Not sure I understand visa extension criteria

33 comments

1. I was under the impression it’s essentially completely random. People who are spouses, been here for multiple years, employed, have children and speak fluent Japanese, still get 1 years.

   I got a 3 year on my second renewal, and I was employed at a decent eikaiwa with no bachelor degree so I don’t really feel like there are reasons why. It feels like they play a game of slots and give you whatever option it lands on.

2. While not completely random noone has ever been able to figure out the criteria. High salary, married with kids, permanent employment, all seem to factor in but you find people who meet all the same criteria getting radically different extension lengths – and people who’s situation has not changed getting shorter lengths after a longer one. It’s almost as if they give the monkey the darts and if he hits the board that’s what you get otherwise 1 year.

3. Are you contracted or Seishain?

   If you are on a 1 year contract, it’s harder to get 3-5 years since technically, you’re out of a job within a year.

   But even if you are seishain they basically throw a 20 sided dice and unless you get 18-20 you’ll get 1 year 🙂

4. Nobody knows.

   But my giblets tell me that it’s because you’re exuding a sensation of instability.

   i.e. bouncing between jobs. They probably think you’re going home soon anyway.

   If you can stop oscillating for a few years, then they will calm down somewhat, and be able to hit one of the good spots on the dart board.

5. A man at the desk asked how long I wanted a visa for and I told him 5 years. That’s what I got. I mean, I had my karate certificates and references and stuff but the only things that’s consistent with all of our stories is that it just depends on who sees your stuff and how they’re feeling that day.

6. You switched jobs and your contracts are only for a year. It probably looks like there isnt much stability and that you could be out of a job to immigration

7. Your home country (passport) may also play a role in the length of the visa you get. But job hopping could be why too.

8. Do you have any dependents?

9. I’m sure it depends on how applicants look and how good or bad is the employee’s day.

   Jobless, with not a lot of money, but married, I started with a 3y visa. My friend, same situation, like a twin, 1y.

10. I heard that there’s a temple where immigration go, they throw 5 en coin and take bake a stick with a number. That’s it . Mostly have the number 1

11. Do you do the paperwork in full Japanese, including a letter and such? That’s usually how I found getting a longer visa works. Tested it last renewal and got three years for the first time.

12. The status of your company might also play a role. Big, we’ll-known company might get you 5 years. Small, new, less stable company might get you 1.

13. not sure, I make way less far from your annual salary in the factory(working in the office) and I got 5 years. maybe I’m just lucky.

14. Completely fucking random and don’t let anyone here tell you otherwise.

    I’ve seen the biggest tax evaders get 5 years on shady eikaiwa contracts, high earning seishains working at the same company for years consecutively get 1 year visas, vice versa, and everything in between.

15. I’ve heard all sorts of reasons, the main ones being: changing your job; moving house; your country of origin; the staff’s mood; renewing in the second half of the year (apparently there’s only a certain amount of 3-5 year visas they give out a year); all lead to one year visa renewals.

16. I have always gotten three before.
    Until I told my boss to specifically write that I’m seishain. Just got my new visa, 5 years.
    This was like last month.

    I don’t make as much as you do per year either.

    Are you on a yearly contract?

17. I am just wondering why at your old company you were given a yearly visa only?
    Based from my experience and my friends’,
    after 2-3 years of being a keiyaku shain with yearly renewable visa, on third year, we were given 3-years visa.
    im thinking this has to do with your company stability as well

18. I was on one-year renewals pretty much indefinitely until I actually asked to talk to the immigration officer in charge. He basically said, “Your contract is for one year, so you’ll be getting a one-year visa”. That was his reasoning.

    I told him that I had no intention of returning home anytime soon “帰る気がないですよ～”, and that I pay all my taxes and pension on time.

    He gave me three years.

    Hope that helps.

19. People are saying it’s random, but it’s really only the first extension that’s truly random. Future extensions are only random in the sense that income, employment details, marital status, length of residency, etc. don’t matter.

    The important factor that determines what you’ll get 90%+ of the time is: What did you get last time? It seems that’s the only thing they look at. What did the last guy give you? I’m sure he had his reasons. Better stick with that.

20. I arrived in 2005. In 2006 I got a three year visa, same in 2009, same in 2012.

    In 2015 I applied for PR and got it within six weeks.

    At the time I was single, an English teacher, no special skills….

    The whole process seems very whimsical.

    I am, however, a white male from a country which Japan looks up to, so I am sure that factored into the equation.

21. Sharing my situation.
    Seishain
    1st, 5year – Company is public in stock exchange (Kansai)
    *Visa application processed by company HR
    *left job after 3 years

    -Left Kansai and moved to Kanto

    Seishain again
    2nd, 5 year – Company not listed in stock exchange
    *I applied Visa extension by myself

    Just an anecdote,
    Also have friends who earns more than me but are all contract workers and are only given a year by immigration. Similar situation with you.
    Could be a Keiyakushain/Seishain factor.

    edit:typos

22. All the foreigners in my company make less than you, but get 5 years during renewal. All the foreigners are ‘seishain’ though.

    I think it is not the income you earn, but whether you are “seishain” or not

23. Got five fresh of the boat club!

    I think it is truly random, there really is no logic to it

24. I had a good laugh with the guy at the counter this time, so surely that 5 years is coming through at last… right?

25. Last 3 times they’ve given me 1 year extensions. The first 3 visas I received were each for 3 years.

    It’s like they waited just until my 10th year in Japan to make it impossible to apply for PR.

26. I think it depends on your company as well. Like if you are a permanent employee at a really big company then you’ll get a longer visa.

27. I’ve met unmarried people living in poverty, with no Japanese ability, working yearly contracts at sketchy ALT dispatch companies who got five year extensions. Pretty sure it’s based entirely on the mood of whoever gets your application.

28. Don’t know but Hire an expert to do the extension for you , he has exponentially more chances on giving you that 3-5 years rc

29. My lowest salary in Japan netted me 5 years lmfao.

30. Got three years my first and second renewal, and then five years my third. Going for PR this year to finally be done with all of the bullshit.

    I’ve had friends who were one year consecutively until they left the country, and other friends who flew in and got five years for no reason.

    I would think Seishain in well known companies would have a play, or in companies which often support foreigners coming into Japan, but as has been said many times in this thread, there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason behind it.

31. It’s a gamble every time.

    I just got my 14th one-year visa.

    Stability? I have lived in the same apartment for 13 years. All taxes, insurance, etc paid.

    Jobs? 1) Day job is at a junior high. Annual renewals. The school calls it part-time because they don’t put foreigners under full-time but it is 5 days, decent pay. 5 years at current school. 5 years at previous.

    2) I’ve got a permanent part-time. 10 years now. They’ve even written letters of recommendation for longer visa.

    Income? About 5.3m a year.

    Yet, I get a one-year every time. I’ve filed on my own. I’ve filed using an attorney. A previous school filed using their attorney. Still, one year.

    Meanwhile, a lad working at same school I am at, been in Japan 1 year. Went to renew and got a 5-year.

    Who even knows at this point.

32. Immigration: 1 year…. 1 year…. 1 year….

    Me: This time 3 years. Please! I’ve got consistent employers, been here for more than a few years, etc, etc.

    Immigration: Thanks. We’ve taken that into consideration. See you next year. Same time, same inconvenient office. Same BS forms.

33. A paralegal friend who supports a lot of Immigration applications told me the biggest factor is the size of the company that sponsors the visa.

    My visa is 5 years. The company that sponsored it has 300+ people. Take from that what you will.