woywoy 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Where do you get them? How do they work? Do you have to return to Japan within a specified time period? Why do you have to pay for them? Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 you get them at the immigration office in Japan. You can get a 'single permit' or 'multiple permit'. The single pemit expires after one use (exit and re-entry into japan). The multiple is good for as many ins and outs of japan that you take as long as your current visa is good. So, if you come and go a lot (or more than once) during a visa's time period you are better off getting the multiple permit. I, for example have a 3 year visa. so my multiple pass lasts for the duration of my visa (3 years). I don't remember exactly how much they cost but I think it's something like 4000 yen for a single permit and 6000 for a multiple. One thing, to pay for them you must buy a special stamp at a post office or place that sells postage and NOT at the immigration office. Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 One more thing...once you enter Japan with a valid visa you MUST get a re-entry permit if you plan on exiting and then returning to Japan. So if you forget to buy your re-entry permit before leaving it's my understanding that your visa is forfeited upon exit. Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 No kidding? What passport are you holding? I understand that with an Aussie passport you can go to Japan without a visa. My colleague holds both A HK and an Aussie passport and visited Japan recently without a visa. I have a HK "SAR" passport and having obtained a Japanese visa, it is valid for 3 years. I've been going in an out of Japan with it for the last two years and will need to get it renewed next year. Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Markie, the diff with the australian "non visa" entry is that it's purely a tourist visa. Once you have a working visa for Japan all are required to pay this "Gaijin tax". Thats all it is. What other country in the world charges people with a valid visa to exit & re enter the country? Your visa sounds like its not for living here? I could be wrong? Thats probably what the difference is. Link to post Share on other sites
MistaSparkle 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 2 tips... if you're heading to the immigration office in shinagawa (tokyo) 1. Get there EARLY! I went around 11:00 and had to wait for 4 hours including the hour they close up for lunch...(which is equally infuriating to all 300+ people waiting ) Went there a 2nd time to get a multi re-entry permit... got there at around 9 and I was in and out in about 15mins. 2. Buy the stamp in the combini on the 1st floor. Save yourself the headache of waiting on line, only to realize that you have to go get your stamp at the combini then come back... Leave it to japan to make things unintuitive and poorly thought out... they built this brand new immigration office, but you have to buy official documents in the combini... that gets a big WTF in my book. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 If every gaijin took 5 minutes to tell the immigration person that; - it is an unfair tax - it disrupts business by forcing working foreigners to take time out - you already have a valid visa - it is a scam unique to Japan - although Nigeria might have something similar - 'You, Sir/Madam, are living on immoral earnings' then it might eventually be repealed. I always do this at the top of my voice and it riles the hell out of them. Make them go and find the Immigration Law that has the passage about ripping off foreigners, and ask them for a photocopy of it. Make them do some work for their wages. Link to post Share on other sites
veronica 2 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 I hate that too. What is the point? In fact, what is the justification for that charge??? Is there an official one?? Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 Yes, Indosnm, you're right, I'm talking about a tourist visa and it seems everyone is talking about a working visa. Thanks for pointing that out. Link to post Share on other sites
mogski 0 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 Sorry to put a damper on the J-bashing here, but paying ofr visa's is not actually something unique to Japan. I often travel to the Middle East where the price for visa's in some of the countries is over US$200 per visa! I do agree that the process here in Japan is extremely bad, but I am sure the people tyring to get green cards in teh US go through the same process? If the Shinagawa office is full you can always try the less corwded office in Shibuya if it is still in operation. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 Dammit mogski's right. A quick search suggests that lots of piffling sorts of countries require rear-entry permits. So next time I bash the immigration drone, I'll leave that bit out. Maybe. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 You can get your re-entry permit when you get your visa now... you used to have to go to a different place in Osaka! (things are getting a little better...) Link to post Share on other sites
IIIII 2 Posted January 31, 2004 Share Posted January 31, 2004 Aren't we talking about the re-entry permit though, not the visa, mogski Link to post Share on other sites
xxx 2 Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Has anyone here ever tried to get back in Japan with a valid visa and all but not a re-entry (ie forgot about that ridiculous part?) I wonder what they'd do?? Link to post Share on other sites
frannyo 2 Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 I know someone who delayed their trip becoz they had forgotten to get a re-entry and had to go get one. Bad bad waste of time and energy just to get a pathetic stamp. And whats with them stamp things you have to buy anyway? Why not just, er, pay cash. Where I get mine you have to walk about 500m to the "stamp booth" to get get your poxy stamps for payment. It just seems really lame. Is there a good reason for that perhaps? Link to post Share on other sites
nagpants 1 Posted February 6, 2004 Share Posted February 6, 2004 Where I get mine, the "stamp" counter in a completely different building a hike away. Link to post Share on other sites
veronica 2 Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 If you get permenant visa status, you don't need these things, right? (Just checking, I know it might be a bit daft) Link to post Share on other sites
cal 6 Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Correct. Link to post Share on other sites
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