3 times 1-year extension of spousal

I'm married to a Japanese woman , I came to Japan on tourist visa, registered our marriage and requested spousal visa, I got 1-year visa. then renewed it two times and I got one-year extension each.

I'm a freelance and I'm doing good in my work, I filed taxes and I have good conduct..etc etc

Do you think that's normal, is anyone here had similar issue then got a three-year visa?

Do I have hope next time?
and yes I'm not from the first-world.

Me and my wife have been together for more than 5 years, and we are married for 3 years.

I think it's normal if you've been married for just about the same time as you've been in Japan - I mean, you got married after you came to Japan, correct? If you've been married for a long time (maybe outside Japan) before coming to Japan together and applied for Spouse visa status for the non-Japanese spouse, the Immigration seems to give out three years relatively early. Otherwise, you might repeat one-year visa for a few times, so that's no big deal.

In our case, my non-Japanese spouse and I'd been married already over five years or so before he applied for Spouse status in Japan, and he got one year the first time (or maybe the first two times) then it went to three years. Even with good tax payment track record prior to that, it didn't come that easy ;) so I'd say please have patience.

Thanks AK, That was very hopeful, as I wanted to see if I was an isolated case, or one of the crowd. it seems one of the crowd (; .

But to clarify one thing, no I didn't get married after I arrived in Japan. We got married outside Japan, but it was couple of months before we moved to Japan. that's why I went on a tourist visa first then changed status.

Thanks

InJapan,

If you have only been living in Japan a relatively short time, then three 1-year extensions sounds pretty much par for the course. I guess the chances are that you will get a 3-year extension the next time, but while I understand that having to renew every year is a hassle, when dealing with Immigration, you should just be grateful that they renew your visa at all. Just hang in there!

Thanks Dave, for your response. yes I'm grateful for the immigration and for Japan, the US and every country that welcomed me and grant me permission to stay.

I want to stay longer and apply for permanent residency which you have to have 3-years visa first. and I wanted to see if there was anything unusual for a reason.

but the answers of both of you were very helpful to clarify that.

thanks

I agree with Dave on his view on Immigration :)

I was wondering why you say "do I have any hope...?" because, to me, repeatedly renewing one-year visa is just as good, as long as my spouse and I can stay together in Japan :)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that to apply for Permanent Resident status, the general "guideline" is you have to have lived in Japan for five years or longer on Spouse visa (ten years or longer on other types of work-permitting visa sponsored by the employer). I don't think that having been granted a three-year visa is a condition. You can repeat one-year visa for five times, and that could well qualify you. But again, there is no clear criteria so there is no guarantee... yet in my view there is no reason for you to worry.

Hmm.. is it really typical for someone to get three 1-year visas just because they were married only for a short while? I suspect the real reason is because of the short marriage and you're from a developing country; they suspect your marriage isn't genuine. I doubt someone from Canada or England would be treated the same.

I hope you get the 3-year visa next time.

Re: AK,

well as you said it, there is no clear criteria, but I read it from the conditions set forth by MOJ . that you have to realize the full extent of your current visa, according to some Japanese lawyer website, they say that's three years for spousal visa, in other words I have to be on three-years spousal visa. I could be wrong, I m not yet can understand Japanese very well, but I saw the MOJ site in Japanese and in English and seems to me that's what it meant to be.

As for the 5-years period, this seems not come from a law, but rather unwritten rule. three years is the written condition in the law.

and again , as you said it, all these are not clear.

As why I want to get permanent residency is that we want to live a stable life. I want also to guarantee my rights and my future children rights. . If you want more info, go to http://www.crnjapan.com/en/

This thing by the way I have talked with my wife about.

There are also more reasons, permanent residency makes more trust with banks and so on.

other reason: convenience. why do you suppose many people want to get US Green card?

Re: P,

It is possible because of the 3rd world. but at least I'm pleased to learn it's not highly unusual. I would accept the treatment of first world citizens favorly. At least people will think I earned it after scrutiny. and not an immigrant trying to steal jobs (;

If I was up to a sham marriage I would choose the US, I was living there ,US is open to immigration, and nobody give a rat, and I was treated like an American. but , I'm a good person by choice and in love with my wife and respect the laws of the nations (;

Thanks all for your answers and wishes

Do you live together with you wife in the same house or apartment? Are you both registered as living at the same residence?
If not you will always continue to get a 1 year spousal visa.
I live in the Kansia area and my Wife lives in the Kanto area due to both our jobs so I have always receive a 1 year spousal visa for the past 5 years now, this is what the immigration officer told me.

I married in the UK. Came to Japan in a tourist visa as advised by the Japanese embassy in London.
Japanese Immigration gave me 6 month spouse visas for the first 3 years, then 1 year visas for 3 years before finally allowing me a 3 year spouse visa.
Basically they don't trust anyone.

SD,
No, I live with my wife in the same residence and it is registered as so, and that been the case since i came to Japan.

Stewart,

thanks for sharing your info, it seems the immigration gave me a better deal then. I didn't know they give 6 months spousal visas. I thought only 1 and 3 years ..

I did the same as you, tourist visa then spousal, as advised by an American-looking worker in a Japanese consulate in the US.