Returning after f*cking off and burning a bridge or two - am I f*cked?

[eriatarka]

F*ckedgaijin seems the most appropriate place to ask about this.

March 2008: I, American, enter Japan on a SHIS (Specialist in Humanities/International Services) visa arranged through horrible eikaiwa.

September 2008: I f*ck off from horrible eikaiwa (gave 2 weeks notice- no funny business), denounce Japan forever and head to Taiwan to teach in shorts and a t-shirt. I carry with me my gaijin ID card. I leave unpaid my Softbank bill and citizen's taxes (the latter of which is honest ignorance). I fly to Taipei with a round-trip ticket and re-entry permit, but miss the return flight, of course.

Now: I'm offered a job with a (horrible?) ALT dispatch, with whom I successfully interviewed while still living in Japan, and I want to return for an April 2009 start.

Visa: ALT dispatcher knows I'm in Taiwan. They still pledge to sponsor the new visa. I'll have to go to the Tokyo immigration bureau to change it to the new one. But my current SHIS visa expires March 9, 2009. Should I fly in before this date to "update" it? Or fly in after March 9 on a tourist visa, and change it to a working/SHIS visa when I'm there?

Citizen's taxes: Something I can take care of after I'm inside the country? Something they'll yell about at Narita? Since I kept my gaijin card, will they think I've continued living there and ask me for five extra months' worth of taxes? Also, is there any way to find out how much I owe without being inside the country?

Phone bill: Are there bill collectors notifying the police, waiting for me at immigration, or will they be coming after me once I land and register wherever my new apt ends up being?

More worryingly, will the taxes or phone bill raise any red flags when the ALT company tries to apply for my visa at the immigration office?

This host of potential and probable legal quagmires is daunting, but I am doing my best to solve all of them, and advice on any of the above would be incredibly helpful. Thanks

[Mike Oxlong]

Not completely sure of the answers. Second opinions should be requested and considered.

Visa--->probably easier to renew an existing one than start from scatch, and possibly faster too. I'd come back a bit early before the old one expires if possible.
Taxes--->when you register at your new city hall or town office, they'll work out the back taxes and such and send you a bill. You may have success in getting a reduction by going in and explaining you were out of country for an extended period, then again you may not. No legal troubles either way, as long as you pay up. Payment plan is possible if you need time to pay it off.
Phone bill--->probably on some sort of credit blacklist, so will have to pay up before getting phone service again.
*Doubt any of this will give you problems while the new visa is being processed, but you'd want to at least talk to the person handling visa applications at the dispatch company regarding the situation. They should be aware of the basics, and have someone to consult about the details.

[kusai Jijii]

Here we go again...

[Yokohammer]

Or ...

When you enter the country next time and the guy/girl at the immigration counter asks you to put your fingers in what they call a "fingerprinting machine," the machine does a biometric scan and if any transgressions of Japanese law or even "common sense" are associated with the identity they pull out of their database a 100,000 volt surge will course through your body (and through your heart, since it's coming from both hands) while the machine simultaneously guillotines off both fingertips.

OK ... maybe I made that up ... I'm bored ...

[omae mona]

Eriatarka - I very much doubt the phone company is in cahoots with immigration. The local tax office is a different question. I would guess you are better off re-entering the country while your visa and re-entry permit are still valid. I don't know if your 5-month absence will trigger any alarms, but if not, it just looks like you left the country for a (rather long) vacation while maintaining your residence. I doubt they have any on-the-spot checks at the immigration counter at the airport. On the other hand, if you are applying for a brand new visa, I'm sure there's more diligence, so your tax records could conceivably show up.

As far as I know, local taxes are based on your income. You had no Japan-source income during the 5 months you were gone, so I would imagine your taxes are no different than if you had paid before you left, other than interest & penalties for late payment.

The most important advice I can offer is: DO NOT RELY ON FG FORUMS FOR TAX OR IMMIGRATION ADVICE. People like me are idiots. Really. Hire a professional to answer your questions. What seems like common sense might be very far from the reality of official immigration procedures.

Also, a favor to ask you: please be more responsible next time you come to Japan. All the rest of us FGs have an uphill battle dealing with a Japanese public that tends to believe foreigners can't follow rules and flee the country leaving bills and taxes unpaid. Please stop proving them right!

[Samurai_Jerk]

One of my coworkers owes money to several mobile phone services and has never paid his residence taxes and he's on his third visa and has never had a problem just signing up for a new cell phone service.

[kusai Jijii]

Also, a favor to ask you: please be more responsible next time you come to Japan. All the rest of us FGs have an uphill battle dealing with a Japanese public that tends to believe foreigners can't follow rules and flee the country leaving bills and taxes unpaid. Please stop proving them right!

You are spot on but waaayyyy toooo polite OM.

[kusai Jijii]

One of my coworkers owes money to several mobile phone services and has never paid his residence taxes and he's his third visa and had never had a problem just signing up for a new cell phone service.

Your coworker sounds like another straight-out-of-college, first-time-living-away-from-mommy, I'm-so-clever-I-can-get away-with-not-paying-my-bills-'cause-I've-a-silver-spoon-stuck-up-my-arse type wanker that I would love to see banished from Japan. Have you ever noticed that those types are also the cunts who habitually avoid their shouts at the pub? Pathetic little charaizma-man I bet.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Your coworker sounds like another straight-out-of-college, first-time-living-away-from-mommy, I'm-so-clever-I-can-get away-with-not-paying-my-bills-'cause-I've-a-silver-spoon-stuck-up-my-arse type wanker that I would love to see banished from Japan. Have you ever noticed that those types are also the cunts who habitually avoid their shouts at the pub? Pathetic little charaizma-man I bet.

Sadly, he's old enough and been around the block enough to know better.

[Gilligan]

Here we go again...

I was expecting a little more from you on this one, KJ. Must say I'm a little disappointed

[waruta]

aren't you Gracie's roomie?

[Cyka UchuuJin]

The most important advice I can offer is: DO NOT RELY ON FG FORUMS FOR TAX OR IMMIGRATION ADVICE. People like me are idiots. Really. Hire a professional to answer your questions. What seems like common sense might be very far from the reality of official immigration procedures.

hehehehe, he speaks the truth.

as i recall, you were the genius that advised me to tick 'no' on the 'have you been denied entry into japan' box and look where that got me!

[Greji]

hehehehe, he speaks the truth.

as i recall, you were the genius that advised me to tick 'no' on the 'have you been denied entry into japan' box and look where that got me!

Back in to Japan?

[Iraira]

as i recall, you were the genius that advised me to tick 'no' on the 'have you been denied entry into japan' box and look where that got me!

Standing outside my building, serenading me with Vanillia Ice songs.

yeah, I was shocked too, I didn't know that he even recorded more than one song.

[Cyka UchuuJin]

Back in to Japan?

yep. check the premium forum gossip. i posted it there.

[Cyka UchuuJin]

Standing outside my building, serenading me with Vanillia Ice songs.

yeah, I was shocked too, I didn't know that he even recorded more than one song.

thin ice, mister. you're on it.

[omae mona]

hehehehe, he speaks the truth.

as i recall, you were the genius that advised me to tick 'no' on the 'have you been denied entry into japan' box and look where that got me!

Hey, if I told you to tick "yes" I might have ruined my reputation as an idiot!

[Cyka UchuuJin]

Hey, if I told you to tick "yes" I might have ruined my reputation as an idiot!

don't worry, your reputation is completely unharmed.