Visa requirements for working remotely from Japan

[JeremyCade]

Maybe you could consider attending a Japanese language school for a year, that is making the assumption you don't already speak fluent Japanese.

I know that's my plan for my 2007/2008 trip.

[Alan]

You probably want to check the tax situation too. After staying more than a certain period, you'll probably be classed as resident & be liable for japanese taxes.

[Belton]

Other thing to think about is health insurance.

I think most yearly travel policies are for a limited amount of days per trip. A backpacker type policy covers longer trips of a year or two.

Not being being part of the Japanese system you won't have access to any public health provisions or be part of a company health scheme. And I get the idea that Japan's health system is American in it's outlook, ie. expensive and private rather than free at source and public like parts of Europe and Canada.

I would not like to find myself ill or injured in a strange country without insurance.

[optics]

There is also the issue of getting an apartment, bank account, cell phone ect. ect.

Cell phone providers are already pretty sketchy on allowing non-native people sign up for services. Usually without a bank account, resident address, and proper VISA... it's a no go. I'm not sure if you have ever been to Japan before, but without a cell phone, you are screwed.

Health surance is also and issue. If you get hurt there and you don't have insurance, consider yourself broke.

The best thing is to go on the Working-Holiday VISA. It's easy to get, and there won't be any problems with immigration, insurance, or bank accounts.

Cheers, and good luck.

[Bueller_007]

The best thing is to go on the Working-Holiday VISA. It's easy to get, and there won't be any problems with immigration, insurance, or bank accounts.

Assuming you are under age 30, a citizen of a commonwealth country, and don't intend to stay more than one year.

[optics]

The best thing is to go on the Working-Holiday VISA. It's easy to get, and there won't be any problems with immigration, insurance, or bank accounts.

Assuming you are under age 30, a citizen of a commonwealth country, and don't intend to stay more than one year.

The intend to stay no more than one year is questionable. If you are good at networking, you can aquire a sponsor after the initial year and get a Working VISA. Just becuase you go on a Working-Holiday doesn't mean they kick you out after the first year. Yes, if you don't have another VISA after that one expires, you will have to leave.

[Bueller_007]

The best thing is to go on the Working-Holiday VISA. It's easy to get, and there won't be any problems with immigration, insurance, or bank accounts.

Assuming you are under age 30, a citizen of a commonwealth country, and don't intend to stay more than one year.

The intend to stay no more than one year is questionable. If you are good at networking, you can aquire a sponsor after the initial year and get a Working VISA. Just becuase you go on a Working-Holiday doesn't mean they kick you out after the first year. Yes, if you don't have another VISA after that one expires, you will have to leave.

Not sure if you read the parent of this post. The topic is "working for a foreign company" while living in Japan. There doesn't seem to be any intent to start working for a Japanese company at all.

[optics]

The best thing is to go on the Working-Holiday VISA. It's easy to get, and there won't be any problems with immigration, insurance, or bank accounts.

Assuming you are under age 30, a citizen of a commonwealth country, and don't intend to stay more than one year.

The intend to stay no more than one year is questionable. If you are good at networking, you can aquire a sponsor after the initial year and get a Working VISA. Just becuase you go on a Working-Holiday doesn't mean they kick you out after the first year. Yes, if you don't have another VISA after that one expires, you will have to leave.

Not sure if you read the parent of this post. The topic is "working for a foreign company" while living in Japan. There doesn't seem to be any intent to start working for a Japanese company at all.

Yeah, that's why I said "start networking." There are a lot of business and companies that will sponsor you, even if you only work the minimum amount.

Right right, I know he doesn't want to work in Japan, but I think we should have told him a while back that it is pretty much a must if you are living there (and not studying).

[Bueller_007]

Right right, I know he doesn't want to work in Japan, but I think we should have told him a while back that it is pretty much a must if you are living there (and not studying).

Why is it a must?

[optics]

Right right, I know he doesn't want to work in Japan, but I think we should have told him a while back that it is pretty much a must if you are living there (and not studying).

Why is it a must?

If he wants to stay there more than the 3 month Visitor VISA, he has to get a working holiday/working/self sponsor VISA.

Tell me how he is going to be allowd to stay in the country without working?

You cannot self-sponsor a VISA unless you have a certain amount of income from a Japanese source. Even still, it is hard to actually qualify for it. Not even freelance artists can apply for a self-sponsor VISA, even though they are making their own imcome from a Japanese client.

So, if there is a way to stay in Japan without work, or with a VISA that you can obtain without working, please share.

[Bueller_007]

Right right, I know he doesn't want to work in Japan, but I think we should have told him a while back that it is pretty much a must if you are living there (and not studying).

Why is it a must?

If he wants to stay there more than the 3 month Visitor VISA, he has to get a working holiday/working/self sponsor VISA.

Tell me how he is going to be allowd to stay in the country without working?

You cannot self-sponsor a VISA unless you have a certain amount of income from a Japanese source. Even still, it is hard to actually qualify for it. Not even freelance artists can apply for a self-sponsor VISA, even though they are making their own imcome from a Japanese client.

So, if there is a way to stay in Japan without work, or with a VISA that you can obtain without working, please share.

