Japan’s Immigration Bureau will be closed April 29 through May 5, 2016 to observe the Golden Week holidays.
Golden Week is a combination of several public holidays: Showa Day, which falls on April 29, Constitution Memorial Day, which falls on May 3, Greenery Day, which falls on May 4 and Children’s Day, which falls on May 5.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
During the holiday closure period, foreign employees should:
- File new Certificate of Eligibility applications by April 26, 2016. Those who fail to do so can file their applications on May 2, 2016, or once the Immigration Bureau reopens on May 6, 2016.
- Renew work permits by April 28, 2016 for work permits set to expire between April 29, 2016 and May 5, 2016. Those who fail to do so may need to leave Japan and apply for a new Certificate of Eligibility while abroad.
- Expect processing delays for immigration applications filed before or after this period.
Those who overstay their work/dependent permit validity periods may face fines, imprisonment and/or deportation.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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