I know this is something I need to ask my consulate about, but given that they take our passports for the visas, and with covid, is it reasonable to travel in early July? (if my departure date is the end of July). My sister is doing a six week program in Spain this summer (I’m US based) and I want to visit her if at all possible. Can anyone tell me around when they take the passports, and if it’s even allowed to leave the country that close to the departure date? I just want to see if it’s even worth asking. Thanks!
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Either the documents packet or the GIH packet explicitly asks candidates not to do that.
I asked about that and was told that our passports get collected in early July. I would still ask your consulate but wouldn’t recommend making any plans
Former JET coord here – You should go to Spain in early-mid June or not at all. Passports are typically collected 3-4 weeks before departure and you don’t get them back until the day before you leave. As always, though, verify directly with your own consulate first.
Isnt the deadline to send your visa June 27th?
You could apply for a second (shorter term) passport to travel with while your main passport is held. It’s what I did
i’m UK based so it may be different for you but I also need to travel internationally at the end of June and the UKJET office said to me that our passports would be collected early to mid July so I should be fine. I would contact your consulate directly though, there’s no harm in asking for clarification
Each consulate will have a different timeline as its run through their visa issuing department. The only way your going to get a clear answer is by contacting your consulate directly.
Ohhh I can actually answer this!
So I traveled to Iceland for a combination of a terminally I’ll friend and last “horrah “ before making the big move.
I let my local consulate (NYC ) aware of the situation and how long id be gone before departure. It was only 3 days abroad 2 weeks before departure. I worked with the program coordinator at the Japanese consulate and I express mailed my passport from my state at the earliest time, they did the visa in 2 days, and told me I can pick it up. I went to NYC and picked up my passport and that was that.
If you let them know the situation, they’d let you get your passport and not give it to your the day of departure. However, I believe honesty is the best policy, BUT they might be hesitant to give it back to let you go on vacation so close to departure, but it is your passport so they can’t legally withhold it from you if you ask for it back. Just be prepared to go through hoops prior.
I think it worked out better for me because I had a sick friend, thus a legitimate excuse.
P.S., my friend is fine! She got diagnosed with cancer, but responded well to the chemo and radiation and is considered cancer free!! We had a scare the month before my departure when she first got diagnosed and the doctor at the time said she only had a few months to live. Panicked, I legit dropped everything to go see her “one last time” before I left for Japan since she was a good friend since elementary school.