DCF in Japan

[shadryn 0]

Hey, all. We just received our visa approval and the passport came in the mail today with that beautiful red, white and blue sticker on it. I lurked a lot on this forum and you helped me squelch a lot of worrying. Allow me to give back a little.

First, the situation: I'm American, Japanese wife. Married only 18 months. No income or savings in the USA. No savings at all, actually. That was my biggest worry, but I used my uncle as a sponsor. It helps that he has an obscene income, but really - anyone will do if it meets the minimum income requirements.

The documents listed at http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-ivi130check.html really are exactly what you need. No more, no less. I translated the Japanese documents myself and took care to mimic even the formatting of the original documents.

I-130: Nothing special here. Just fill it out.

Proof of US Citizenship: Just your passport.

Photo ID: Passport serves.

Birth certificate: Here's the beautiful part, the Japanese family registration (koseki) serves as both the birth certificate AND the marriage certificate (provided she was diligent in registering all of that info with the ward office and the spouse's name is on the koseki). Use http://old.jat.org/jtt/koseki.html for translating a koseki (family registration). My spoken Japanese is fluent, but my written Japanese... not so much. I had my wife read the document to me while I translated.

DS-230: No surprises. Do NOT sign Part 2! At the end of your visa interview, your spouse will raise their right hand and swear all of the provided information is true. THEN they will sign the form in front of the agent.

G-325: Easy enough.

Submission Fee: This was the most painful part. I thought - and many at the embassy seemed to think - that the whole process is $355. It's not. It's $355 to file the I-130, and then $355 plus a $45 security fee to file the rest of the documents on your second trip. Not to mention another $350 for medical check-up and $100 per vaccine. Ouch!

Proof of Relationship: I wrote a page detailing our history including future plans. I also brought in a packet of pictures showing us throughout the points I listed in the summary. I think it's good to link the two together; explain the story behind the pics.

Affidavit of Support: This was the part that kept me up at night. I'm not only broke here in Japan, I'm also broke back home in the States. I had an uncle sponsor my wife and I used my parents' address as domicile. The embassy didn't seem particularly concerned about maintaining domicile, but I brought along bank statements, my driver's license and student loan payment records showing my folks' address on them, just in case. My uncle sent me a copy of his birth cert. and the past year of tax return documents, including all schedules, etc. Even though I have no States-side income, I turned in the affidavit for myself as well as a tax transcript (not the returns) for the past 3 years. Initially the lady said I needed returns, but I held my ground and told her the embassy website specifically says transcripts are fine. Turns out I was correct, though I imagine that if I actually had income in the States and was the main sponsor, they would have been strict about having the actual returns.

So the above documents plus any other docs mentioned at the embassy website are what is needed for trip 1. They have a photo machine inside the embassy, but take pics before you go just in case. You need both the sponsor's and the beneficary's pics. We went inside the embassy, took a number, waited in the lobby (bring a book and get comfy), they called us up once and took our documents and sent us to the cashier. Bring cash just in case the credit card machine is on the fritz. We paid, went back, they asked us about our relationship and plans, verified various points of info in the packet. Then they sent us on our way, telling us to get our police documents and medical records for next time. You need to go to one of their specified doctors for this. My wife was NOT happy with the rude service given by the nurses at the Tokyo British Clinic, but for those of us in central Tokyo it's pretty much the only option. And cold, robot-like service is the norm in Japanese healthcare (though my personal experience has been positive, actually).

If there are no problems both the police docs and medical records take 1-2 weeks. Do not open them, of course.

With those in hand, make an appointment for your Interview. There is about a 4-week wait.

On that day you only need the spouse's passport, your passport, the spouse's medical and police docs (in my border-line OCD habits, I brought copies of all previous documents), and an Ex-Pack 500 from the post office. You also need more pics, but we had some left over from the previous visit (the machine takes 4, we turned in 2 the previous time and 2 this time). They call your number, you go up, then they surprise you with another fee ($355 + $55), take your docs and tell you to wait. You wait for an hour or two then go up for the interview, raise your right hand, swear all information is true, sign part 2 of DS-230. They then quiz you on your relationship. It seems they were cross-checking what I wrote in our original proof of relationship. My wife couldn't remember what month and year we met, so they're really not very strict here in Tokyo as long as all docs are in order. There were no trick questions, no "What is the name of your husband's second cousin, twice removed?" questions. They didn't even ask her if I take cream in my coffee. Just when we met, how we met, and our plans in America. Here's the kicker, my wife speaks NO English, though the lady was quite kind and let me translate. My wife was so scared we'd get interviewed by the dude who told another guy to can it for trying to help his wife answer questions (not in those words, but that was the tone of this voice).

