Job Discussion Forums

[AgentMulderUK]

Another bizarre question, thats just occured before my return to Japan.

I note that my ID card is going to expire on Apr 28th

Now...assuming I don't get back before 28th:

Q1) Would I really need to show this at customs?(I cant remember doing it before)
Q) What if I said something like "Ahem...my ID card is still in my house in Tokyo" ?

thanks again.

One day I will do things properly and avoid all these minefields. Honest.

[Glenski]

I presume you mean your alien registration card?

Ask the ward office if they can renew it before you leave. Isn't there an expiration date on it anyway, like one month before your birthday?

[David W]

[AgentMulderUK]

[Apsara]

You do have to put your gaijin card number on the embarkation card- if you left on a re-entry permit though, you should have half of this card in your passport right now- is there nothing stapled in there?

I usually hand over my card at Immigration coming back in as a matter of course but I can remember being asked for it when I have forgotten to do so.

Are you sure April 28th is the final date for you to renew your card? Mine says to "renew within 30 days of" my birthday, and they actually mean up to 30 days after- was your birthday at the end of March or is it April 28th? If it's the 28th then you have almost until the end of May.

[AgentMulderUK]

Aspara, spot on!

It does say renew within 30 days of 2008/04/28, the 28th of April indeed being my birthday.


Thank you so much for posting. I know it sounds stupid but you have taken a hell of a lot of pressure off me.

I owe you a drink or 2 or 10.

[Apsara]

Glad to help!

[stevenbhow]

I renewed mine about three weeks ago. I'm not sure if it was because my visa status changed, but the ward office confinscated my card. They said they needed to verify some things with immigration before they could issue me a new one. They gave me a peice of paper stating that my alien card was being renewed. This might be something you want to think about if you renew your card. Make sure you have that peice of paper with you just in case someone does ask you for your card.

[Glenski]

[AgentMulderUK]

Sorry Glenksi, I thought your said something about renewing it before I left. And I had left already.

Anyway,I already owe you 10+ drinks, by default,than for advice over the last few months on other matters too

[Apsara]

I just arrived back from China and went through Immigration at Narita for the first time since the fingerprinting system was implemented. Interestingly I wasn't asked for my ARC- I guess the fingerprints and photo are enough now. Boy was I glad I could go in the "re-entry permits" line- there were about 5 people ahead of me when I joined that line and about 100 people in the ordinary "foreign passports" line, and it was moving very slowly.

While a lot of things in China are not terribly efficient, the queues at Immigration in Shanghai were pretty quick and the Immigration officers actually smiled, not something I've ever seen a Japanese officer do.

[AgentMulderUK]

Looks like I am finally going back to Japan.

I actually called the Japanese Embassy in the UK about this gaijin card renewal issue.


My card has this information:

renew within 30 days starting from: 2008 04 28


She didn't understand when I had to renew it. She assured me that producing an expired ARC at immigration probably won't lead it arrest.
Oh "probably". Thats nice. Bit like saying you probably won't be murdered.

But as far as I can see, as well as what others here have kindly told me here, the card is still vaild until about the 28th of this month.

Well if the embassy doesn't know for sure, no idea where that leaves me.


Am I right in thinking the renewal "window" is those 30 days only, from the date on the card until 30 days later. I remember trying to renew it early in Jan this year and they said "No need". I was under the impression you had to update it for any change or job,address etc. But that is what I got "No Need".

So, anyways, the embassy girl said go to my ward when you arrive. Joy.

I am actually going back with my old work visa with re-entry permit, but i think until i get another job I would be in a rather horrid situation of having a visa with no ARC...ouch.

Why I get myself into such fixes is another question....

[Apsara]

I can confirm for you 100% that you have until 28 May to renew. The embassy people don't know because they probably have no experience of living as a foreigner in Japan, whereas we here on this site do! If you wait longer than that you might have some explaining/ apologising to do.

Why will you be without an ARC? As far as I know the ward/ city office doesn't check to see if you are still working at the place on your card, they just transfer over the info. I'm not 100% sure on that one, but I'm fairly confident. If they do call your employer and find out you left, you tell them you are looking for a new job- that's perfectly legal.

Other than renewing the ARC within 30 days of your birthday (meaning 30 days after), you also have to go to the ward office to update it if any of the information on it (address, employer, passport no. and expiry date) has changed. Again I'm pretty sure that they do nothing to check, just transfer the info.

[AgentMulderUK]

Thanks mate.

Stuff like this really gets to me and freaks me out.

Thank you.

[Apsara]

Don't worry, I know the feeling! Every time I go to Immigration and apply to extend my visa, I am convinced they are going to turn me down and start playing out possible scenarios in my head, even though there is no earthly reason really that they wouldn't give me the extension.

I think it's a natural human thing to be worried about stuff like this, because important aspects of our lives become somewhat out of our control and are in the hands of faceless people.

Good luck with all the Immigration/ ward office stuff anyway, I'm sure it'll be fine.