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Hoser

Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:18 am Post subject: What to do with your visa when you get a new passport? |
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So I've got my new passport now. What am I expected to do now that my old passport has been invalidated? Do I carry the two passports around with me whenever I go traveling? Or do I go back to immigration and have them transfer the visa to my new passport? Any ideas of costs or forms involved or do I just need to shove my two passports over the counter?  |
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:34 am Post subject: |
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I went to Immigration and had the visa transferred over, although I think it is possible to get by by carrying two passports with you when travelling until you get your new visa- I didn't want to worry about carrying two passports, as I travel several times a year.
It took all of about 20 minutes and didn't cost me anything as far as I can remember. |
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Tiger Beer

Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 778 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:04 am Post subject: |
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I always assumed they confiscated the old passport when you get a new one. Apparently that isn't true? |
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Hoser

Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:07 am Post subject: |
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I certainly hope not because I would need the visa that is in it!
They cut off one of the corners and stamp "CANCELED" on a couple of the front pages. |
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taffer
Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 50 Location: Japan
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:00 am Post subject: |
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I renewed my passport about a year ago. I waited a couple months after that to get closer to the expiration of a one year visa. I took all of my documents with both passports to Mito, and got a 3 year visa put in the new one. That's with two one year visas already in the old passport by the way. Same place of work all the way through.
Hope that helps. |
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ironopolis
Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:32 pm Post subject: Re: What to do with your visa when you get a new passport? |
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Hoser wrote: |
Or do I go back to immigration and have them transfer the visa to my new passport? |
That's exactly what you need to do. When I was in this situation a couple of years ago, it cost nothing at all (as long as your visa is still valid, of course) and they did it all while I waited, within about 10-15 minutes.
Admittedly, all they did was put visa extension and multiple re-entry stamps in my new passport and a slip which said "transferred from the old passport no. XXXXX". But, by Japanese bureaucratic standards, less than 15 minutes and zero yen for that was quite a pleasant surprise. I'd imagine the time taken depends on the particular immigration office you go to, but I'm pretty sure that you still don't have to pay anything for this.
You also need to take your gaijin card to the ward/city office and have your new passport no. noted on the back. |
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