Visas…
My visa for China arrived on the weekend, all glued, stamped and ready to go in my passport. I was so thrilled not to have to go to the China embassy which is all the way in Roppongi! Shun filled in my forms online and I had to pay at extra 1000yen but it meant that I sent my passport and information by takubin (courier!) and they sent it back to me a week later.
It is a shame that I can not do that with immigration. I went and applied for my work visa about a month ago and I now have the notice saying I can go pick it up! For the last 18 months I have been using a Working Holiday Visa which gives Australian`s 18 months to stay in Japan and not have to get a work visa. I could of gotten a work visa when I signed a contract for my current job but I decided to wait it out a bit and apply now so that my trips to immigration have been spaced out a little. So as soon as I go to immigration and have it stamped into my passport I will have a legitimate working visa! Yay! While I know I handed in all the right documents and did everything right, until you get the little notice saying that you have being granted a work visa, you never know if they are going to turn around and reject your application so when you receive that little notice it is a bit of a relief!
Immigration is a depressing place. I am not sure if anyone else finds it to be like that or not. It is always crowded and the one in Shinagawa always has people outside one entrance smoking and standing around (Where immigration prisoners are held…people that have overstayed their visa`s etc) and they kind of look at you weird…I don`t know if that is just me or if they really do look kind of scary. Then you go inside and the people behind the desks are so sick of dealing with crap (Not that i blame them!) that they are always so rude. I have never had a nice immigration worker…maybe they do exist although unfortunately I have never had the pleasure of meeting one. You think they could at least be a little nice since chances are you have been waiting for more than 2 hours for them to call your number…
But anyway now that I have my visa issues sorted out, I am free to leave the country and go to china (I organized my re-entry permits already…I believe this is just another way for the government to get money off me…) and come back and stay for at least another year (possible 3…it didn`t state whether I was granted a 3 year or a 1 year visa)
So yay for me!
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I agree about immigration – it is scary when you go in and there is a big sign saying “detention centre”, and it always seems to be full of nutters. Hope you have a great time in China!
Going to immigration sucks. It takes forever, and is in the middle of nowhere, plus it seems to be where all the dregs of Tokyo gather. There are always dodgy people there when I go, mothers with screaming babies, etc etc.
It pays to get there really early – the doors open about an hour before the windows do, so you can go and get a number (from the lady, not the machine) and wait for them to open so you can get out as early as possible. It is definitely worth it!!
So glad the visas got all sorted. I remember from my time in Korea that everyone was always nervous about applying for visas because they can so make or break your whole life really!
Fingers crossed you got the three year one, let us know
Go to Tachikawa Immigration Office next time, there’s always fewer people there!. Thanks for the comment on my blog! yay! you made my day! i’ll respond to it soon! yes I do have facebook! i’ll see if i can add you!
suzy: My thoughts exactley! Not long now til I head to china…and you have a baby. Hows the planning going?
Jess: I am a preschool teacher so my hours are 9-5, so while preschool is from 9:30 til 2:30 I still have prep and curriculum to do in the afternoons….Basically I can ask for permission to leave work early on an afternoon but unless I am VERY SICK, I have to be there for preschool in the mornings since I am the head teacher. Otherwise I would go to immigration first thing. It is what I used to do!!! And it was worth it, shame about my hours now though!!!!
Jen: I was very glad too. Very busy time though to change visas, move house, get a new owner in my preschool etc….
I hope it is a 3 year too, so that I don`t have to go back to immigration for 3 years unless I need a re-entry permit.
Katie: I went to Tachikawa this time. Why are immigration offices in the middle of nowhere…Shinagawa, Tachikawa…both more than 20 minute walk from the closest stations. I was lazy and caught a taxi!!!!
Thanks for adding me to facebook!
If it helps I had a horrid time at the Indian consulate the other day when I went to apply for a Visa (I’m going in a few months)
It is almost like they don’t people to visit their country.