Hello!
Sorry this is a very anxious post.
I’m very worried, because even though it looked like i could get a Visa with my work place, they aren’t able to provide one. My visa expires this year. (soon…)
My partner and I are engaged, but because of COVID we couldn’t go home to get married. We are also from 2 different European countries.
I want to stay here with them, so we want to make it work and get married here. We are trying to figure out now how to do it. (It seems to be not too difficult)
Is it difficult to change my work visa to a spouse visa if i get married to a non-japanese person? I always read about cases with one non-japanese person getting married to a japanese person, but I don’t know any cases like mine. 🙁
I’m very worried that i have to leave everything, including my partner, friends, our pets, home of many years…
I would be very grateful if someone could give me advice.
Thank you.
5 comments
Unless your future spouse has PR, it would be a dependent visa/status which limits you working to 28h per week with permission. The term “spouse visa” is almost always used for the “Spouse of a Japanese National” and “Spouse of a Permanent Resident”, which have no work restrictions.
Sorry, but I have no idea how easy it is to switch to a dependent status in-country.
**But**, why can’t your work sponsor your extension? If they can’t do that it sounds like you probably are working outside you status category which is an issue.
My husband isn’t Japanese either but he has PR, your fiance doesn’t have it right?
The spouse resident status (a technicality, but visa is for entry only, while you are in Japan, you have a status of residence) is for those married to a Japanese or foreigner with PR. Those married to foreigners with another type of status of residence (work, student etc) would get “Dependent” status.
This status limits your work hours to 28 hours per week. Since you mentioned the reason your employer can’t help you extend your current status because of too few hours, this shouldn’t be an issue, right?
If you need more than 28 hours per week, you should try to look for another job to be able to extend your status. Or, you could possibly have 2 jobs, and prove that both contracts together meet the income requirements. I’m not so sure about the details of this approach, but I’ve seen some threads that you might be able to find if you search the subreddit.
Why wouldn’t your company be able to provide it? They just need to give you some papers
Is your spouse a PR? If not a dependent status might be easier for you to get. Consult with immigration if in doubt tho.