Got my new visa today. Another three years taken care of. Perhaps I’ll apply for permanent residency next time…

I understand that they’ve closed both the Otemachi and Shibuya immigration offices, and have consolidated them in Shinagawa. Too bad–the Shibuya office was cool, and both were relatively near convenient train stations. The Shinagawa (technically Minato, but it’s closest to JR Shinagawa, which ironically is also in Minato) building is in a former tax agency building, and I can see why they moved. Right near the airport (must be noisy), and smack in the middle of a landfill island, a long walk from the station, not close to where anyone I know lives. I hear it’s a good and efficient office setup, too bad the location stinks.

But since I live in the general vicinity of Tama, I am able to use the Tachikawa branch office. A lot closer and more convenient, but pretty small. When I went recently, I got a number 40 and 25 times (respectively) behind the number being served, and both times it took about an hour and a half to get helped. But part of that is because I come so late in the day, a side effect of my current schedule.

At least now they hand out three-year work visas. Used to be just one year per, and you had to go through the whole rigmarole all too often.

You also have to wonder, why they heck can’t they have a cash drawer instead of making you go out to a post office to get their revenue stamps?