We received our visa the very next day - and may I say my wife has the most attractive Visa pic ever! You will also received a sealed A4 packet that I almost opened in my excitement. DON'T! That packet is for immigration officials at the airport.

Total time from appointment request to receipt of visa: 2 months (we got the police records in advance of the first meeting). If you get the police records and medical records in advance (not sure if you can do that with the medicals), then the whole process can be done in 5-6 weeks. This does not include the 3-4 months I spent gathering documents and over-researching at a liesurely pace.

Total cost: $355 + $355 + $55 + $450 (medical plus vaccine) = $1215 (not including copy fees, postage, the Ex-Pack, midnight taxi ride because I left her passport at the internet cafe before the final interview at 8:30am the next morning, etc.)

If you have questions please let me know - but give me some time to reply since I'm not a daily e-mail checker.

Hope the information helps.

[redglasses 1]

Nice report

Congratulations!

[M -and- A 3]

Congratulations on your Wife's visa. My wife is also Japanese, and apparently there is no government office that maintains vaccination history for Japanese citizens. Is there any information you can share about how your wife obtained vaccination history, or what vaccinations are required? Trying to prep in advance of embassy receiving the packet from NVC.

Thanks

[redglasses 1]

Congratulations on your Wife's visa. My wife is also Japanese, and apparently there is no government office that maintains vaccination history for Japanese citizens. Is there any information you can share about how your wife obtained vaccination history, or what vaccinations are required? Trying to prep in advance of embassy receiving the packet from NVC.

Thanks

I provided my Mother-Child Health Handbook (Boshi Kenko Techo) and an immunization record from college.

The handbook is issued to every expectant mother and should have immunization record of her child.

If her mother doesn't have it anymore or the immunization history isn't recorded in the book,

it would be difficulty to prove your immunization history.

In that case, she can test for antibody at a local clinic and provide the result to the designated medical facility.

Or she can choose to get all required vaccinations. It will cost additional $200-300 on top of the cost of medical exam.

Luckily, my handbook and immunization record had immunization history of all measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox and no additional vaccination was required.

Edited September 14, 2009 by redglasses

[txladykat 1]

My husband ran into the problem of not being able to locate his vaccination records. His mother didn't have them, and his doctor back then passed away. But, the good news was that they only make you get the vaccinations that are age appropriate. So, he had to get two vaccinations during his medical, and then in two years he has to get another one here in the states. It really wasn't that much. If your wife is over 25 (I think) then she will only need the same two vaccinations my husband got.

[M -and- A 3]

Thank you both for the information. Looks like MMR and IdP boosters or antibodies are all that would be needed for my wife (she is 39).

[Mountain Climber 186]

Congrats!!!!

[shadryn 0]

Thanks for the congrats, everyone. Sorry for the late reply (I thought VJ would alert me when someone replied to my topic).

Yes, we got her immunization records by calling up her mother. Otherwise, call the clinic and they'll tell you what to do (likely they'll have your spouse get a couple shots plus try to convince them to get some they don't need). My wife had to get MMR, which set us back $150 or so.

[PongAtari 0]

Great post, and congrats on the visa!

My wife and I have our first interview with the embassy in Tokyo on Monday. We've got all the necessary forms ready, but we're also going to take the I-864 Affidavit of Support with us. I'm starting to stress out over #15 - Country of Domicile.

I've been living in Japan working as an English teacher for the past 7 years, and haven't had any sort of income in the US since then (though I have been filing US tax returns for my income over here). Will I need to bring in some proof that my country of domicile is the US? I still have a checking account and credit cards back home, and I could get a letter from my mother stating that she'll be letting us stay with her for a while when we move back.

I'm also a bit worried about the fact that my wife doesn't speak much English, and that she isn't a college graduate or skilled/licensed worker. Will this work against us?

Thanks.

[redglasses 1]

Great post, and congrats on the visa!

