American applying for an Engineering Visa. (3 weeks and counting)

[plastiktec]

I'm a 26 year old American and have been living in Japan for 2 years on a pre-college student visa at a Japanese language school.

My visa expires March 22, 2009 and cannot be extended.

I am currently at 2-kyu level.

I graduated as an Audio Engineer and Technician from a Technical School in america.

I dont have a college degree or a university degree.

I have 8 years of work experience in repairs and customization of equipment throughout studios and pro-audio customization businesses in the audio industry.

I have been working part-time for the past year at a small Television Maker company in Japan doing repair work on flat screen televisions DVD players ect.

This is an upcoming company and our products are being sold throughout japan at Jasco, Aeon, Donki ect.

I was given a work contract to become sei-shain starting April 1, 2009.

Now all I need is the Visa.

I have all the proper paper work to go ahead and apply for an Engineering Visa. Contract, written statement from the company as to why they need me ect.

(it is written that a minimum of 10 years is required of work experience, is this at all flexible??)

Aside from repair i do some very light translation and interaction with people from other companies (mainly with taiwanese)

I have seen 2 lawyers and they said my 8 years experience is not enough.
And a diploma from a technical school in America wont cut it.
They also said an Audio Engineering degree has nothing to do with television repair. (but i disagree)

Im thinking of going ahead and applying even though it may jeopardize any future applications.

Can anyone out there give me some advice please?

Thank you for taking to time to read all of this!

[Doctor Stop]

I have seen 2 lawyers and they said my 8 years experience is not enough.

Talk to lawyer #3 and/or get married to a Japanese national, quick. I heard that Noriko is looking for a husband.

[wuchan]

10 years, not flexible.
No degree... no 10 years...... get married or go home.

[plastiktec]

eh...

i guess ill have to get Tanzanian citizenship and sell weed in Roppongi.
Immigration doesnt seem to have a problem letting them in.

[Mulboyne]

You've already done what most of us would recommend which is to consult a lawyer. It can't hurt to consult another and if one happens to think he knows how to make a successful application on your behalf then you might be in with a chance. Some rules do get bent on occasion but I don't get the sense that it has been happening a lot recently. If your lawyers don't believe you can get a visa doing it the way you are, ask them if they can suggest a legal alternative.

[FG Lurker]

During boom times your company might have been able to get the 10 year rule bent a bit, but these days with so many Japanese getting laid off I wouldn't expect immigration to bend any rules in an applicant's favour.

This gives you two potential options to stay here:

1) Lie and say you have 10 years experience. Not recommended, if you get caught at any time (now or later) you will get thrown out, perhaps even banned for a number of years.

2) Get married post haste and apply for a spouse visa.

Considering the shape of the world economy getting married to keep a good job might not be such a bad thing...

[plastiktec]

thanks for all your replies.
im reconsidering my options.
maybe ill say hi to Noriko.

[Cyka UchuuJin]

eh...

i guess ill have to get Tanzanian citizenship and sell weed in Roppongi.
Immigration doesnt seem to have a problem letting them in.

japan loves to kick out east african nationals. all the ones in roppongi are married and have knocked up their local spouse as extra insurance.

[plastiktec]

well all joking aside how strict is Japan's immigration about Marriage Visa?

I've been with the same girl now for about 2 years i have plenty of pictures to justify a marriage.

She just graduated from her University and we both have contracts to become seishain this April.

Our income is enough to support ourselves, you think this would be enough to get the visa go through?

Also is it necessary to hire a lawyer?
I'd really rather just save the money.

[omae mona]

well all joking aside how strict is Japan's immigration about Marriage Visa?

I've been with the same girl now for about 2 years i have plenty of pictures to justify a marriage.

She just graduated from her University and we both have contracts to become seishain this April.

Our income is enough to support ourselves, you think this would be enough to get the visa go through?

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's one more qualification: you actually have to get married. ]
Also is it necessary to hire a lawyer?
I'd really rather just save the money.[/QUOTE]
If you are good at following directions (especially on Japanese forms that aren't translated into English), then you can probably do this without a lawyer. Spouse visas, assuming you have enough supporting evidence that it's not a sham marriage, are pretty straightforward. Especially for an American.

[FG Lurker]

well all joking aside how strict is Japan's immigration about Marriage Visa?

I've been with the same girl now for about 2 years i have plenty of pictures to justify a marriage.

As an American I don't think you will have any problems getting a spousal visa.

Also is it necessary to hire a lawyer?
I'd really rather just save the money.

With some help from your gf/wife you won't have problems applying for the visa yourself. It's probably the easiest visa of all to get, definitely MUCH easier than the student visa you are just wrapping up.

As OM wrote though, you do actually have to get married.

[plastiktec]

well as it turns out my 8 years experience and technical school diploma was enough to grant me a 3 year engineering visa.

got a reply 3 days after i applied.

So i guess immigration is a bit flexible.

and i didnt have to marry noriko so look at that :P

[taisaku]

Congratulations on the visa and the job.