Corroboration on a Taro Quote

[24yroldjunior]

I'm planning a trip to Japn through WWOOF and will not be working for pay. (Please resist any cheap shot posts I'm a college student and this is the only way I could ever afford to go to Japan). I'm taking an entire semester off and would like to stay for more than the 90 day temporary tourist visa allows.


Are there any other ways an American can stay in Japan for more than 90 days without a work or study visa? Anyone have experience with extending the 90 day visa??

I did some researching and found this nugget by Taro

One renewal of a 90-day Tourist Visa is matter of fact (provided you don't have kanji face tattoos and blue hair). FG member AlbertSiegel just left Japan after 7(?) months of renewed Tourist Visas and no problems until his fourth renewal.
On the other hand, bluehair boy "Home Despot" of the TokyoDamageReport.com did the a week in Taiwan' thing for almost 2.5 years before Immigration blacklisted and deported him.

"Week in Taiwan thing for 2.5 year" fucking hilarious.

Just wanted some others experience with this.

Here is another nugget

Remember: you should be able to renew your 90 day tourist visa inside Japan at least once or twice before you have to leave Japan and come back in under a new 90 day tourist visa. To renew your 90 day tourist visa while remaining inside Japan, you have to create a believable and detailed tourist itinerary such as visiting all 67 temples of Shikoku on foot as a pilgrim. Do your homework---research and write out a detailed itinerary, because J-immigration will "test" you

Another question. To get a visa you have to have a return flight booked. Would you suggest booking a cheap flight out of Japan at the end of 90 days to Korea just in case I didn't get an extension inside Japan???

Thanks

[24yroldjunior]

Uh,

How did my post end up on the home page??

[24yroldjunior]

Aah,

Posted in the wrong forum, I wanted the F*cked advice forum.

Could a mod switch it or should I repost it??

Sorry again.

[maraboutslim]

Another question. To get a visa you have to have a return flight booked. Would you suggest booking a cheap flight out of Japan at the end of 90 days to Korea just in case I didn't get an extension inside Japan???

First, I don't think anyone should take any advice about immigration and visa issues from other people. It's almost always on the famous Japanese "case by case" basis.

But here's a little story from a long time ago. I was once denied boarding to an ANA flight from Korea to Tokyo because I didn't have a visa to enter Japan and didn't have a ticket for leaving Japan. (I flew one way to Japan originally and this was just a tourist visa run to korea and back so I bought round trip tokyo-seoul-tokyo). They tried to get me to buy a ticket from japan to anywhere. I told them no way in hell was i buying a full fair ticket from an airline counter. Eventually I talked my way into getting them to stamp my ticket and I used it to board a flight on North West. They didn't give a crap what visa I had or didn't have for japan. And at Narita, no one blinked an eye either.


Are you flying into Japan with a round trip ticket? If so, that will be your "return flight" ticket that you have. So I think you'll be all set to "renew" your 90-day tourist visa from within Japan. They just want to make sure you have the means and intention of leaving. And if you have to leave Japan, at least you'll still have that ticket booked to leave Japan and you'll have little trouble getting a new tourist visa when you show back in japan a few days later.

[omae mona]

That reminds me of some questions I've wanted to ask for a long time. If anybody knows: when you're denied entry to Japan and they ship you back to your home country, what exactly happens with the air travel? Who chooses the flight? Who pays? And are you stuck with whatever fare the airline offers? (if so, ouch.. I shudder at the thought of paying $3000 to buy a last-minute unrestricted seat in coach class on United airlines..)

[amdg]

That reminds me of some questions I've wanted to ask for a long time. If anybody knows: when you're denied entry to Japan and they ship you back to your home country, what exactly happens with the air travel? Who chooses the flight? Who pays? And are you stuck with whatever fare the airline offers? (if so, ouch.. I shudder at the thought of paying $3000 to buy a last-minute unrestricted seat in coach class on United airlines..)

I'm not sure of the answer, but I guess that they choose the flight and you pay. I only guess that is the way it works because of the way detention at immigration works - they choose the cell, and you pay for the accommodation/meals (something like 300 USD a day, IIRC).

[Mulboyne]

Tommybar recently wrote this here:

I have had an employee who was doing the Korea and back thing, BUT, when the Japanese immagration at the airport decided he was not allowed to come into country, they would NOT send him to Korea, but back to his home country. He was from Sweden (Swedish passport) so back to Sweden he had to go.

No details on how the flight was chosen and paid for.

[Taro Toporific]

....If anybody knows: when you're denied entry to Japan and they ship you back to your home country, what exactly happens with the air travel? Who chooses the flight? Who pays? ....

I have had a couple of friends deported last summer---IF you are indigent without any money and you had no credit cards in your possession, Japanese government buys the ticket on JAL (the worst middle seat in economy). If you have a credit card on your possession they will hold you in detention until you "willingly" charge the ticket on your credit card.

Basically, you have to play a game of poker with the Immigration authorities in which you should be willing to to stay in detention for a few days to prove you are really indigent. Right now at Christmas time, many Filipina turn themselves in to get a free flight home for the holidays (which makes this the worse time of the year to try to squeeze a free ticket out of Immigration).

[24yroldjunior]

Thanks for letting me know about some interesting options for ways to get in and out of Japan.

As tempting as the free flight by deportation and an "extension" of the visa by sneaking in on an American airline are I think I'll try to avoid those routes if it's possible. Maybe if I'm feeling lucky...

Taro, you talked about making a detailed itinerary for immigration to get a visa extension. You know someone who's done it before? What kind of documentation did you need for your travel plans or itinerary?

Boring subject I know, but I'm trying to find how realistically I could stay for the whole semeter. I have to weigh the value of taking the entire semester off if I have to come back mid semester.

[ttjereth]

Thanks for letting me know about some interesting options for ways to get in and out of Japan.

As tempting as the free flight by deportation and an "extension" of the visa by sneaking in on an American airline are I think I'll try to avoid those routes if it's possible. Maybe if I'm feeling lucky...

Taro, you talked about making a detailed itinerary for immigration to get a visa extension. You know someone who's done it before? What kind of documentation did you need for your travel plans or itinerary?

Boring subject I know, but I'm trying to find how realistically I could stay for the whole semeter. I have to weigh the value of taking the entire semester off if I have to come back mid semester.

Not trying to be a smartass, but rather than getting advice on a technically illegal way to do things here on an internet forum you'd be better off finding a legal way to do things by contacting your nearest Japanese embassy before coming over. There are ways to get longer visas legally before you come and you can extend visas once you are here.

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/kanri/shyorui/03.html

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/zairyuu/koushin.html