My wife and I have our first interview with the embassy in Tokyo on Monday. We've got all the necessary forms ready, but we're also going to take the I-864 Affidavit of Support with us. I'm starting to stress out over #15 - Country of Domicile.

I've been living in Japan working as an English teacher for the past 7 years, and haven't had any sort of income in the US since then (though I have been filing US tax returns for my income over here). Will I need to bring in some proof that my country of domicile is the US? I still have a checking account and credit cards back home, and I could get a letter from my mother stating that she'll be letting us stay with her for a while when we move back.

I'm also a bit worried about the fact that my wife doesn't speak much English, and that she isn't a college graduate or skilled/licensed worker. Will this work against us?

Thanks.

My husband (USC, also had lived in Japan for some years at the time of the petition/interview) provided a copy of his bank statements, driver's license and payments of a shed we kept in the US.

The clerical staff who checked the copies just glanced at them and gave them back to us though.

Even so, I highly recommend you bring what you have. It is better to be well prepared.

Your wife's educational background, work experience and fluency in English don't matter.

When I had my interview, the consular started the conversation in Japanese. Others are often asked if they prefer English or Japanese.

If you can, go to the interview with her. In many cases where the petitioner goes to the interview with the beneficiary, the consular tends to talk to the petitioner most of time and the beneficiary doesn't have to talk to the consular as much. This is not always the case, but it happens a lot.

Anyways, good luck on the interview!

[shadryn 0]

I'm starting to stress out over #15 - Country of Domicile.

...

Will I need to bring in some proof that my country of domicile is the US?

...

I'm also a bit worried about the fact that my wife doesn't speak much English, and that she isn't a college graduate or skilled/licensed worker. Will this work against us?

I'm happy my post is helping. I thought for sure I wasn't the only one in my situation.

Bring in a checking account statement and get your parents to write a letter stating you two may live with them as long as necessary. That is what I did, though the embassy didn't seem to worry about this.

Your wife's job skills are mostly inconsequential. They may ask about it at the interview but not in any detail. My wife, as you read above, also speaks no English (she has skills but nothing employable until she learns English).

Feel free to message me if you have any worries.

[shearoberts 0]

Hi all, I'm currently going through this process with my fiance (Japanese) thing is I'm moving back to the States next month. On my I-134 form it asks for a US employer. Will I need a co-sponsor for this? My assets are quite low back home as I took most of my money with me to Japan. But I've saved a little over a million yen since being here but that still doesn't seem like enough. I'm not worried about finding employment back in the States as I have many promising leads right now. Will I have to get a relative to co-sponsor in terms of providing a domicile and their income?

[gracies 0]

We also got our visa in USEmbassy Tokyo...thru DCF and i can say that they're quiet fast, effecient and very organize..yeah, they're very quick!!!!

BRAVO!!!

[getcr1 0]

wow- its great to see that there are so many people with positive responses with DCF in Tokyo. We are trying to get through our paperwork as soon as possible as we are hoping to leave Japan in April. I read somewhere that you need to get police reports. I am from canada and my fiance is from the US. Do we need police reports from Canada/US? I also lived in Ireland for over a year. Do I need to get a police report for Ireland as well? Or do we just need a police report from Japan? How do we go along getting these? Also, my fiance didnt realize he had to do all his taxes before. He is sending it out now and then we will send our DCF application once we are married in January. Does anyone know how long it will take for them to confirm our taxes? Unfortunately, he had to file his taxes for the last 6 years.....

[shearoberts 0]

wow- its great to see that there are so many people with positive responses with DCF in Tokyo. We are trying to get through our paperwork as soon as possible as we are hoping to leave Japan in April. I read somewhere that you need to get police reports. I am from canada and my fiance is from the US. Do we need police reports from Canada/US? I also lived in Ireland for over a year. Do I need to get a police report for Ireland as well? Or do we just need a police report from Japan? How do we go along getting these? Also, my fiance didnt realize he had to do all his taxes before. He is sending it out now and then we will send our DCF application once we are married in January. Does anyone know how long it will take for them to confirm our taxes? Unfortunately, he had to file his taxes for the last 6 years.....

Whatever country you're from I believe. My fiance being Japanese had to go to her local police office and request them. She spent a year in Canada and she didn't have to get any of those. She's never had any trouble with the law so I guess perhaps that's why. If you or your fiance are moving to the US you'll need the police records of your country of origin if I'm not mistaken.