Cert of Eligibility - Can sponsor be girlfriend?

[Mr Doricar]

I'm sure it's a stupid question with a two letter answer, but I can't find any clear indication on the MOFA website on Who your sponsor has to be. It obviously mentions employers as an option, but doesn't clearly say that your cert. has to be applied for by an employee.

Also it mentions there are two ways to apply for cert.

1) An application is usually made by a proxy in Japan at the nearest regional immigration authority to the proxy's place of residence in Japan.

2) The second process is limited to special cases, such as applicants who happen to be residing in Japan and are prepared to leave the country to apply for a visa.

For option 2...Could this mean someone 'living' in Japan on a tourist visa?

Also found this note on another website: At the time when the CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY is obtained from the Immigration office if the applicant is visiting Japan with Short-Term Visa then change of status can be applied.

Is my best bet to get my ass into job searching mode, and try to find a job with a company who is willing to sponsor me, then get employer to apply for cert. then go to Korea or similar for weekend? Man it's too tricky for my alcohol riddled brain. I was planning on doing a few visa runs but the girlfriend is not keen. Want's security or something...eeek

[omae mona]

As I understand, the certificate of eligibility is an optional document, and visas can be obtained with or without them. As I understand, it's basically a "pre-approval" which states that the government has checked out your qualifications and will probably issue your visa when you actually apply for it.

You can still apply for the visa without a certifiate of eligibility. They will check your qualifications at that point, but it takes more time than if you had a certificate.

So I don't think it matters who acts as the proxy to hand in your application. The question is whether you are qualified or not. If you don't have a specific type of visa in mind (e.g. a "specialist in humanities" working visa) and don't have the right qualifications (e.g. a company that says they will sponsor you), then you will not be able to receive a certificate of eligibility, no matter who applies for you.

[Mr Doricar]

Good reply, thanks.

Well I don't have a specific visa in mind no. I'm making my money exporting things from Japan back to UK and Oz. Although due to the fact I'm on a tourist visa it's making things pretty difficult and could possibly be illegal. I'm not paying tax, so I don't know where I stand on this. As far as it looks on paperwork, I'm a UK citizen living with girlfriend in her apartment, on a 3 month tourist visa (4th one) and am buying car parts from shops for cash, and EMS'ing them back to the UK & to Australia. I've not got a gaikokujin card, and am driving on Intl license which will soon expire.

This makes it hard to find a place to live, can't register a car, can't open a bank account etc. All of these things require an alien card which I'm told I cannot get on a tourist visa.

Plus there's the fact that they could refuse my next tourist visa and I'd be on my way back home. Which would not be cool.

I might look into this humanities thing! Thanks

[kusai Jijii]

I'm making my money exporting things from Japan back to UK and Oz. Although due to the fact I'm on a tourist visa it's making things pretty difficult and could possibly be illegal. I'm not paying tax, so I don't know where I stand on this...I've not got a gaikokujin card, and am driving on Intl license which will soon expire.

Oh yes, you have come to the right place! You truly are a FUCKED GAIJIN!

[Mr Doricar]

Arigato. I aim to please

N.B. I forgot to mention that all info above is most definately 100% not regarding me. I was asking a theoretical question based purely on fiction characters. Also no animals were harmed in the writing of this post!

[GomiGirl]

Yes Mr Doricar, you are earning money illegally. Sorry bout that but I doubt anybody here will rat you out.

If your business is going well, then I urge you to start your own company here (fairly easy to do) and get yourself an "investor visa". Alternatively, you can use a registered company in either UK or Aus and set up a Representative or a Branch office. Any of these options will allow you to earn your money legally and get your gaijin card etc and become truly fucked. See the Jetro website for more information to see if you fall under these categories. Jetro English pages

[Mr Doricar]

Hmmm, interesting! Thanks Gomi-Girl Chan. I'll pass the information on to my FG friend that obviously is not me. I beleive this friend of mines Father has a registered company already in the UK, so that may help him

[ttjereth]

Yes Mr Doricar, you are earning money illegally. Sorry bout that but I doubt anybody here will rat you out.

