Transferring money from Japan to the U.S.
March 18, 2018 11:47 PM Subscribe
Complications: expired residence card and short timeline.
Location: Toyama, Japan (Toyama City)
The problem: my foreign resident card expired (YESTERDAY) without me noticing. I applied to extend my visa back in February, but haven't gotten called back to the immigration office to be accepted and get a new one, etc.
Bank in Japan: Japan Post Bank
Bank in U.S.: Fifth Third
So I can't transfer any funds using the Post Bank or any other service (TransferWise etc. which has a money limit anyway). And I just can't close my account because there's too much money in it (I think that's what the poor teller who had to deal with me and my shitty Japanese said). And I can't make the immigration office hurry. And I leave Japan for America on March 27.
1) Is there anything I can do to get my money out (about ¥2,000,000 / $19,600) in time?
2) If I cannot and I have to leave, is there anything I can do after that?
3) Yes, I work for a company who can help me with this and I am contacting them but in the meantime, I hate myself and I hate everything and I want to know how badly I fucked up.
At this point I assume I'm not going to get my actual extension acceptance; but my visa situation is fine, according to the application slip. It's just that I either have to eat the cost of a plane ticket (plus stay in a hotel while waiting) or leave most of my money here in Japan.
Location: Toyama, Japan (Toyama City)
The problem: my foreign resident card expired (YESTERDAY) without me noticing. I applied to extend my visa back in February, but haven't gotten called back to the immigration office to be accepted and get a new one, etc.
Bank in Japan: Japan Post Bank
Bank in U.S.: Fifth Third
So I can't transfer any funds using the Post Bank or any other service (TransferWise etc. which has a money limit anyway). And I just can't close my account because there's too much money in it (I think that's what the poor teller who had to deal with me and my shitty Japanese said). And I can't make the immigration office hurry. And I leave Japan for America on March 27.
1) Is there anything I can do to get my money out (about ¥2,000,000 / $19,600) in time?
2) If I cannot and I have to leave, is there anything I can do after that?
3) Yes, I work for a company who can help me with this and I am contacting them but in the meantime, I hate myself and I hate everything and I want to know how badly I fucked up.
At this point I assume I'm not going to get my actual extension acceptance; but my visa situation is fine, according to the application slip. It's just that I either have to eat the cost of a plane ticket (plus stay in a hotel while waiting) or leave most of my money here in Japan.
Response by poster: Sorry to respond quickly, but to rule out 1 or 2 of those:
- I could possibly go around to ATMs to get over the 50,000 yen limit, yes. I will accrue some fines and there is probably some kind of law about me taking that much money in cash into the U.S. but maybe it's possible as a last ditch resort.
- No Western Union locations in Toyama City, according to the site.
- I don't have any Japanese friends. (Because I'm a terrible human being and don't have any RL friends of any nationality -- one of the reasons I'm going home, so I can be terrible by myself, in a language I know.)
And all of these involve withdrawing the actual cash, which is going to be difficult in its current amount, due to the problems I mentioned in the post.
posted by automatic cabinet at 12:27 AM on March 19, 2018
- I could possibly go around to ATMs to get over the 50,000 yen limit, yes. I will accrue some fines and there is probably some kind of law about me taking that much money in cash into the U.S. but maybe it's possible as a last ditch resort.
- No Western Union locations in Toyama City, according to the site.
- I don't have any Japanese friends. (Because I'm a terrible human being and don't have any RL friends of any nationality -- one of the reasons I'm going home, so I can be terrible by myself, in a language I know.)
And all of these involve withdrawing the actual cash, which is going to be difficult in its current amount, due to the problems I mentioned in the post.
posted by automatic cabinet at 12:27 AM on March 19, 2018
IANAL/IANYL. Submitting a renewal application before your initial expiration date (which it sounds like you did) automatically extends your expiration date by two months. You should have a stamp on the back of your residence card saying your application is undergoing processing.
Rules explanation:
Japanese: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact/koumoku7.html (Ministry of Justice site)
English: https://www.juridique.jp/visa/renew.php (immigration lawyer site; can't find the MOJ's English Q&A at the moment)
Since your visa technically isn't expired, does this open up the other transfer options for you? Do you have anyone at your office who would be willing to play interpreter, go with you to the post office etc., and trying that route?
posted by lesser weasel at 2:04 AM on March 19, 2018
Rules explanation:
Japanese: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact/koumoku7.html (Ministry of Justice site)
English: https://www.juridique.jp/visa/renew.php (immigration lawyer site; can't find the MOJ's English Q&A at the moment)
Since your visa technically isn't expired, does this open up the other transfer options for you? Do you have anyone at your office who would be willing to play interpreter, go with you to the post office etc., and trying that route?
posted by lesser weasel at 2:04 AM on March 19, 2018
Another option I suppose: take a day off (weekday), buy a train/shinkansen ticket, go to closest Western Union to make an international wire transfer in person. Though I’d check first to see what documents you needed and if you could get it done that day.
posted by lesser weasel at 2:14 AM on March 19, 2018
posted by lesser weasel at 2:14 AM on March 19, 2018
Best answer: Perhaps you could withdraw the money in person/over the counter to avoid the ATM limit issue? Alternately, could you just leave your Japan Post Bank account open and use your card in the US to withdraw dollars at whatever ATM they'll let you use?
You can definitely bring that much (or indeed, any amount of) cash into the US; you just have to declare it on this one page form (PDF). They can give it to you at Customs when you land or you can print it in advance. It is legal to bring in; they just want to know.
posted by mdonley at 2:17 AM on March 19, 2018
You can definitely bring that much (or indeed, any amount of) cash into the US; you just have to declare it on this one page form (PDF). They can give it to you at Customs when you land or you can print it in advance. It is legal to bring in; they just want to know.
posted by mdonley at 2:17 AM on March 19, 2018
Response by poster: Thank you for the help and reassurances, everyone. I really appreciate it.
posted by automatic cabinet at 2:39 AM on March 19, 2018
posted by automatic cabinet at 2:39 AM on March 19, 2018
Best answer: Please don't feel bad about this. It's going to be ok.
Ideally your workplace will help you, but Toyama International Center is another option that you should explore. It says they offer English consultations and interpretation for city hall visits via phone. This is what international associations are for, and you should ask them for help.
For good measure here's an excel sheet from your prefecture for more spots providing English consulations
(If it's in Japanese click the blue tab thing at the top that says 外国語.)
Someone can help you. Don't hesitate to call or visit one of these associations.
posted by sacchan at 5:00 AM on March 19, 2018
Ideally your workplace will help you, but Toyama International Center is another option that you should explore. It says they offer English consultations and interpretation for city hall visits via phone. This is what international associations are for, and you should ask them for help.
For good measure here's an excel sheet from your prefecture for more spots providing English consulations
(If it's in Japanese click the blue tab thing at the top that says 外国語.)
Someone can help you. Don't hesitate to call or visit one of these associations.
posted by sacchan at 5:00 AM on March 19, 2018
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Also - take cash to Western Union and have them send it to you in the US; you collect it at home?
Also - withdraw cash in bank in Japan. Hand to friend. You and friend go to friend's bank. Friend transfers money to your US account.
Also - can Japan Post Bank generate some sort of internationally-accepted cashier's check for the amount in USD your US bank will accept?
posted by mdonley at 12:00 AM on March 19, 2018