Japan Visa Application Experience in Doha | Filipinos with (partial) guarantor

Luckily, before 2018 ends, I have something to share with you!

I am going to Japan!!!

It is one of my ultimate childhood dreams — to set foot on the places I have seen on my favorite anime shows when I was a cute (’til now lol) little girl and experience Japanese culture and cuisine first hand inside にほん！

While preparation is under way with the final itinerary and shopping for winter clothes, I made a decision to post my own experience to share with you guys how I go my temporary tourist visa application approved in the State of Qatar.

This post is of best help to Filipinos residing in Qatar (with Qatar ID) as you can not apply in the Embassy of Japan in Qatar without the QID.

VISA APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

A List of Basic Documentation to be Submitted for Applications for Visa for “Temporary Visits” (Foreign Resident)

I would like to refer you first to Ms. MI’s guide on her own experience — which is really a big, big help in obtaining the visa requirements that helped me personally. You can read her guide here.

I prepared everything in Ms. MI’s list of requirements, except, I had a special case: I just had my bank opened in Qatar last September 2018 and I applied this month, December. Which will only give me a total of three (3) months to present to the consul. I am also under family sponsorship and not under the company I am working for.

One of my friends who also applied last April of the same year, suggested to e-mail the Japan Embassy in Qatar – as they are very responsive! I was advised by the embassy to get my sponsor to be my guarantor.

I originally did not plan on applying with a guarantor, but I complied and prepared the following additional documents:

• Sponsor’s Passport Copy
• Sponsor’s ORIGINAL Cover Letter from his company
• Sponsor’s ORIGINAL Bank Statement for the last six (6) months
• ORIGINAL Letter of Guarantee from sponsor

JAPAN EMBASSY IN THE STATE OF QATAR

Well, here — I went to the wrong embassy. By “wrong,” I meant old embassy. I was redirected by a staff readily at the gate, holding a map, to the New Diplomatic Area. (Honestly, I have been aware months ago, by the same friend who applied earlier this year, that you are supposed to ride a bus inside a compound of embassies to get there but I thought it was in the same area where Google Maps will take you when you search for the embassy…) In case you are like me who had no idea where the New Diplomatic Area is, see the map at the end of this post.

You have to undergo security scanning at the main entrance then you will ride a bus that loops around the compound. Japan Embassy is the second stop after Korean Embassy. At the gate, you will be asked to leave your ID and mobile phone and will be given a pass in exchange. I then proceeded to the Consular Section.

I was really hoping that I could submit the papers in one go; but I was asked to come back with more additional documents.

On a side note, it is very calming inside the embassy. You can read pamphlets about Japanese culture and tourism, as well as information about their activities in Qatar.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

Right away, I prepared the needed additional documents:

• Copy of Qatar ID (QID) of my sponsor/guarantor
• ORIGINAL Salary Certificate of the guarantor

I initially submitted an employment certificate without the salary. Even though the salary is reflected in the bank statement, the consul required it to be stated in the company’s cover letter.

• Birth Certificate of applicant

I have to prove my relation to my guarantor, who is my father, hence the requirement.

• Proof of income (to make up the missing three (3) months)

Copy of pay slips for June – August 2018 and/or letter stating that I received cheques for the said months. Our office gladly helped me on this — they revised the cover letter with an additional comprehensive list of salary for the last six (6) months and how they handed it to me, together with attached copy of pay slips.

• I also forgot to sign the visa application form (lol)

APPROVED!

I went back to the embassy with my requirements (together with the additional requirements asked by the consul) and re-checked if I had signed the Visa Application Form this time.

I patiently waited for ten (10 minutes) before the consul called out my name and handed a receipt or claim slip. He then proceeded to give me the copy of my bank statement and asked for a written explanation on a few deposits. I wrote directly on the statement copy.

I went back after three (3) working days and claimed my passport with my Japan Visa! Yay!!!

I cannot wait to experience Japan and share it with you; I hope this experience could help some of you who are also planning to apply for a Japan Tourist Visa in Qatar. Good luck!

REFERENCES: Embassy of Japan in the State of Qatar

• Address:　Al Shabab Street, New Diplomatic Area, Onaiza, Doha, State of Qatar P.O. Box 2208
• Tel: (+974) 4440-9000 [24h]
• Fax: (+974) 4029-3655
• e-mail:　eojqatar@dh.mofa.go.jp
• Website: https://www.qa.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/link.html

• Office Hours:

  7:15 – 16:00 Sunday to Thursday (During Ramadan 8:00 – 13:30)

  Consular Section 7:30 – 15:00 (During Ramadan 8:30 – 13:30)
  VISA Application 7:30 – 12:00 (During Ramadan 8:30 – 12:00)
  VISA Collection 10:00 – 15:00 (During Ramadan 10:00 – 13:30)

  Closed on Friday, Saturday 

For the location of the New Diplomatic Area, please refer to the map below:

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How to: Prepare for PRC’s Architect Licensure Exam (ALE)

Original post dated on 1st of May, 2017.

This is not a hair-related post, nor did I managed to land on the top ten examinees which is what you may be looking for; still, I was hoping I could help the reviewees/examinees in a way I could. I want to share my experience in preparing for the Architect Licensure Exam. Here’s what I did and how — I think — you should do it.

