evergrn

I wanted to create a separate thread for entry permit/visa for immediate family & spouse of Japanese national or foreign resident of Japan.

It's been well-documented that Jpn has been open to foreign residents, select business travelers and students. But the special exceptions for children and spouses of Japanese residents & foreign residents had been flying under the radar.
https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/ca/fna/page22_003381.html
(Spouse or child of Japanese citizen or Japanese permanent resident. Or spouse or child of someone who's settled/living in Japan and whose family is in the state of being split up.)

Would appreciate ongoing updates from before, during and after this Omicron debacle.
Omicron aside, in general, how long did it take you to get the 90-day visa? What documents did you submit to prove your relationship to a Japanese national or resident? Has anyone been denied visa or been given a hard time?

The situation is further complicated currently by Jpn government's reaction to the Omicron variant. Couple of insightful posts...
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33777081-post6722.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33778448-post6727.html

Mod: if you feel this discussion should be rolled into the Coronavirus Jpn Impact thread, pls feel free to merge.

evergrn

What about grandchildren (foreign passport) of Japanese national living in Jpn?
What about spouse of the child (foreign passport) of Japanese national living in Jpn?

5khours

Have only heard what has been posted here, i.e. 1) some Consulates were reported to have stopped issuing or have cancelled previously issues visas, and 2) according to MOFA and MOJ page, spouses and children can still be issued visas to enter the country.

25 minutes

Koseki Tohon issued in the last 90 days.

I only know one other person and it took a week, but they may have applied by mail

evergrn

So your temporary visa was approved on the spot? And was this at a Japnese consulate in America?

If they require koseki, that sucks. I don't even know if it's possible to retrieve my koseki record in America and my koseki probably hasn't been updated as it should've been over the years.
Sure hope they will accept other forms of documentation to prove my relationship to family in Jpn.

5khours

Yes. Approved on the spot.

Here's the information I received from the consulate.[Requirement for short term stay visa]

• Applicant�s valid passport
• Visa application form (with photo attached)
• Japanese spouse's Family Register (Kosekitohon) issued within 3 months
• A statement from visa applicant for explaining the reason to applying the Japanese visa
• Information from Dr. office or hospital about the condition of your family member in Japan (if apply).　
• Applicant's most recent monthly US bank statement to show sufficient funds for the purposed trip.
• Applicant�s employment letter (if apply).
• An estimated Itinerary in Japan (English). Please write accommodation including name, address and phone numbers including the 14 days self-quarantine (starting the next day of your arrival) and transportation method after your arrival in Japan (*No public transportation is allowed during the self-quarantine period.).
• An estimated round trip flight itinerary, starting/ending in the US. (Please don�t purchase the tickets yet.)
• Visa Fee (US citizens are exempt from visa fees. The fees $28 must be paid with cash.)
• Proof of residence such as copy of Applicant�s Drive License/ID card or utility bill etc. showing current address.
• Please note that applicants may be requested to provide any other documents deemed necessary.

※ Method for submitting visa applications:

• In person

An appointment is required in advance. Please see the following link for detailed information.

• By mail

1. Release of Liability Form (PDF) (If submitting by mail)

2. A prepaid self-addressed return envelope (If submitting by mail). *Visa applicant�s name and address must be as sender and recipient both. Also, No FedEx Ground.

THECLIPPERS

I applied again last Friday in Los Angeles since I couldn't take my afternoon flight because the rules changed the day before and my visa was suspended.

They told me there is no guarantee when or if I will get an emergency spouse visa issued to me.

Earlier this year when I applied for an emergency visa it took a month to receive and in October when I applied for one it took a week but it was just a regular visitors visa.

I had to provide the following this time:
Visa Application
Doctor's note stating condition of father-in-law (Imminent death)
Invitation letter
Guarantee letter
Koseki from the last 90 days with my name in it
Proof of residency in Japan of mother-in-law
Proof of flights
Most current bank statement
Detailed daily itinerary
Letter stating why I need a visa
They said they could use my photo from my October visa

THECLIPPERS

Where and when did you apply? In Los Angeles, they always tell me they can't issue the visas and all applications are sent to Japan to get approved.

evergrn

Thanks. So it can take a month then for the regular 90d visa.

mongobot

Even pre-Omicron, issue times apparently varied depending on the consulate.

I live in San Francisco and due to proximity to the consulate was obliged to apply in person. I called prior to applying for a Family "V" visa and was told "If all your paperwork is in order it will take 5 days". When I went to the consulate to apply I was again told the same and indeed the scheduled time to pick up my passport was five days from when I dropped off my paperwork.

As 5khours reports, the Koseki Tohon was part of the documentation required and this proved to be a challenge. Rules to access this documentation varies depending on which city it is registered with. Some will allow you to request a copy via mail (e.g. Yokohama) while others require it to be requested in person or by an immediate family member.
In fact, after clearing all of the the MOFA hurdles after landing at NRT, when I finally got to the immigration counter I was unexpectedly asked to provide a copy of the Koseki Tohon. Since this was already part of the visa application I was caught off guard when asked for it again at immigration.

5khours

Atlanta. Mid-October.

The Consulate told me that I would need the Koseki Tohon again at Immigration in Tokyo and to be sure I had it with me.

THECLIPPERS

I wonder why Los Angeles can't do it on the spot?

They told me the same about having the Koseki ready to show immigration.

THECLIPPERS

Important Guidance on Japan’s Border Control Measures Related to COVID-19

https://www.la.us.emb-japan.go.jp/pd...dToCOVID19.pdf

evergrn

thanks for this official document that sums things up well.
Seems pretty arbitrary for them to maintain the exception for long-term stay but suspend it for <90d stay.

5khours

"Please also note that at this time, those of spouse/child of Japanese and Permanent
Resident may be asked to postpone the trip unless it is truly inevitable/emergency case
and we may ask to submit the proof. "

There is absolutely no basis for this pronouncement in anything MOFA or MHLW has put out. Every document clearly states that spouses and children of Japanese and PRs can enter the country on a temporary basis. Even the document published by the LA Consulate clearly says this. My bet is some bureaucrat at MOFA or the Consulate got ahead of themselves without reading the actual MOJ rules and made this crap up about suspending visas and postponing trips. Now that they've published it, they're hoping the issue will go away without their nose getting rubbed in the mess they've made.

5khours

Don't know for sure, but my guess is that Japan has legal treaty obligations that require them to provide mostly equal rights to foreign residents and the right of association to foreign family members (spouses and children) of nationals and residents. I think they can restrict travel, but they can't apply the restrictions just to non-national residents or non-national family members.