Congratulations! If you were fortunate enough to have a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issued while visiting Japan on a tourist visa, you’ve already cleared a significant hurdle.
Under normal circumstances, you would need to return to your home country or country of residence, visit a Japanese embassy or consulate, apply for the visa, and then re-enter Japan with your new visa. This process can be quite inconvenient, especially if your home country is far from Japan, adding not only travel expenses but also the cost of your time.
However, there is a way to bypass this hassle. It is possible to convert your tourist visa to a new visa without leaving Japan. That said, the process has specific conditions you must meet.
For instance:
- You must have stayed in Japan continuously since applying for and submitting your COE.
- If you have left Japan and returned after applying for a COE, you will need to be careful. Specifically, you will not be able to complete this procedure unless you have continuously stayed in Japan from the day before the issue date of your COE to the present.
- You need to keep track of the expiration date of your current tourist visa. Remember, obtaining a COE does not automatically extend your tourist visa. You’ll still need to complete the necessary procedures at the Immigration Bureau to ensure compliance.
If you’re unsure about any of these steps, feel free to reach out to us. We may be able to provide guidance or assistance.
Additionally, if you arrived in Japan on a tourist visa and only later learned about the new type of visa, it might still be possible to apply for and secure it without leaving Japan. Of course, you’ll need to have all the required documents ready—either stored on your PC or sent to you via email.
Navigating these processes can be tricky, but with the right support, you can successfully transition to the visa that best suits your needs.