Before you come:
Like many of us, if you are expatriate or going abroad to live in a foreign country, there is a set of routine you may want to consider before your arrival. Many companies these days provide a ‘look and see’ trip for the spouse before arrival. This is highly recommended, even if you may have been to the country on a business trips before. Living and visiting are quite a different experience. During the trip, it is advisable to cover the followings:

– Housing – getting the spouse(especially the wife) to involve in the selection is important. The breadwinner spends 8-10 hours in the office whilst the spouse may spend most of the time at home. They must feel happy and comfortable with the surrounding. There are a number of English speaking property agents you can engage to arrange for viewing. There is a number websites you can visit which provide good information on the type of housing, the locality, surrounding schools, shopping areas and tips about the salient features of the locations.

– School – There is a number international schools with excellent webs site which provide good information on the school facilities and curriculum. We will shortly provide the link for you to visit. You need to take into consideration of where you will put up your permanent home and location of the school. A balance is required. You also need to consider the school bus route. Many international schools provide school bus but they do not normally pick up from individual home. The bus picks-up the students from various pick-up points. Most schools will provide the route if you apply in person for safety reason. You also need to find out the enrolment procedures, interview with the kids is normally required. Another important issue you should not miss is the enrolment date. Some of the schools provide application on the website. School term starts in late August and finished in late May or early June.

A visit to the country embassy would be very helpful. Japanese embassy staff in Singapore is always helpful to provide information needed on your visa application and the procedures. You can also get information regarding the climate and temperature of the cities you will be living.

VISA
a. Pending upon your arrangement with the company, the following advice is target towards those who apply the visa through the local subsidiary in Japan. Several matters to point out:
b. The Japanese embassy in Singapore does not process working visa application. Therefore, you will need to submit your documents and get your local company to apply in Japan.
c. All foreigner nationals enter Japan for employment, study, training r for long term residence are required to apply for a visa. Tourist visa applies for certainly country but not Singaporean.

The procedure for applying a working visa is as follow :

– Apply for certificate of eligibility ( COE )
– Apply for the working visa at the local embassy after COE is approved.
– Upon arrival at the port of entry, landing right is granted by the immigration authority.

The process time varies from 4-10 weeks, pending upon how complete is your documentation. For dependent visa, you will need have the principal applicants approved first. The submission is required to be done at the Shinagawa immigration bureau ( see map )

You need many documents to apply for visa. Please have our local HR fully prepare the documents. The critical ones are :

– Employment contract
– Resume ( in Japanese )
– Endorsement letter from local legal representative of the company
– Qualification
– Letter specifying reasons for you to work in Japan

It could take while to for you to gather all the documents you need in your country. It is highly recommended for you to prepare the document, right after your assignment is determined.

Getting your Alien Registration Card
The Alien Registration Card is like a Identify Card in Singapore context. It is a very important ID where you need in applying for your local credit card etc.. Once you have obtained your visa, you are required to apply for a Alien Registration Card from the local municipal office. Pending on where you stay, you are required to submit the application at your local municipal office. It usually take about 4-8 weeks for the collection of the card. It is important to note when you moved another ward, you are required to registered with the local ward of your new address.

Getting the visa is most confusing and take long time. But for alien registration card, you just need to go to your city’s public office with your visa. Please remember to change the address when you move. Especially, you moved to different city, it could take while to change the alien registration card.

Getting your multiple entry permit
The visa you have obtained thus far does not grant you the multiple entry into the Japan. You are required to apply for the multiple entry permit at the immigration bureau in Shinagawa ( map shown )

You need to go to immigration office with your visa and alien registration card. You also have to pay 6,000 yen.

For the purpose of visa and multiple entry permit application at Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau, it is advisable for you to go early to queue for a queue number. Opening time is from 0900 – 1730. Please expect to wait for 2-4 hours.

Getting your personal seal (hanko) endorsed
It is very important to have Hanko in Japan. You need it when you make your own bank account. Also, remember to keep it in a safe place because it works as your signature.

Bring your family over
Temporary Housing
There are many temporary accommodation available around Tokyo areas. Room sizes varies from studio to a fully size apartment. Many of them are located conveniently at major train station. The lease period range from one week to 6 months. 24 hours English speaking concierge is available. Some also provide some facilities like gym, common room etc.. Most housing also provide air-conditioning for both summer or winter seasons.

