COE processing times

@Mrs
Mine also 2nd time �clast 8months waiting .. now 2nd time 3months waiting�c. ☹️☹️☹️😢😢😢😢

@ rush

We shall make it this time round...

@Dino

I have applied for coe for my spouse on 26 Dcemeber, 2023 at tokyo immigration office while he was outside japan.

But now while his coe is still pending he came to japan in visitor visa. Can i change his status while waiting for coe in tourist visa?

If i can change his status what documents should i bring to immigration office can you guide me?

I am calling for several times in immigration office but can not get through it.

Hi everyone,

I have a quick questions - I've noticed that some of you have mentioned that you were in Japan when your COE got approved.

My husband and I are waiting to get ours (we submitted our applications on January 30th) but since the process might take a long time, I was wondering if it would be possible to visit Japan during that time to meet up with a real estate agent, find a neighborhood we like, etc... Are we able to enter Japan easily and do we have to mention anything to immigration when entering the country (that we are in the midst of the COE application process)?

I want to make sure 100% that it's okay so we don't mess anything up. I've read yes and no to that question so I'm a bit confused.

Thank you so much!

@carol
I would suggest you consult directly from either the immigration or a lawyer so that you don't mess up because we apply for coe because we're going to stay there for long and if you received a notification letter from the Immigration..... you find that after your coe is issued........ it's sent to you by your spouse/ sponsor to your home country so that you can apply for a visa at the Japanese embassy in your home country.

And other countries are even exempted from visa etc like they're free to enter into Japan.

That's my opinion 🙏

@ Mrs

Hi- you�fve had a tough time. You applied once before and waited 8 months. Was it declined? Insufficient information? I know they never tell us why they decline, but did they give you any hints as to why?

@ aaahhhh immigration

The first time we applied was after our wedding and we waited 3 months and got a decline so we waited another 8months before applying again........ so we handed everything to a lawyer that took 1 month for him to prepare the docs and submit......... so here we are 5 months still waiting.....no additional doc were asked till now.

@ Mrs

Yeah hopefully waiting 👍 but waiting is killing tomorrow japan red day so holiday�c ☹️

@Mrs

Thank you for your response. Was there a particular part of your application incorrect that they declined your first COE?

It might helps us, so we don�ft make the same mistakes.

If you could let us all know,

Thank you

We have all already applied for our coe so I feel there is no need for all that......All cases are different.

Let's keep the hope up and wait for what's to come.

134 days and still waiting....my husband promised to go to the immigration office on Friday to check things up.....he is getting restless 😬

@Mrs

I hope date of the marriage is not something they take into consideration, i've been with my now wife since 2007, for 17 years, we lived together until 2017, then she departed for Japan, first on a student visa, then on a work visa. I went to visit her everytime i could (i've been 10 times to Japan), then due to the pandemic we weren't able to see each other for 3 whole years and just since late 2022 we were able to travel again, in January this year we were finally able to marry. So for the immigration they will see that we've been married only for a couple of months, but actually i've spent more than half of my life with her, i Just want to be able to join her once again

@Chrono87

I just saw this and wanted to mention my side to give you some comfort. My husband and I have been together for 7 years, and same like you, because of the pandemic we couldn't see each other for 2 and a half years. We got married and I was told we can apply for coe right away. So, we did ours only a week after marriage but we had to show soooo much proof of relationship.

@PianoSama

May i ask you what kind of prof you had to produce? I think i can provide photos way back to 2007, facebook conversation up to 2008, I May even able to find a Copy of the rent contract we both signed for the apartment we lived in on Italy from 2012 to 2017. I Hope It would be enough

@Chrono87

We had to show 20 photos of us together, 20 photos of messaging screenshots (1 screenshot for each month showing the date, so 20 months of screenshots of the messages), Another set of screenshots of messages of how the relationship started, so like the very beginning, times I came to Japan & times they came to America. And I had to explain 3 different dates we had in detail. However, mine is because I'm married to a Japanese national so yours might be a little different.

Thank You! That Is reassuring, i can provide tons of photos and screenshots like that, the only thing i'm missing Is how the relationship started because we knew each other in IRC chat before the social media era, and we don't have screenshot about that, but i think It would be no issue since i can even provide hotel receipts when we traveled to meet each other in Japan or in our home country, as well as the forementioned rent contract we both signed

Hello everyone, looks like more and more people waiting up to 8 months. I just want to share perhaps some of my experiences in waiting for 8 months also.

So basically, I have received my COE as well as for my family
Nationality: Indonesian
Apply for: 1 Religious VISA with 3 Dependents
Submit: 1st week of July 2023
Receive: 29 February 2024
Duration: About 7-8 months

- My employer has called many times and the responses were the same which was "On progress", "Can't say when it's done", "You only need to wait". And sometime they even recognized your voice and said "Oh, it's you again"

- I understand that many of you might think "Can we do something about it?" or "Do they lose the document?" or "Should I re-apply?" the answer is "No" and "Don't do anything that can change your application". If you re-apply, then your application process will start from beginning.

- When there is no news about your application it means good news. If your application is rejected they will tell you ASAP (Heard this from these forum as well). You really need to wait.

- Work things out with your employer or your sponsor at the mean time. Try your best to stay calm and focus on what you can do now. Don't make any risky decision as well.

- Don't buy airplane ticket before you get your COE

- This is the battle of mind and emotion, and there's nothing that you can do so better not to worry about it so much.

- Don't get frustrate when you heard people in this forum received their COE within weeks and wondering "is there something wrong with my application?" Nope and I dunno why but nothing you can do. So just wait.

No news means No Worry (I know it's hard to accept this but it is - for me anyway)

@ Lucas

Thank you for the encouragement.......I hope for the best soon.

Update

Finally, I got my COE! Thank God!

Submitted: November 3, 2023
Additional Documents: February 27, 2024
Submitted add.docs: March 13, 2024
COE issued: March 21, 2024

Shinagawa TOKYO Immigration

It was a long wait too!

I am praying for everyone who's waiting.

What type coe ? How many years gave you

@ yuzu finally... congrats girl....all the best in visa application at the embassy.

I pray am next 😃😃😃😃