Weird situation

[Nepali Nightmare]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and have actually spent most of the day combing through threads trying to find my exact situation but thus far have not been able to. So here goes;

My girlfriend of 5 years got a job with an EFL company back in June of this year. We had been planning on coming to Japan long before that, it ended up being a lengthy process with working full time, studying for the TEFL exam, and to figure all of this stuff out. I personally do not have a bachelor's degree so could not apply for an English teaching position. So we decided I would look for work before coming to Japan in another position - the only problem was, we had absolutely NO idea where she was going to be placed in Japan. I really do mean NONE. So it was not possible for me to look for a job while living in the States, because I had no idea where to look.

They ended up placing her in Osaka, with about 1 month notice. She bought her plane ticket, and I decided that I would stay in the States and look for a job in Osaka, and get a sponsorship for a visa, but of course, my girlfriend really did not like the idea of being all alone in a country that she knew little about, and spoke very little Japanese, especially after spending almost everyday of the last 5 years together.

So I came over a couple of weeks later on a temporary visitor status, and thought I should be able to find a job in 90 days time. Well, that has not happened (not for lack of trying), and I have only a little over a month on my temporary visitor status. I am aware of the 'visa run' option, but spending that much money to go to Korea with no guarantee of getting back into Japan really does not appeal to us, although I can't imagine not being able to find a job within another 90 days.

We have been together for 5 years, and although not engaged, we always talk as if we are going to be together until the end. As far as marriage, we were waiting until we were more financially stable, and preferably back in the States, but at this point, we are thinking about getting married here in Japan because she wants to keep teaching here for at least 2 years, and I want to back her up because this has been a dream of hers for a long time. My question is this: if we do get married here, will I be able to get a dependent visa on her work visa, and how long does it take to get? Will I be able to change my dependent visa when I do eventually find work? If I've applied for the visa, will the government be willing to allow me to overstay my temporary visitor status while we await the ... verdict (haha) I guess?

I know some of these questions have been answered in regards to other situations and whatnot, I would just really feel better about it if I could get them answered to this specific situation. Thanks in advance for your replies!!

[Nepali Nightmare]

Thanks for the reply..ok i understand the answer to the last question, but didn't quite understand the answer to the first few... I WILL be able to get a dependent visa? and I WILL be able to change the status? What is the guaranteed no?

[Glenski]

While not 100% guaranteed (like for any visa), you will very probably get the dependent visa. Don't sweat that.

If I've applied for the visa, will the government be willing to allow me to overstay my temporary visitor status while we await the ... verdict (haha) I guess?

yes

[Nepali Nightmare]

Thanks so much for your responses. I was told before I got here that they're would be many private English language schools that would hire someone without a degree as long as you were already in Japan, but I have yet to find that the case. Does anybody have any recommendations for other jobs a gaijin could look into? I spent 10 years as a cook in the States, and another 5 in customer service. Other than that, I have no other skills I could write on a resume; I've also played guitar for 21 years in several bands, but I don't think that will really get me anywhere.

[KansaiBen]

Keep in mind you can only work up to 20 hours a week on a dependent visa, not full time. Any visa changes require you trot to immigration and apply for a change is status of Valid Period of Stay (technically a residency permit not a visa) as long as you qualify for the visa you apply to.

PS I just applied to Berlitz in Osaka, they are hiring. I also know of a bridal company that was willing to hire wedding ministers with no experience needed.

[Glenski]

Thanks so much for your responses. I was told before I got here that they're would be many private English language schools that would hire someone without a degree as long as you were already in Japan

Most will still require a degree as an employer's prerogative. As for immigration, you need a proper visa. With a dependent visa, you have to request special permission to work.
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/te...hikakugai.html
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/te...hyorui/09.html

Does anybody have any recommendations for other jobs a gaijin could look into? I spent 10 years as a cook in the States, and another 5 in customer service. Other than that, I have no other skills I could write on a resume; I've also played guitar for 21 years in several bands, but I don't think that will really get me anywhere.

Pretty bleak outlook. Skilled labor visa for a cook, maybe.
http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go...27&vm=04&re=01

[Nepali Nightmare]

Keep in mind you can only work up to 20 hours a week on a dependent visa, not full time. Any visa changes require you trot to immigration and apply for a change is status of Valid Period of Stay (technically a residency permit not a visa) as long as you qualify for the visa you apply to.

PS I just applied to Berlitz in Osaka, they are hiring. I also know of a bridal company that was willing to hire wedding ministers with no experience needed.

Yeah I saw that I would only be able to work 20 hours a week... the money part of it is actually less important than the visa itself at this point as I do still have income coming in from the states...although eventually I will need to be working more like 40+ hrs. I looked into Berlitz earlier and they require a BA or BS and it looks like you already must have a visa with working permission So that's a no go on both counts for me. I'm interested in this bridal company if you're not going to be applying....what is it called? maybe pm me?

Thanks so much for your thoughtful response. really appreciate it.

[Nepali Nightmare]

Pretty bleak outlook. Skilled labor visa for a cook, maybe.
http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go...27&vm=04&re=01

Yikes! Thanks for the link... Even for the skilled labor visa it looks like i would need to have some schooling included somewhere in my 10 years experience. It's funny, when I was a kid and a lot of my friends were going to college, i thought 'i'm not gonna go to school and rack up all this debt just to be making the same amount of cash i'll be making when i get out that i will be making by then anyway'... which was close to true in the States. now it's kinda screwing me here. darn!!

[KansaiBen]

Yikes! Thanks for the link... Even for the skilled labor visa it looks like i would need to have some schooling included somewhere in my 10 years experience. It's funny, when I was a kid and a lot of my friends were going to college, i thought 'i'm not gonna go to school and rack up all this debt just to be making the same amount of cash i'll be making when i get out that i will be making by then anyway'... which was close to true in the States. now it's kinda screwing me here. darn!!

A university graduate on average will earn $10-20,000 more a year than a person with a high school diploma, so over a 30 year career you are looking at a difference of several hundred thousand dollars. that is why people go to college. Nowadays student debt is crippling college kids and many are not able to pay off student loans. Be thankful you dont have student debt to worry about.

Just an idea but you may need also to think about self-employment, teaching kids is a growth industry here so if you can learn about teaching children (or be prepared to) its possible to make some money there.

[Nepali Nightmare]

A university graduate on average will earn $10-20,000 more a year than a person with a high school diploma, so over a 30 year career you are looking at a difference of several hundred thousand dollars. that is why people go to college. Nowadays student debt is crippling college kids and many are not able to pay off student loans. Be thankful you dont have student debt to worry about.

I am very thankful, but my gf's is $70k in debt from her college days, so in a way i'm helping her pay that debt off already. i can't imagine if both of us had loans/massive credit card debt, etc... that would be devastating.

as far as working for myself, of course that would be ideal and i would be willing, but at this point i'm just looking for something to help me get started... now that you mention it there is someone that has some type of franchise school that a buddy of mine knows... time to give him a ring.