So I’m going to a language school in Kyoto in October for a year. I just received an email from the school notifying me that:
>4. Japanese immigration approval about 1 month prior to the start of your session (this is standard procedure and not within our control).
This seems a little… daunting. What if they don’t accept my Visa? Is that common? I don’t personally have any reasons they should deny me, but do they deny based off of capacity or anything like that?
I just would hate to plan all summer to be going to Japan only to find out one month before I’m supposed to move that I’m actually not going and I have to completely switch gears. Not that I couldn’t do it, but it would be a bit jarring given all the planning I would have to do; selling my furniture, cancelling my internet, figuring out what to do with my car, storage, etc etc.
Sorry if this is standard, I just found that… rough.
4 comments
Your biggest worry should be getting your Certificate of Eligibility approved, not the Visa itself. Once your CoE is approved, it basically tells your local consulate that barring anything really weird, like names not matching on CoE and Passport, that you are cleared to receive a Visa and for them to issue it. Once your CoE is approved you are 99% of the way to getting to Japan.
My guess is this is about you not entering Japan too early. I believe on a student visa you are limited on entering Japan relatively close to your school starting date.
Same boat. School says COE will be issued in late August. I’m trying to convince them to send that to me by FedEx or other 宅急便. Then I’ll hand over the COE (and ERFS) to the Japanese consulate, who say it will take 5 business days to issue the visa. Have to notify landlord of vacating the apartment by 1 September, plus tend to all the other logistics. FWIW, school says it’s almost a certainty that the COE will be issued. Still, I share that sense of uneasiness that you mention. It will probably be fine. But… yeah, probably.
How much does it cost you to go to a language school?
>What if they don’t accept my Visa?
Then you likely won’t be coming to Japan to go to school.
>Is that common?
As long as you have the money and the school has accepted you it’s almost unheard of for immigration to deny you. Even if you’re from one of those countries famous for students coming over to work illegally and not really attend school (looking at you Vietnam).
>I don’t personally have any reasons they should deny me, but do they deny based off of capacity or anything like that?
Capacity to pay your tuition and support yourself yes. If you don’t have the funds for a year of tuition/housing/etc they will deny your CoE.