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Anyone got one of the new residence thingy cards yet?

 

I just noticed last night that my previous gaijin card has 'expired' and the town office had my going all the way up to Niigata Immigration to get the new one -- NOW!! - but on calling immigration they said "cool down, cat" - apparently the old one is totally worthless, but you only need to get the new one before 2015. Or something. So no rush to Niigata Airport. Phew.

 

What are the new ones like? Really cool?

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:lol:

 

It's a relief though because the woman in the city office seemed to be implying I'd be chucked out of Japan or something as it had "expired". Got me all flustered for a bit there.

 

Bloke at the immigration on the phone was much better, he said anytime in the next 2 years ok as long as I have valid visa and re-penetration permit.

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I remember last year when that great big information pack came in the post "explaining it". Not very well. You know the one that had tons of words in it but no-one understood properly!

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I have the new card too......but mines is green.

 

You have until 2015 to change it over, but you may well get into difficulties either with the Police or bureaucracy of city hall if you try and use ur now defunct Gaij card. I couldn't change the address with my bank until I had the new card, I couldn't do something else at city hall (I forget what it was) bcos I had the old out of date card.

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You don't need re-entry permits anymore.....guy at immigration shouldn't have mentioned that. But that is typical of the bureaucratic nightmare that Japan is.....info can change depending on who u talk to

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No, there is no need for re-entry permits anymore.

 

At the airport you get a stamp in your passport that indicates that you are a visa holder leaving the country temporarily. I can't remember the exact wording

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Re-entry permits no longer exist, irregardless of which card you have.

 

If your visa runs out before your gaijin card, then you will get a new visa AND a resident card. If your gaijin card runs out before your visa, then you will get a new resident card that will replace the gaijin card and visa.

 

When you leave the country, you do not need a re-entry permit as long as you return within, I think, a year of departure.

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Well yes, obviously there are different levels of interesting.

 

I find this quite interesting. A bit.

 

Perhaps it will allow a better quality of pie to be imported. Really do want some pie, mash and gravy right now.

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its really easy. didn't even take that long. As far as I can remember, there weren't any forms to fill out, just hand over your old gaij card and passport, they take it and do some magic through in the back room, then give you your passport, new card and old card (with a hole punched thru it) back to you. If you are updating your visa at the same time then it may take longer and there will be forms to fill in

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its really easy. didn't even take that long. As far as I can remember, there weren't any forms to fill out, just hand over your old gaij card and passport, they take it and do some magic through in the back room, then give you your passport, new card and old card (with a hole punched thru it) back to you. If you are updating your visa at the same time then it may take longer and there will be forms to fill in

 

I didn't have any forms to fill in for mine. They took my card and updated it for me, without even asking me! :angry:

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For me and tokabochi, it's a close on 2 hour drive each way on the expressway.

 

:(

 

We should go together, tokabochi!

 

Actually, good idea. Make a proper day of it and do something else in Niigata, much better than doing it alone.

 

:wave:

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