Speak for yourself, I'm calling in the highly trained immigration and tax bureau hit squad as you read this!


:ninja3::ninja3::ninja3::ninja3:

[Greji]

Any of these options will allow you to earn your money legally and get your gaijin card etc and become truly fucked.

Is that where you applied for your Spammer's Permit?

[Charles]

I might look into this humanities thing! Thanks

"This humanities thing" generally applies to scholars, artists, writers, and those who engage in intellectual activities, it is not intended for used car parts hustlers and scrapyard salvage exporters.

Fraudulent visa applications make it harder for legitimate visa applicants. Don't even THINK of applying for a humanities visa. Don't make me kick your ass for dumbing down the world.

[Mr Doricar]

Thanks awfully for your input Charles. I'll make sure my Aerospace Engineering PHD's ass specialising in in wind turbine rotors doesn't dumb down the forum, Japan, and the gene-pool in general. I'll get back to my work boots and elbows up to grease down the scrapyyard. Yeehaaaw boy!

[GomiGirl]

Actually it is a fairly broad category for Specialists in Humanities and International Services. Exporting cars etc falls under the International Services part.

The Humanities bit covers most of the English Teachers I understand.

I do have a copy of the Immigration handbook on this subject that lists everything that this visa covers. It also covers PR, advertising as well as Specialists such as Sommeliers.

[Charles]

Thanks awfully for your input Charles. I'll make sure my Aerospace Engineering PHD's ass specialising in in wind turbine rotors doesn't dumb down the forum, Japan, and the gene-pool in general. I'll get back to my work boots and elbows up to grease down the scrapyyard. Yeehaaaw boy!

Even if I believed you had a PhD in Engineering, that wouldn't make you eligible for a Humanities visa. My dictionary defines Humanities as "learning or literature concerned with human culture, esp. literature, history, art, music, and philosophy."

I'll make you a deal. You keep out of my turf in the humanities, and I won't sell car parts to your Chav Jigger buddies.

[Mr Doricar]

Modern language, history, literature, religion and even performing arts such as movies & music all come under humanities. When I'm not slinging parts to my jigger buddies I was planning on reading Japanese texts on the Meiji restoration while sitting outside a shinto temple listening to shamisen & koto music on my Sony MP3 player. Afterwards I was contemplating discussing the finer points of orthodox neo-confucianism with my new found friends at the local Starbucks

[Samurai_Jerk]

Don't listen to Charles. He doesn't even live here and doesn't know what he's talking about. The Specialists in Humanities and International Services visa is a very general visa that covers most kinds of jobs. It's the visa that most of my friends and I have whether we are English teachers, headhunters, traders, or CEOs. As a matter of fact, a professor at a university might very well need an Educator's visa as opposed to a humanities one.

Anyway, you are working illegally and they've been getting stricker lately about people coming and going as tourists. Your best option in the long run is to set up a KK. It's a great way to avoid taxes too.

[Mr Doricar]

You wouldn't be the first person to give me that advice, about our dear Mr Charles.

What am I missing? KK is?

[GomiGirl]

KK = Kabushiki Kaisha - an incorporated company

See the jetro link from earlier to show you how to do it. It can be done - there a few hoops to jump through but no worse than any other country. I have registered 8 companies in 5 countries and it is the same amount of effort.

[Taro Toporific]

[kusai Jijii]

Fuck me this quote function is shit tonight... take two...

[kusai Jijii]

I'll make you a deal. You keep out of my turf in the humanities, and I won't sell car parts to your Chav Jigger buddies.

What exactly is your "turf" in the humanities Chuck?

[Mr Doricar]

Maybe Charles needs one so he can study society in order for him to understand and become part of one...