Submitted documents for a tourist visa by next day delivery on Monday and our passports arrived with visa stamp on Friday. Very efficient. Only thing that can be improved is tracking/status so one knows whats going on. In terms of efficiency they were the fastest.
The staff at Visa section was extremely rude, showing me something was not required on the website (he literally picked up the piece of paper listing requirements and then put it down saying it was not on but it is required). My hotel reservation was listed in Japanese and clearly has the reservation dates on it, and he went "but you are in America", but sir, I'm not applying for a US Visa. And you are just being extremely racist and rude.p
Visited twice over a year ago for a visa & the staff were nice enough. The visa office tiny & very beige, but efficient. Took forever to find the elevators up though! I asked 3 staff members before I finally found em.
Smoothest visa process EVER! Only took about 3 days and my visa is back!
Probably one of the smoothest visa application processes I've ever had. Their website is full of information, if you do some research, you should come prepared (bank account should have a decent amount of balance, official documents to prove relationship, etc.). They were very efficient, and I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. Visa was ready in a week and I paid when I picked up my passport. The gentleman who was helping me was very straight forward and can come off as short, but I've never had a better visa experience from 20 other countries I've had visas to.
The guy is the visa section was unnecessarily rude and not helpful at all.
I was in and out within 2 minutes. The doorman is very nice and the visa officer is superb efficient.
I don t understand some of the bad reviews. Those who asked to be treated with respect clearly did not read the information on the websites with respect.
The guy at the visa counter was very condescending in his tone and downright awful guest experience.
**This is serious**Need to apply for a transit visa so I asked the officer which one I put under purpose of visit section, transit or transit/visit . The officer replied me that it depends on me (fair enough). After I left the counter and did the writing, I heard a white young officer at visa section went what s the purpose of visit? Smuggle drugs! . Wow. This is how you train your employee? I highly doubted the professionalism of your employees.
The passport renewal office lady had attitude.
Not answering question properly.
BAD SERVICE.
Great and fast experience getting my tourist visa approved. I called twice with specific questions for the application and was forwarded to the visa section. I had my questions answered within a minute of me calling both times which is fantastic customer service. I mailed my application in and received it back in the mail within 2 business days. Most efficient visa application process I've experienced!
The visa section is terrible when it comes to customer service! They make you not want to go to Japan!
terrible staff at the visa section, extremely rude and unhelpful. just look at the number of complaints made against him here, why hasn't he been fired yet?
Super smooth process for Visa application. Told me what I was missing and was able to take care of the issues in a days trip.
I'm so mad that the call doesn't work. I even called right at the beginning of service at 9:15 and the auto response says there is high call traffic which not even making sense...;;;
The guy answering the phone at visa section was extremely rude. "You should be glad you don't need a visa this time. Can you imagine if everyone in the world applies for a visa to enter the country?!" -"In that case , could you mail back my application package pls" -"We already did!" The most arrogant person ever.
Took years to convince my husband to visit Japan. When he finally agreed, he went downtown to apply for a visa. He told me his experience at the embassy. I felt bad that he was treated rudely by the consul and shoved his passport. Hearing this, made me sad. The way that I see Japan on TV are people are polite, friendly and accommodating. The consuls at the embassy are supposed to be representatives of their country but this is not a good encounter with the Japanese. He will give it a try again, since he promised me that we will go there to visit the temple in Kyoto. Now, I'm reluctant to go to Japan and I'm thinking that probably the people there are as rude or worst than the consuls.
I'm hoping that the consuls would changed their attitude towards people who wanted to visit their country, its really giving people who are not exposed to their culture leave with a bad taste in their mouth.
Since I go down there twice a year to get some certificates, I familiarize myself with the security person who worked over there. He was nice. About a year ago, however, they have changed the security person to a new. The new security person was very unfriendly, rude and unhelpful.
First, he didn t say anything back to me when I say, Hello . No smile, and just stared at me as if he looked at a kind of suspicious intruder.
Next, when I got in to the metal detector gate unknowingly with my porch on, the buzzer beeps. (The security person was sitting by the desk while I was doing so). After the beep, he reluctantly stood up, came to me, and yelled at me why I didn t remove my stuff before getting in to the gate. That s very rude of him. As far as I know, there s no information available on what to do near the entrance. I did it by mistake as I said, and there s no reason he yelled at me. Besides he did not start moving to the gate quickly to help me, as I approached it. He was sitting in the chair. Hard to believe!!!
