chance of getting a work visa after arrival ?

[danieru]

I know this is a pretty common topic around here, but I've been reading old posts and such for a few hours and haven't really found the info I'm looking for.

My friend and I would like to move to Tokyo in a few months. Both of us have university degrees, but we don't really want to teach english. I think we'd like to work at restaurants or bars/clubs.

My question is this, how possible is it to arrive in Japan on the tourist visa, then find a place to work that will supply me with certificate of eligibility so I can get my visa ? I think we have some places to stay, money to burn while we look, but I'm just not sure how feasable this plan is.

Will I be turned away from most places if I don't have the visa already ?

thanks for any help,

-daniel

[GomiGirl]

What are your ages and nationalities?

[danieru]

She's Japanese-American, I'm American, both 24. I speak a bit of Japanese because I studied it in school and lived over there for a year. She speaks a bit too.

[danieru]

I wouldn't really mind being an English teacher, but from what I've gathered you don't really have a whole lot of control over location placement, and I would assume that it's even more difficult to get placed in and around Tokyo because that's probably where many other people want to go also.

I'm just trying to conjure a feasable way that we could both be in the same place.

[FG Lurker]

If she has her Japanese passport still then she has no visa problems and can do what she wishes. (However she should NOT bring her US Passport to Japan with her, if immigration/customs check her bags and find it there will be BIG problems as she is over the age that she should have chosen one or the other.)

I'm not sure what happens if she doesn't have it anymore. She *might* still be able to get a visa through her heritage, but I have no idea about this. Talking to an Japan-based immigration attorney is probably the best idea, or perhaps a Japanese consulate in your area. (The attorney will likely give you a better idea of what is actually possible, the consulate may just give whatever their standard answer is.)

On your side of things though you are going to need a visa for sure. I don't think you will be able to get one for bar/club/restaurant work. Generally employers need to show that they need to hire a gaijin instead of a Japanese, and I don't think immigration would give a visa for jobs along those lines. (As a skilled chef, no problem, or as an entertainer or something, but generally not for general restaurant/club/bar staff, afaik.)

If you are coming short-term you could try to track down internships or something along those lines.

Otherwise you could apply together to one of the large language schools and say that you are coming as a couple and want to be placed together. If she has extended "family" in Osaka or Tokyo (or can make some up that is convincing) you can probably manage to get placed together there.

That's my 2yen's worth -- and remember that advice is generally not worth more than you paid.