Guest viewing is limited

Leaving before Jan 1st

R

raoxi

TAG Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2016
Messages
126
Reaction score
143
Yes I choose TAG as a platform to ask this question (I trust you lot more than reddit etc). But it has come to the end of my 2 year stint in Tokyo so am trying to get rid of my working visa before the dreaded Jan 1st. Am wondering is there anyway I could do this without going through customs at the airport? Atm am planning to just do a quick 1 day visit Seoul and give up my resident card on the way out but if there is a quicker way around it i.e handing it back somewhere and then claiming a new temporary visitor visa, then that would work too. Or better yet, if you know of another better way to surrender my working visa?
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
raoxi said:
Yes I choose TAG as a platform to ask this question (I trust you lot more than reddit etc). But it has come to the end of my 2 year stint in Tokyo so am trying to get rid of my working visa before the dreaded Jan 1st. Am wondering is there anyway I could do this without going through customs at the airport? Atm am planning to just do a quick 1 day visit Seoul and give up my resident card on the way out but if there is a quicker way around it i.e handing it back somewhere and then claiming a new temporary visitor visa, then that would work too. Or better yet, if you know of another better way to surrender my working visa?
Click to expand...
As far as I know.... you can go to immigration and request the change to a short term visitor status. However, they can and have been known to reject people who try to do that.
From what I've heard, it's much easier to just leave the country and come back as a tourist.

Others may have other experience to share...
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
e-smile said:
I don't understand the point in doing that
Click to expand...

The city taxes for this year have to be paid only if you are a resident on first of January next year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
D
MikeH said:
The city taxes for this year have to be paid only if you are a resident on first of January next year.
Click to expand...
Doesn’t he still owe the taxes? I don’t see what changing his visa status or leaving before Jan 1 buys him. He is liable for city taxes for 2018 based on his 2018 income. Normally he would pay each month or quarterly through the 2019 year. He doesn’t avoid any taxes by leaving. He still owes. Staying one day on a work visa in 2019 would only mean that he owes one day of taxes (if he worked on that day) in 2019 that he would have to pay in 2020.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Casanova69
MikeH said:
The city taxes for this year have to be paid only if you are a resident on first of January next year.
Click to expand...
I don’t think that is true. You are laible. By leaving on December 31 2018, you don’t get to not pay 2018 residents taxes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Casanova69
warubuta said:
I don’t think that is true. You are laible. By leaving on December 31 2018, you don’t get to not pay 2018 residents taxes.
Click to expand...

It actually is true. Your resident tax liability is determined by your municipality of residence on January 1st. If you are no longer resident in Japan, you have no liability.This is why you often have an exodus of expats just before Christmas.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Simonka, AliceInWonderland and MikeH
Sudsy said:
It actually is true. Your resident tax liability is determined by your municipality of residence on January 1st. If you are no longer resident in Japan, you have no liability.This is why you often have an exodus of expats just before Christmas.
Click to expand...
Really? I always thought I would have to pay up if I left. I did leave once for a few years and, IRRC, my HR manager at the time made me pay tax for the whole previous year. It was already midway through the year so it didn’t hurt that much. I think I left in August, so I only paid 4 months. Taxes and death.
 
warubuta said:
Really? I always thought I would have to pay up if I left. I did leave once for a few years and, IRRC, my HR manager at the time made me pay tax for the whole previous year. It was already midway through the year so it didn’t hurt that much. I think I left in August, so I only paid 4 months. Taxes and death.
Click to expand...

Right, let's say that you left in August 2010. You were resident on January 1st of 2010, and liable for resident tax on 2009 income, and by August you had only paid off 2/3 of the 2009 liability, with 4 months remaining. As you were not in the country on January 1st 2011, you had no resident tax liability on your 2010 income.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
Sudsy said:
Right, let's say that you left in August 2010. You were resident on January 1st of 2010, and liable for resident tax on 2009 income, and by August you had only paid off 2/3 of the 2009 liability, with 4 months remaining. As you were not in the country on January 1st 2011, you had no resident tax liability on your 2010 income.
Click to expand...
Yup. The J-tax authorities are just one of many entities that takes by force what rightfully belongs to The Buta. But The Buta perserveres!
 
