How can we find a good Immigration Specialist?

Who’s immigration specialist?

Any visa-holders need some help from immigration specialists, but who are they? Some of them have tons of knowledges but the others don’t — why does it that different?

I took a national exam for“Administrative Scrivener”, and I found the reasons.

Licensed scrivener who can create visa application

Administrative Scrivener (行政書士 : Gyosei Shoshi) is the national license holder who can create documents for visa application on behalf of the client. Administrative Scrivener can usually create applications for

• Visa
• Permanent Residence
• Articles of Incorporation
• Inheritance
• Business License (ex. restaurant, hear salon, bar, etc.)

and so on. They are in charge of creating “documents that we submit to administrative offices”.

What kind of law do they know?

In order to become an Administrative Scrivener, we need to pass a national exam. The number of the registration for the national exam of Administrative Scrivener was 52,386 in 2019. 39,821 people actually took the exam, and 4,571 people passed. The pass rate is usually 10–12%.

The exam includes

• Constitution (憲法)
• Administrative Law (行政法: 行政組織法, 行政代執行法, 行政不服審査法, 行政事件訴訟法, 国家賠償法, 地方自治法)
• Civil Law (民法）
• Companies Act (会社法)
• Commercial Law (商法)
• Personal Information Protection Law (個人情報保護法)

and the other basic laws. So our question is …where is IMMIGRATION LAWS?

Knowledge of Immigration Laws is not required to become Administrative Scrivener

Many friends struggle with getting information about visa from so-called “immigration specialist” because they didn’t have to study to pass the exam.

Since Administrative Scriveners can process various kinds of documents for administrative office, the exam only covers the general idea of law around the tasks that Administrative Scrivener is in charge of.

Administrative Scrivener who can process application for VISA

Note : there are two main types of Administrative Scriveners:

1. Administrative Scrivener (with basic license) who can “create” visa documents
2. Administrative Scrivener who can “process” visa documents, called “Shin-sei-tori-tsugi Gyosei Shoshi -申請取次行政書士”

The second one (申請取次行政書士) took additional exam after receiving the license of the basic Administrative Scrivener, and the second exam includes Immigration Law. Therefore, in short, we shouldn’t rely on the basic Administrative Scrivener.

How can we find a good Immigration Specialist?

Let’s ask these question:

1. Are you a “Shin-sei-tori-tsugi Gyosei Shoshi -申請取次行政書士” ?
2. How many application did you process in the past?
3. Did you process the application of “(the name of the visa you’re applying for)”? If yes, how many times?

Practical experience only matters.

Immigration Law had a big change in 2019, and the minor laws keep changing. Some of the best administrative scriveners specializing in VISA process always study the latest regulation changes. Since they always practically process the application on behalf of the clients, they know the change in not only law/regulation but also practice at Immigration Bureau.

Unfortunately the answers given from Immigration Bureau are always not the same. The answer depends on the person who receives the application. Administrative Scrivener who has practical experience knows it and they know how to reapply again if the first application is declined.

Honestly I only trust Administrative Scriveners who have over 1,000 practical experiences of visa application.

In addition, Administrative Scriveners who often work with CEO have better idea of how they want to process the visa and the reason behind the application process. Visa status is not only about residential status. It is sometimes closely attached to business strategy. I personally had hard time getting a desirable answer from Administrative Scrivener who only deals with paperwork, but hasn’t really worked with C-suite level executives.

I’m honest — I’m not an Administrative Scrivener yet!

But what I know is who has experience and who doesn’t after organizing almost 30 events inviting Administrative Scriveners listening to Q&A between them and the listeners.

When I visit some startup companies, the employee taking care of visa application for the other colleagues actually have more knowledge about visa process than the new Administrative Scriveners. Also the visa-applicants themselves have better idea than the new ones.

I don’t want any of you to stuck in the visa troubles, so please remember the three things to ask before you get consultation from “immigration specialists,”

1. Are you a “Shin-sei-tori-tsugi Gyosei Shoshi -申請取次行政書士” ?

2. How many application did you process in the past?

3. Did you process the application of “(the name of the visa you’re applying for)”? If yes, how many times?