Deciding on the schools
If you have a family with young child, this is probably one of the most challenging part of your relocation. As you may visited the school in your prior visits, it is important for you to visit the schools again and talk to the principal before making the final decision. For details of the school, please look our update later in the web site or write to us for more information. One other piece of advice is to check out the train services. Most people living Tokyo commute by train or subway. Some of them are notoriously crowded. You may want to check it out before you make the decision on your housing or schools.

Getting a maid in Japan
Required Documents:
1. Explanation Letter given by the Employer explaining the reason(s) for engaging a private maid.
2. Copy of the Maid’s Employment Contract which indicates the type of work, duration of contract, salary etc
3. Copies of The Employer’s Alien Registration Certificate, Employment Certificate, Passport, Company’s management organization chart. These are required to show the resident status, period, position and seniority of the Employer’s own employment. Please note that, only persons holding diplomatic visa or holding investor/business manager status are eligible to apply for private maid.
4. Two photos of the maid. One photo is to be attached to the application form. One shoudl have the name indicated on the reverse to be submitted together with the application.
5. Application for the Certificate of Eligibility (form for Part 1, Part 2B, 3B (Business Employment))
6. Self-addressed Return Envelop with 430 yen stamp attached for registered mail to mail the approval to you.
Optional Documents but if included would be helpful:

1. copy of Birth Certificates of your children. Please note that Immigration will only consider if children are under the age of 13. The younger the child, and the more number of children you have, the higher the consideration is.
2. copy of alien registration cards for spouse, children, aged parents etc
3. copy of proof of Tax Payment if there is any
4. copy of income tax return if there is any
5. the work history or resume of the Maid
6. copy of the school/education certificates of the Maid
7. Letter of guarantee issued by the Employer addressed to the Immigration Office to guarantee the maid’s living expenses, return air fare and abiding to the Japanese law.
8. Any other documents which are helpful to show the need of a private maid (e.g. Photocopies of passport showing frequent traveling, letter from Employer’s management informing the need of frequent overseas traveling, medical letter informing the spouse inability to perform household work, etc)

All documents in foreign languages in the required document list must be translated into Japanese. The translation can be done by anyone, it need not be officially translated. The documents in the optional list, are preferably to be written in Japanese, or translated into Japanese. Again, official translation is not required.

Application may be submitted in person (i.e. the Maid) or by a designated proxy (e.g. the Employer or the Employer’s spouse). If a designated proxy is to submit the application, please bring identifications and marriage certificate to show the relationship between the Employer and the spouse.

Application normally takes 3 to 4 weeks to process. However, it could take longer period depending on the completeness and the adequacy of the documents in the application.

Application Hours: 9:00 – 12:00, 13:00 – 16:00 Monday to Friday except national holidays

Application Office: 2nd Floor, Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau
5-5-30 Kounan Minato-ku Tokyo

Telephone for enquiries: 03-5796-7111 or 03-5796 7112

Getting your driving license
A person holding foreign driving license can apply to the Driver’s License Center of the Prefecture to obtain a Japanese Driving License. The process is called “Gaimen Kirikae” in Japanese.

Pre-requisites:
1. A valid foreign driver’s license. If the license has already expired, it can not be used to apply for Japanese driver’s license.
2. Passport. The passport should have dated entry or exit stamps so that it can be determined from the date stamps that you had stayed at least 3 months in the foreign country after the foreign driver’s license had been issued to you. Therefore, if your passport is brand new, please bring along your old passport to show the dates. If your passport can not help to determine the 3-month stay requirement, please bring other forms of document which can prove your 3- month stay in the foreign country after the license was issued.
3. The date stamps in your passport is also used to determine if you had stayed in the foreign country for more than 1 year after the license is issued to you. If the 1-year stay cannot be confirmed then a “beginner’s license” will be issued to you.
4. Alien Registration Card. This is to prove your valid visa and your address in Japan.
5. A 3 cm X 2.4 cm photograph. If you are applying for 2 or more types of driver’s licenses (for example, automatic car, manual car, motorcycle, truck etc), bring 1 photo for each type of license you are applying. There are photo shops near the test center where you can get instant photo done in minutes.
6. Certified translation of your valid license in Japanese. This translation can be done by Japan Automobile Federation (JAF). Please refer to the separate subject heading for details of location and requirement for the translation. Alternatively, you can obtain Japanese translation from foreign embassies or consular offices in Japan or from the licensing authorities in your foreign countries.
7. In cases that your foreign license does not show the issue date or original issue date because it is a renewal license, certification of your foreign license for the first issue date is then required from your issuing authorities. However, if your foreign license has this issue date information printed on it, JAF’s translation will include the information on the translation certificate.
8. Application fee of 4,150 yen for 1 type of license. (Test fee is 2,400 yen, license issue charge is 1,750 yen.) For applying for more than 1 type of license, please check with the counter staff how much the fee is.

