What are the benefits of Residency over Spouse Visas?
Elbow
any over my current spouse of japanese visa?
The only one I can see is not having to apply for a visa every 3 yrs.
But then I cant see very far.
Cheers
Elbow
Ryan Ginstrom
"Elbow" <tokyo...@totalise.co.uk> wrote in message
news:515ab8e4.0307...@posting.google.com...
AFAICT, the benefits are mainly ones that would appeal to someone planning
to live in Japan long-term (duh!). E.g. eligibility for home loans, less
rigamarole with immigration, etc.
--
Regards,
Ryan Ginstrom
mr.sumo snr.
"Thinking about applying" is all fine and dandy - but do you qualify? How
many times have you renewed that spouse visa so far? Do you have any
children? Are you self-employed or salaried? Are you the sole bread-winner
in the family? Have you lived and worked exclusively in Japan for the
entire period of your visa?
The benefits of permanent residency status are, as you mention, not having
to re-apply for a visa every 3 years (through you'll still have to apply for
a re-entry visa since they still only run to a maximum of three years). The
other main benefit is, or so other members of the group have stated, the
ability to take out a house loan. I'm still not permanent, but I had no
problem securing a house loan AND a business loan. Other loans and credit
card applications are apparently much easier too. If you divorce you can
remain in the country.
I renewed my 3 year visa in February - two weeks before my son was born.
I'll wait until next year and then pay my immigration 'lawyer' (though in
fact he's an accountant) to sort out a permanent visa. One trip alone to
the Nagano immigration office was enough to convince me that this particular
piece of Japanese bureaucracy was something best dealt with through monetary
expenditure.
--
jonathan
--
"Never give a gun to ducks"
Ed
"mr.sumo snr." <mr_...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:beo51r$7f6km$1...@ID-141600.news.uni-berlin.de...
What are you talking about? The Nagano immigration office has parking, maybe
five other people there and an average 15 minute wait between walking in the
door and walking out the door with your new visa. For re-entry permits it's
a grand total of five minutes at the most. And that includes the time it
takes to walk across the street to buy your stamps.
I well remember when there wasn't any such thing as a Nagano immigration
office. I had to go to Tokyo and wait with the rest of the lemmings for most
of the day just to find out that they wanted to know when my anniversary is.
Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to call your wife at home and ask
her when you were married?
mr.sumo snr.
news:beqoob$h3s$1...@cobalt01.janis.or.jp...
>
> What are you talking about? The Nagano immigration office has parking,
maybe
> five other people there and an average 15 minute wait between walking in
the
> door and walking out the door with your new visa. For re-entry permits
it's
> a grand total of five minutes at the most. And that includes the time it
> takes to walk across the street to buy your stamps.
>
> I well remember when there wasn't any such thing as a Nagano immigration
> office. I had to go to Tokyo and wait with the rest of the lemmings for
most
> of the day just to find out that they wanted to know when my anniversary
is.
> Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to call your wife at home and ask
> her when you were married?
>
True, true. Nevertheless - signing on the dotted line and then letting
someone else sort out everything else is a lot less hassle - and only about
20000 yen more in 'real' terms.
My recent visit to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau (to get my new visa
transferred to my new passport) was most amusing. The queue to ask about
which to stand in was at least a half hour wait. I telephoned my wife at
home, who telephoned the bureau - doing her usual "my husband is a poor
ignorant gaijin and hasn't a clue what he's doing and can you tell me
exactly which floor and window he should go to". Worked a treat and I was
in and out within 20 minutes.
BTW when I was leaving the underground car park (I'm not even sure I should
have been in that particular car park - but some guy just waved me in) I saw
a mini-bus drive down the entrance ramp at high speed, screech to a halt,
and then proceed to off load its 6 or 7 passengers. Interesting, South
American-looking types all handcuffed and looking a little sorry for
themselves - now I'm sure that's NOT something I should have seen.
Strange location for the new Tokyo office. Michael - have you ever picked
up/delivered cargo down there? The queue of trucks was quite remarkable.
It must take those guys all day just to pick up.
--
jonathan
Ed
> True, true. Nevertheless - signing on the dotted line and then letting
> someone else sort out everything else is a lot less hassle - and only
about
> 20000 yen more in 'real' terms.
cough! choke!! urrrk!!! ONLY 20,000 yen more? That's my monthly beer money
allowance. No wait, that's my secret beer money allowance. My wife thinks
it's more like 2,000.