Spouse Visa Renewal

[6810]

Hi,

Currently in Japan on a spouse visa. It runs out in around a month.

Is anyone familiar with the process of renewal? What documents do you need etc?

[Kumachan]

Hi,

Currently in Japan on a spouse visa. It runs out in around a month.

Is anyone familiar with the process of renewal? What documents do you need etc?

Just did this and the bastards only gave me a year. Hopefully next time around I'll get the three year one.

Anyway besides the application form and the questionaire (which you get at immigration) you'll need the following:

1) Copy of your spouse's Koseki Tohon (family registration)
2) An Employment Cerificate, Authorised Business certificate or company registration certificate.
3) Income-tax payment ceritificate, Witholding income tax slip. or Declaration of income tax return.
4) Gaijin card
5) Jumin-Hyo (resident certificate)
6) Passport

Now, #2 & 3 can either be yours or your spouse's depending on whether you want to self-sponsor or you want your spouse to sponsor you. When I went, I did the self-sponsor thing without a problem but then I make more than my wife does and for a Japanese woman she makes a *lot* of money. And you might want to get these documents translated into Japanese just in case. While it's not necessary and I was able to do it with the documentation in English, they do say on the form that they have to be in Japanese. So if you get a real _______, or they're a stickler for the rules...

Good luck.

[6810]

Thanks for the swift update. Exactly the info I was looking for.

And I am all too familiar with the Japanese love of rules and the grief it can cause a foreigner! Thanks for the reminder...

[Guest]

I'm curious about no.s 2 and 3...

What if you had no substantial income? Would they tell you to get the hell outta Japan? Does not a stable marraige to a Japanese National itself allow for the foreign spouse to retain a visa? If there are circumstances that prevent one from making an income, will they just say, "well we don't want you on our welfare program, so get the hell out!" ?? I would hope not, but not sure what to think.

[Guest]

Aka:
I can only give you what I would call a general "understanding" and that is, regardless of what the rules or the laws are, immigration will not necessarily throw you out and ESPECIALLY if you have family and more so children in this country. They may be sob's in some respects but family will take precedence over other "things." That is not to say that they cannot be sob's but if push comes to shove, the foreigner who has family here and an established residence will be given a certain amount of leeway. Of course there is nothing written in stone about this but as Trip Hop often says it is case by case. Hope this answers your question. R.

[donpaulo]

kuma-kun I too got the shaft with the one year visa. But in my case immigration gave me a 3 year deal by mistake. I took it to city hall for my gaijin card update, but they caught the mistake and sent me back to immigration ! Immigration took my passport again. Gave me a one year visa the next day. Yada ! They did alot of apologizing.
Like you I am hoping for a 3 year deal next time around. My buddy who is married with a kid and arrived the same time I did got a 3 year visa, no doubt because of junior.

[Kumachan]

I'm curious about no.s 2 and 3...

What if you had no substantial income? Would they tell you to get the hell outta Japan? Does not a stable marraige to a Japanese National itself allow for the foreign spouse to retain a visa? If there are circumstances that prevent one from making an income, will they just say, "well we don't want you on our welfare program, so get the hell out!" ?? I would hope not, but not sure what to think.

My understanding of it is unless there's a way for you to support yourself, they don't want to be the ones to do it. This is where your spouse or his/her family comes in as a guarantor. The idea is that they are responsible for you and if you need cash, they're the ones to supply it. When I came to Japan last year, I had no job and so my wife had to supply the information. Had I still been out of work, she would have had to do the same thing this time around.

So if you're not working, then it would be your guarantor filling out #2 & 3.

Like you I am hoping for a 3 year deal next time around. My buddy who is married with a kid and arrived the same time I did got a 3 year visa, no doubt because of junior.

This might have to do with the amount of time he's been married. I've read that if you've been married less than 2 years, you're not getting a 3 year spouse visa.

[6810]

Just wanted to say that this is the definitive thread on renewing the spouse visa.

Kuma-chan has officially made my heroes list.

[mavis]

Another question:

How early can one apply for a renewal? My spouse visa expires in September (almost exactly three months from now) ... Can I apply for the renewal now?

[6810]

Just to let you know.

Last Tuesday (31st May) Went to Nagoya Immigration to renew my spouse visa.

The postcard signalling it was time to pick it up came on Friday (3rd June).

I picked up the visa today.

I told the woman at the counter I was surprised by how quick it had come through. She said "You're not the only one!".

I now have a 3 year extension. My partner and I have been married less than two years.

[savoirfaire]

Early renewal

I was also wondering if anyone knows how early you can start to renew your visa. I dont want to have a lapse in case they take forever again.

[trip_hop]

The earliest they will consider applications is 2 months in advance, unless exceptional circumstances.

[6810]

Yeah, at immi they seemed to think only takes two weeks. So aim a month in advance in order to get all your docs and you should be safe.

[zatoichi]

Spousal Visa - No Earnings / Tax Proof

First - thanks Kumachan.

Like a previous poster, I have everything okay except earnings/ tax stuff, because we hadn't planned on staying in Japan that long originally,and have been living off savings, and some internet freelance work from back home, but now want to renew Spouse Visa. Problem with wife being my guarantor, my wife also works for the UK (internet based work) so doesn't have proof of earnings here. Possibly father in Law could be guarantor, has own business.

We havent' paid tax as been here for less than a year, and have a local tax form which we will do a return on asap, but not in time for the renewal.

I have enough savings to last at least another year, and intend to do more regular Japan based job if I stay for another year, is showing savings etc. an answer to not being able to provide work/tax records. Should I use my father in law as Guarantor, what would he have to provide, letter etc?

BTW we have a kid, and are staying with wifes family, so hoping that this will help.

I am going to phone them and ask of course, but wanted to know if anyone had any experience, opinions on this kind of situation.

[6810]

Zatoichi

The guarantor letter is a cinch. Basically anyone in your partner's immediate family who is formally engaged in "full-time" work can act as your guarantor. SO it could be a father, mother, brother, uncle or whatever. In my case it was an older brother.

As for the letter itself, I received a form letter from my consulate (I am Australian). It was pre-written (I hereby declare that... blah blah, if and blah, blah, I will act as guarantor to the undersigned, blah, blah), brother popped his hanko on it and it went through no problem.

hope it helps.