Job Discussion Forums

slapides7 · Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 3

Hi!

My fiancee is leaving for JET soon and I will join her in Hita about one month after her arrival.

I just have a question about airfare: Is it best to buy a round trip ticket with a return date within the three month tourist visa deadline, or can I buy a one way ticket and set the return date when I land a job. I was told that I need to show documentation of a return date upon arrival...is this true?

I will leave from the U.S.

Thanks much!!

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

If you are planning on staying in Japan and are coming on anything BUT a working visa, the immigration officials may not even let you out of Narita airport before shipping you home if they see a one-way ticket.... Also, if you do so much as mention getting a job (or even looking for one) with a tourist visa, once again: you may find yourself on a long flight back to the U.S.

Talk to your travel agent.... Return tickets (contrary to popular belief) are actually cheaper than one-way tickets.... At least they are in Canada. I suspect the U.S. may not be THAT different. My travel agent explained it to me in terms of filling seats on planes, etc... that causes this phenomenon. I'm not sure I understand it completely either.

In any case, at least with a return ticket if ANYTHING goes wrong (heaven forbid) you have a way to get back.....

bshabu · Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 200 Location: Kumagaya

JimDunlop2 is right. It maybe cheaper to buy a 2-way ticket. Also the immigration might ask questions. Through I rarely have had immigration look at my ticket. I quess this was so because I had my alian card when I traveled to and from Japan.

bshabu

ruggedtoast · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 81 Location: tokyo

Dont think of arriving in narita with a one way and I woudlnt have your return date for much more than 2 weeks after the arrival either if I was you.

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

The first time I arrived in Japan, I came on a one way ticket.

However...

- I arrived from Korea, and Im sure the immigration officer had enough sense not to send me back to what is obviously not my home country.

- I provided a Japanese address to immigration.

- I demonstrably had enough money to stay a few weeks and buy a plane ticket out.

locagrl814 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003 Posts: 58

OK I used to work for an airline company. Usually rountip tickets are cheaper than one way tickets. Sometimes you can get a round trip ticket from NYC to Tokyo for about $600 or get a one way ticket for about that much (sometimes more). From experience, I know a lot of passengers would buy a roundtip ticket eventhough they plan on not using the return ticket. With roundtrip tickets they know they can save more.

locagrl814 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003 Posts: 58

slapides7... just wanna let you know that it is possible to find really cheap tickets. My cousin is going to the Philippines on Northwest Airlines (it has an alliance with Japan Airlines) this thursday. She said she only paid a little more than $500 for a roundtrip ticket.

I'm not sure if Cathay Pacific goes to Japan. BUt if it does, you should check it out. I heard that they dropped their prices because of the SARS outbreak in Asia. They're now trying to attract passengers. You should ask your travel agent about Cathay's prices. Try not to buy your ticket directly from the airlines. Travel agencies usually sell tickets at a lower price for reasons I dont wanna get in to.

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

I know this is late but I'll add it anyway in case someone is searching for info about flights in years to come Cool

Cathay Pacific flies into Nagoya at least once, possibly twice a week. It is reasonable for flights to the UK via Hong Kong but know nothing other than that.

As for a one way or return, listen to this:

In March '98 I arrived here with my wife and both of us had to come on tourist visas as my school mucked up our application for a work visa. We had return flights but they were open returns with our return date tentatively booked for six months later. BAD MISTAKE Shocked

.

My wife sailed through immigration in a different queue from me at Kansai. At the booth where I was, he uttered the dreaded words "Show me your ticket." I dutifully got it out and he took one look at the return date and started asking questions about where, who, why, when... eventually he said "Come with me.." and motioned to some offices. My heart sank.

"But my wife...?" I mentioned pointing to her waiting the other side of immigration oblivious of what was happening. "Oh, you are married." he asked, "Okay." He gave me a tourist visa instantly.

So, you can run into problems if you either have a) a one way ticket and no work visa or b) no wife. I'd recommend both Wink

mrAndrew · Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 12 Location: Portland, Oregon

I could not get a round trip worked out that would let me come home in time for a date I could use it. If you look around there are people like airline consolidator or s that sell o/w for less than r/t. Air canada is a great example of a place where o/w cand be found for less. This may not be in your best interest but maybe for others on work visas. Good luck on the hunt!

cangel · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 74 Location: Jeonju, South Korea

EVA Airlines out of Taiwan is about the cheapest airline flying and with exceptional service. The drawback is that they only fly through a few locations worldwide and you'll have to go through Taipei. I flew RT from Fukuoka to Seattle (via Taipei) for 6 man plus tax. For a couple hundred extra you can upgrade to their Evergreen Class (basically business class and well worth the $$$). I didn't, and I regret it.