Hello everyone.
I am in Japan with a student visa. My visa is a single entry visa.
I was not explained anything by the consulate when I picked up the visa. However, I thought I was going to stay in Japan the entire duration of the visa.
Family issues have arisen and I need to go back home for a bit (1/2 weeks).
Can I go home and come back to Japan at all?? I did some research and found something about a special re-entry permit but I am not sure. Can anyone help explain this to me?
2 comments
“Single entry visa” means you can use the visa one time to gain a status of residence (SOR) represented by your zairyu card, in your case a student SOR. After that the visa is void, but you can use your SOR to leave and return to Japan on a (special) reentry permit as many times as you want as long as it’s valid.
In other words, yes, you can leave and return to Japan as long as your zaiyru card is valid. Ignore what’s in your passport as it’s no longer valid. If you are leaving for less than a year, you can pick up a special reentry permit at the airport – it’s the embarkation/disembarkation card you fill in right before immigration.
Do you have a resident card? And is your Duration on said resident card >3 months?
If so, then yea you can get the “1 year” special re-entry permit for free at the airport: https://www.isa.go.jp/en/applications/guide/minashisainyukoku.html
This will enable you to return within up to 1 year, or when your resident card naturally expires (which ever comes first).
Keep in mind this means you’re still a resident (just on holiday overseas) which means actively engaging on your status of residency is still required, which for a student is…. To be a student (attending university/school/language school etc) so if you’re not on school holidays, make sure you have confirmed this with your uni/school/language school because you need to maintain attendance to be considered actively engaging in your status of residency.
Also, as you’re still a resident you will also need to continue paying your taxes/NHI/pension (if/when applicable)