Visa Extensions for Third Year JETs
Re-appointed 3rd year JETs must visit the immigration office before their period of stay expires. If you are finishing JET this summer, but plan to travel in Japan after your visa is set to expire, you will also need to extend your visa. All 3rd year JETs’ period of stay will end approximately on the last day of their appointment period.
If you stay past your period of stay, you will be in Japan illegally and may face serious consequences, such as, loss of employment, deportation, imprisonment, and fines. Since renewing your visa is a lengthy process, please talk with your supervisor as soon as possible. You are able to start the visa renewal process up to 3 months before your period of stay expires.
The Application for Extension of Period of Stay form that you submit depends on whether you are an ALT or CIR.
ALT
- Status of residence - "Instructor" (kyōiku 教育)
- Purpose of entry - "Activities to engage in language instruction at junior high schools and high schools, etc."
CIR
- Status of residence - "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (gijutsu/jinbun chishiki/kokusai gyōmu)"
- Purpose of entry - "Activities to engage in services which require knowledge pertinent to natural science fields or human science fields or to engage in services which require specific ways of thinking or sensitivity acquired through experience with foreign culture"
Process
Upon arriving in Japan, JETs are issued 3 year Teaching Visas. At the end of the third year, any JETs who intend to re-contract and stay longer than the three years permitted by the visa will have to apply to the Minister of Justice for a visa extension at the Immigration Office.
Please reference this Application for Extension from the Immigration Bureau for information
You can also refer to Section 2.6 Status of Residence in the 2019 JET Programme General Information Handbook.
The First Trip
Materials Needed
- Application Form
- For ALTs, it will be this form: http://www.moj.go.jp/content/001290199.pdf
- For CIRs, it will be this form: http://www.moj.go.jp/content/001290202.pdf
- “For applicant” pages should be filled out by the visa holder. “For organization” pages should be filled out by your school for ALTs or by your employer for CIRs.
- 4 cm x 3cm Photograph which fulfill these requirements:
- Applicant must be alone and be facing forward without any head covering
- Background should be plain with no shadow
- Must be sharp and clear
- Must have been taken within 3 months prior to submission
- Passport
- Residence Card (zairyu ka-do 在留カード)
- Other possibly necessary items:
- Documents certifying the activity, its duration and position of the person concerned:
- Reappointment Intention Form
- Employment Terms & Conditions/Contract in Japanese
- Statement of Earning for previous year (gensen choushuu hyo or 源泉徴収票)
- Certificate of Employment (zaishoku shomeisho or 在職証明書)
- Documents certifying an annual income and tax payment:
- Kazei Shoumeisho (課税証明書), available at the tax/revenue department in your ward/city office
- Nouzei Shoumeisho (納税証明書), available at local tax office or tax/revenue department in your ward/city office
- Documents certifying the activity, its duration and position of the person concerned:
At the Immigration Office (First Trip)
Go to your Immigration Office and take a number. When your number is called, submit the necessary materials. If you submit your paperwork and everything seems to be in order, they will give you a post card to write down your name and address on. They will send this postcard to you once they are ready for you to come back to finish the visa extension process. Note that it takes on average about one month, and possibly longer, for them to process your application and send the postcard to you. They should, however, stamp your residence card or passport to indicate your visa application is being processed.
Note: When you submit your documents, they will not be returned to you (with the exception of your passport and Alien Registration/Resident Card). So if you need to make copies, make sure you do so before you go to the immigration office. When you get the postcard in the mail, it will state the period of time you have to go back to the office and finish the process. It’s highly recommended you go during this period, but if you absolutely cannot, please call the immigration office to reschedule.
The Second Trip
Materials Needed
- Postcard the immigration office sent you
- Passport
- Residence Card (zairyu ka-do 在留カード)
- 4,000 yen Revenue Stamp (Shunyu Inshi or 収入印紙)
- The Revenue Stamp is NOT available the immigration office. A revenue stamp can be purchased at a convenience store or post office. Simply ask for a shunyu inshi (収入印紙) and specify the amount as ¥4,000.
At the Immigration Office (Second Trip)
Go to the immigration office and take a number. When your number is called, give them your post card, passport, and Alien Registration Card/Resident Card. You will probably make your payment at this time. They will give you a paper to stick the revenue stamp on, and you’ll fill out how much you paid, what for, and sign the sheet. You’ll probably have to wait a bit again as they make your new Resident Card. Once it’s finished, you’ll be called up again and given your new card and your passport back.
Congratulations! Your visa had been renewed and extended. If you look at your Resident Card, it states how long your renewed visa is and when it expires.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: No new visa stamp will be placed in your passport. Basically, your Resident Card is your visa.
Immigration Office Website
Access
Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau has jurisdiction over Tokyo, Kanagawa (Kanagawa falls under the jurisdiction of Yokohama District Immigration Office), Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Yamanashi, Nagano and Niigata, and consists of its headquarters, 3 district immigration offices and 12 branch offices (including 1 branch office of Yokohama District Immigration Office).
Location
- Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau
- 5-5-30 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8255
- Open in Google Maps
Telephone number:
- 03-5796-7111
Office hours:
- 9:00 to 12:00, and 13:00 to 16:00 (NOT OPEN on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays)
Resident status (work permits)
- Business and Employment Inspection Department
- 03-5796-7252