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School is threatening me about visa 2009/2/18 02:01
Hi everybody!

Here's my problem:

I'd like to live in Japan 1 year, including 6 months of japanese language intensive course (becouse I need the 1yr visa), and 6 months of nothing.

So I asked the if was possible to do 6 months course and still get 1 year visa.
Every school I asked said: ''Yes no problem''.

But now, that I've already payed the application fee and sent the documents for the visa, I got this email from the school I decided to apply:

''Once you left the school,
we SystemToyoGaigo have to report that fact
to TokyoImmigration Bureau, then your visa would be
expired.''

I mean, what the hell!

Am I screwed???

School can really take away yours student visa like that?

I thought that was ok to get 1 year visa with 6 months intensive.

I cannot afford afford more than 6 months course.

How can I do if a really wants to stay 1 years? (I've already payed :( )
by PasqualeAgnello  

... 2009/2/18 07:33
It is not a treat! It is correct information from the school. This is how the visa system works in Japan, although, in reality many schools do not report quitting students after the end of their studies.

How can I do if a really wants to stay 1 years?

Get another, applicable visa for the remaining 6 months. What type depends on your planned activities.
by Uji rate this post as useful

tourist? 2009/2/18 07:41
Maybe you can get a tourist visa for 6 months. If 3 is the max, then I wonder, can you get it twice?
by Kira (guest) rate this post as useful

that's the law 2009/2/18 08:05
Unfortunately they gave you wrong information the first time around. Students on student visas are expected to study the whole time they are on that visa, otherwise loads of people would come here on a one year student visa and then just drop out to work etc.

They are not really threatening you now, just telling you what they are required by law to do. If they do not report that you have left and Immigration finds out, they may have their permission to sponsor foreign students withdrawn,in which case they would go out of business, so they have no choice but to follow the rules.

If you want to stay longer, you could work part time while you are studying to save enough to pay the extra tuition (after applying to Immigration for permission to work), or if you are eligible for a working visa (i.e. you have a university degree already) you can look for a full time job and change to a working visa.

You could also leave Japan for a day or two by going to Korea for example, and then come back in on a 90 day tourist visa, which would give you some extra time.
by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

wow 2009/2/18 10:16
i am surprised how many people go blind to japan. didn`t you make some visa research in the web??? when you have a student- or a pre-college-student visa, you have also to attend 85% of classes. when you don`t make the 85%, the visa would get invalid. That`s also when you are leaving a school, then you have to leave the country after 10 days.
for your future it would be better if you make first some researches and then fill out contracts.
I wouldn`t blame the school, probably they thought you would read the school conditions first and the apply for it....

good luck!

and yes, if you really want to stay for a wohle year you should search for a part-time job while studying.
on a pre-college-student visa you can work 5 days with max 4 hours a week.
if you have the student-visa you can work the hours without the max. of 4 hours in a row.
at holidays there are 28 hours in a week...I think...
btu first you have to apply for this work permit, because usually it is not allowed to work as a student.
by dotcom (guest) rate this post as useful

I totally understand now! 2009/2/18 22:59
Thanks!

I totally understand now!

I think that the most viable (and cheap) solution is to re-entry the country.

But with the 90-days tourist visa I won't be able to work, right?

So, how's the undeclared employment market in Tokyo? Easy to find?

I know it's risky but still... :(
by PasqualeAgnello rate this post as useful

... 2009/2/18 23:02
So apart from the six months you will be studying, you will have 90 days as a tourist. Tourists don't work, are not allowed to work.

I don't think anyone here will give you any suggestions for illegal work. Please enjoy your time in Japan, without doing anything illegal :)
by AK rate this post as useful

no 2009/2/19 06:15
your school does not take the visa away.

you should have checked into this more closely before paying.

what is likely to happen is you will be issued a 6 month visa by immigration initially. once it's finished you have to leave or get a new visa.

if you already have a 1 year visa then it does not matter if your visa expires after 6 months, but you will need to be careful not to break any restrictions on your visa such as attempting to work without permission.

if i were you, i would go to school and apply for a work permit as soon as possible. find a job, save money and pay for another 6 months or a year of schooling. that will get you a new visa.
by winterwolf (guest) rate this post as useful

Tourist visa 2009/2/19 08:02
I agree with AK, there is not much work for people on tourist visas here and as it's highly illegal it's not recommended. Police regularly raid bars etc. where foreigners are known to work in order to check visas. The most you could do would be to teach private students for some extra income.
by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

... 2009/2/19 14:45
But with the 90-days tourist visa I won't be able to work, right?

Neither would you on a student visa! If you are planning to work in Japan, you need to have a work visa.
by Uji rate this post as useful

?? 2009/2/19 16:31
But Uji, someone on a student visa can apply for permission to work part time, right?
by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

uji? 2009/2/19 17:08
I don`t agree with uji, too. You can get a work permit, but your working hours are restricted.
some schools also don`t allow their students to work in the first 2 or 3 months, because they want them to get used to japanese daily life or sth like that.
or just because the student is in japan for language education, not for work...
by dotcom (guest) rate this post as useful

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