How risky is a 2nd 90 day tourist visa?

* keep in mind that I wrote this at 2:30 am after traveling today.

Because people do it does not neccessarily make it right.

You lied to Immigration officer about your true intent to go into Japan, what if he had denied you entry, then researched to find you had a COE for a Work Visa in progress? Something like that you can find yourself with a rejected work visa application.

Its a good policy, 90 days tourist, you can't stay longer than 90 days, people often do visa runs and attempt to get into Japan because they are working illegally, there are thousands of people who are captured doing this each year, so its a sound system. Just because it doesn't sound right to you or fit your situation doesn't make it wrong.

Thank your lucky stars Japan-US have visa waiver agreements for temporary visitors, but frankly speaking, this type of stuff makes it just that much harder for the rest of us visiting/living in Japan with immigration officials. they might change the whole thing to 60 days later or something if people keep abusing the system, wait until immigration starts to keep track of when they start doing fingerprints and criminal checks on everyone later this year of everyone entering.

I would have told them that I was waiting for that answer to go through and that techinically I am like a tourist right now. Plus it is stupid that if you are from the UK and other countries you can just go pay 4000 yen and get your 90 day visa extended to 180 days. Financially speaking, this was my only option - it would have been too expensive to go back to America and make the move all over again. The trip to Shanghai was basically free for me. I really don't feel like I am in the wrong with what I did and I know a ton of other people that have done it too. If you live in Japan you will hear about this being done all the time - but usually nothing is said until after 4 or 5 times of doing this. Really if it is a problem, all they have to do is make a rule against it. It's stupid.

If it really is a problem for immigration here with people doing multiple 90 day stays then they should simply state that you are not allowed to do X amount per year or something like that! But then again, it is only because I am American. The only difference between me and someone from the UK is that Japan has set up some stupid political relationship with them that allows UK not to have to do what I did. And same with the working holiday visa. Why can't Americans get one?! I am a good person and hold a well respected profession, and don't feel bad about what I did at all. Especially, when I saw a ''special'' window at the immigration office here in Tokyo for applicants for the entertainment visa, aka sex worker/hostess visa.

Like I said just because "many people do it" doesn't neccessarily make it wrong. thousands of people do drugs, doesn't make it legal.

You fund the system somehow.


Its harder for people who actually have to get "tourist visas", you don't have a tourist visa, as there is a visa-waiver agreement with the United States, you have a temporary visitors permit.

Hey just wait until they start fingerprinting every foreigner and doing criminal backround checks this year, wonderful isn't it!

Makes it just that much harder and arrgrivating immigration officials like the stunts people do make it harder for the rest of us.

The only difference between me and someone from the UK is that Japan has set up some stupid political relationship with them that allows UK not to have to do what I did. And same with the working holiday visa. Why can't Americans get one?!

Because the United States doesn't offer a Working HOliday visa plan in return, its about reciprocity.

I am a good person and hold a well respected profession, and don't feel bad about what I did at all.

I don't see how a well respected profession as to do with anything. On a side note I'm not saying this towards you, but how many doctors have mudered their wives and claimed they are a good standing member of the community?

Especially, when I saw a ''special'' window at the immigration office here in Tokyo for applicants for the entertainment visa, aka sex worker/hostess visa.

Yes and the folks working at Tokyo Disney, hollywood actors, singers, magicians, musicians all get entertainment visas as well.

I understand what you are saying. But you are being outragreous by comparing this to doing drugs. My last comment will be that, if they don't want Americans or anyone else doing this, then they should state it in the immigration laws/rules. If it was stated as a law, I would have not gone and tested this. That's all.

But then again, it is only because I am American. The only difference between me and someone from the UK is that Japan has set up some stupid political relationship with them that allows UK not to have to do what I did. And same with the working holiday visa. Why can't Americans get one?! I am a good person and hold a well respected profession.


Funny how the vast majority of the contracts to rebuild Iraq, are only given to American companies. It's only because the very same American politians have links with the same companies.
Lets hope the Chris does not go to the UN and have a resolution taken out against Japan for the unfair treatment he has received for being American.

TFT as my old gran used to say.

