Posted: 2006-08-21 21:26:00
My son and his girlfriend have booked a 6 month trip to Japan, leaving in September, returning in February. Being 20-somethings and only having travelled before under the auspices of being students, they neglected to look at the tourist visa limits. They will not be working and are not students, so are limited to a 90 day stay. Short of changing their flights and coming back early, what are the options - if any - for extending a tourist visa. I've read that once in Japan, you can go to an immigration center and apply for an extension, but it is not certain you will be granted one. Would it be possible for them to travel to Korea, spend some time there and then re-enter Japan with the 90 days starting over again? Any advice would be appreciated.
Posted: 2006-08-27 20:35:00
I have never heard of anyone extending the tourist visa, but who knows, maybe they could get an extension. I had thought that American citizens were allowed a 6 month stay though? Have you called the Japanese consulate in Chicago?
Generally the way one gets another visa for Japan is to travel to a foreign country and get a new one there. Flights to South Korea from Tokyo and Osaka are pretty cheap, say between $300-$400 USD return most of the year.
The other alternative is to take the ferry from Hiroshima to Pusan and do it there. I believe it's cheaper, but also slower and the weather in Jan/Feb might not be the best, so if they are prone to seasickness, that might also be an issue.
Hope this helps...
--- Live abroad and learn something about yourself!
