Living In Japan on Rotation

[Gaberdeen]

Hi guys,

This might be an unusual question to ask, but I'll ask it anyway! ha ha!

I currently live and work in the UK, travelling to Tokyo/Chiba as often as I can to spend time with my girlfriend and learn japanese, integrate with japanese society, so on and so forth.

The situation with UK citizens at the moment is that we are given leave to stay in Japan for 3 months at a time as visitors (promising therefore not to take up paid employment whilst we are there etc etc) These 3 month visas can be extended to 9 months on application of an extension whilst in Japan.

I have recently been offered a new job working on rotation offshore in the UK, this job would mean I work for 2 weeks off the coast of the UK and have 3 weeks R&R - Are there therefore any issues with me simply living in Japan on the 3 month landing visa for the 3 out of 5 weeks? I would be registered and working in the UK so I don't think tehres an issue with it?

I understand that to apply for naturalisation you have to have demonstrated 5 years of continious law-abiding living in Japan, will my status as a "frequent visitor prevent me from applying for such naturalisation?

In the instance of the above method resulting in failure of naturalisation, can someone please clarify what the rules are regarding foreign spouses if my girlfriend and I got married?

My apologies if this question has been covered by previous posters as i am a very new member!

[chachava]

Originally Posted by Gaberdeen

Are there therefore any issues with me simply living in Japan on the 3 month landing visa for the 3 out of 5 weeks? I would be registered and working in the UK so I don't think tehres an issue with it?:

No, but make sure you declare it at the airport when you leave Japan or else they will cancel your visa when you leave

As for frequent visiting affecting long term stay applications, I would say it might benefit you - makes it look as though you are really keen on the country!

[Gaberdeen]

Originally Posted by chachava

No, but make sure you declare it at the airport when you leave Japan or else they will cancel your visa when you leave

As for frequent visiting affecting long term stay applications, I would say it might benefit you - makes it look as though you are really keen on the country!

Thanks Chachava,

It's not so much as a Visa, more like a landing stamp - it's date of expiry is 3 months after your arrival date - It's cancelled when you leave Japan, but when you re-enter it starts anew. You can get a 6 month extension as a visitor upon application.

Still looking for clarification on spousal rights and I'll be contacting the Japanese Consulate in Edinburgh when I'm there next month.

In a related issue, does anyone know what the Policy of the UK is regarding Japanese residents who want to live and work in the UK? I'm going to approach the foreign office anyway - but if anyone knows for reference - please reply.

Thanks again

Gary

[chachava]

Originally Posted by Gaberdeen

In a related issue, does anyone know what the Policy of the UK is regarding Japanese residents who want to live and work in the UK? I'm going to approach the foreign office anyway - but if anyone knows for reference - please reply.

pretty much the same as any country - needs a working visa or will face deportation*



*if the authorities can be bothered, I know how crappy the uk is for sorting these things hahaha!

[akitaperson]

if you got married to a Japanese citizen, it's a real doddle to get a visa to stay and work. i think after 3 years you can then apply for permanent residence.

as for a Japanese wife living in the UK, you have to have a home and an income before you can apply for her visa and it's a lot more complicated for the UK

my wife is Japanese and i've been here for over 7 years now and i'm so glad i don't live in the UK, but there again i grew up with a lot of problems and alway got heaps of stress in the UK so i have always been interested in foreign travel etc

[Gaberdeen]

Originally Posted by akitaperson

if you got married to a Japanese citizen, it's a real doddle to get a visa to stay and work. i think after 3 years you can then apply for permanent residence.

as for a Japanese wife living in the UK, you have to have a home and an income before you can apply for her visa and it's a lot more complicated for the UK

my wife is Japanese and i've been here for over 7 years now and i'm so glad i don't live in the UK, but there again i grew up with a lot of problems and alway got heaps of stress in the UK so i have always been interested in foreign travel etc

Thanks Akitaperson, (Akitahito? hee hee!)

It's reassuring to know that! We want to have the flexibility of being able to live in both the UK and in Japan - obviously, as her family live there and my work is in the UK!

I own my own house and my job is as secure as you can get given the price of oil (that will only ever get more expensive!) My gf is a qualified nurse working at Mita hospital and as we all know - nurses are much sought after the world over (or at least they used to be!)

Thanks again!

Gary

[akitaperson]

just a couple more thoughts on your situation. firstly, i think you will have to check with immagration about continually leaving for a couple of weeks for getting permanent residence as it's either 3 or 5 years continuous living in Japan. i don't think it's a problem with an ordinary 1 or 3 year spousal visa. you just need to get a multiple re-entry visa or whatever (Y6,000 for 3 years). actually you need a visa to get back in even if you're a permanent resident, but p.r. status is good for life i think.

also if you girlfriend wants to work as a nurse in the UK, i believe she will have to do the UK nursing exams before she can get a job, so would need pretty good English.

then there's also income tax status, which country....

my situation was a little different as i lived with my wife as a girlfriend for 5 years in 3 different countries before she said she was coming back to Japan permanently. i didn't have any property in the UK or elsewhere, but i was earning good money as a freelance programmer and i gave that up when i came to Japan. my wife's parents are successful business people and gave me and her jobs when we first came, so i was in Japan for all the time except for a couple of weeks before i got permanent residence. if you decide one day to settle down in Japan, you would have to give up a lucrative job in the oil business and probably settle for teaching English or perhaps you and your wife could start a business up.

anyway good luck !!

[Gaberdeen]

Originally Posted by akitaperson

just a couple more thoughts on your situation. firstly, i think you will have to check with immagration about continually leaving for a couple of weeks for getting permanent residence as it's either 3 or 5 years continuous living in Japan. i don't think it's a problem with an ordinary 1 or 3 year spousal visa. you just need to get a multiple re-entry visa or whatever (Y6,000 for 3 years). actually you need a visa to get back in even if you're a permanent resident, but p.r. status is good for life i think.

also if you girlfriend wants to work as a nurse in the UK, i believe she will have to do the UK nursing exams before she can get a job, so would need pretty good English.

then there's also income tax status, which country....

my situation was a little different as i lived with my wife as a girlfriend for 5 years in 3 different countries before she said she was coming back to Japan permanently. i didn't have any property in the UK or elsewhere, but i was earning good money as a freelance programmer and i gave that up when i came to Japan. my wife's parents are successful business people and gave me and her jobs when we first came, so i was in Japan for all the time except for a couple of weeks before i got permanent residence. if you decide one day to settle down in Japan, you would have to give up a lucrative job in the oil business and probably settle for teaching English or perhaps you and your wife could start a business up.

anyway good luck !!

Thanks again Akitaperson, You'r being very helpful - my sincere thanks

You raise a very interesting point regarding the continious in/out situation regarding living in Japan - clarification at the consulate or embassy is what I'll look for.

Taxation is a strange one, I'll admit. Because I'll be living outside the UK on my time off and working outside UK territorial waters (180 miles, the limit is 12!) I can claim 100% of my tax back from the UK government at the end of the fiscal year. Wether I'll be subject to paying Japanese income tax largely depends on my status I would assume. Ergo; If I am living there as a visitor / temporary resident without the right to work in Japan, how does the Japanese Govt justify the taxation of someone who "shouldn't" be earning money while in Japan - albiet from a foreign, tax-exempt source?

I qualify for 40% PAYE tax in the UK - do you happen to know what the equivelent rate in Japan is?

Thanks again

Gary

[akitaperson]

tax is pretty low in Japan compared to Europe, but actually if you are exempt from paying UK tax, you could probably get away without paying tax in Japan, certainly for a while and depending on your conscience hahaha