Hi everyone,
I'm dealing with a visa issue and could really use some advice. I’m a Korean citizen currently living in Germany, and I’m moving to Japan this September for an student exchange program. I’ve received my Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) 2 days ago.
The problem is that I’m flying to Korea this Sunday, and I won’t be able to apply for my student visa in Germany before I leave (I’ve already confirmed this with the local embassy). My plan is to go directly from Korea to Japan to start my semester at a Japanese university. I know that I could apply for the student visa in Korea but I am not sure if I will get the opportunitiy to visit a japanese embassy.
My question is: Is it possible to enter Japan initially on a tourist visa and then switch to a student visa later without leaving the country? Alternatively, can I enter Japan with just my Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) and obtain a student status ?
If anyone has experience with this or knows what steps I should take, I’d really appreciate your help. Thanks in advance!
by Responsible-Use4128