JapanForum.com - Moving soon?

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Hi everyone. I was offered a job in Japan....Tohoku region, and I'm okay with everything, 'cept for the Visa set up.

I have read everything on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan site, but I'm still a bit lost on the process needed to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility so that I can submit that (along with the other proper paper work) to obtain my actual Visa. To be honest, the COE is the only thing I'm lost on.

I know what I need on my end, but I didn't come across anything explaining what the employer is supposed to provide or all the steps involved in obtaining a COE on their end.

I was told that I could just let them handle everything, or I can get started on the Visa process earlier, which is what I prefer to do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSJup81 (Post 796324)

Are you working for a company with a lot of foreign employees or are you the only one？

It's an English job. Typical, eh? But no, I'm not the only foreigner. I just want to make sure I'm understanding everything fully, is all, as far as the Visa process goes since I've never been anyplace where I actually needed to use my passport before.

I already sent an e-mail asking if I was understanding everything correctly, just haven't received a response back yet, so I decided to ask here too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSJup81 (Post 796331)

Then your employer should be doing most if not all of it for you. It's old hat for them.

I suppose so. I guess, in a way, when it comes to legalities, I can be a bit eccentric, as I want to make sure everything is done by the book and correctly and I also want to make sure I understand everything in is entirety.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSJup81 (Post 796336)

You can drive yourself batty trying to understand Japanese immigration policies and rules. Let them do everything they can for you.

My mother was telling me the same thing. lol

Living in Japan and not speaking the language fluently means you'll have many, many situations where you won't know exactly what's going on and what's what. Try to ask questions and doublecheck what you can, but many times you just need to trust people, go with the flow, and hope for the best.

I agree with the above posters. You are far more likely to mess up the visa application than your new company, which has probably done this hundreds of times. Also as above, once you're in Japan you'll find that you don't know what's going on and aren't in control of the situation quite often, so maybe time to start getting used to that part of the culture shock ;)

I came to Japan on a working visa 11 years ago, and my company sorted out my visa for me just fine. You'll still most likely have to visit the embassy/consulate at least once, so you'll be part of the process anyway.

Well, so far, seems all will be in order sooner or later. Have to mail in all my documentation. The main thing I have to do is a medical check and hope that I do okay with that. Does anyone here know what a medical check would consist of, generally? I've never needed one for a job before, and it's not yet Monday in Japan yet for me to ask them.

Also, I take two medications right now that are prescription. One is Metformin for my Diabetes and the other is Warfurin (Coumadin), which is a blood thinner, which I was put on when I was stuck sick in the hospital the last week of November. They told me that I shouldn't have to take it any longer than six months, but I'm not so sure now.

The blood thinner is used to keep my International Normalized Ratio (INR) level between a 2 and a 3. My problem is that it's still not normalizing. I've been checking it every couple of weeks. Very first time, my INR went down to a 1.2 (bad prescription since I was using generic brand). Took it again (non-generic), and it went up to a 4. Doctor told me not to take it for one week...checked again, .9. Went back to normal dosage again, went up to a 6.5 so she told me to take a whole pill odd days and a half even. I get checked again Monday, so I'm hoping it's not too high again and hope that that adjustment can keep it at a normal level.

I'm getting slightly worried that I'll have to bring that medication over with me as well, which means something else I'd need a doctor for. Is there anyway of knowing what medications are allowed and which aren't? When googling earlier, I came across mostly blogs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by samurai007 (Post 796550)

This is very good advice. My Japanese has suffered, though. I really need to go back to studying it again, but my listening skills are still very weak.

When attempting the JLPT 3 back in 2008, I was weakest in the listening section. I just don't know how I can practice listening.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarasi (Post 796555)

I agree with the above posters. You are far more likely to mess up the visa application than your new company, which has probably done this hundreds of times.

Yeah, I got that now. lol Like I said, the "eccentric" part of me just wants to know the process every step of the way. ^^

Quote:

Also as above, once you're in Japan you'll find that you don't know what's going on and aren't in control of the situation quite often, so maybe time to start getting used to that part of the culture shock ;)

I can't help but wonder how I'll react to being there as far as "culture shock" is concerned. I already know that I'll, probably, be stared at since I'm "African American", overweight (but still losing it slowly but surely), and kind of tall (seems it's been varying, without shoes, about 5'9 - 5'10, with certain shoes, close to 6'). I know I'm going to definitely stand out, but I'm trying to brace myself for it.

One of the students I worked with at the place I do Volunteer ESL teaching at actually wanted to touch my hair after I got it rebraided. I was amused at that situation. She even asked me first. lol I wonder if I'll get any of that for the hair thing...not necessarily touching, though.

Quote:

I came to Japan on a working visa 11 years ago, and my company sorted out my visa for me just fine. You'll still most likely have to visit the embassy/consulate at least once, so you'll be part of the process anyway.

Yeah, I'm under that impression as well since, to my knowledge, I'll have that stamp in my passport and that COE thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSJup81 (Post 796625)

I really need to go back to studying it again, but my listening skills are still very weak.

When attempting the JLPT 3 back in 2008, I was weakest in the listening section. I just don't know how I can practice listening.

This is where just being in Japan is going to help you a lot, although if you want to improve your listening quickly/past a certain level you will need to make some effort.

Back when I was in university in my home country I failed the listening section of JLPT 3, because I had never been to Japan or really heard native speakers talk. It took me years to get around to taking level 2, but by that time I had been in Japan 6 years and listening was by far the easiest part of the test. Just hearing people speaking around you, watching TV and listening to the various announcements you hear will start to train your ear in no time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarasi (Post 796631)

I have to agree with this. Listening will definitely be the easiest part once you have been in Japan for a while. The level of grammar and vocabulary used in the listening part is far below what will be in the written section. If you`re used to listening to Japanese (as you will be after a bit of time in Japan) it will feel ridiculously easy.

The best way to practice listening is to, well, listen to real life... And participate if at all possible. Outside of Japan, normal everyday boring small talk (in Japanese) is not something you encounter much... But in Japan? Everywhere.

Regarding the medical check, I just had to get a full physical. That was a physical, urine and blood check.

Talk to your doctor about getting 6 months of prescription to take with you.