The following are some readers' comments. You can also read the full article:
Dependent Visa.
Updated 9 September 2005
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my wife just started her monbusho scholarship at a japanese university. she can probably ask assistance from the school’s foreign organization so she can help me get a dependent visa. my question is, once i have the dependent visa and arrive in japan, will it be possible to change the visa status to full working visa if i find a job? i know about the dependent visa with a work permit of (e.g.) 28hours a week. thanks for your ideas posted in this website by the way.
Jai, you can certainly change visa status like this, but you’ll still have to go through the full procedure of getting a sponsor and so on. Since you’ll be changing residency status rather than acquiring residency, I think you will have to leave the country to change visa status — I haven’t been able to find the relevant link to a Japanese government site, but I’ll keep looking. Could be a nice opportunity for a little return trip to Korea.
Bennett, thanks for the thought. I’m from a 3rd-world country, I don’t think my passport would be enough for a short trip in Korea. Anyway, I’ll try to post updates in a month or two on how things will go. Good luck to everybody.
Is getting married to a Japanese national the only way to get a Dependant Visa?
No. If your spouse (non-Japanese) is working in japan (with working visa) or studying at a university in japan (with student visa), your spouse (after having his/her Alien Registration Card) together with other documents can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (correct me if I’m wrong, please) in Japan which will take about 1 month. Then your spouse will send the CoE to you which you will use in your application for a Dependent visa… which they say will take about 2 weeks.
Glad to see this interesting blog on something I was exploring on. This is my question. Can a spouse (with business visa) invite his family to Japan on a temperory visa. The spouse will be sponsored for workpermit by his company very soon. In the event of a change in the husband’s status, what are the options the family has to continue living with him. Will they need to travel out of Japan and back to change their status?
If you have a work visa, you can get dependent visas for your spouse and other dependents. I don’t know of any kind of “temporary” visa — you need to have the appropriate visa before your family can get dependent visas too.
Hi,
I am a permanent resident in Japan and applied for my Filipino wife’s eligibility almost 6 weeks ago but I have not received a response yet. I submitted all the documents required at the time of application including bank book copies etc. Why do you think I have not received a response in 6 weeks? Anybody has an idea?
Cheers
Hi Bennett,
First of all i thank for giving time and answering questions on Visa issues. They are really helpful.
I am having a working visa and my wife is having a dependent visa.
Now my wife wants to do a small bussiness.
I know she can work for 28 hours per week but can she do a small
bussiness in that 28 hours.
Thanks and Regards
hanny
Jay, the process can take quite a while — I have heard of it taking more than two months. I hope it’s all done now.
Hanny, that would depend on what her work permit actually says. I have heard that they can have conditions attached, e.g. they may specify what kind of work can be undertaken.
Im university student in japan.im from sri lanka.im alrady 8years live in japan.im went last may sri lanka i get the married. now my wife also live in japan.but she also japanese language student in japan.she alrady 4months live in japan. i want change his visa for Dependent.how can she get that one?i have alredy deporsite 150000yen in bank.
Hi,
My husband is currently working in Japan as a scientist with JSPS fellowship. I want to go to Japan to join him in Jan’06 / Feb’06 .My passport is expering on May’06. Am I elligibble for a dependent visa?
Thanks.
Sharmistha
Sharistha, you should be eligible for a dependent visa. But they won’t give you a visa that lasts longer than your passport. They might not give you one at all if your passport expires so soon, so you should renew it before applying for the visa.
My wife and kid travelled to Japan on a temperory visa when I had a temperory visa. Now my status is changed after getting a work permit. Can I change my family’s temperory visa to dependent visa? They have only 30 days left in their visa.