There are four major types of visa applications.
The “authorized” application is required when coming to Japan from outside of Japan.
“Change” application to change the current visa to another type of visa.
“Renewal” application to extend the term of your current visa.
“Acquisition” application when you have a child or change your nationality from Japanese to another nationality.
Of these, the “change” and “renewal” applications would be in trouble if they are disapproved because the applicant is already in Japan.
Now, We will introduce cases in which visa applications are disapproved.
■If the application is disapproved while the period of stay is still remaining
In this case, you should go to the immigration office, ask the reason for the disapproval, and reapply.
You can apply for a visa until the day before the last day of the validity period, and if you apply, you will be allowed to stay in Japan for two months from that day as a special exception period.
Based on the reasons why your visa application was denied, you should make a thorough preparation and try to reapply for the visa.
■If you are denied permission after your period of stay has expired
In this case, you no longer have a legal basis to live in Japan because your period of stay has already expired.
However, it is indeed impossible to ask you to leave Japan immediately because your visa has been disapproved, so you will receive a temporary status of residence called “Preparation for Departure” for specified activities.
In this case, your residence card will be punched and become invalid. In addition, the Immigration Bureau will contact the city/ward office where you currently reside and your residence card will be expunged (you will be treated as a person who lived in the past).
In addition, your passport will be affixed with a “Preparing to leave Japan” sticker.
In other words, you are preparing to leave Japan.
■Can “Prepare to leave Japan” be changed?
Is it possible to change to another status of residence during the period of “Preparation for Departure”?
The answer is that it depends on the number of days you are preparing to leave Japan.
If you have “31” days, you can apply for a change to another status of residence.
In fact, there are many cases where a visa was denied once, but the visa application was approved again during the departure preparation period and the applicant was able to continue living in Japan without any problems.
In contrast, if the preparation period for departure is “30 days,” application for change to another visa will not be accepted.
In this case, it is advisable to leave Japan once and re-enter Japan with a “certified” visa after making renewed preparations.
