Finishing Master’s and entering PhD the week after – visa problem?

7 comments

1. I’ve never heard of this ‘leave the day you graduate’ thing if you’re in a university (as opposed to a language school which might have different rules). When I was in grad school, you were a student from the first day of the semester to the last; typically April 1 to September 30 for the spring/summer and October 1 to March 31 for the autumn/winter. My own student ID has a 3/31 expiration date even if the graduate ceremony (which is only a formality; you don’t have to attend) is on 3/23 or 3/25 or whenever.

   Of course you will want to confirm with your university’s student affairs department, but my experience is that there will be no problems, particularly if you’re at the same university. You will be on their books continuously but will switch your affiliation (在籍) from the master’s program to the doctoral program on 9/30-10/1. What does your student ID/record say for those dates?

2. > Or could I just go out of the country during the problematic week? Come back when PhD starts.

   I mean you could do that if you want. But I think the easier method is to apply for extension now. And provide the necessary documents to prove that you’re entering PhD.

3. I’ve been here for weeks after my exchange semester ended and I read somewhere that they don’t care for at least a month after you no longer are a student

4. Based on my experience.

   1. Contact the student division in your grad school. They’ll give you the detailed process of what you need to do. I remember filling out some forms I got from the student division (may have been from immigration website, I don’t remember) and getting some required documents that you can get from university. Go to immigration, fill out some other forms, and wait.

   2. No, I’ve never heard of it. I did not go out of the country after Master’s graduation and the start of PhD.

   3. You can if you want, but not necessary.

5. Echoing what a lot of people here said. I am going to finish my MA program soon and the graduation is in September. My school’s intl office keeps hammering down the “You must leave the date you graduate”, but *legally*, that’s unjustifiable and *legally* unenforceable. For example, I’ve had friends in my situation stay as long as their student visas were valid (which is usually 3 months after graduation), and had no *legal* issues. However, the school does have their policies, but most of the time it just ends up with them constantly contacting you until you submit proof of visa status change. As annoying and downright misleading as it is, I don’t blame them. As you probably know, there are a number of unfindable visa over-stayers (I believe in the *ten thousands*(!)) in Japan, and many of them were (are) student visa-holders. So, it’s only natural that they are cracking down (arguably inefficiently).

   Tldr; don’t sweat it. Don’t break the law. Explain your situation to whomever you need to. You probably want to tell your (future?) advisor your situation, and have him/her write a letter to your university’s international office stating your situation (they usually calm down once someone with power/respect has to step in).

6. Hi I deal with visa/residence status stuff at my job and if it is only a week or so, you should actually be doing the student visa extension process mid September before you graduate. Contact your PhD school for details.

   In addition as of April this year there is a new designated activities for students entering grad school but will have a gap before entering (think Sept grad, April matriculation etc.)

   Details in Japanese here

   https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/materials/nyuukokukanri10_00151.html

   Both cases your next uni grad admissions department should be helping you.

   In your case the must leave Japan thing doesn’t apply because you have the next activity lined up

7. You are never expected to leave the instant you graduate, merely within a reasonable timeframe after you cease being a student.

   You will not cease being a student. Apply for an extention with the paperwork that shows you will remain a student. Problem solved.