A stupid simple question on passports & ARCs

[TennoChinko]

I have a US passport, valid visa & an Alien Registration Card (not one of those new zaiyu cards) plus re-entry stamps good until 2014 or whenever ...

so, my stupid simple question is this:

* The only ID I legally need to carry in Japan is my ARC, right?
(It's not necessary to also carry my US passport... which is impractical and a pain in the ass..., right?)

Someone tried to convince me that under the new laws, if I insist on carrying my ARC (instead of getting a new zairyu card), I now need to carry my passport with accompanying visa stamps as well.

[yanpa]

Planning a trip to Taiji are we?

ARC is valid and is deemed the equivalent of a Zairyu card until some date in 2014/2015 or whenever you next visit immigration to extend/change your visa.

I updated my ARC recently (address change) at the Kuyakusho and they confirmed that.

Someone will no doubt be along with a linky or something with more specifics.

[GomiGirl]

This is not a stupid question - it is a valid one as there has been too much misinformation lately in the self serving interests of others. Here are the facts - not from me but from the MOJ.

Source

Alien registration certificates for mid- to long-term residents will be deemed, for a certain period, to be equivalent to the resident card. Mid- to long-term residents are asked to keep their alien registration certificates until a resident card is issued since the alien registration certificate will be deemed, for a certain period, to be equivalent to the resident card in legal procedures at Regional Immigration Offices and residential procedures at municipal offices after implementation of the new residency management system. Mid- to long-term residents will be asked to exchange their alien registration certificates for a resident card when filing an application or notifications involving the issue of a new resident card at a Regional Immigration Office, or can exchange the certificates for a card at their own request at a Regional Immigration Office.

Period in which an alien registration certificate is deemed to be equivalent to the resident card:
The period in which an alien registration certificate is deemed to be equivalent to the resident card depends on the resident status and age of the foreign national as of July 9, 2012.
Please take note that the period may end before the next confirmation date written in your alien registration certificate.

So if you are not on a proper long term visa then all ARC's became invalid on July 9th 2012. But if you are on PR or working/long term visa you have until July 8 2015 or your visa renewal - whichever comes first.

You don't need to carry your passport IF you have a valid visa and IF your ARC has all your correct details. By the sounds of it you are golden.

[yanpa]

This is not a stupid question - it is a valid one as there has been too much misinformation lately in the self serving interests of others.

And just plain simple confusion. When I was booking a plane ticket in late June the agent told me "the system is changing" and I should check whether my re-entry permits will be valid after the changeover date... I actually had to explain her (she was foreign too) about existing stamps, card etc. being valid until date of expiration... I'm betting there will be more than one PC plod who sees an ARC in 2013 or 2014 and thinks "ooh, illegal!"

[TennoChinko]

Ah, many thanks for the clarification & confirmation! My passport stays at home.

"I'm golden~!"

[Greji]

This is not a stupid question - it is a valid one as there has been too much misinformation lately in the self serving interests of others.

And just plain simple confusion. When I was booking a plane ticket in late June the agent told me "the system is changing" and I should check whether my re-entry permits will be valid after the changeover date... I actually had to explain her (she was foreign too) about existing stamps, card etc. being valid until date of expiration... I'm betting there will be more than one PC plod who sees an ARC in 2013 or 2014 and thinks "ooh, illegal!"

After reading this, I called my local yakuba and they advised me that my PR ARC card is valid until July of 2015 at which time I was to report to the Immigration gestapo to either get a new resident card, or get slapped into solitary. The actual date on my card reads 2017 for having a new one issued at the yakuba, so I assume all PR's are subject to the same requirement since the City and Ward Offices will no longer be updating the cards...

[wagyl]

An additional point noted in a curiously dolphin-related thread at Japan Probe, which I didn't realise, is that Zairyu Cards (and our residual ARCs are Zairyu Cards, so, our current ARCs) must be carried, even if we have our passports. In other words, if you have been issued with a Zairyu Card (and in the interim your old ARC), a passport alone is not enough. As a practical matter, I will always carry my ARC in preference to carrying my passport and it is always on me, but a heads up just in case you like to "go crazy and mix it up."

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/ ... html#q42-a

[yanpa]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

I used to do the same till I heard I wasn't supposed to. Also, I've heard that though it's very unusual they can ask you see your ARC upon reentry and if you don't have it, it can cause some problems.

[BigInJapan]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

I haven't been out of the country since fingerprinting started at the airports, so maybe things have changed, but - if you are carrying your ARC you can use the "Japanese citizens only" line upon reentry. Not sure if PR is necessary, but you can avoid the usually long lines and be whisked right through along with the Yamato clan.

