A Jamaican Mother's Journey Getting Her Daughter to Japan

Greetings!

It certainly has been a while. It's almost a year now since I've become a mom! Sometimes I look at my little girl and still can't believe that she belongs to me. LOL. As a result of my new responsibilities, I have found it difficult to blog as I would like to. I hope, however, to put out more content more regularly.

Today, I will be sharing an experience of a Jamaican mother whose daughter will be joining her in Japan. This post is the first in the Black Mommies Travel series that I wish to start.

Dani-Kaye was wonderful in giving lots of details and highlighting the steps that she took in getting things ready here in order for a smooth transition to be made for both of them.

Dani-Kaye Golding has been living in Japan for a year and half now. Her journey to Japan, however, was not all for the sake of the love of travel. She points out that her primary goal was to escape unemployment in Jamaica. Notwithstanding, she has been having a rewarding experience in Japan. Her desire is to one day pursue her dream of having a doctorate in Education, a dream she hopes, can be realized as a result of being here. Furthermore, she hopes to deepen her relationship with the Creator, as she grows spiritually.

This brave Mommy has articulated further, that she hopes to give her little princess an international experience.

This is Dani-Kaye's story.

My experience, due primarily to misinformation and rigid systems, has been pretty daunting. However, your experience might not be the same. (I have included all that happened so as to give others a heads up so they can circumvent or seek alternatives using my experience as a benchmark). 

Step 1: Obtaining preliminary information 

I went to my local ward office, Higashiyodogawaku, to find out about the procedure for getting her registered in school. This was before I went to the immigration office to file for her Certificate of Eligibility (Japanese visa). The ward office staff told me that nothing could be done before my daughter came to Japan because she would have to get registered in the system (gaikokojin card,  juminhyo etc.) before she can even go to school. 

I met a ward office clerk who spoke good English. She gave me the application and said she would help me to fill it out, in Japanese Kanji, but I would have to come to her office.  She works at the ward office and not the prefectural one. I took her contact information. 

Step 2: Mobilisation

About a month after my visit to the ward office, I sent out a message to the Black Women in Japan Facebook group (many Jamaicans are also a part of this group) asking about the process and what had been their experience. The few persons who responded all concurred that it was a very simple process. First, download the dependent's CoE file from the immigration website. Second, return the completed form with two passport pictures, copy of the child's birth certificate, and the picture page of his/her passport and take them to the immigration office. It's free and it will take approximately 1-3 months. However, I received mine within a month. They said upon receiving the CoE I should send it to my family member in Jamaica and they should then take it to the Japanese consulate there.  You can get additional information from this link: ( http://www.ifrec.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/liaison/procedures/visa_family.html ). 

Step 3: Pre-application for Hoikuen 

After sending the documents for her visa to Jamaica, I called the lady I'd met previously to inform her about the stage I was at in the process. Also, because they had informed me that nothing could actually be done prior to her getting to Japan, I would be asking my friend to take her along with her when she was coming to Japan in August. She told me I would have to fill out the application before August 5th in order for her to start September 1st. Hence, she would have to be here before August 5th in order to even start the process for September 1st entry. This information basically changed all my plans because that would mean my friend could not take her because she would have been coming to Japan in mid August. My daughter would therefore have to get to Japan by July month end for registration before the 5th for the 1st of September. I was not at all thrilled because this means I could no longer defray the travel cost as I would have to go to Jamaica myself to get her, which is obviously expensive.  

I was stressed because I did not plan for the former, and I was just about to do something major (I can't quite remember what it was now. Maybe I was going to buy my tickets due to the urgency of the situation). God saw everything at play and prompted me to call the "think tank" Shauna-Gaye Clarke. Shauna-Gaye said that did not add up because September is not a special month for school in Japan. Maybe she meant it's before the 5th for the following month. (I hadn't even thought of that!) So, I called the lady at the ward office told her what my friend said and she affirmed! What a huge syntax error!  I said miss that's a completely different story. For one, the earlier version meant that she has to be here from July for September.

image from japandaily.jp

Hence, I would have to make arrangements for her care while I am at work for approximately one full month or more. She apologised and said that's the reason why she called the day before to give me the contact for Osaka information for foreigners so I could ask any information. (But when I had called they said they only provided translation services and in the event I was having difficulties communicating while I was there they could translate; but they are unable to provide specific information about the different procedures).

Now, I am finding out that the application just needs to be dropped off one month before the fifth for the following month's start date. I asked the lady if they would start processing the application if I dropped it off before my daughter entered Japan. She said the ward office has strict rules and they don't usually do that but they might make an exception.  So I sent a message to the Black Women in Japan group again; one girl said her ward office allowed her to start before her son got to Japan and when he came he went straight into school (hoikuen) two days after. So, with a little hope knowing someone had circumvented the red tape, I went back to the ward office. I explained my sitation (I am a working single mother,  my daughter is in Jamaica; I want to get her here in August if they could accomodate us by starting the application prior to her arrival. The story might have beem embellished but those were the central points with my limited Japanese. When they could not understand anymore, they said I should go with them and they will get a translator. Luckily it was the same translator from above, who I had already informed about my case. In a nutshell, the ward office said they would allow me to drop off the application as long as it is before the fifth and start the process but I have to take her as soon as she comes to Japan to the ward office for processing. They asked when she was coming; (with this new information I could opt for a later arrival date so I would just keep her for two weeks instead of a month). They  explained the form and told me the areas to be filled out by my company etc. She gave me a list of the schools in the ward (district area) and circled the ones that might have space September 1st (only five, three of which are not so close to my house). I gave her about a million bows to express my gratitude. So knowing what I had to do, I collected the forms and left. One million pounds came off my shoulders, looking back at the unfortunate mistake that would have befallen me because of misinformation.  I took the walk back home with a heart filled with gratitude. 