Sudsy said:
It actually is true. Your resident tax liability is determined by your municipality of residence on January 1st. If you are no longer resident in Japan, you have no liability.This is why you often have an exodus of expats just before Christmas.
Click to expand...

I used to know a couple of enterprising souls who would leave every two years before Christmas, then move back in the beginning of year. This of course with keeping the same job and the same house. Every two years to take advantage of the lump sum payment of the pensions too.

I think they changed the system so you need to stay out of Japan for a year before coming back in order not to pay the city taxes so this won't work anymore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Simonka and AliceInWonderland
MikeH said:
I used to know a couple of enterprising souls who would leave every two years before Christmas, then move back in the beginning of year. This of course with keeping the same job and the same house. Every two years to take advantage of the lump sum payment of the pensions too.

I think they changed the system so you need to stay out of Japan for a year before coming back in order not to pay the city taxes so this won't work anymore.
Click to expand...
More scofflaw gaijins. They are slowly closing the noose on them though. This new law that Abe just rammed through is going to create a system of second class laborers who can’t bring their family and can’t change their visa status while they are here. 5 years of hard work and cold beans and then back to the muddy banks of the Irrawaddy. Just like good ol Singapore. A paragon of enlightenment re human rights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chaztagster and AnotherTag
MikeH said:
I think they changed the system so you need to stay out of Japan for a year before coming back in order not to pay the city taxes so this won't work anymore.
Click to expand...

Three months, I believe. Same as with driver's licenses.
 
Sudsy said:
Three months, I believe. Same as with driver's licenses.
Click to expand...

I think it was three months but then they changed it to a full year. Can't seem to find any reference to this now so take it with a shot of tequila. Err, I mean a pinch of salt, of course.
 
MikeH said:
I think it was three months but then they changed it to a full year. Can't seem to find any reference to this now so take it with a shot of tequila. Err, I mean a pinch of salt, of course.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is outside of my area as well. I know it's still three months for driving licenses.
 
MikeH said:
I think it was three months but then they changed it to a full year. Can't seem to find any reference to this now so take it with a shot of tequila. Err, I mean a pinch of salt, of course.
Click to expand...
Don't forget the lime.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeH
DanniCake said:
Don't forget the lime.
Click to expand...

You don't do the lime before lunch. That would be just vulgar.

Unless you count the lime as the lunch.
 
MikeH said:
I think it was three months but then they changed it to a full year. Can't seem to find any reference to this now so take it with a shot of tequila. Err, I mean a pinch of salt, of course.
Click to expand...
thanks for pointing this out. i sort of vaguely remembered reading it somewhere too.... but seems like it should still work.
 
raoxi said:
i think the only place cheaper than Seoul is Daegu.. but i heard is very inaka compared to Seoul so best i stick to Seoul.
Click to expand...
When you get back from your tax cheat trip to Korea, they have a free room all lined up for you! Guess what? Carlos Ghosn is your roommate! He gets the top bunk because he is worth about $100 million. But since it’s so cold, you can both spoon in the bottom bunk to keep warm! Tax cheats make fine bedfellows! HAHAHAHA! He thought it was legal too!
 
warubuta said:
He thought it was legal too!
Click to expand...

It still might be. I believe we will need to have several levels of court to figure that one out. What we know is leaving Japan is perfectly legal though working without a valid visa is not.

And while I am not keeping up to date on this fine fellow Carlos-gaijin it seems he has not been cheating on taxes as he hasn't received the money yet. So no taxes are due yet either. The charges against him are for financial misconduct (against the securities laws) and not for tax evasion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
raoxi said:
thanks for the advices everyone, looks like is to seoul we go on the 30th lol. is gonna be cold....
Click to expand...

Philippines is cheap and warm... just stay out of Manila... Cebu for example.. granted it is a longer flight... but.... just something to consider rather than bouncing to a colder climate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland and warubuta
You must log in or register to reply here.