So, I have a serious Job Offer for a position in Japan. Its something both me and my friend of wanted to try for a while. We are currently roommates, and taking the job would means having to cancel my current lease, which would leave them in need of a place to live. While the job would qualify me for a visa, they are a student in an online school and wouldn’t really qualify for a work or student visa. They really want to come with me, and having them for support in a foreign country would be helpful. I understand they can live off a tourist visa for a few months, but realistically, what are the options for getting them a visa to live past those three months? We are the same gender, so we can’t try any disingenuous marriage stuff for a family visa, not that we would even want to. Its a complicated situation, but any advice that people can offer would be appreciated.
7 comments
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
—
**Moving to Japan, Friend wants to move with me. Advice?**
So, I have a serious Job Offer for a position in Japan. Its something both me and my friend of wanted to try for a while. We are currently roommates, and taking the job would means having to cancel my current lease, which would leave them in need of a place to live. While the job would qualify me for a visa, they are a student in an online school and wouldn’t really qualify for a work or student visa. They really want to come with me, and having them for support in a foreign country would be helpful. I understand they can live off a tourist visa for a few months, but realistically, what are the options for getting them a visa to live past those three months? We are the same gender, so we can’t try any disingenuous marriage stuff for a family visa, not that we would even want to. Its a complicated situation, but any advice that people can offer would be appreciated.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/movingtojapan) if you have any questions or concerns.*
they need a visa. the end.
I think Americans can stay in Japan for 6 months a year on tourist visas. Maybe this is an option
You have a visa and your friend does not. Unless they start to attend a Japanese university or get a job in Japan, then they can’t be anything other than a tourist. I know another comment said this but shorter and more bluntly, but that is the simple truth. There is not another magic loophole and your situation is a lot more straightforward than you think. You can go live in Japan while they finish school and then get their own job and visa in Japan. The tough part of being an adult is that you can’t take your friends everywhere with you even if they want to come along.
They would have to exit the country every three months but they could technically come back. I knew a guy that had to go to Korea for the weekend because his visa wasn’t in order yet for some reason. Once he gets a job he should be able to change his visa status. There are a lot of privately owned English schools that always need people.
In principal in order for Immigration to approve a visa/status-of-residence immigration requires that the applicant have a primary purpose that requires living in Japan. This can be something specific (to work for a specific employer, to attend a specific school, to perform a specific type of work) or something more general (to live with a legal spouse, to reconnect with Japanese heritage, etc).
Your friend is not your spouse, so they cannot be your dependent (assuming you were coming on a status that allows dependents). Your friend is attending online classes, meaning there is not a specific school they’d be attending.
If you’re from (and living in) a country with a working holiday agreement with Japan and meet the requirements then that would allow your friend to come for up to one year (18 months for Australians).
Your options are limited, and you should read the visa wiki. They need to find a job that will sponsor their visa or apply to schools that would sponsor a student visa in Japan.
Does your friend want to attend language school in Japan? Then they can apply to language school and possibly get a student visa that way— but note this requires regularly attending the classes, money for tuition, and enough money in savings to support yourself while in school.