We visited Fukuoka Immigration Office recently for the procedure of "Application for Extension of Period of Stay" for Siddharth's zairyu (residence) card. 

All you need to know about your Japanese residence card - Go! Go! Nihon

Having experienced Kawasaki and Tokyo immigration offices in our early life in Japan, which were then (and even now) infamous for their arrogant, rude, and unfriendly officers, I was pleased to encounter the new type of immigration officers and staff here in Fukuoka. They had completely different, systematic, and friendly approach to us applicants. 

The immigration office address has shifted from Fukuoka Airport to the current location in 2016; now it locates at Akasaka in the central Fukuoka city.

Fukuoka Immigration Office

 

With all the necessary documents collected from the city office where our Japan address belongs, we entered the immigration office at around 9:30 AM. Immediately, a staff lady spotted us and invited to one of the counters opened, and heard us what would we do today. 

Then, she guided us efficiently and smoothly for not only the procedure we visited for that day, but also recommended us to go for the Permanent Residence (PR) registration. Most of the documents required for both (Spouse VISA extension and PR) procedures were overlapping, and hence she instructed us a couple of extra papers to send by mail later on. We could write the application forms under her guidance. After we had done filling both the forms, she picked the seiriken (a numbered ticket) for us, and we were directly in front of the immigration officer.

Since Siddharth stays in Japan for at the most 2-3 months each year, we are not sure whether he will get PR or not, but at least we will get the zairyu card extension through. What a systematic!

Another significant finding for us this time was the special extension period of zairyu card during our application. This time, Siddharth's planned date of departure from Japan is on 13th July. Consequently, the "application under procedure" stamp was on his zairyu card, as well as the slips that mention the application statuses of spouse VISA extension and PR respectively are stapled on his passport pages. The immigration officer explained that his current zairyu card is valid until 12th September 2018, but it will be extended up to by two months, i.e. 12th November 2018. Within the duration, he was free to go out and come back to Japan, she said.

Another realisation on that day was that the immigration office was filled with Nepali residences, told us the evidence of ever-increasing Nepali populations in Fukuoka.