Step 4: Application 

I went to school the next day, asked a Japanese teacher to fill out the form, and the following Monday I gave the company section of the form to my coordinator at my company to complete the Employment portion. I was told it would take approximately two weeks (I had anticipated this and planned accoordingly). I was doing all this the same week, June 20th, that I collected my daughter's CoE. So, I allotted one week for the delivery of the CoE to my daughter's father and one week from that date to recieve the employment portion of my application. This would put me in the last week of June to submit my application to the ward office (before July 5th). My company informed me on July 31st the documents were ready. I picked them up and went to the ward office the same day. It was a stretch but I managed to go to my company and the ward office the same afternoon. (This step was being done concurrently with step 6).  

Step 5: Plotting the travel route to Japan 

image from travelvoice.jp

Knowing that the CoE was enroute to Jamaica, the next step was to schedule an interview for my daughter with the US embassy in Jamaica (route 1: Jamaica, U.S., Japan). I downloaded the forms etc.  More information can be obtained about the visa application process here, https://ais.usvisa-info.com.  When I completed all the steps, the earliest appointment date was December 11, 2016. I used the expedited visa option. I sent an email both on the appointment screen and to the US embassy website administration itself and waited for about four working days and didn't get a response. I was becoming nervous. I googled and found the embassy's Skype information.  Upon speaking to someone on Skype, I was told that my case was not an emergency and all I have to do is change my route so that I don't have to fly through the US.  (This was my main reason for applying for a transit visa and not a visitor's visa because they are very hard to deal with in Kingston and I did not want them to deny her the visitor's then I would have to petition and appeal, which would all throw everything that I had arranged in Japan out the window!)  I informed the embassy official she was just transiting. He told me my option is to either change my route or wait until someone cancels an appointment, the latter being highly unlikely. Furthermore, she would have to be in Japan within 90 days or else her document would be void.

Route 2 which was Jamaica, Canada, Japan, was not an option because the transit visa takes 35 days plus the paperwork is just ridiculous. 

Route 3: Jamaica, Germany, Dubai, Japan. One of my friends used this route.  Still searching for the most economical route, I found an airline, Condor Airlines, which offers unaccompanied minor flights to Germany. I would just need to put her on an unaccompanied flight from Jamaica to New York, then to Germany where I would meet her. However, that would not be possible without a Schengen visa because the airline later told me that Germany was the final stop. This means we would need a visa to land in Germany. 

I decided therefore to go to Jamaica on a one way ticket, then buy two tickets from Montego Bay to Japan. I could not buy a round trip then add her to the return leg because I would have had to book with one airline which is very expensive. Plus I would have to stick to the same route three full days flying before arriving to Jamaica or Japan.  

Knowing my next move, I conditioned my mind to spend the exorbitant amount for the tickets and use my limited paid vacation and return to Japan through Germany. But things then shifted in my favour.  I got an email captioned: "Action Required" from the US embassy. (Coincidentally, I had sent my money to buy the Germany leg to my relatives the day before. They did not go because of car troubles, so they were planning to go the following day; the same day I received the email). The email said that they had approved the expedited request and I should book an interview date. I got my calendar, said ok, the CoE will arrive in four days time. It will take probably four working days to get her passport back from the Japanese embassy.  I booked it for the 13th of July.  She got her Japanese visa two days before her appointment for the US embassy.  

Step 5b: Purchasing the tickets 

(Please avoid this step until you have obtained all the necessary travel documentation)

I had a major problem. Even though I had secured the travel route through Germany, with the USA interview, route 1 may still be available. The problem was the Germany flight was filling up and this flight left Jamaica once per week and it was getting more expensive everyday. The other thing was I wasn't sure how the US visa interview would end, even though she had more than enough evidence to validate her passage through the US, having secured her Japanese visa. Not to mention, the flights through the US were getting expensive for August departure.  But, thinking it's a transit visa and she had more than enough evidence to validate this, I used my gut feeling and purchased all three tickets for route 1. I advise against this however, because of the inherent risk in doing so. Needless to say, I got through with them.  Also, she got a five year visitor's visa instead of a single entry transit one. 

Step 6: Finding a Hoikuen 

(This step was done simultaneously with step 4 above) 

So knowing that her dates were set for arrival in Japan, the next step was to collect the employment portion of the application from my company. I was in constant contact witth the lady at the ward office. She told me that I had to find a day nursery for her until the hoikuen starts September 1 as she is coming to Japan August 18th. I started calling nurseries. After my very lengthy and awkward Japanese explanation, most told me they had no space. I was hitting brick walls.

