have had to continue it with you being placed in it also.

I don't think its impossible but its going to be hard and if your mother is not in the family registry then it's really going to hard to prove the blood lines.

You'll need to find out where you grandfather's family registry is back in Japan and make a trip to the location (city hall). I am not sure if you can do it directly from like Tokyo.

Have you kept in contact with any of your grandfathers family in Japan? Is your grandfather still alive? These 2 things would help you out a great deal.

Good luck on your quest and keep us updated here.

ichiro (and maybe merk),
you qualify for the teijusha, nikkei 3 sei (even though you're 2sei, since your mom naturalizd before your birth)... I would call the town yakuba where your japanese family is from, then ask them what the status of citizenship of the person in question is, if they sent in the marriage certificate to them. IF they didn't send in the renouncing japan citizenship form, then they have to go to the japan foreign consulate wherever u live, and then have your mom/dad bring marriage/naturalization forms then fill out the proper forms and ask the consulate to send it in;maybe (kokuseki soushitsu todoke) plus a marriage cert. then talk to a nyukan kanrikyoku (tokyo or chihou) person, tell them the situation and they could tell you what the procedure is, or it's online (3sei baai) http://www.moj.go.jp/ONLINE/IMMIGRATION/16-1.html

This might be too late for you but gl.

Sorry for such a late reply, but I am so busy with my job.

Actually, my contact with my family there is next to nothing now. My grandfather became a citizen here and my mother never kept up with his side of the family... and as you can see....

It's proven to be quite troublesome. I was probably thinking of searching back into my grandfather's naturalization paperwork and maybe see if I can find information from the port of entry (whether it was elise island or angel island) and maybe I can get an answer. All I know is that one of the paperwork I saw for my mother said that his place of birth was Tokyo, Japan.

No town or anything. Gyah

I am starting to doubt if my grandfather even bothered putting my mother in the registry since he gave up citizenship in Japan.

He also passed on, so it'd be impossible for me to even ask.

email or send a letter to that next to nothing relative. .. family is family...

Hi,

Just across this thread on Google.

Any updates? Ichiro, did you get your visa?

I'm also a second generation Japanese Canadian (Nissei) who's thinking about applying for this visa as well. I'm thinking it'll be straightforward in my case because all of my immediate relatives including my grandmother still reside in Japan. I'll be asking them for their koseki for starters.

Ken.