Hey. I've always questioned what kind of Visa would I need to be able to move to Japan.

The visas listed below are the visas I found on the us.emb-japan.go.jp/visa/main.html website.

Short term - Not my intended goal as I'd like to MOVE there and not just visit.

Work - Skilled Laborer but I have no special trade skills.

Study/Cultural - Not studying but maybe will attend to go to a trade skill college.

Diplomatic/official - Not even close.

Spouse/Dependant - Have neither.

Transit - Really short term visit around 15 days.

There are other visas not listed like
Long-Term Resident
Status of US Forces Agreement
Deposition
and Other?

No information came out about the requirements for the long-term resident but the reason why I decided to move to japan was that over all it would be a good country to live in. I've thought about Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. I'm asking this info so I know which country would be best to start out in. In the United States I feel the country is very restricting and too easy to get in trouble just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So far no criminal record so hopefully that helps my case.

Longer Stays

If you will be staying longer than 90 days, you must obtain an Alien Registration Card ("Gaikokujin Toroku Shomeisho", available free of charge from the municipal office of the city or ward you are residing. You will need to take your passport and two photos of size 4.5 x 3.5 cm.

If you move from one residence in Japan to another, you are required to re-register within 14 days.

Carry your Alien Registration Card with you at all times. The Japanese Police are allowed to stop you and ask to see the card at any time, and not having it with you is a violation of local law.

If you are planning to stay in Japan more than 90 days, seek a change of status or perform tasks which do not fall under the definition of routine business, you should obtain a visa before coming to Japan. Visas are issued only by Japanese Embassies and Consulates overseas.

If you already have a Japanese visa and plan to leave the country temporarily for any purpose, make sure you get a re-entry permit in advance. There is a fee for the permit.

Please note that the Embassy has no authority to intervene in any Japanese government immigration decision.
Unauthorized Employment

Americans entering either visa free or with a tourist visa are not allowed to work in Japan.

Persons found working illegally are subject to arrest and deportation.

Persons believed to be entering Japan without a working visa but who intend to work here can be denied entry into Japan. This means that you will not exit the airport and will be required to return directly to the U.S.

Japanese Immigration officials are aware of the pattern of people staying for 80-90 days as "tourists", spending a few days in Korea, Guam or some other nearby area and then seeking to re-enter Japan for another 90 days. Persons with such a travel pattern can expect to face questions at Japanese Immigration and may be denied entry with the suspicion that they have been or will work illegally in Japan. In that Japanese Immigration records are computerized, a "lost" passport does not serve to mask long stays in Japan.
Contacting Japanese Immigration

Americans in the Tokyo area with visa questions should contact the Immigration Information Center at the below-listed Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau Office.

Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau
5-5-30, Konan
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: (03) 5796-7112

Delakando wrote:

QUOTE:
...I decided to move to japan was that over all it would be a good country to live in. I've thought about Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. ...

Me too Only difference is I can add USA too becouse I come from ... somewhere else.

But right now I'm not really bothering with visa, becouse I think its more important to find a job. I think if I can find a job (which proves to be difficult when you're not in Japan), the visa will come easy.
Not knowing any Japanese also helps to make things harder.

Depends on where your going. If your planning to move to Japan then start studying japanese specifically.

Your not going to find work in a country if you dont have a work visa that gives you permission to work in that country. Personally I can't stand the idea that all these countries in the world require so much information to monitor everyone's movements.

I'm getting alittle paranoid lately but when I decided to move I noticed there is so much information that allows anyone to go ahead and track your location and movement.

Scary thought that you could move across the country or into another nation but anyone with a checkbook or hacking skills could go ahead and locate where your at.

Yes, I'm planning to move to Japan, and have Hong Kong as a backup plan. Definately don't want to stay in my current country. I just feel out of place in my own country, I feel much too different than the others. And when watching the videos from Japan, I seem to be more like the Japanese people.

The more I read the more I find out that my English is not going to help a bit in Japan, even with my masters degree in Engineering it still seems imposible to find a job, more specificaly a job that will sponsor a visa.

I guess I'll have to learn Japanese or forget about it.

In my opinion... don't be paranoid... I've come to think that in Japan, there is a very little chance of someone using this information in an abusive way! They just don't seem to think that way, and also are very law abiding.

i agree with ya there mate, i too feel out of place and seem more like the japanese also the japanese woman are so hot!!!!! But i dont wanna live there, visit is the most i will do im disabled so i dont think i can give much to japan