I’m a graduate student in Japan and the time has come for me to renew my visa. The visa renewal form says that it takes 2 weeks to 3 months to get a new visa (which I find a little humorous since you’re not allowed to apply earlier than 2 months before your current visa expires). I’m currently trying to figure out my plans for the spring and that very vague window is making it difficult. I’m curious as to whether (judging from the experiences of people here) visas are usually issued closer to the 2 weeks or 3 months end of the stated period. My studies are funded by the Japanese government and I’ve received good grades, so I don’t expect there to be any difficulty in terms of the actual result.
Thanks.
I went permanent about three years ago, so this info may be out of date.
I’ve never had it take more than a month, usually 3-4 weeks. When you apply for renewal, they stamp your passport with a notice that your visa is being processed, so your status is still valid even if your old visa expires before the new one arrives (it does mean that you have to carry your passport with you in case the police stop you, though, since according to your gaijin card your visa has expired). I would always wait until the last minute.
I don’t know if you’re allowed to travel outside Japan while your new visa is still being processed.
BTW, the day you pick up the new visa is usually also the best time to get your new re-entry permit. You’ll need a new one, since they only last as long as your current visa.
Remember also to get the information on your gaijin card updated after getting your new visa. This isn’t as vital, but also isn’t nearly as much of a PITA. You go to your local town hall and they do it in 20-60 minutes, depending on how crowded it is.
Thank you. Your response was very helpful. I had taken it as a given that I wouldn’t be able to leave Japan while my extension was being processed, but looking around the web it appears that it’s allowed so long as I return before the current visa expires. That solves my scheduling issues (my stay expires at the beginning of April and I was trying to find a way to visit Korea in early March and still have a new visa in time for a trip to the US in late April).
I’ve had my permanent residency for years, so my experiences come from the dark ages.
My wife was on academic visas for years. I asked her, and she said that for students the biggest concern is money. If you’re on Monkasho or other government funding, it should be relatively quick.