Legally living in Japan while young
 

Yo !

I'm a currently 17 almost 18 year old whose goal is to immigrate to Japan. I am currently in my second year of secondary education (high school equivalent) in an international education program called "International Baccalaureate" (gives grades that are useable for university application in a wide range of countries, including Japan). After I graduate (2012) I am looking to move to Japan and my partner (Japanese national living in Japan) but I am not sure which is the fastest or best way of doing this in a good legal way.

I have studied Japanese for a couple of years keep improving it on a regular basis. Although I am not a resident of an English-speaking country the diploma I am to recieve after graduating from my current education will recognize me as a native Anglophone of the UK.

I heard that you commonly need a BA or equivalent to be able to recieve a working visa for Japan but are there any ways of legally staying in Japan for longer periods without a BA? I have been thinking about this for a while and am still unsure.

Also - if a Japanese company would hire me despite not having a BA - could I get a working visa?

Thank you very much!
- oyabin :ywave:

Without a BA or several of years of work experience in your specific field, you will have a difficult time finding an employer that can give you a work visa.

If there are programs that allow you to study in Japan, then a student visa is possible. That, of course, is not permanent, but it is a start.

Thank you for your reply :mtongue:

Well - say there is a workplace which is ready to hire me without a BA (due to my connections) - how does this affect the problem? Is a BA still required to get the visa?

Also, if I study at a Japanese university under a study visa, how would that work? The grades I will get from my current education are recognized by a whole lot of Japanese universities.

How does marriage affect all this? It is very possible that me and my partner would get married early after I move there, would I in that case be able to change my visa since I would be the spouse of a Japanese national?

Are there any other ways to draw benefits from having Japanese connections and a Japanese partner?

Thanks a lot!

Before considering marriage for a visa, just go get a f#%king degree. Jesus Christ.

if it's a really hot japanese girl.. maybe...


maybe...

Wara, I found this funny - but really - it's kind of the other way around. I am not getting married / having a relationship in order to get a visa, I however want to get a visa so I can live with the person I want to marry until I can get citizenship in the future.

Who said it's a girl? Anyway - as I said, I am not with this partner in order to get a visa.

It depends. The visa is issued by the government, not by the employer. And they want to give it to people that deserve it. That tends to be people with college degrees. That's the reality.

Marriage is a step to getting a visa, but is not a simple or easy process. That may take years. too, and at your age, may be extended. I do not know this in detail.

O.O tense....


O.O Tenso.... (PT-BR)

IB is basically a glorified high school diploma. It means very little, really, and is mostly useful if you want to study in an English-speaking country.
It will not "recognize you as a native Anglophone of the UK. " That's just pure nonsense.

As it's basically a high school diploma, you will not be eligible for an employer-sponsored visa. For that you need a BA.

And seriously, getting married at what? 20? just to gain residency in Japan is just plain foolish.

And even after that, how do you plan to make money once you're married and living in Japan? Or is that left for your future husband to worry about?

100% agree to the first part. Though my school didn't have any IB stuff, we did have AP programs, and if they're at all the same (which they seem to be) then they're only useful within college. I will not be talking at any grad school interviews or job interviews how I got a '5 on my AP Bio test'.

I also have to agree, getting married *just* to get a visa is a poor choice.