As an American who regularly travels to Japan on temporary visitors permits, each instance always less than 90 days, Iappreciate very much that I am granted the rigght to visit the beautiful nation of Japan for 90 days without applying for a visa. This courtesy - the visitors permt, is graciously extended to Americans by the Japanese government. The customs and immigration officers have always been unfailingly polite whenever I travel. John - while you might not be explicitly violating the immigration laws of Japan, you certainly are in spirit Though many others do the "visa run", you most certainly cannot expect intelligent readers to accept this immoral justification. You are abusing the system, plain and simple. In the USA when immigrants use the same techniques to stay in this country I am equally disdainful. You seem to completely fail to realize that your intention often serves as the basis for differentiating lawful versus unlawful activity. This is the difference between tax avoidance (legal) and tax evasion (not legal) Your willingness to exploit loopholes in the immigration system of Japan and then complain about it...is to say the least unflattering to you as an individual. As an American, I hope many readers of this board will not assume others share John's attitude towards the sovereign legal system of Nation of Japan. I must confess that I am a bit embarassed to share citizenship with individuals who are so careless, undiplomatic and disrespectful. I hope you will learn to respect the laws (both the letter and the spirit) of the nation you are a guest in. If you are expected to return to the US while your work visa is pending - don't be a cheapo...do the honorable thing and follow not merely the letter of the law but the spirit and intent of the law as well.

I typed John but I meant Chris.

Johnson wrote::

And same with the working holiday visa. Why can't Americans get one?!

For the same reason Japanese nationals cannot get a Working Holiday Visa to the USA. Visa policies are usually reciprocal agreements between the two countries involved, so maybe you should complain to your own government first.

Ok, this is getting ridiculous. What I did was not illegal, period. Find me something online to prove me wrong. Otherwise you have no basis for your arguments.

Seems liks I probably chose the wrong forum to discuss this on. You guys have views of Japan that are too romanticized and naive. Have you even tried to find a decent job here, as your FIRST job here, that doesn't involve "English" teaching. Probably not. So you don't understand. It is not easy to find and get a respectable job here that isn't the usual one that foreigners get to choose from, like "English" teaching, especially when you are doing it on your own and not taking a normal corporate job where the work visa application is relatively tame.

Why don't you send an email to George Bush and ask him to sort out this unfair system. I am sure that America would love to "HELP" the Japanese correct this blatant injustice to the American people.

I also recommend that you complain to the US government!

It is the US govenment, and not the the Japanese government, that is opposing eased mutual immigration policies between Japan and the US. It is the US govenment, and not the the Japanese government that opposed the establishment of a working holiday agreement between the two countries.

This is all about reciprocity!

Do you know how Japanese nationals are treated by US immigration officials? I have heard many horror stories especially of Japanese women, who tried to enter the US repeatedly on tourist visas within a relatively short time period in order to visit their boyfriends. They get treated like criminals, refused entry, sent back to Japan.

I suspect that it is these horror stories that have led to a detoriation of the attitude of Japanese immigration officals towards Americans. It also seems to have gotten tougher for Americans to get working visas as opposed to UK or Canadian citizens.

Again, this is all about reciprocity! So, I recommend to address your complaints to the US government!

Yes, I am sorry. You are right about it not being the sole error on Japan's side and it is very tied to how America treats foreigners. I am sorry I began to mention off topic statements like that. I let the emotions caused by my treatment get the better of me. If you were to meet me in person you would see that I have a lot of respect for this country (probably more than most foreigners here) and I am not trying to play the system. Nor do I feel that because I am American, that I deserve special treatment. I know that America does horrible things - you don't have to tell me this. But I feel agitated by the way things are both here, and in America. It's just I am trying to do things that I think are a little ahead of the times, and that the rules have not been adjusted to what is going on these days with globalization and an ever increasing mobile work force. I feel it is just a matter of time before reform comes with regards to these issues - I hope. But again, what I did was not illegal. I am still a tourist here until I get my work visa.

I would like to stay in Japan for 6 months. Not to work, I have the money. But I have about 6 months off until I start my new university. I am an American. So how do I go about staying in Japan ticket wise?
Do I purchase a ticket departing in 3 months time, then change it later on?
Or do I buy the ticket to Japan, then Korea, then back to Japan, then back to the US?

You could do either or.

But remember Japan does fingerprinting now, it wouldn't take them hard to figure out you were just in Japan and left.

Even without the fingerprinting, the dates you were last in Japan are stamped into your passport and Immigration looks at such things. As to whether you get back in the second time, it is a very case by case situation and can depend a lot on whether the Immigration offcicer you are dealing with is having a good day and whether he or she likes the look of you. It's a risk you have to take if you want to come straight back in.

Don't overstay a tourist permit under any circumstances- they will not be sympathetic and you may be banned for 5 years or more.

Does the amount of time matter at all?
I will be in Thailand for 3 days, and then Korea for a week. Possibly Taiwan or China for another day.

On e-tickets, can they see that I plan to return to Japan after I travel the mainland? I do not really know how e-tickets work.