A GUIDE TO IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES ON ARRIVAL IN JAPAN

A GUIDE TO IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES ON ARRIVAL IN JAPAN

Japan is a country with quite a lot of rules and is fairly strict about letting foreigners in. So on your first arrival in Japan you are bound to feel a little lost doing the paperwork at the airport, aren't you?

Below I will take you in detail through the procedures at a Japanese airport for a foreigner arriving for the first time!

1. Fill in the disembarkation card (compulsory) 外国人入国記録
Below is the form for foreigners entering Japan for the first time. You will be given it on the plane to Japan (from the cabin crew). Or you can pick one up at the immigration counter.

2. First-time arrivals hand this form in at the 外国人 (Foreigner) counter. Re-entrants hand it in at the 再入国 (Re – enter) counter

3. At the counter the immigration officer will take the form + your passport. They will then ask you to give your fingerprints & have your face photographed.

If you arrive at a major airport such as Narita (Tokyo), Kansai (Osaka) or Fukuoka…, immigration will issue your residence card there and then once your fingerprints are taken. If you arrive at a smaller airport, immigration will stamp your entry permission and post the residence card to the address you wrote on the form after a week or ten days.

4. Collect your baggage
Just as at airports in Vietnam, your baggage is returned at the belt showing your flight information. e.g.: Ho Chi Minh – Osaka, flight VN320….

5. Declare the items you are carrying (compulsory) 携帯品・別送品申告書
It has two sides, A and B

SIDE A
① Flight number
②Point of departure (e.g.: VIETNAM)
③ Date of arrival: write it in the order year (年）・month (月）・day（日）
④ Full name: in capitals, without accents
⑤ Address in Japan
⑥ Contact phone number in Japan
⑦ Occupation
⑧ Date of birth: write it in the order year (年）・month (月）・day（日）
⑨ Passport number
⑩ Family members travelling with you.
２０歳以上：over 20 years old
６歳以上２０歳未満：from 6 to under 20 years old
６歳未満：under 6 years old
※ Write 0 if there are none.
⑪ This box asks whether you are carrying prohibited items such as guns, drugs…. You should tick いいえ/No for all of them.
⑫ Are you carrying more than 100 man (about 200 million VND)? If it is over 100 man you have to go through cumbersome tax procedures. So keep that in mind!
⑬ Is any of your baggage being sent separately, not on this flight? You should tick いいえ /No to avoid complications.
⑭ Sign

SIDE B

If you aren't carrying cigarettes or alcohol you don't need to write anything on this side!!

If there is no problem with your baggage and nothing is suspected, you just hand the form to Customs for the baggage check and then leave the airport!

Those are the entry procedures for Japan. I hope everyone has a smooth arrival and a good life in Japan!!!

See also:
200 Common Japanese Conversation Sentences
Japanese Conversation Patterns on the Topic of Helping Others