Thursday 16 February 2012

Plane tickets and visas

It's finally sorted, I've bought the plane tickets to Japan! I'm definitely going for work experience in Tokoname. 
:D :D :D

As Tokoname is near Nagoya airport, I'll be flying from Birmingham via Frankfurt to keep the airport taxes down (London and Narita are not cheap!) and the prices Lufthansa are offering right now are actually pretty good, about half what I'd reckon was an average fare to Japan. If I'm lucky, I'll be just in time to see the sakura bloom and join in with the traditional hanami - the Japanese cherry blossom viewing parties.


All that is left now is the issue of visas. For the period of time I will be there (about two months), and considering I'm not being employed as such, whether I need a visa is, according to the Japanese embassy in London, a grey area. If I have no visa, I can't accept payment or monetary support from what I gather, so if I have the opportunity to sell work I make out there, I can't take it. Since they seemed so unsure of themselves, I'm going to apply for a working holiday visa. At £22, it's well worth it if it gives me freedom and peace of mind to enjoy my stay in the country. It's for people aged 18 - 30 who intend primarily to holiday in Japan, but want to earn some money to support themselves while they are there, and is valid for up to twelve months. All I have to do is download the form off their website, provide a CV and a statement of what I intend to do in Japan, and show a few other documents like my passport at an interview at the Japanese embassy in London. According to the guy I spoke to on the phone, it then takes about a week to process the application, and then they can post it to you. For anyone interested in visas for Japan, the website is:

http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/en/visa/work_hol.html

I'd better get writing!


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