The Visa was tough, but not as rough as actually moving to Japan and getting settled! Check out our post about finding an apartment, setting up utilities and making friends in Japan.
Timing is key, making sure you have a guarantor lined up and you’re saving money should be first, followed by long lead items (documents from the Department of State and an FBI background check). Use the included graphic for an (somewhat) easy visual representation.
While not impossible, getting the Long-Term Resident Visa (定住者 – Teijyuusha) isn’t easy. To qualify for this visa with ancestry, you need to be (at most) third-generation Japanese. You also need to fly to Japan to apply for your Certificate of Eligibility and be ready for some hard work and anxiety!
Being born and raised in Hawaii has its perks – but traveling is not one of them. Going anywhere outside of the state requires a 5-hour flight, minimum. Living in NYC for 4 years also meant a LOT of 10.5 hour flights across four time zones to go home for holidays and weddings – sometimes for just a weekend.
If you’re planning on taking a cruise, trust me when I say that cruisecritic.com will be your new best friend. We spent hours on that site (the…
When you’re running around an unfamiliar country, navigating streets and transportation, the last thing you want is to be without Internet – especially when getting it is pretty easy and affordable.
