APPLYING FOR MY JAPANESE SPOUSE VISA


To prepare for some major life changes, I decided that after nearly four years of living in Japan, it was time to get a spouse visa. I came to Japan to work, and even after pregnancy I envisioned myself working full-time, and therefore never thought it really necessary to go through all of the paperwork and bureaucracy to switch unless it was really necessary. 

I am currently on year four out of five years on my current visa, and I was trying to hold out until my first renewal before deciding to make the switch. However, after over a year being back in the field after having a baby and two years into the pandemic, I'm burnt out and decided I needed the flexibility afforded by a spouse visa.

The major benefit of switching to a spouse visa for me is the ability to work as much or as little as I want without my visa needing to be tied to an employer. 



The first year of motherhood was extremely stressful, as I had to balance being a loving, available, and patient mom to a very fragile and sickly human being that doesn't sleep, disregarding the fact that I was dealing with the hustle and bustle of the public and working in a strict Japanese work environment, at minimum 10 hours a day, six days a week. I'm only human, with limitations, and I had finally hit it.

Full-time work during a pandemic was too much at the moment, and for the unforeseeable future. So, I decided to give myself the option to scale back.

My husband and I came to the conclusion to switch to a spouse visa late last year, and we took some steps in order to prepare our application. Here's what we needed to do!

 

PREPARE SPOUSE VISSA APPLICATION



This was probably the most difficult part of the process, as the documents needed that are listed on the Immigration Services in Japan can be vague. Also, I was not technically applying for a Japanese spouse visa in a traditionally sense. I was technically just changing my status of residence since I already had a visa. There is a lot of information for people who are applying for a spousal visa outside of Japan, but there isn't a lot of information for people who already live and work in Japan.

I found a list of documents needed on the Immigration Service Agency website, and then I just did several Google searches to find additional hints and tips that the Immigration website might not list.


NEEDED DOCUMENTS


OBTAIN ON YOUR OWN

  • One 30x40cm photograph taken within the past three months | Go to any ID photobooth
  • Passport | Unexpired
  • Residence card | Unexpired
  • Change of Status of Residence Application form | Here
  • Letter of Guarantee | Here (to be filled out by Japanese spouse)
  • Questionnaire | Here (To be filled out by Japanese spouse) 
  • Photographs/text messages that prove the relationship is real
    • We included at least 3-4 pictures, labeled and dated
    • We included text messages as well (with Japanese translation)

OBTAIN FROM THE WARD OFFICE

  • Family Register/Koseki | One copy
  • Tax Certificate or Tax Exemption Certification
    • Nouzei-shoumeisho (納税証明書) and kazei-shoumeisho (課税証明書).
      • We provided both documents for my husband (head of household) but eventually they requested I send my tax documents as well.
  • Resident Registration Certificate/Juminhyou | One Copy

SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTS




We submitted our documents at the Yokohama Immigration office, and the process was very simple and straightforward. The clerk at the window double checked our entire document. I wrote in Japanese, and of course made some minor mistakes in kanji, so we had to fix those. We also had to add that our daughter was currently in nursery school as well.

Everything was going well until I needed to write my current place of employment. I didn't write my employment information because I was already quitting within the next month and would not be providing my own living expenses anymore. I was told I needed to enter my place of work's information anyway, and that I also had to explain on a separate document why I was quitting.

My husband also submitted one of the tax documents, but he was told he needed the other tax document (We don't know if they just wanted to see both or if he had indeed brought the wrong one), and we were then given instructions on how to send it in. Then, our "appointment" was over. It took about thirty minutes.

WAIT AND SEND ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS



My husband immediately went to the ward office and sent in the other tax form, and it wss about a week letter we received a letter from immigration then requesting I send my tax information. We made another trip to the ward office and in order to speed things up, I just ended up sending both tax certificates.

About two weeks after that, we got a postcard in the mail saying that they have made a decision and to please bring the post card, passport, residence card, a 4,000 yen revenue stamp (can be purchased at a post office or the convenience store inside of the Yokohama immigration office building). 

I also needed to notify immigration that I had indeed ended my contract and quit my job, which I did through the e-notification website here.

PICK-UP



Although we had a two week deadline, we went the next day after receiving the post card. The clerk at the permission counter, checked my identification and took the postcard. We then received a number for the pick-up counter (only 13 people ahead of us), and then my shiny, three year spouse visa was waiting for me!
I was asked if there were any mistakes, and without any, our appointment was over in about 45 minutes!


CONCLUSION




I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulder, as I was really worried since I had already submitted my resignation at my job about two months prior, and my last day was approaching fast! We had also stressed over potentially getting an interview, but there was no such thing, and I am glad that the next time I see the ward office, it will be to apply for permanent residence.....

Oh, that'll be next year (T.T) 

Thank you Immigration Office! If you have any questions about the process, feel free to drop a comment, and if I can't help you, maybe another reader can!

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