I Renewed My Japanese Student Visa (But Boy Was That A Close Call) 

queen of not getting deported!!!

*Okay I don’t comment on videos that much, but can we appreciate Mikan’s adorable hair*

Yooo my friend said visas in Japan is like the ultimate gacha.

Protip to avoiding having to take a whole day out for going to immigration in Tokyo (assuming you have all of your paperwork in order): Line up before open time!! I usually get there around 7:30, watch Netflix on my phone or read until 8:30 when the doors open, line up at the counter super fast, get a sweeeeeeet number, go back to the counter at 9 when they start calling numbers, and I'm almost always out by 9:30. Does it suck getting up that early? Yeah. Is it worth it? YUP. #QueenoftheOneYearVisa

why does the japanese immigration office sound like the dmv in the us

"Don't quote me!" - Mikan While it is hilarious how many times you say that htrouh out the video, I'm glad you made sure that other know that getting visas are case by case basis. It's great your helping others in best way you can (*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡

13:32 From now on I’m going to refer to them as Visa People!!

No one: Mikan: Starts singing Death of a Bachelor randomly while waiting to see if the postman will knock on her door

"I cannot belive that anything would close a 4 o'clock" laughs in French

you brighten up my day! i’m going to japan in april!

My ballet teacher is from Russia and he taught there before moving here. I found out that he married one of his American students so he could get an American visa... They divorced last year.

5:11 wtf Mikan!!!! You scared me the hell out of me!!! I thought someone was trying to enter into your room!! Hahahah I love your videos!!!!

Just wanted to add a lil note in on the requirements for language schools in Tokyo/Japan~ to get a student visa and be at a language school you're required by almost every school to have a High-school diploma, so the certificate from completing your final year of highschool with a pass (score not relevant though). PLEASE NOTE: TAFE/training schools etc. their certificates of levels 2, 3, 4 and diploma may count in your home country as equal to and above a highschool diploma/certificate, but THEY DO NOT COUNT TO THE JAPANESE EMBACY. I'm going through GoGoNihon and they're great, but I wasn't able to pick my school of choice because I had a music school certificate, not a classical highschool certificate. There was however still 2-3 language schools in tokyo that don't require you to have a highschool certificate, just proof of attending one, completed/passed or not. So all I had to do was call my old highschool and ask them to email me a document that proved i was enrolled or even just a letter with the school's details attached for proof. Hope that helps for anyone else that didn't graduate traditionally

Omigosh, when you mentioned how visas in Japan end up randomly longer or shorter than what you asked for it reminded me how when I applied for a 6 month student visa I got one for 3 years?

Congratulations on your visa. 2 more years. I think even though they give you the "we can kick you out" vibe, actually, they love you being there. :3

I can confirm everything she said 😅 I just received my student visa for Japan since I am going to move very soon, and let me tell you it was rough 😂😂

Ooo. Visas are very very stressful !!! Japan is very difficult.

I came to Japan on my gap year to visit my family 2 years ago because I was born in the UK but omgosh I remember going to the immigration office because I needed to get health insurance and it literally took the whole day and they were so strict with the forms and how you write them. x

When she said that it closes at 4, I could understand 😅 I usually wake up around 10-12 and every place where I live closes between 4 or 5, except restaurants which close at 7-8. It is quite frustrating since I moved here from California, which has many places open 24 hours.

Me :Turn up in Japan. Authorities : どうしてここにいるんですか。 Me : Mikan said... 😁 😁 😁

You should have asked the school to help you with the visa so you don’t have to go to the immigrations office. I’m on my 3rd year and trust me you will need all the time you have because after your first year you’re going to be busy with the projects and the reports.^^

I’m happy you have your visa renowned!! You look so beautiful, Mikan! 4:55 And your singing is cute!

Gotta love when Mikan posts!!

Thanks for the video and giving a general idea about visas !! You look soo pretty💕💕😗

i clicked so fast :,) i love your video btw 🥺💕

You give me motivation to continue learning Japanese!

Even if you dont think so, I think the video was suuuuper helpful. Thank you so much. ♡

Great video. Helpful video. Thank you very much for sharing your video😊🇯🇵🌸

Bachelorette. LOL. It's just a general bachelors degree. Not a gender thing, but you're adorable and ilu.

I love listening to your story

I know this is weird but I only watched a few vids and somehow I already like you so much!! ❤❤

my towns office for everything from immigration to local passports etc used to be the same until they finally moved to a new location and updated their system so now we also have the appointments which is great !:)

I just received my CoE and will apply for my Visa this week. Asked for 2 years, got 1. You're right. It's a crazy, stressful process!! Glad you shared your experience..

