Hi all, wondering if anyone can clarify the process for me. My husband (US citizen) is going to be starting work for an eikawa (Nova) at the end of this year. The company said they cannot sponsor a Dependent Visa for me and that he will need to apply once he is in Japan. I read that the process can take around 3 months or maybe more, and while that sucks, we thought he could immediately apply and I can eventually make my way to meet him.
Well, today I called our local Japanese consulate to clarify the process and they told me that a Japanese company has to sponsor the Dependent Visa. I asked whether my husband could sponsor me once he’s in Japan, and they said no. I asked whether this was a new requirement after COVID and they said no, it’s always been the case.
I’m super confused because I can’t find this info in my online searches including on the government site, so I’m wondering if there was just some major communication error or if I’m looking in the wrong places. Can anyone share their own experiences or knowledge on Dependent Visas? Thank you very much!
2 comments
>Well, today I called our local Japanese consulate to clarify the process and they told me that a Japanese company has to sponsor the Dependent Visa. I asked whether my husband could sponsor me once he’s in Japan, and they said no. I asked whether this was a new requirement after COVID and they said no, it’s always been the case.
And this is why we recommend people take information from the embassy/consulate with a *massive* grain of salt. Embassy personnel are *not* immigration experts.
For a dependent visa you have two options:
1. Your husband’s company submits the application before he arrives.
2. Your husband applies for it himself after arriving.
Your consulate is absolutely incorrect about #2 not being an option.
But….
You also need to be aware that there’s a chance you won’t qualify for a dependent visa. There’s a minimum income requirement to sponsor a dependent, and Nova’s pay scales are… Let’s go with “not great”. It really depends on how much he’s getting paid. If he’s making 250,000+/month, you’ll probably get it. If he’s making less than that it’s going to be iffy.
I would not completely discount the Embassy out of hand. Most have a visa specialist who has the latest immigration information. But the point is to check snd confirm multiple sources.