At present, the optimal solution seems to be working on a visitor's visa, leaving the country every three months, and coming back to get a new visitor's visa.

Otherwise, as I mentioned above, there is also a 1-year "Cultural Activities" visa, that allows people to stay in the country for one year without working, regardless of nationality and age. Unlike the working holday visa, the "Cultural Activities" visa seems to be renewable, making it a superior choice for those who wish to live in Japan, but don't wish to work there.

Incidentally, I'm also rather sure it's more difficult to get a regular working visa than you suggest. You need a university degree from an accredited institution; you generally have to be highly experienced/skilled or working in a field where you would not be taking jobs away from the general Japanese population (i.e. language education, translation, interpreting, etc.); your contract with your employer must be submitted along with your application, and it must meet some certain requirements (i.e. the amount you get paid, the number of hours you work, etc.). Even then, from what my present employer tells me, Japanese immigration law leaves the application almost entirely in the hands of one immigration worker, with little federal oversight. Whether you get accepted and for how long are up to him/her. For example, I applied for and received a 3-year visa, while some of my co-workers applied for 3, but only got 1.

[Bueller_007]

Bueller: I didn't know about the cultural visa, I wonder if that counts for learning Japanese if I book on a part-time course (which I'm planning on doing once I'm there anyway). Nice idea!

I did a quick Google search to check some things before writing my last post, and I turned up these pages:

http://www.focusjapan.com/023_39_focus_japan
http://educationjapan.org/visas/other.html

So according to these, it has to be a "cultural" activity, which is "generally not considered to include the Japanese language".

It'd have to be something like ikebana or judo or something, I guess.

The catch is that you need a sponsor like a working visa. The first page recommends that you go to Japan on a tourism visa and look for a sponsor (a dojo, school of culinary arts, etc.) while you're there. Again, you're subject to the whims of the immigration officers, but it's a renewable visa, at least.

[optics]

Right right, I know he doesn't want to work in Japan, but I think we should have told him a while back that it is pretty much a must if you are living there (and not studying).

Why is it a must?

If he wants to stay there more than the 3 month Visitor VISA, he has to get a working holiday/working/self sponsor VISA.

Tell me how he is going to be allowd to stay in the country without working?

You cannot self-sponsor a VISA unless you have a certain amount of income from a Japanese source. Even still, it is hard to actually qualify for it. Not even freelance artists can apply for a self-sponsor VISA, even though they are making their own imcome from a Japanese client.

So, if there is a way to stay in Japan without work, or with a VISA that you can obtain without working, please share.

At present, the optimal solution seems to be working on a visitor's visa, leaving the country every three months, and coming back to get a new visitor's visa.

Otherwise, as I mentioned above, there is also a 1-year "Cultural Activities" visa, that allows people to stay in the country for one year without working, regardless of nationality and age. Unlike the working holday visa, the "Cultural Activities" visa seems to be renewable, making it a superior choice for those who wish to live in Japan, but don't wish to work there.

Incidentally, I'm also rather sure it's more difficult to get a regular working visa than you suggest. You need a university degree from an accredited institution; you generally have to be highly experienced/skilled or working in a field where you would not be taking jobs away from the general Japanese population (i.e. language education, translation, interpreting, etc.); your contract with your employer must be submitted along with your application, and it must meet some certain requirements (i.e. the amount you get paid, the number of hours you work, etc.). Even then, from what my present employer tells me, Japanese immigration law leaves the application almost entirely in the hands of one immigration worker, with little federal oversight. Whether you get accepted and for how long are up to him/her. For example, I applied for and received a 3-year visa, while some of my co-workers applied for 3, but only got 1.

I never once said it was easy to get a Working VISA. With the proper networking, it definatly isn't as hard as many people think. (I'm not just speculating, a few friends have already done so.)

Anyways, let's not turn this into a "he said, she said" internet battle.

The Cultural VISA brings me back to my first post about a cell phone, and bank account. I'm not sure if it would work too well.*

I agree with you, the best choice is to leave the country and return every 90 days. Unfortunatly, money doesn't grow on trees.

**Edit - sorry, I posted before I read your above post about the Cultural VISA.

[Bueller_007]

The cell phones are another story.

Needless to say, most foreign phones don't work in Japan, even if they are supposedly "global roaming". If it ain't 3G, it ain't gonna work in Japan.

Go Mobile (http://www.gomobile.co.jp/index_in.html) and some other companies do phone rentals for non-residents, but the price is somewhat prohibitive.

[optics]

The cell phones are another story.

Needless to say, most foreign phones don't work in Japan, even if they are supposedly "global roaming". If it ain't 3G, it ain't gonna work in Japan.

Go Mobile (http://www.gomobile.co.jp/index_in.html) and some other companies do phone rentals for non-residents, but the price is somewhat prohibitive.

Yeah, when I first visited Japan I met the demon that is "pay-as-you-go". 100% not worth it. And forget about using your "international" cell in Japan.

Although a lot of the phones from Vodaphone are now GSM NA acessable. Infact, quite a few of the Sony Ericsson models can now be unlocked on the GSM networks outside of Japan. I believe mine can be GSM enabled if I was to take it to the shop.