Hey everyone!
I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with visa options for unmarried same-sex couples when one partner already has a work visa. I did some research myself, and it seems challenging.
I’m currently in the early stages of considering a job opportunity in Tokyo (I haven’t discussed this with the company yet, as it feels a bit premature). My partner works in a different industry, and job opportunities for them are more limited so we’re exploring possibilities. Currently, we’re both living in Germany.
I’ve read in a post from a few years ago here that there are dependant visas if you’re lucky but I’d already have to be in Japan for that. Is that still the case today or are there other options?
If anyone has any insights, advice, or personal experiences to share, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks in advance!
3 comments
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
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**Visa options for unmarried same-sex couples**
Hey everyone!
Hey everyone! I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with visa options for unmarried same-sex couples when one partner already has a work visa. I did some research myself, and it seems challenging.
I’m currently in the early stages of considering a job opportunity in Tokyo (I haven’t discussed this with the company yet, as it feels a bit premature). My partner works in a different industry, and job opportunities for them are more limited so we’re exploring possibilities. Currently, we’re both living in Germany.
I’ve read in a post from a few years ago here that there are dependant visas if you’re lucky but I’d already have to be in Japan for that. Is that still the case today or are there other options?
If anyone has any insights, advice, or personal experiences to share, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks in advance!
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>I did some research myself, and it seems challenging.
“Challenging” may actually be an understatement here. It’s definitely something that can be done, but it’s not a simple process, and it will depend a ***lot*** on your employer. They will need to be willing to go to bat on your behalf, or hire an attorney to do the same.
>I’ve read in a post from a few years ago here that there are dependant visas if you’re lucky
There are *not* dependent visas. That’s actually the problem. A dependent visa has fixed rules and requirements. What same-sex partners get is a “Designated Activities” visa, which is basically the catch-all for things that don’t fit the other established categories. But that means it’s a much more subjective process.
One of our regulars posted [their story](https://www.reddit.com/r/movingtojapan/comments/yfc5i5/our_story_samesex_couple_moving_to_japan/) of going through the process a while back.
I mean, if you’re not married (forgetting whether or not Japan recognizes the marriage) then you’re not able to sponsor a partner for a visa.
So if you want to sponsor your partner, first you’ll need to get married. Then depending on your resources (and those of your employer) you could look into having your spouse issued a designated activities visa to come and live with you. If your employer is not prepared to do the heavy lifting on this before arriving you’ll need to come separately and bring your partner over afterwards.