Will they let my girlfriend back in from Seoul?

[cousinisaac]

Hi, I have tried searching for this info but have not found an answer, so thanks for indulging me...
My girlfriend found a job teaching at an eikawa, so she applied for the Certificate of Eligablitly which it has not come yet so she booked a quick weekend flight to Seoul and back to renew her tourist visa as it will run out soon. Any chance of her not being let back in due to the CofA being in-process? Also, once she has the cert- can she then just aplly to change her visa status or is it back to Seoul? (She applied for the cert in-person, which lets immigration know that she is residing in Japan.)

Thanks for your help!

[Taro Toporific]

she booked a quick weekend flight to Seoul and back to renew her tourist visa as it will run out soon. Any chance of her not being let back in due to the CofA being in-process? Also, once she has the cert- can she then just aplly to change her visa status or is it back to Seoul? !

It used to be easy but now this is significantly harder EVERWHERE in the post-9/11 world. It used to be that you could travel with a tourist visa and then find informal jobs. Now almost every country looks at foreigners much more closely. Having said that, the Japanese Immigration computer system is crude and not networked so they might not even know that her CofA is in-process. But hey, who REALLY knows... not me.

[AssKissinger]

I think it mostly boils down to whoever stamps her passport when she tries to re-enter but I'd say she'll probably be let in. But hey, who REALLY knows... not me.

[cousinisaac]

Thanks- I appreciate the advice. Turns out the CofA arrived over a week ago but her company negelegted to inform her! So now she has booked the trip and has to go as it is too late to apply for the change of status. which she will hopefully do if or when she gets back.

Thanks again for your help!