Getting My New Visa (2004-06-05)
Yesterday I went to the Immigration Office to pick up my visa which I applied for a renewal two weeks ago. There are frequent buses that go directly from Shinagawa Station (
) to the Office,
so it's relatively hassle-free to get there. Once I
arrived there, I went straight to the designated counter as instructed
in the notification postcard I received a few days ealier in the
mail. The line wasn't too long and it moved quickly. When
it was my turn, the officer took my passport, gave me a form to sign
and told me to get "Revenue Stamps" as payment for the visa and
re-entry permit. As only Japan would have done it, where do you think people have to
go to buy those stamps? Where else but the good ol' convenience
store which is located on the first floor of the building. There
is a counter in the middle of the AM/PM store with a huge sign above it
that tells you the cost for different kinds of Revenue Stamps. I
got the ones I needed and went back upstairs to the officer. The
stamps were just a tad bigger than postal stamps ( Darn it, I forgot to
take their pictures!) and I had to stick them on the form that I signed
earlier. After that the officer gave me a number ticket and told
me to wait to be called. I only waited ten minutes before I heard
my number. I went to the counter and a different officer returned
my passport with a renewed visa and re-entry permit. The whole
process was quick and simple. The stamp-buying part at the
convenience store is sort of amusing. Who would have thought that
a convenience store would have anything to do with an Immigration
Department issuing visas?
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