[GomiGirl]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

I haven't been out of the country since fingerprinting started at the airports, so maybe things have changed, but - if you are carrying your ARC you can use the "Japanese citizens only" line upon reentry. Not sure if PR is necessary, but you can avoid the usually long lines and be whisked right through along with the Yamato clan.

No this is incorrect since the fingerprinting started - if you are on a reentry/visa/ARC (ie most of us here) you use the yellow line. This is the shortest of all which is awesome.

Red line - Japanese (and I think PR if traveling with your family)
Yellow line - hairy FG with working visas
Green line - hairy FG on short term visas (aka tourists, short stay visitors, CJ and MQT)

[yanpa]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

I haven't been out of the country since fingerprinting started at the airports, so maybe things have changed, but - if you are carrying your ARC you can use the "Japanese citizens only" line upon reentry. Not sure if PR is necessary, but you can avoid the usually long lines and be whisked right through along with the Yamato clan.

No this is incorrect since the fingerprinting started - if you are on a reentry/visa/ARC (ie most of us here) you use the yellow line. This is the shortest of all which is awesome.

Yup. I trust they are keeping this despite reentry permits becoming obsolescent.

Red line - Japanese (and I think PR if traveling with your family)
Yellow line - hairy FG with working visas
Green line - hairy FG on short term visas (aka tourists, short stay visitors, CJ and MQT)

What about the bald FG community?

[Samurai_Jerk]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

I haven't been out of the country since fingerprinting started at the airports, so maybe things have changed, but - if you are carrying your ARC you can use the "Japanese citizens only" line upon reentry. Not sure if PR is necessary, but you can avoid the usually long lines and be whisked right through along with the Yamato clan.

I was never asked to show my ARC on the Japanese line. Anyway, only people with Special PR can use it now. This makes me wonder what kind of line they'll have one the reentry permit is fully phased out. Hope they keep a separate line for residents without SPR.

[matsuki]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

I haven't been out of the country since fingerprinting started at the airports, so maybe things have changed, but - if you are carrying your ARC you can use the "Japanese citizens only" line upon reentry. Not sure if PR is necessary, but you can avoid the usually long lines and be whisked right through along with the Yamato clan.

No this is incorrect since the fingerprinting started - if you are on a reentry/visa/ARC (ie most of us here) you use the yellow line. This is the shortest of all which is awesome.

Red line - Japanese (and I think PR if traveling with your family)
Yellow line - hairy FG with working visas
Green line - hairy FG on short term visas (aka tourists, short stay visitors, CJ and MQT)

Oh how I love the yellow line..., the green line is ALWAYS packed and the red line is hit or miss....but heading back to LA there is no such seperation, it's just citizens/residents and visitors...with 9x out of 10 a bunch of visitors that don't speak English crowded into the citizens/residents line (and holding it up because they don't speak English, said something ayashii, and there is no interpreter on hand)

[TennoChinko]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

I haven't been out of the country since fingerprinting started at the airports, so maybe things have changed, but - if you are carrying your ARC you can use the "Japanese citizens only" line upon reentry. Not sure if PR is necessary, but you can avoid the usually long lines and be whisked right through along with the Yamato clan.

I was never asked to show my ARC on the Japanese line. Anyway, only people with Special PR can use it now. This makes me wonder what kind of line they'll have one the reentry permit is fully phased out. Hope they keep a separate line for residents without SPR.

When you indicated "Special PR" (SPR), you were referring to Korean residents who have that special status (which is different from regular Permanent Residence for regular gaijin), right?

[Samurai_Jerk]

I was under that misapprehension for a long time... I always left my ARC here when travelling overseas to reduce the risk of loss in the assumption my passport would cover the trip to the airport.

I haven't been out of the country since fingerprinting started at the airports, so maybe things have changed, but - if you are carrying your ARC you can use the "Japanese citizens only" line upon reentry. Not sure if PR is necessary, but you can avoid the usually long lines and be whisked right through along with the Yamato clan.

I was never asked to show my ARC on the Japanese line. Anyway, only people with Special PR can use it now. This makes me wonder what kind of line they'll have one the reentry permit is fully phased out. Hope they keep a separate line for residents without SPR.

When you indicated "Special PR" (SPR), you were referring to Korean residents who have that special status (which is different from regular Permanent Residence for regular gaijin), right?

Yes, and it's officially know as Special Permanent Residency （特別永住権）. FYI, some are also Taiwanese.

As GG pointed out, normal PRs entering with Japanese family can also use the Citizen/SPR line (I think).

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

...normal PRs entering with Japanese family can also use the Citizen/SPR line (I think).

What about abnormal PRs?