You hair grew so long! It looks so beautiful!

I've never seen your bangs/ fringe like that before but it's so cute! I really want a fringe! I like ones where you can't really see the forehead! Love you Mikan! Thanks for 3 likes I've never really got likes on comments much before.

girl I feel you. I'm trying to get my Student Visa in Japan after dealing with medical issues that made me have to cancel it the first time around and it just made it a BAZILLION TIMES HARDER TO GET IT

Omg I'm early I love you Mikan

your hair looks so great.. you look always so great 😔

your hair looks soooooooo cute >u

Your phone case is so cute!!

I literally have a set time of the day where I just watch Mikan's videos

I have absolutely no need for the information in this video because I will probably never attend school in a foreign land, but I watched the whole thing anyways. XD And I must say: your bangs are on pointe today! *thumbs up*

I took my lunch at the perfect time 💕😭

Oh boy this video makes me nervous for when I have to renew my student visa

Sent this video to my sister who wants to eventually work there and maybe study there as well.

"Belive me when I Tell you" - Mikan and Paul McCartney

im not even moving anywhere anytime soon but i loved this video sm i feel like we're having a sleepover and youre going OFF about visa drama

Thank you みかんさん。not many videos of people mentioning their visa experience. I am a freshman in University (US), double majoring in Japanese and Asian studies and I have a study abroad in Japan requirement which I as super stoked for❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ but of course I’ve only been studying Japanese for 1 full quarter so far lol so I have a ways to go. Also I was told I would most likely be studying in Japan next school year in spring quarter (beginning semester in Japan), which is way sooner than I expected but a lot of the schools mine is partnered with have some English classes which allow me to still work on gen Ed requirements and go so soon in my college career.

6:50 .....well the american perspective is a bit different lol. I live in Texas...Texas is twice the size of the entire country of Japan btw

me, watching two thirty second ads so my girl Mikan can eat: 👁👄👁

Ever since getting accepted into University in Japan, proof of financial viability has been a nightly nightmare. I think my biggest fear is not having the money and having to put my education off.

Dealing with visa stuff is so consuming. Props to her for not letting it get in her way.

Oh my god mikan hahaha four oclock is baaad. But gurl, in Ireland like the revenue and things like it close at 1pm!!!! And weekends off. If ur a monday to friday 9-5 u jave to book a day off work to go in! Sooo baaad D:

omh ur hair has grown so much!!

Early 💖

12 minutes agoooo woahh. hii mikannn💕

I've been watching old Mikan videos & I LOVE the long hair. Short hair was cute buuut long hair is 😉

Just a little addition... Usually you have 2-4 weeks to pick up the visa, but as you were close to overstay the extension they gave you a shorter period :) greets from Tokyo, enough experience with that

Even passport centers and city halls in japan closes 4 pm😒

Immigration offices outside Tokyo are much less crowded. I used to live in Tokyo and had the same experiences but now I live in Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture) so I use their immigration. The first time I went, I was expecting super long lines so I got there as it was opening and I was literally the only one there. I was in and out in 30 minutes and the people were so nice (I speak Japanese also but had some not-so-nice people in the Tokyo immigration office before). By the time I left, only 3-4 other people had shown up~

Is there only one place in Japan to get visas done? When I was studying abroad, we had to get our residence cards from the local city hall, and the immigration area wasnt nearly as bad (at most I waited for about 2 hours). Is it dependent on the city you live in?

Unrelated but anyone living in japan at the moment, are any Saiki Kusuo no psi nan mangas common? I wanna get myself a few volumes but might have to wait till I go to Japan.

In Korea you have a time period BUT you won't get the appointment at that time lol but it's still better because it's less crowded and stuff but you still need to wait..

