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The Difference Between “Permission to Specified Status of Residence” and “Special Acceptance”
I’m a Canadian English teacher presently granted the visa status of “Spouse or Child of Japanese National.” Well, I completely forgot the duration of my stay, and last Friday my visa expired. In this situation, will I be punished for overstaying?
It seldom happens that foreigners forget, or misunderstand, about the duration of their stay in Japan. From a legal point of view, you can be arrested, or even expelled from the country, therefore, we advise you to pay greater attention for the future.
In your case, the Immigration Office may accept your renewal application under the terms of “Special Acceptance” because little time has passed since it expired, and also because you just simply forgot.
However, in cases where quite a long time has passed, or if you have remarried after a divorce, Immigration will then process your visa with “Permission to Specified Status of Residence,” instead of “Special Acceptance.”
The biggest difference between the two is that with “Special Acceptance” you won’t be recognized as overstaying, while with “Permission to Special Status of Residence” you may risk being arrested or expelled from Japan while you await the decision.
(From April Issue 2010)
Advisor: NIITSU Kyohei (Immigration Lawyer)
