Visa Information

JET participants hold one of the following three types of “Status of Residence” (zairyu shikaku) for which the “Period of Stay” (zairu kikan) is three years.

・     ALT: Instructor (kyōiku)

・     CIR: Specialist in Humanities/International Services (jinbun chishiki/kokusai gyōmu) (Some CIRs hold the Status of Residence of Researcher or Artist (kenkyū or geijutsu))

・     SEA: Skilled Labour (ginō)

Both the Status of Residence and Period of Stay are recorded in your passport. Staying in Japan even one day after the Period of Stay has expired is considered overstaying your visa. If you plan to stay in Japan after the Period of Stay expires or re-contract for a fourth/fifth year on the Programme, you must apply to receive an extension to your Period of Stay. Family members of JETs must also change their Period of Stay if they stay more than three years in Japan.

Changing the Status of Residence or Extending the Period of Stay

It is necessary to change the Status of Residence when a JET participant changes job types from ALT to CIR, or CIR to ALT. A JET who is re-contracting for a fourth/fifth year must extend his/her Period of Stay. These administrative procedures take place at a Regional Immigration Bureau. To submit the application forms and to receive the new stamp, you will have to visit the Regional Immigration Bureau at least twice. However, if you live far away from an Immigration Bureau (located in another prefecture), ask your Supervisor to phone the immigration office and request that your application be processed in one day. Nevertheless, be prepared to go to the immigration office twice if they say no. JETs are responsible for their own transportation costs to and from the Immigration Bureau and for the costs of changing the Status of Residence or extending the Period of Stay.

It is possible to apply for an extension from two months prior to the end of the current Period of Stay. An application to change the Status of Residence can be submitted at any time. However, when a JET wishes to change the Status of Residence and extend the Period of Stay, it is efficient to apply for both at the same time (e.g. An ALT who will re-contract for a fourth year as a CIR.)

Conversely, there are no administrative procedures to follow when a transfer within or outside the prefecture does not involve a change in the Status of Residence or Period of Stay. Nevertheless, if a JET plans to apply for an extension of the Period of Stay in future, it is recommended that the JET obtain verification from the immigration office to show that their current Status of Residence will remain valid in the new position, as this will make things go smoothly (i.e. Certificate of Authorised Employment - shuro shikaku shomeisho). All costs related to these various procedures are to be borne by the JET.  

According to the General Information Handbook, these are the necessary forms to Extend your Period of Stay:   

a. Application to Extend the Period of Stay (zairyu kikan koshin kyoka shinseisho): Application forms can be found at Regional Immigration Bureaus   

b. Request Form (iraisho): Please refer to the forms in the Contracting Organisation Manual (keiyaku dantai manyuaru)   

c. Re-contracting Intention Form (saikeiyaku yoteisho): Please refer to the forms in the Contracting Organisation Manual

d. Terms and Conditions (shugyo kisoku): Documentation that clearly shows conditions such as work content, length of appointment, and renumeration

e. Statement of Earnings (gensen choshu hyo) and Proof of Tax Payment (nozei shomeisho) of the JET participant

f. Passport of the JET participant

g. Alien Registration of the JET participant 

Staying in Japan at the End of the JET Contract

If you wish to stay in Japan at the end of your JET contract to make final preparations or travel, you must submit the application to change your status to ”Temporary Visitor” (tanki taizai) before your Period of Stay expires. The Temporary Visitor status is valid for either 90 days or 15 days.

If you want to stay in Japan to work, you must provide documents from your new employer to change your Status of Residence.

Reporting Changes to your Alien Registration

You must report any changes in your Period of Stay or Status of Residence to your Municipal Office within 14 days and register these changes on your Alien Registration Card. You must also report changes to your name, address or nationality, and any changes to the name or location of your workplace.

Working & Temporary Visas

Please read the April CLAIR News for information about getting tourist, work, or student visas to stay in Japan after your working visa has expired.

If your visa is still valid, you can leave and re-enter Japan as long as you have the appropriate re-entry permits. However, in order to become a non-resident and collect your pension refund you have to cancel that visa when leaving Japan (i.e. leave without a re-entry permit).

Don't forget to hand in your alien registration card at immigration on your way out.

Special for 3rd Years

You must leave Japan before your current visa expires OR you must apply for a temporary visitor visa before your current visa expires. Temporary visas may be issued in one day IF all of the necessary documents are presented and the application is approved. Ask your supervisor to call the immigration office before you go, to confirm what you have to do and how long it will take.

Temporary visitor visas are valid from the date of issue for a period that usually extends to 90 days after issuance, but sometimes for a shorter period of time. Note that it is illegal to work on a temporary visitor visa. This makes things problematic for JETs whose working visas run out on the same day or shortly after their contracts end. They could try getting temporary visas on their last days, but if the immigration office needs additional documentation, or if the application is refused, JETs could find themselves in the position where they are illegally stranded in the country. There may be a way around this -- a JET may go to the immigration office in advance with all the documentation and a letter from their contracting organization asking that the temporary visitor visa be issued from the last day of the present working visa. This is not normal practice, but the immigration office may agree to do this. This is a much safer method than going at the last minute and hoping that your application is in order and gets approved. If you are able to extend your visit in Japan, under a temporary visitor visa, the CLAIR-sponsored flight home provisions still apply.

Documents needed for visa renewal:

1.  Application Form
2.  Passport
3.  Alien Registration Card
4.  Copy of proof of current employment, including contract finish date
5.  Copy of last year's income statement- this should have been received at the end of last year in the mail
6.  A 4,000 yen revenue stamp (shunyu inshi). Available at Post Offices.

The numbers for the nearest immigration branch offices for Niigata JETs are:

025-275-4735 (Niigata Airport)
026-232-3317 (Nagano City)

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