I came to Japan around two months ago on a tourist visa to visit my fiancee who is in the US military and stationed in Japan. Our plan was to get married and try to get me on his PCS orders before my visa expires so I wouldn’t have to worry about leaving and coming back. The pre-marriage paperwork and steps we have to take to get married are taking quite awhile, so it’s likely that I’ll have to leave Japan and come back so that we can get married.
I’ll have stayed the full 90 days of my tourist visa, and I also came to Japan a few times throughout the year just for a weekend or so, so I’m worried that Immigration won’t let me in because I’ve come too many times within the past year. I’m a US citizen, so I don’t think I’m eligible to extend my visa from 90 days to 180 days. If I have to leave and come back, I would go home for about a month and return after the new year starts. What do I tell immigration? Should I explain my situation or just say I’m traveling? Especially since I wouldn’t have a return ticket because I’ll be SOFA status by the time that 90 days will be up, I think if I just said I was traveling it would look a little suspicious. I’m just not really sure what to do. Thanks!
5 comments
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
—
**Coming to Japan again on a tourist visa to get married to US military stationed there after I was just in Japan for 90 days?**
I came to Japan around two months ago on a tourist visa to visit my fiancee who is in the US military and stationed in Japan. Our plan was to get married and try to get me on his PCS orders before my visa expires so I wouldn’t have to worry about leaving and coming back. The pre-marriage paperwork and steps we have to take to get married are taking quite awhile, so it’s likely that I’ll have to leave Japan and come back so that we can get married.
I’ll have stayed the full 90 days of my tourist visa, and I also came to Japan a few times throughout the year just for a weekend or so, so I’m worried that Immigration won’t let me in because I’ve come too many times within the past year. I’m a US citizen, so I don’t think I’m eligible to extend my visa from 90 days to 180 days. If I have to leave and come back, I would go home for about a month and return after the new year starts. What do I tell immigration? Should I explain my situation or just say I’m traveling? Especially since I wouldn’t have a return ticket because I’ll be SOFA status by the time that 90 days will be up, I think if I just said I was traveling it would look a little suspicious. I’m just not really sure what to do. Thanks!
*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.*
I don’t think it will be a problem. Just explain that your fiancé is there on SOFA and you plan to get married ASAP. I know many people with family connections in Japan that have gone back and forth many times in a year. As long as they don’t suspect you are working illegally, you should be fine.
I can’t comment on your SOFA/marriage situation, but generally on Temporary Visitor status you can stay in Japan for maximum of 180 days added up across a 12-month period. [[Source](https://www.se.emb-japan.go.jp/visa_temporary.html)]
>I’ll have stayed the full 90 days of my tourist visa, and I also came to Japan a few times throughout the year just for a weekend or so, so I’m worried that Immigration won’t let me in because I’ve come too many times within the past year.
They may decide not to give you the full 90 days and instead only give you 60 days or 30 days. If they think you’ve been working illegally they may not let you in at all. You may want to discuss with your local Japanese embassy/consulate applying for a proper tourist visa rather than rely on a visa waiver.
>If I have to leave and come back, I would go home for about a month and return after the new year starts.
Generally they use a trailing 12 month period and not a calendar year. So you may want to review the stamps in your passport to figure out a “safe” return date.
>Especially since I wouldn’t have a return ticket because I’ll be SOFA status by the time that 90 days will be up,
I’m pretty sure you can’t change your status from tourist to SOFA. SOFA status is not technically a status from immigration and you’d not technically be in Japan if you’re under that status. If you get orders to allow you to enter Japan under SOFA while you’re here you’d probably need to make a quick international trip to formally end your tourist stay and formally begin your SOFA stay.
Not up to Japan. Contact your base commander or CO. SOFA isn’t automatic.
​
Edit; and please don’t run around like a “first wife”. It’s your partner’s job and rank, you don’t get any benefits or rights from their job. It doesn’t make you special and you won’t be running with the expat/embassy crowd unless your partner is a high ranking officer.