Spousal class Japanese applicant

[JpnCdnrelationship]

Hi everyone,

My wife who is Japanese is currently filling out the IM 0008 form. Question 8 is place of birth *City/Town

My wife was born in the prefecture of Kanagewa in Odawara City. Her KosekinTohon says Kanagawa Odawara City

Since question is asking for the City/Town should we only put Odawara City? Or should we say Kanagawa Odawara City?

We're scared the officer may not know that Kanagawa is similar to a province in Canada.

 

[k.h.p.]

The visa officers who review these forms and this information are typically visa officers in Japan, or who have Japanese experience. They get to know the prefectures of the country. You can write Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture if you're concerned.

 

[thevisawhisperer]

I agree that if the question asks for city/town of birth you need write only the name of the city, but if you included Kanagawa Prefecture the world would keep spinning on its axis. I wouldn't use the Japanese address convention of bigger to smaller, but the Canadian convention of smaller (city) to bigger (prefecture).
I'd have to disagree that the officers who process your application will necessarily have any familiarity with Japan, as processing was transferred to Manila quite a few years ago.

 

[k.h.p.]

I agree that if the question asks for city/town of birth you need write only the name of the city, but if you included Kanagawa Prefecture the world would keep spinning on its axis. I wouldn't use the Japanese address convention of bigger to smaller, but the Canadian convention of smaller (city) to bigger (prefecture).
I'd have to disagree that the officers who process your application will necessarily have any familiarity with Japan, as processing was transferred to Manila quite a few years ago.

Honestly, part of training of a visa officer is to be curious and have half a moment's familiarity with basics of the country where the application is coming from. You won't be rejected because Kanagawa is included in the address, nor will you if it isn't. Most visa officers, in Manila or Shanghai or Djibouti are trained to look things up if they're slightly confused because they have an obligation to ensure procedural fairness.

Without country-specific familiarity, no judgments can be made on background or genuine status of relationships if they're contextually dependent on the country in question. A visa officer would need to know what would be a red flag in a Japanese application, which they cannot do without any familiarity with Japan. Basic familiarity with Japan would include knowing that there are things called "prefectures."

 

[YVR123]

btw I googled Odawara City and there is only 1 in Japan. So they can narrow down the address even if the prefecture is not specified in the address.

 

[k.h.p.]

and the form doesn't ask for "Province/State/Sub-national legal division" you don't even need to specify it. This information will not make or break an application. Hell, my wife was born in a country that doesn't exist anymore in a province/state/subnational division that has the same name as her city. Things are progressing with our application just fine.

 

[JpnCdnrelationship]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for your help. I wish you all good karma coming your way.

We'll be just placing Odawara City as we'll trust the process thanks again, sometimes just a bit paranoid with these types of applications