Will Living Separately From My Wife For A Time, Cause Problems With My Next Spouse Visa Renewal?

[Frenchy]

What about moving back in with your wife?

I'm sure you are capable of charming the mother-in-law. Apologize to her, even if you feel like it isn't warranted, and then kiss her ass everyday. Make her love you.

If you want to stay married, you'll have to be part of the family and sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

Besides, the chances are that immigration will find out. They might be closing in already. One way you can tell is if you notice men in black overcoats on the train who aren't paying any attention to you. That is a hallmark of immigration agents following you.

If you notice while sedans in your neighborhood, then they certainly have you under surveillance.

Seriously, either be married or don't be married. Living in some odd state of limbo is bound to catch up with you in more ways than one.

From your many stories of being a horn dog, it doesn't sound like you are ready to be a husband.

Maybe what you need to figure out is if you really want to be married.

... sometimes its not so easy to divorce. And even harder to do what you suggest. I heard that getting permanent residency is less complicated than in the past (subjective of course cause its really case by case). Then you can be "married unmarried" and dont give a damn. Like many Japanese separated yet not-divorced couples.

 

[Jbagz]

... sometimes its not so easy to divorce. And even harder to do what you suggest. I heard that getting permanent residency is less complicated than in the past (subjective of course cause its really case by case). Then you can be "married unmarried" and dont give a damn. Like many Japanese separated yet not-divorced couples.

Oh, I completely understand that it isn't easy to divorce, it rarely is.

Just tossing out some unsolicited advice. Time is the most precious commodity that any of us have.

Speaking as a person who got married for the wrong reasons, and who spent almost a decade of my life entangled in an unhappy and stressful marriage, I completely understand.

Looking back, I wish I would have ended it much sooner. The longer one waits, the harder it is to move on. Not to mention that each day, you waste more and more of your life in a bad relationship.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

What about moving back in with your wife?

I'm sure you are capable of charming the mother-in-law. Apologize to her, even if you feel like it isn't warranted, and then kiss her ass everyday. Make her love you.

If you want to stay married, you'll have to be part of the family and sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

Besides, the chances are that immigration will find out. They might be closing in already. One way you can tell is if you notice men in black overcoats on the train who aren't paying any attention to you. That is a hallmark of immigration agents following you.

If you notice while sedans in your neighborhood, then they certainly have you under surveillance.

Seriously, either be married or don't be married. Living in some odd state of limbo is bound to catch up with you in more ways than one.

From your many stories of being a horn dog, it doesn't sound like you are ready to be a husband.

Maybe what you need to figure out is if you really want to be married.

It is funny that you mention that because I have been kissing her ass more often and I have been visiting my wife and spending a lot more time with her at her apartment.

One thing that sucks is the neighbors definitely know I'm not living there because when I crossed paths with one last week, she said 久しぶり so she knows I haven't been around.

You are more than likely being playful about the men in black and vans, but I haven't noticed anything like this so far, so that is good haha.

 

[MikeH]

You are more than likely being playful about the men in black and vans, but I haven't noticed anything like this so far, so that is good haha.

Of course you won't notice them, they are professionals after all. But the mayo on the bicycle should have been a dead giveaway!

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Of course you won't notice them, they are professionals after all. But the mayo on the bicycle should have been a dead giveaway!

Maybe it wasn't mayo but made to look just like mayo...they are professionals after all.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Another thing I was thinking about was that although living apart from your spouse for 6+ months is considered being a negligible spouse...there are still other ways one could show he isn't being negligent e.g. paying for this spouse's life insurance, pension, along with his own life insurance and pension.

If you fall behind on paying your pension bills, is that grounds for losing a spouse visa as well? I can't seem to find any detailed information on this. I know that pension bills expire after 2 years, so if you don't pay within that time period, I assume it just will make your life more difficult in a number of ways.

Is anyone on here familiar with the pension system here in Japan?

 

[Desktop]

Don't know about the pension but any foreigner that doesn't pay their taxes is fucked.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Don't know about the pension but any foreigner that doesn't pay their taxes is fucked.

Well, I definitely make sure I pay those and especially this year as my visa renewal will be literally right after tax time lol.

And by fucked...I assume lose your visa status, pay penalties, face jail time and possibly even be deported as the cherry on top lol.

 

[MikeH]

Is anyone on here familiar with the pension system here in Japan?

This far the pension system has not been linked to anything else; social security, taxes, visas, nobody knows or cares if you paid to the pension system or not.

It will be interesting to see if anything changes now when they made the my number system to allow track everyone way easier.

 

[Desktop]

You don't get deported from not paying your taxes. You get deported & put in jail if you overstay.
I just know many people that after warning them thought they could make some deal to pay their taxes AFTER they renew their visa. Immigration doesn't play that.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

You don't get deported from not paying your taxes. You get deported & put in jail if you overstay.
I just know many people that after warning them thought they could make some deal to pay their taxes AFTER they renew their visa. Immigration doesn't play that.

I assume these people didn't want to drop all their funds on taxes in case they needed that money for fight tickets in case they didn't get their visas...but at the same time, that isn't a good way to go about the situation as not paying your taxes is a great reason for immigration to deny a visa in the first place. Sounds like a hard gamble to me.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

I have read somewhere that if you are rejected a spouse visa, you have to wait 6 months to reapply? I also read that you not only have to wait 6 months...you have to leave Japan and return only after 6 months if you plan to reapply? Does that mean you lose your visa altogether and go back to a tourist visa even if you are married to a Japanese citizen?