Procedure of Application:
1. Apply in person at counter 27 on 2F in the Driver’s License Test Center. The address is as follows:
12-5 Higahsi Ooi 1-Chome, Shinagawa-ku.
The test center is about 10 minutes walk from the Samezu Station on the Keihin-Kyuko Line. Please be careful to take only local trains as express trains would not stop at this station.

The opening hours for accepting application: Mon to Fri 8:30 am to 11 am, 1pm to 3 pm. Please don’t go between 11 am to 1 pm, because you simply have to wait although they are accepting other applications but not the application for converting license.

2. The officer will check the documents and calculate the period of stay according to the information in your passport. The checking will take about 20 minutes. The officer will fill in the form (in Japanese) for your signature.

3. After all documents are checked to be satisfactory, you will be instructed to go the 1st floor to do a Vision Test. You can wear eye spectacles to do the vision test. The test is to look into a box. Objects will flash one at a time. You are required to tell the examiner the object you are looking at is pointing up, down, left or right. Colors are being tested too.

4. After passing the Vision Test, you will be instructed to go to counter 25 on 2F to pay test fee of Yen 2,400.

5. Then you go back to counter 27 to take Knowledge Test. It is a computerized test of 10 true-or-false questions using Touch-Screen. You can choose the language to take the test. Most people take the test in English. However, Chinese is also available. You will pass the test if you score 7 or more out of 10. If you fail the test, simply re-take the test until you pass. The test is about Japanese road signs, road traffic situations such as who has the right of way at a road junction, etc.

6. After passing the Knowledge Test, you are instructed to go to counter 9 on 1F to make appointment for Driving Skills Test.

7. The appointment for Driving Skills Test is a computerized process and the dates are given on reservation basis. Therefore you cannot take it on the same day of your application. At counter 9, you will be issued an appointment card which has your information contained in a magnetic strip. You use the computer terminals to make appointment. You will need to insert your appointment card and a calendar of available dates will show on screen for you to select. After you confirm the date you have selected on screen, a paper confirmation will be printed at the counter 9, please go there to pick up the confirmation from the officer there.

8. Please note that persons holding driver’s licenses from Australia, Italy, UK, Sweden, Spain, France and Germany are not required to take Confirmation Test for driving skills.

JAF- Japan Automobile Association
Translation of Foreign Driver’s License

The following documents and fees can be either submitted at JAF counter or mail by Genkin Kakitome (Registered Mail for Cash) for the translation service.

-a photocopy of the foreign driver’s license, front and back.
-translation fee of 3,000 Yen. If return postage is required for mailing the translation certificate, extra 290 yen is required.

For foreign license in English, the translation takes about 20 minutes. The applicant can obtain the translation certificate on the same day. For other languages, the translations take various time from 2 days to one month. Please check with JAF for details.

JAF Office Locations:

i. Bunkyo Office
Nissei Otsuka 3 Cho-me Bldg., 1F, 3-11-6 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-8638
Tel: 03-5976 9777

ii. Minato Office
Masonic 39 MT Bldg., 1F, 2-4-5 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0041
Tel: 03-3578 1471

ii. Tama Office
6-24-2-, Nagayama, Tama-shi, Tokyo 206-0025
Tel: 042-339-2811

9. If you are looking to relocate to Japan or move back to Singapore and is looking for a shipping carrier, here are some companies:
http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/top.html
http://www.nittsu.com.sg/
http://www.shalom.com.sg/
http://www.fukuokasoko.com/eng/
http://sg.crownline.jp/
https://www.crownrelo.com/intl/en-sg/page/home
(updated: 08/01/2016)