Hi,
When calling the embassy one of the agents mentioned that there was another way to apply for the Spouse Visa without a COE (and only valid for Spouse Visa), but required extra documents to apply for it (these are not a problem at all) and a **valid reason** of why not choosing the COE path. The catch is that at the embassy they don’t know what a valid reason is, they only told us that it is likely a faster path because it is essentially applying for COE + VISA at the same time.
Has anyone actually gone through this path?
7 comments
Are you trying to find a loophole around COVID entry restrictions?
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I’m applying for a Spouse Visa in a couple of weeks in the UK and the only way here that you can get a spouse visa without a COE is by dragging her along with you.
I got a spouse visa, definitely needs a COE to get in as COVID restrictions are still up.
I applied for a COE for a spouse visa at the embassy. I was expecting it to take 5-6 weeks for my COE to be approved. I basically submitted copies of our marriage certificate, my wife’s koseki showing me as her spouse and father of our 3 kids, and a signed/stamped job offer letter from a Japanese company.
I got called to come back and pick up my 5 year spouse visa before I got to the highway to drive home.
So it’s definitely possible. That being said my wife had kept the embassy up to date on where we were living, we’d been married 16 years with 3 children, and the company I was going to work for is rather well known. So YMMV for what they require.
what were the extra documents the specified?
also not speaking from experience but a lot of the anecdotal info ive seen here on reddit for those in a similiar situation without going to coe route first is that they were married shortly before they moved to japan and that seemed to suffice.
u/Short-Replacement408, did you ever learn what they consider to be a valid reason?
I’m asking because I may need to apply for spouse visa without COE. In my case, my wife’s parents are unable to help with the COE (due to age-related disabilities). I will call the immigration hotline to discuss, of course. But I would also like to learn from your experience.