VISA Run - Osaka

This and the previous picture were only taken just before and just after I got my E2 Visa respectively.

The Korean Consulate is in here, and if you were the guy on the bike, coming from Namba (behind him), you'd make a sharp turn to the right obviously (his left). McDonalds is about 5 minutes walk from here, and Namba about 10-15 minutes.
From here to the airport is 50 minutes minimum, and much longer if you go with the slow train and miss one that has just left. The RAPID trains go every hour. I arrived back at 2:50pm, even though I was supposed to be back closer to 4pm. The thing was my return RAPID ticket was 4pm, and my flight was 5:25pm. Despite talking to my director, he would not change the ticket times, so it was left to me to try to salvage the situation.

Every Minute Counted

I was the first person to arrive here during the lunch period (it's possible some foreigners arrived before lunch, but I didn't see them). An American from Seattle and I were playing tag in Namba, doing a few u-turns. I got here first, but went downstairs and spoke to the Korean lady for a while, and then headed upstairs just after Mr Seattle.

E2, 620, No: 9 and Mr Seattle

Even though, having been to Osaka before in pursuit of the E2 I had a rough idea of where to go and what to do, I nevertheless researched getting here (as in exactly how to get here) on the net, since I had no margin for error, and needed to have my application done first so I'd be finished first. In retrospect I think had I deviated from this plan I believe I would have faced some pretty dire consequences. Every minute counted, and by the time counter 9 opened, my form was filled in, my photo ready (already had photos from Korea although there is an expensive photo making machine in the building) and my next-person-please ticket.
Mr Seattle took one before me, but I found one on the counter that was 620, and his was 621. The glowing red number above us, with the arrow, was 619. Even though I had 619 I asked him if he minded me going ahead of him, explaining my flight situation and all. He said he didn't mind.
Once the counter opened, a little early at 1:20pm I explained my problem, and the women asked which airline I was on. "Not Asiana" she said, and then I remembered, last time I had flown Asiana, even watched a movie (Jurassic Park 3), and migrated here with the flow of about 10 other teachers.

3:45 Please

I explained that the absolute latest I could get my passport back was 3:45pm. She pointed to the sign. I explained that I knew their policy, and had explained it to my director, but he had simply refused to listen, and please, could she help me. She said she couldn't, that the latest was 4pm. I asked her to at least 'try', and if it was 'possible', to do what she could. She was very resistant, but she didn't explicitly say no, and seemed, implicitly, to say 'maybe'. She suggested that I return at 3pm and wait. Concerned, a little anxious, but not worried, I left the building.

Penalty of Failure

I have to add that if you think I was overreacting, or am being overdrammatic, the
penalty of failure is that you lose your job and get deported to your home country at worst, at best you pay huge amounts of money to make another trip here, or stay in a hotel, or buy another air ticket and miss another day of work. I saw a guy arrive and basically shouted as he arrived, huffing and puffing, for the forms. Sweat was bubbling out of his face and a thick aroma of sweat salted the air around him. He was an overweight lumbering tank of sheer panic. And he wasn't the only one.

In For A Penny

Another guy who I met at 2:55pm didn't bring enough money. He'd already scored Y1000 from someone who didn't even give him his email address (for a refund). I offered to give him all my coins (about Y700) but then discovered that his Y1200 was enough to afford the Y950 ticket back. I only reflected later that he'd also need busfare back. But we both agreed that my situation was even worse, because I might miss my flight altogether. In the end a lot of my coins spilled into the seat on the RAPID on my return, so I wished I'd given them to him. Coins can't be exchanged anyway at Foreign Exchange* counters, and maybe he could have bought himself something to eat. He had apparently drained his bank account in Osaka of his last pennies to come up with the Visa fee (quite expensive). I also had to borrow money when I visited Osaka in February 2002. I shudder to think what I would have done if my colleague couldn't, wouldn't or hadn't loaned it to me.

The Visa Trip to Osaka is a Trial By Fire, make no mistake. It's not a nightmare, it's not Mission Impossible, but it certainly is Be Very Careful You Get It Right The First and Only Time You Try It. And that's a bit of pressure.

*I was advised that it is better to exchange Yen for Won back in Korea, as the rate is better than in Japan.