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zoazite
Joined: 30 Oct 2011 Posts: 1 Location: Changzhou, China
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Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:48 pm Post subject: Coming on Tourist Visa (How to not get caught) |
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Well my original plan was to have a job lined up before coming to Japan, but as of a week ago, that plan was scrapped when the company suddenly rejected me (after having made an offer).
I am definitely coming to Japan anyways, and will try to find some work.
Main question is what are some tips to avoid getting stopped at immigration. How can I make myself less conspicuous?
Thanks for any help |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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You're not smuggling dope. Just tell them you're coming as a tourist. Tell them you are job hunting and they will put you back on the plane. Nothing more than that. Officially, you ARE a tourist.
You'll need a round trip ticket, BTW, or the airline won't let you board. Keep that in mind. |
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OneJoelFifty
Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 463
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Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 11:25 pm Post subject: |
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Dye your hair black, and bring a camera. Speak in broken English. Squint your eyes. They might think you're Japanese. |
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thomthom
Joined: 20 May 2011 Posts: 125
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:08 am Post subject: |
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For someone with a round ticket and hand luggage they wouldn't be suspicious. In your case you'll probably have a single ticket and lots of baggage. I don't think it'll be a problems so long as you have a reliable place of residence to give (eg a proper hotel or a friend's house) and explain to them that the reason you don't have a round ticket is that you're hopping over to South Korea or wherever after a few weeks in Japan. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:15 am Post subject: |
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You will still have to prove you're going there. Ferry ticket, for example. |
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heidigirl
Joined: 12 Jan 2013 Posts: 2
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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Glenski,
Have you ben turned away at many airports for not having a return ticket?
How many times have you been denied entry (specficially) to Japan for not having a return ticket? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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heidigirl
Joined: 12 Jan 2013 Posts: 2
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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Sensed wrong. Just wondering about your own specfic experiences and not something you found on the "internet".
Widely known? By whom? Internet surfers? Rhetorical.
I have been to many countries with no return ticket. NEVER a problem. I have entered Japan 4 times with no return ticket (no forwarding ticket) and never a problem. I entered with a friend last summer, no return ticket, neither of us, no problem.
I just thought you could give the OP good advice and tell him that he really should have a return/forwarding ticket to avoid any problems. It is better than stating it as fact just because you can reference 3 lonelyplanet articles. (because it is not a fact) |
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teacher4life
Joined: 22 Apr 2012 Posts: 121
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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Glenski is being way, way, way overcautious. Some people have that personality trait, and maybe he or she is one of them.
Officially they could turn you away, but in reality they are very, very unlikely to do that unless they feel that you are likely to overstay or are undesirable for some reason.
Assuming you are from a western country and do not look destitute you should have no problem. I would not say the same about Chinese or most southeast Asians.
If questioned at all, just tell them you are on a round the world trip and do not have a fixed schedule and are headed for Korea next. |
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nightsintodreams
Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:09 am Post subject: |
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My personal experience: I came here three years ago on a working holiday visa with a massive suitcase and a big bag containing things like an Xbox360, work clothes and even some family photos. I only had a single ticket and they didn't ask a single question about my intentions or check my baggage. |
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ssjup81
Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 664 Location: Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:16 am Post subject: |
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I came over on a tourist visa with a one-way ticket a few years ago and wasn't questioned surprisingly. I was nervous the entire time. Never again. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:19 am Post subject: |
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heidigirl wrote: |
Sensed wrong. Just wondering about your own specfic experiences and not something you found on the "internet".
Widely known? By whom? Internet surfers? Rhetorical. |
NON-rhetorical answer: did you even bother to read those links? If not, then I'm going to be a bit upset because the answer is there, and you STILL don't seem to believe me.
Your own experiences aside, I think you were lucky. Now, just think of these two things.
what if you WERE caught?
price of roundtrip tickets are usually cheaper than 1-way anyway.
Quote: |
I just thought you could give the OP good advice and tell him that he really should have a return/forwarding ticket to avoid any problems. It is better than stating it as fact just because you can reference 3 lonelyplanet articles. (because it is not a fact) |
Uh, it's as factual as airlines want it to be, as the links pointed out. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:20 am Post subject: |
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nightsintodreams wrote: |
My personal experience: I came here three years ago on a working holiday visa with a massive suitcase and a big bag containing things like an Xbox360, work clothes and even some family photos. I only had a single ticket and they didn't ask a single question about my intentions or check my baggage. |
That's probably because you had a visa. |
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hagiwaramai
Joined: 24 May 2010 Posts: 119 Location: Marines Stadium
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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Glenski, no offence but I think your reading comp is a bit wonky today. Almost everyone here and on those forums you quoted said they did manage to get into Japan on a one-way ticket. I can't remember one person on them saying they were refused boarding. Those forums support what everyone else is saying. There were even some quotes there from people who had called airlines, JetBlue and Air Canada I think, and were explicitly told they didn't need to worry about only having a one-way ticket. I can understand being cautious but the overwhelming evidence is that it is not a problem, and if the worst comes to the worst, as someone said on those forums, you can just buy a ticket there and then on the net at the airport and then cancel it.
One more small thing, I was as surprised as you might be when I googled tickets from Beijing - Tokyo and found returns at 60,000yen and singles at 40,000. I'd always thought returns were cheaper too. |
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teacher4life
Joined: 22 Apr 2012 Posts: 121
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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Glenski wrote: |
what if you WERE caught?
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This "what if" thinking is often deemed a strong sign of generalized anxiety disorder by psychiatrists.
Don't worry, be happy! |
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