I contacted my company and they informed me that finding schools is "a big social problem in Japan". Not to be dismayed, I googled information for foreigners in Osaka and someone responded with some schools in my area. I called some schools. Some had no space for a 5 year old, others were just too far from my house or some were just for the wealthy. I was just doing a blind search. Anyway, I got two appointments for the same Saturday; one was far from my house and the next one was close to my house. This school made me come all the way to the school to tell me they opened at 8:00 am even though I had asked before and  then they told me I would need to make an appointment for consultation. I just hurried off to the next appointment without making a fuss. 

The principal was not there but I explained everything: Jamaica, daughter, Japan 18th, if they can accept her for August 22nd because I go to work weekdays. They told me they would contact the principal. They later contacted me in the afternoon. The lady said, "the principal says she can start on the 22nd if the ward office says yes". I repeatedly asked her several times both in Japanese and English. I confirmed and double confirmed she said "daijoubu"/ no problem. The ward office would have no reason to say she can't go to that school as long as there is a space for her age group. 

In the same breath, I had asked a Japanese male friend to help me find a school when I was hitting walls after walls. He sent me a site but it was difficult to translate.  I asked a teacher at one of my schools to call and get the information from the link my friend had sent. (The entire staffroom was now aware that I had a daughter, she was five and that she was coming to Japan and I was going to Jamaica for her and I am trying to find a daycare until she started school. I really did not care).  Even though I got a school that said yes, I know it's always better to have a contingency plan. The back-up however was not practical and had to be subsequently removed from my options list.  

One of my friends, from all the way in Nagoya had asked her boyfriend's boss to give me a call to find out if there was anything she could assist me with. I brought her up to speed. I told her I was awaiting the documents from my company to take to the ward office but it was a struggle with the schools but I found one who agreed to take her conditionally warranting the ward office approves. She said she would still call the ward office on my behalf. She called to relay the same information the ward office had told me from my second visit (pre-application). I got the rest of the application on the 31st of July from my company. 

Step 7: Submitting the application 

This is a continuation of the latter part of steps 4 and 6 above. 

I arrived at the ward office to drop off the documents. I wrote the contact information and wrote my friend's contact information on the form so they could contact her on my behalf. The ward office staff checked and told me to bring my daughter August 18th to the ward office. I told them I already found the school that told me she could start the following Monday and that the school just wants approval from them. I told this lady to call the school to verify. She went to the phone but I don't think she got connected.  But she understood what I was saying about the school saying she could start on the 22nd. Everything was finally finished. I gave thanks.

However, last week sitting at my desk my friend's boss sent me a text asking if it was possible to get my daughter here sooner. I said no, because I had already bought her tickets plus I applied for leave and the whole process can't change over night. Plus to change ticket dates would cost a lot so that's not even an option. I asked why she was asking all this. She said the lady at the ward office called her and told her that my daughter can only spend two hours during the first week at the school that accepted her. The school had just informed the ward office.  This was never mentioned to me, and I had outlined my situation, hence the reason they had agreed to take her from August 22nd and not Sept 1st as per procedure.  Now the school was telling the ward office that Japanese mothers take the first week from work off so they can keep their children for the rest of the day. Hence, children would go from 9 to 11 am for one week to scaffold the children before the longer hours. (Although this sytem is obviously ideal, it was not possible for my case). The school was now only just telling the ward office to tell me that I should take the week off because that is their policy.  My company told me two things from the onset: you have 12 paid vacation days (nenkyu)per year, which you can also take hourly. If you go over your 12 days nenkyu, 15000 yen will be deducted from your salary for every day absent. Feeling boxed in, I said well I have to take the paid vacation and use them up; When those are exhausted, I will take unpaid leave. I knew that finding a school was a big circle going nowhere. 

Thank God, however, the very next day my friend informed me that the lady at the ward office called her saying that there might be another school close to my house and that she is checking for availability. This new school said they would accept her from the 22nd and I wouldn't have to take the week off from work. This communication was between the school and the ward office so nobody could say it was due to "miscommunication" as is often the excuse.

Conclusion: 

I believe most of what I experienced could have been avoided if I had more resources (time, money, Japanese friends, information etc.)  I am living in Japan for a year and a half now but I have never allowed a lack of resources to hinder me from getting what I want. I am also an ardent believer in all things working out for good in my life. 

I hope this information is useful, and even though my experience may not be atypical, I share my experience for the benefit of others. 

Recommendations: 

Network as much as possible. Someone had that same issue somewhere. 
Use the resources you have available.  
Get everything in writing. 
Create a timeline.
Turn all "nos" into "yes". 
The brave may fall but never yield.



Well, there you have it! I hope you found this information useful. I would like to thank Dani-Kaye for sharing such a detailed account with us. She has shown lots of courage, strength and determination. I know that you will join me in wishing her and her little girl all the best in the their new life in Japan. 

Please head on over to Black Mommies Travel, and as always, thanks for your support.