It is confusing because on this other forum (maybe gaijinpot, maybe reddit) people were talking about stories of people being rejected spouse visas (visa conversions and renewals) and they reapplied multiple times without even leaving Japan?

I just thought I would ask because now I have no idea.

Maybe they let you reapply without leaving Japan if you have a legitimate reason...does anyone know about all this?

 

[meiji]

There's no such thing as a 'tourist visa' for most Western countries, including the US. There's a 90 day visa waiver program, which is not a visa and doesn't allow extension, and doesn't allow you to work in Japan.

I think generally if you are rejected for a visa you'll either get a chance to re-apply or possibly appeal, but generally when that happens people will try to get visa sponsorship through work or via some other means. If you are found to be lying to immigration, this may not be a 'visa rejection' situation, however.

 

[MikeH]

There's no such thing as a 'tourist visa' for most Western countries, including the US. There's a 90 day visa waiver program, which is not a visa and doesn't allow extension, and doesn't allow you to work in Japan.

I think generally if you are rejected for a visa you'll either get a chance to re-apply or possibly appeal, but generally when that happens people will try to get visa sponsorship through work or via some other means. If you are found to be lying to immigration, this may not be a 'visa rejection' situation, however.

There is actually visa waiver extension for a few countries in Europe like UK and Germany. They can extend visa waiver up to 6 months.

However if you have spouse visa and they don't give you extension for it your only chance is to apply for some other category visa; most likely through your work like @meiji said. If you have time left on your current visa then you can try to apply without leaving, however if you run out of time you will have to get out and apply from abroad.

 

[Desktop]

If you believe you are going to have issues see a lawyer beforehand. We answered the easy facts & more questions means there maybe more than you are willing to say. Talk to a lawyer or consultant & tell the whole story.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

There is actually visa waiver extension for a few countries in Europe like UK and Germany. They can extend visa waiver up to 6 months.

However if you have spouse visa and they don't give you extension for it your only chance is to apply for some other category visa; most likely through your work like @meiji said. If you have time left on your current visa then you can try to apply without leaving, however if you run out of time you will have to get out and apply from abroad.

Well my current spouse visa doesn't expire until April, but I can always give myself more time by applying super early...but then again I don't know if applying for a visa renewal months early will look suspicious or just look extra careful...or immigration just won't care when I try to renew with regard to the remaining months I have left?

 

[impish]

Well my current spouse visa doesn't expire until April, but I can always give myself more time by applying super early...but then again I don't know if applying for a visa renewal months early will look suspicious or just look extra careful...or immigration just won't care when I try to renew with regard to the remaining months I have left?

I don't know you're allowed to renew any earlier than 30 days prior to expiration, but I may be wrong.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

I don't know you're allowed to renew any earlier than 30 days prior to expiration, but I may be wrong.

Yes, I'm not sure but I can always just go to immigration and make the attempt. They would just end up telling me to wait if that is the case.

 

[MikeH]

I don't know you're allowed to renew any earlier than 30 days prior to expiration, but I may be wrong.

Three months before the expiration of the current visa.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Three months before the expiration of the current visa.

Then I am good to go. Thank you for the information.

 

[Sudsy]

You don't get deported from not paying your taxes.

You do run the risk of your visa not being renewed, though.

 

[Desktop]

Isn't that what I wrote?

 

[Sudsy]

Just making it clear

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

There's no such thing as a 'tourist visa' for most Western countries, including the US. There's a 90 day visa waiver program, which is not a visa and doesn't allow extension, and doesn't allow you to work in Japan.

I think generally if you are rejected for a visa you'll either get a chance to re-apply or possibly appeal, but generally when that happens people will try to get visa sponsorship through work or via some other means. If you are found to be lying to immigration, this may not be a 'visa rejection' situation, however.

Yes, i understand what you mean. I definitely will only try to reapply and avoid making a stink by appealing a rejection. The negativity that comes with a complaint to immigration (who don't care), would only harm rather than help my situation.

If I need to, I will explain my situation calmly without being angry or negative in any way.

I remember being offered a job teaching English over a year ago and since the company was located outside Shizuoka, I started talking about living apart from my wife and possible future spouse visa renewal issues with the man interviewing me. He mentioned that although it is possible to be rejected a renewal if you are living separate from your wife, that isn't always the case. He mentioned about an English teacher that has been working for their school for a number of years and that this guy has a spouse visa (not Permanent Residence) and he is living in a city really far from his Japanese wife. He mentioned that he has never once had spouse visa renewal issues due to this reason, but did mention that the husband makes a point to visit his wife at least once a month. It isn't like immigration doesn't know they are living apart as he is working for a big company and in order to live there long-term, I'm sure he had to register in the city he works in, which is not the same as his wife's registered address.

In my case, I am living in the same city as my wife, so meeting her everyday is not a problem.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this story.

 

[MikeH]

In my case, I am living in the same city as my wife, so meeting her everyday is not a problem.

Well, that guy is working for a big company who send him to work in another location than his wife and/or family is living. This is something that everybody in Japan, including the immigration, understands and has no problems coping with.

Living in the same city but not in the same address is most probably not beneficial in your case as the obvious question then is why you don't live together with your wife. So if you want to live separately but still retain the spouse visa your best bet is to find a job in Hokkaido and move there .