Temporary Visitor Visa

From HyogoAJET

Note: The Alien Registration system will be abolished in summer 2012 and will be replaced by a new Residency system. Please view the following Ministry of Justice pamphlet for more details: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/pdf/NewResidencyManagementSystem-%28EN%29.pdf

This page will be updated when we have more information on how the changes pertain to JETs.

For most third year JETs, the last day on your visa is also your last day of work. That means that, unless you leave Japan before you finish your contract (which your contracting organization will probably not allow), you will have to get a temporary visitor visa so as not to be residing illegally in Japan.

Necessary Documentation to Obtain a Temporary Visitor Status of Residence:

• Application for Change of Status or Residence. You can get this at Immigration Offices, or download it from the Immigration Bureau's website: www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki (scroll down to "List of Necessary Documents").
• Passport
• Alien Registration Card
• Explanation of why you are staying in Japan
• Documentation showing the last day of your contract and your scheduled date of departure (get this from your Contracting Organisation).
• A copy of your airline ticket out of Japan, or a copy of your confirmed reservation.
• Proof that you have enough money for travelling and living in Japan until your departure date.

Things To Note

• Temporary visas may be issued in one day if all of the necessary documents are presented and the application is approved. Ask your supervisor to call the immigration office before you go, to confirm what you have to do and how long it will take.
• Temporary visitor visas are valid from the date of issue for a period that usually extends to 90 days after issuance, but sometimes for a shorter period of time.
• It is illegal to work on a temporary visitor visa. This makes things problematic for JETs whose working visas run out on the same day that their contracts end. You can try getting a temporary visa on your last days, but if the immigration office needs additional documentation, or if the application is refused, you could find yourself illegally stranded in the country. Your best bet may be to go to the immigration office in advance with all the documentation and a letter from your contracting organization asking that the temporary visitor visa be issued from the last day of the present working visa. This is not normal practice, but the immigration office may agree to do this.
• The provisions for the CLAIR-sponsored Return Tickets still apply with a temporary visitor visa.
• For detailed information on how to apply for a temporary visitor visa, please refer to the April CLAIR News, under the section "Procedures Concerning Status of Residence and Period of Stay", "6) Staying in Japan at the End of the JET Appointment for the Purpose of Sightseeing, Study or Employment."

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