I came up with three phases that I would like to call “Grab, Aim, & Shoot” which represents the whole process: from day one of preparation up to the last day of exams (and even waiting for the results. Yay.)

Grab your requirements.

Grab all the necessary lessons, equipment, materials, and friends! This phase is as important as your aiming stage. It actually works side-by-side.

Stationery! Anything cute that you could buy to help you, like notebooks, pens and sticky notes with colors that could get you working up, organizers, – and calculator. Get the one that you are familiar using for this should help you get your way through the problem solving. Make sure you put these supplies into use!

Stock up on a few No. 2 Mongol Pencils, Eraser, Sharpener, short brown envelope, short plastic envelope – you will be needing these during application, and the day of exams itself.

Requirements! I suggest you work on your requirements for PRC application while, say,  waiting for the copies of your review materials or while taking a snack break from your review. Because personally, I had one or two problems with the requirements.

Here’s the list of documents which I personally submitted to PRC:

• Printed Application Form (PRC Online Appointment)
• Birth Certificate*
• NBI Clearance*
• Transcript of Records (TOR) – Photocopy*
• Diploma – Photocopy (CTC)*
• Cedula*
• Passport Size Photo with nametag**
• 2 x 2″ Photo (Softcopy)**
• Logbook***

* Birth Certificate can be requested from the National Statistics Office (NSO) or Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) – this should be the easiest document to acquire.

* NBI Clearance can ba obtained from a wide selection of branches of NBI offices. As of writing, they are now implementing the “No appointment, no processing rule.” Click here to set an appointment for NBI Clearance. Pick the date you are available, preferred NBI branch, submit, take note of your reference number, pay online (or through their partners; I always choose Bayad Center and pay for it through LBC Branches inside Robinson’s), print application form (not required), proceed to the NBI office.

* Request for your Transcript of Records (for board exam purposes; this TOR must have a photo of you printed on it) from your Alma Mater.

* It also depends on your school how many days (or weeks) they need to process your request/s – and while you’re at it, find your Diploma! This is where I had a minor delay: it was not clear that you have to get a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Diploma.

* You do not have to request for a CTC  of the TOR, only the diploma is required to have a Certified True Copy.

Just to make sure, what I did was, I made photocopies of both my TOR and Diploma and requested UST for CTC (165.00PHP/document.) I claimed it 5 days from date of payment.

UPDATE (May 06, 2017) My friends who are going to take the board exams this June 2017 said that they were not asked for a CTC of the Diploma, upon submission of the requirements.

 

* Cedulas are available inside the PRC Compound. (5.00~7.00 PHP/Cedula) — you will need the Cedula No. for the online application.

** Get your photo taken within 6 months before the date of application.

** You need a 2×2″ (or larger) soft-copy of your photo: you will be needing this for the online application — choose your best photo because this will be the photo on your license! 

** You also need at least 3 copies of the passport size photo with your name on it.

** Photos must be sharp and clear. White background. Hair away from the face. Do not smile showing your teeth. No accessories. No eyeglasses. Also, wear something clean and with collar, or you could ask the studio to edit your clothes (most studios, if not all, already have templates for that.)

*** You can get your Logbook of Diversified Exprience in Architecture (LDEA) or “Logbook” from the UAP National Headquarters. Office Address: 53 Scout Rallos Street, Diliman, Quezon City, 1103, Metro Manila.

*** Detailed instructions and procedure are stated in the Logbook.

*** You will need a minimum of 3,840 hours of experience before you could take the exam – I’m assuming you already know this.

*** Filling-up you LDEA may take up a few (or a lot) of your preparation time – depending on how you keep the records of your activities within a project.

Luckily, the firm I was in has this weekly accomplishment report that we turn in every week and they compile it for us, which later on, we can request a copy when we are about to apply for the board exams. I also have a personal notebook (that I exclusively use for work) where I record my progress and agendas daily, so I did not have a hard time when I was tabulating my hours. If you can have a great recall of the things you’ve done from day one, then you’re fine.

*** Tabulate your hours per project until you reach the minimum required no. of hours.

*** Make a summary of the total no. of hours for each FOP. If you have two mentors or more: One (1) summary for each mentor and a separate overall summary.

*** The logbook comes with only four (4) pages of DT FORM 002 and you may need more. If you have two or more mentors, then you will be needing an affidavit for each mentor plus a page for the overall summary. Make duplicates of the necessary pages and just insert it. Do not staple or puncture in any way.

*** Fill-up the page nos. (at the upper right corner of DT FORM tables) so you can avoid missing pages.

I could answer more of your questions on how to fill-up your logbook; just send an e-mail.

*** Once completed, make sure your mentor has the following ready:

• Photocopy of mentor’s PRC license, Professional Tax Receipt (PTR), and IAPOA Certificate (preferably in one paper, with 3 specimen signatures and seal)
• Mentor’s Cedula No. (needed for filling up the mentor’s details in the logbook)

*** To date, the college dean’s signature is not required. (But better if you have yours signed. Your college dean will show his support!)

*** You can have the affidavit (last page of your logbook) notarized inside PRC Compound (50.00 PHP/affidavit/mentor.) Just ask the information counters.

Click here for the sample LDEA.