my visa application to Japan

So I guess it's official now. Will be visiting Japan again in March and it's NOT a business trip!

It's so weird.

But thinking about it, it'd be my first holiday there after I left Japan in 2011. That's almost 2 years ago. I really hope nothing much changed in 2 years, other than my unused hence berkarat Japanese and kanji-reading skills.

Applied for a visa last week and got it yesterday!

 Please excuse the ugly black and white photo. Was forced to wear the hideous black scarf on top of my perfectly chosen soft peach-colored scarf pfftt.

It was weird, applying for a visa and it's not a college student visa. I feel old.

Checked out the embassy's website and since I'll be visiting Shahrul there, I opted for 'visiting relatives or friends' visa. I was told that if you're applying for a 'holiday' visa, your documents would be scrutinized a bit stricter (your salary slip, savings statement, etc) as the Japan government isn't tolerating people going there on shallow purposes. Whatever that means.

Anyhow, these are the documents you'd have to submit (basically) :

1. Original passport
2. 1 visa application form with a 4.5 cm x 4.5 cm photo pasted on it. Must have white background hence the change of scarf at the last minute *cries*
3. Itinerary in Japan. Follow the sample given at the website (in pdf I think) and you'll be fine! 
4. Employment certificate. It's really no hassle getting this, just ask your HR for the procedure. But it must be in English; Mum's a government staff so she had to have it translated cause it was in Malay -___-" 
5. Personal savings, latest account statement be it CIMB, Tabung Haji or ASB (where your money is). It must be certified true copy by the bank, but you can get it at the counter - just asked for the statement to be certified. I was skeptical at first since they gave me a computer generated slip, but apparently as long as you have the bank stamp you'd be fine.
6. Copy of marriage certificate/birth certificate as proof of relationship with person(s) accompanying.
7. A guarantee letter by the relative/friend in Japan. Since I'm visiting him, he provided me the guarantee letter complete with his inkan stamped and an invitation letter - just in case. Have to include his passport copy and alien card copy, too. They didn't ask for proof of relationship though; so as long as you have the letter you'd be fine.

It's stated in the website that you have to arrange the documents according to the sequence, and MAN, they mean it. I saw a poor guy had to queue up again just because he had his documents not according to the sequence so to ensure that your application process is smooth, follow the sequence.

I've heard all these horror stories that some of the applications were rejected for various reasons, so I guess the regulations are quite stringent. So if you have any trouble, contact the embassy and they will gladly assist you.

Some tips : if you're driving to the embassy, they don't provide parking there so you might have to take a risk parking your car somewhere by the road at the Persiaran Stonor. KLCC parking is way too far for you to walk there (a colleague does that, I don't know how she could walk all the way to the embassy) or if you take the LRT, hop off at Ampang Park and take the cab. It'd cost you 5 bucks at most.

EMBASSY OF JAPAN
CONSULAR SECTION
11, PERSIARAN STONOR
OFF JALAN TUN RAZAK
50450 KUALA LUMPUR  
http://www.my.emb-japan.go.jp/