We have to announce that processing time of all types applications at the Osaka Immigration Office (i.e. COE, Change of Visa Status, Extension of Period of Stay and Permanent Residence status) has been getting longer and longer these days.
For instance, the Osaka Immigration Office told us that they currently need 5 – 6 months to complete the whole screening process for general COE applications for work visa in the current situation.
Average processing time of COE applications submitted through us by the end of May was like around 2 – 3 months case by case and we haven’t received any result of all the COE application submitted in mid-June or later. It looks like the serious congestion of the application at the Osaka Immigration Office has been started some time around June or July 2024.
It is not good idea to make phone calls to the Immigration Office so often if 3 months or more has not passed yet after the date of application – you will get nothing but their answer saying “it is still in progress” – unfortunately, that’s all. What is more, the line is always busy. You need to make 100 times or more of phone calls sometimes to get through to them on the phone (you know well, don’t you? – but you don’t know we do the same!)
We are afraid that we, as an immigration specialist, also don’t have any authorities to advise the Immigration Office to increase personnel. What we can do is to submit the neat, specific but concise proof documents in order to save their labor, and wait the result patiently and respond to the request of the additional documents as soon as possible (if any) .
If you are planning to apply for Change of Visa Status or Extension of Period of Stay (Visa Renewal) and submit the application right before the date of expiry of current visa status, we recommend that you change the plan (>> see, EXCEPTION PERIOD). YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. You can apply for it from 3 months before the date of expiry.
If you are planning to apply (or you have already applied) for PR, you should estimate the screening time as 1.5 year or more under current circumstances. We advise that you apply for Extension of Period of Stay in advance if you think the screening for PR application will need more time and the expiry date of your current visa will come soon in 3 months.
** FOR YOUR INFO: In case of the application submitted to the Tokyo Immigration Office, the screening period will be much longer than that of the Osaka.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.