How to switch from Work Visa to Temporary Visitor Status in Japan? -

Hi. I m currently in Japan on a work visa. I m a US citizen with US passport. I would like to travel around Japan before returning to the US, I am finished with work. How can I change my status from work visa to temporary visitor without leavning and re-entering Japan? Thank you.

If you are will be staying on as a tourist for less time than your work visa has remaining on it and that time is 90 days or less, do nothing special and just turn in your gaikokujin torokushou at immigration in the airport on leaving. If not, go to your local immigration office and request a change of status. This is (as so many things in japan) discretionary on the agent handling your request.

Even if your work visa is about to expire, visit the nearest immigration office and explain that you want a temporary tourist visa extension and they will usually give one, or so I ve heard. They may have become more strict recently, however. What you do NOT want to do is overstay your visa, as even if you have a perfectly simple reason, they can lock you up and/or ban you from re-entering Japan for 10 years!

If your work visa hasn t expired, I think you can just travel around Japan without switching or renewing your visa. Plus since you are a US citizen, you don t need tourist visa for 90 days... http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/index....