Hello! I will be going on an exchange to Japan in half a year, but I was considering going 1 or 2 weeks before the semester with to friend to explore the country beforehand. It’s my first time travelling outside of Europe so I had a question regarding the visum. I’m from Belgium so I can enter Japan for 90 days without a visa. However I do also need a fixed-date confirmed return ticket, which might not have since I’m not sure yet when I will be coming back home. If no significant delays occur, I should also already have my student visa 3-4 weeks beforehand. So I have two questions: is not having a return ticket an issue if I will switch to a student visa anyway (for which you don’t need a return ticket yet), and would there be any formalities I need to do to switch from tourist status to the student visa or does it go into effect automatically with its starting date? Thanks!
EDIT: Also just realized that even if I have a return flight booked it will we way later than the 90 days I could stay in Japan with tourist status. So I think that makes going before my student visa starts an impossibility already?
by kobikski