Can you please make a video on earthquake because I have read that Japan experience 1500 earthquake every year

Actually i went in immigration at 9:30 and finished by 10:30. That was so fast. (But I'm still waiting and now its been 15 days and still not receive any mail) anyways, if you ever need to renew again, better go at 9 (but thats depends on your schedule). You will be finish it early.

saw you from few days and i feel like you are so close person to me i smile when you smile i was so sceard with u i swear on the typhoon vloge i just love you u are sooo normal and yourself and soooo lovley from IRAQ to you Mikan i love you sis🌸💙💙💙

I want to study fashion in Japan but after learning the language first i did fashion designing just 3 semester and got married pretty soon and my study is hanging

yes

In the Netherlands for a year and a half I had to renew my visa every six months. I would show up at 9am and I’d be done by 9:30am lol and they give you free coffee

The immigration office in Shenzhen, China is only open until 4 as well! I was a nightmare for me to not only get my visa, which took 3 trips and then cancel my visa before leaving china which took 2 trips! I think overall (including travel) I spent at least 35 hours on visa duties. It was an absolute nightmare - I think they close so early cause they want to make it more difficult for us foreigners to stay haha

you look soooo beautiful in this video❤

I wanted to study temporarily with a friend who goes to japan to visit her family and studies while she's there. But my mom won't let me go :" Like it would be fun that you could visit Japan whenever you want and your school is sponsoring you with everything to get there

You know, the immigration Office in my city is open from 9-13 😀

when will you go live on younow?

❤️

💜

In Poland immigration office is opened till 3.30 pm,so "till 4" - it's a blessing ⭐️

*i heard panic at the disco hun do I spot a fan?*

IM SO EARLYY AHHHH, also is it easy living in japan? im dreaming of moving there when im 18 or maybe a little older

Going silent to avoid the postman is a skill. One I have honed over many years. I feel you.

Getting a work permit on student visa is exactly the same, you waste two whole days, EVEN THOUGH it's just a work permit for 28 hours a week, which they give you pretty much automatically... When I applied for it, I had to wait 4 hours just to give them my documents. Then a couple of weeks later, to actually receive it, I waited in line TWICE. First one was maybe half an hour waiting, so I thought, "wow, this is my lucky day". But no, after I gave them my passport I had to wait another three hours to get it back. And all they did was just put a stamp in it, saying I can now work. WOW. So if you go to Japan as a student, MAKE SURE to apply for your work permit directly after you arrive at Narita/Haneda, even if you don't plan to work at the moment. You'll save yourself so much pain... (On a side note, I hear from my friends that immigration offices are a hell on earth just in every country, especially if you don't speak local language.) I also have the experience for renewing my passport in Japan. It took THREE months :/ (usually less than two weeks in my country). And a lot of money too... I'm really glad I applied for it good and early, or I would be left without a valid passport in a foreign country, which would totally suck.

5:05 We love a little bit Panic! At The Disco 💃🏼

I was thinking maybe studying abroad in Japan might actually be something I want to do (for various reasons) and now this is making me kind of never want to actually do it, wow visas in Japan seem like SUCH a pain. I guess I’ll decide when I go there in the next year or so with my aunt, uncle, and cousin because they have family there and promised they would take me with them, so maybe once I actually go there for a week or two and see what it’s like in person, I’ll feel certain in wanting to study abroad or not. I’m glad I’m still really young (14) so I have a lot of time to decide, but I overthink everything lol and I’m already planning out my whole life.

How does going to college in Japan work? Do you have to work while studying? I live in Sweden where school is provided by the state🤔

Wow your hair has gotten so long!!

I was jamming to DDAENG then clicked on this video straight away we love a cute Mikan. (Your style is unique and I love it 👌😤)

YOU LOOK SOOOOO....CUTE..!!!!!!!!!!💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜❤❤❤

Does anyone have any tips on how to easily learn Japanese or any good apps?

Things getting messed up with your Visa is terrifying. I could have gotten deported when my home countries embassy lost my passport. I was trying renew mine and they LOST it. Spent hours on the phone begging not to have a decision made on my residency until I got my passport. Edit: also in Finland we set a time.

What language school did you go to

what gcses/alevels did you do?

For most people to get a visa in Japan you need a 4 year university degree. Without a 4 year degree you are basically living on borrowed time as you will eventually get deported if you don't graduate with a 4 year degree while in Japan. There are a few rare exceptions, but generally speaking you need a 4 year degree.

6:57 lol I've always viewed Japan as a 'small' country probably because I live in Pakistan.

So… the DMV but Japanese? Great.

This isn't related to the video but wow your hair got so long!

Singing death of a bachelor ♡♡♡ Also I have a question, can't you go outside once they give you the number? Obviously there's a chance you might miss it but that could be useful if you have something to do, or at least you can go out, eat and come back. I don't think that would take more than 1or 2 hours? And since you already know you have to wait about 3-4 hours then it wouldn't be a problem??? Idk 🤔 just wondering

4 hours ?! omg I would have had a mental breakdown 😭

When Mikan says ‘my man’ lol

Can foreigners go to Japanese school

Did you check UK embassy or any UK government office work hours?