Consulate General of Japan needs to provide a proper training to him and teach him that visitors are properly treated with some respect & minimum courtesy. There s no reason he treats us like a terrorist or intruder.
The man who answered the phone at the visa section is EXTRIMELY rude! He is not helpful at all. I was asking a question about bank statement, and he said additional documents may need to be provided,I asked if I can email it, he goes"no you should mail it"
I said can I mail it now to save time, he goes"Don't do anything before we ask you to do!! It will only make things more complicated"
Then I asked whether they would contact me via email/phone before they return my application if they need supplemental materials, he goes"we can't control that! We receive hundreds of application every day and we don't have time to contact ppl one by one OK? We may directly return you application without notice"
Finally he hang up my call before I finished my sentence.
THANK YOU I learned the Janpanese style of the politeness.
I have applied for visa four times. Staff is very very patient, helpful and friendly. Haha, especially, I have to applause their excellent oral English^ ^. Last Monday I sent my documents and received my visa this Monday. They processed very efficiently. Since I have become a Johnny's fan, I have had more experience with Consulate-General of Japan. Looking forward to this summer's experience in Tokyo and Yokohama! Cannot wait to see Hikaru and Yuya~~ Kyaaaaaaa
I applied for visa twice and both times I had unsatisfactory experiences. The first time, one of the officers asked for 47$ for the visa fee which was supposed to be 27$ when I asked why he said for Iranians it is 47 which was not mentioned on the website! I did not apply for visa that day and finally I ended up paying 27! Next time I called them and asked if I can apply for visa while keeping my passport because I had to travel frequently, they said yes. When I showed up in person the officer did not accept it and said it was a wrong information without even apologizing!
Terrible staff. I said "I didn't not receive any follow up email" means I did not receive any. It was funny that the staff said "Well. That's not true. " Hello? Have you checked my inbox? It is very offensive to imply that "you are a liar".
Awful experience. The location is very difficult to find. The stuff are unreasonable.
It took years to convince my 73 years old mother visit Japan (She hold Chinese passport and US green card). Finally, she agree to experience Japan. We live in north of Chicago. Need to drive over 1 hour to downtown to apply visa. We were denied last year because the clerk indicated that we were too early for the visa and my mother's bank statement was not enough money for them. The clerk laugh at us and circled my mother bank statement saying" Only $500, NO ENOUGH FOR TOURIST IN JAPAN". I explained that I was the person to pay everything for my mom. And the clerk want me to prove "my 73 years old mother is my mother". We were upset and did not apply in 2016.
This year 2017, I sweet talk to my mom many times and explained that Japan is such beautiful country. It worth to travel to Japan to experience. And my mother is finally willing to travel with me to Japan. I made a call to consulate and make sure it won't too early to apply visa for March traveling. The clerk indicated that we can apply visa for my mother for traveling in March.
We drove down to apply Japanese visa again. The same clerk was there. He took all papers and gave me a receipt with one time entry visa receipt. I indicated that we would like to apply multiple entries visa for Japan. He rudely responded us we were not entitled for multiple entries visa. THIS WHITE MAN was so rude. He made us feel that he did a favor for my mother and issue a single visa entry.
Japanese culture is kind and friendly to everyone. I haven't meet any ruddy Japanese yet. However, I was treat un-respectful by this white man clerk in Japanese Consulate. His attitude was so rude and he refused to give his name after I required his name.
I wish Japanese Consulate General Toshiyuki. Iwado will address this matter and coach this white clerk to treat customers as he want to be treat. He is bad image for Japanese Consulate in Chicago.
Aweful, horrible service.
Consulate delayed issuing my transfer visa, (they said 5 days instead I had to wait over 2 weeks) and didn t sent it by overnight USPS shipping as I paid. So, I lost 5000$, contract and work for next year on Celebrity Cruises..because of this now I don t have money to pay my bills.
Thank you Consulate, for screening my dreamed job, which I achieve after super hard work for it, and ruining my life for next couple years. I hate you.
chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp
