Yo, alien registration card holders... 1 year to go

[omae mona]

The vast majority of resident barbarians are already on the new resident card (在留カード）system. But permanent residents and a few others, depending on visa timing, still have the old alien registration card (外国人登録証明書).

If you've got the old card, remember the final deadline for switching over is July 8, 2015. So you permanent residents especially, start planning time to visit the friendly neighborhood immigration lounge.

Of course you need to switch earlier than that deadline in a number of cases:

• Your visa expires before that.
• Your ARC itself expires before that. Remember they expire every 7 years or so.

[IparryU]

The vast majority of resident barbarians are already on the new resident card (在留カード）system. But permanent residents and a few others, depending on visa timing, still have the old alien registration card (外国人登録証明書).

If you've got the old card, remember the final deadline for switching over is July 8, 2015. So you permanent residents especially, start planning time to visit the friendly neighborhood immigration lounge.

Of course you need to switch earlier than that deadline in a number of cases:

• Your visa expires before that.
• Your ARC itself expires before that. Remember they expire every 7 years or so.

Source? My friend wanted to send the info or to her friends too.

[omae mona]

Source? My friend wanted to send the info or to her friends too.

Here's one but in Japanese only.

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/keiziban/pdf/ ... sirase.pdf

I will try to find one in English when I have a sec. The original MOJ home pages about the new card system always listed this date, so I've had the deadline in the back of my mind the whole time. I just need to find those pages!

[Russell]

Thanks for reminding.

Should I go to the city office to apply for my new card?

[Yokohammer]

Thanks for reminding.

Should I go to the city office to apply for my new card?

No need to go to the city orifice.

Just take your old card and passport (and whatever else you might need) to Immigration.

At least that's how it worked for me.

[Yokohammer]

Stupid double post ... Please ignore.

[wagyl]

Source http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/ ... t_3-4.html

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.

Permanent Resident
16 years or older
Until July 8, 2015
Less than 16 years old
Whichever comes earlier, July 8, 2015, or the individual's 16th birthday

[Mock Cockpit]

I did this the other week, mainly as I had a new passport and will be travelling soon. The info regarding my permanent residency goes on the new card not the passport so there goes my dreams of hitting the ic chip with a ball-peen hammer Took ten minutes, least painful immigration visit ever. Don't have to see them cunts for another 7 years.

[Samurai_Jerk]

The vast majority of resident barbarians are already on the new resident card (在留カード）system. But permanent residents and a few others, depending on visa timing, still have the old alien registration card (外国人登録証明書).

If you've got the old card, remember the final deadline for switching over is July 8, 2015. So you permanent residents especially, start planning time to visit the friendly neighborhood immigration lounge.

Of course you need to switch earlier than that deadline in a number of cases:

• Your visa expires before that.
• Your ARC itself expires before that. Remember they expire every 7 years or so.

Source? My friend wanted to send the info or to her friends too.

What's the matter? Her friend doesn't believe her?

[Russell]

Thanks for reminding.

Should I go to the city office to apply for my new card?

No need to go to the city orifice.

Just take your old card and passport (and whatever else you might need) to Immigration.

At least that's how it worked for me.

City office is much more nearby for me than immigration.

Is it possible to go the city office route, or is it off to immigration without exceptions?

[Yokohammer]

Thanks for reminding.

Should I go to the city office to apply for my new card?

No need to go to the city orifice.

Just take your old card and passport (and whatever else you might need) to Immigration.

At least that's how it worked for me.

City office is much more nearby for me than immigration.

Is it possible to go the city office route, or is it off to immigration without exceptions?

The local city (ward) office doesn't manage AR cards any more.
You have to go to Immigration.

This is one of the things people (including me) were complaining about. Before it was a quick walk over the to the city office to get that stuff done. With PR there was NO reason to go to immigration, other than for reentry. Now you have to go to Immigration at whatever cycle your visa dictates. For me it's 7 years. But it's not actually renewing my visa status (the "P" in "PR" stands for "permanent," right?), it's just renewing the ID card ... which is, if you think about it, another sneaky-ass way of getting you to go to Immigration now and then.

However ... when I did it it literally took about 10 minutes. Super easy and service with a smile.

[Russell]

Thanks for reminding.

Should I go to the city office to apply for my new card?

No need to go to the city orifice.

Just take your old card and passport (and whatever else you might need) to Immigration.

At least that's how it worked for me.

City office is much more nearby for me than immigration.

Is it possible to go the city office route, or is it off to immigration without exceptions?

The local city (ward) office doesn't manage AR cards any more.
You have to go to Immigration.

This is one of the things people (including me) were complaining about. Before it was a quick walk over the to the city office to get that stuff done. With PR there was NO reason to go to immigration, other than for reentry. Now you have to go to Immigration at whatever cycle your visa dictates. For me it's 7 years. But it's not actually renewing my visa status (the "P" in "PR" stands for "permanent," right?), it's just renewing the ID card ... which is, if you think about it, another sneaky-ass way of getting you to go to Immigration now and then.

However ... when I did it it literally took about 10 minutes. Super easy and service with a smile.

Thanks Hammer.

I renewed my passport last month, so it may be about time that I visit immigration anyway. Just such a PITA.

[IparryU]

The vast majority of resident barbarians are already on the new resident card (在留カード）system. But permanent residents and a few others, depending on visa timing, still have the old alien registration card (外国人登録証明書).

If you've got the old card, remember the final deadline for switching over is July 8, 2015. So you permanent residents especially, start planning time to visit the friendly neighborhood immigration lounge.

Of course you need to switch earlier than that deadline in a number of cases:

• Your visa expires before that.
• Your ARC itself expires before that. Remember they expire every 7 years or so.

Source? My friend wanted to send the info or to her friends too.

What's the matter? Her friend doesn't believe her?

Someone elae is saying june 16th o_O

I got mine already, so np here.

[omae mona]

What's the matter? Her friend doesn't believe her?

Someone elae is saying june 16th o_O

Anyway, both the official English and Japanese links above say July 8th. So your friend can chill out and procrastinate for a whole extra 3 weeks next summer!

[IparryU]

Can anyone give me some info about the below?

"So my alien card is as valid till 8th July next year. Do I read it correctly that it does't matter that my previously issued 3 year multiple re-entry permit will expire on 3rd August (being a PR)?  I just tick the box for special re-entry permit on the embarkation card and can enter Japan in September without problems? I hope so, otherwise will need to go to immigration before I leave."

[omae mona]

Can anyone give me some info about the below?

"So my alien card is as valid till 8th July next year. Do I read it correctly that it does't matter that my previously issued 3 year multiple re-entry permit will expire on 3rd August (being a PR)?  I just tick the box for special re-entry permit on the embarkation card and can enter Japan in September without problems? I hope so, otherwise will need to go to immigration before I leave."

Ticking the box is all your friend needs. No need to visit immigration. The only reason you need the traditional multiple re-entry permit is if you plan to be out of the country longer than 1 year. The checkbox only gives you 12 months to return.

By the way I hope you mean August 3, 2014 (not 2015). If your friend bought that expensive 3-year re-entry permit in August 2012, he got tricked! There are very few people who actually need them since the new system started in July 2012.

[IparryU]

Can anyone give me some info about the below?

"So my alien card is as valid till 8th July next year. Do I read it correctly that it does't matter that my previously issued 3 year multiple re-entry permit will expire on 3rd August (being a PR)?  I just tick the box for special re-entry permit on the embarkation card and can enter Japan in September without problems? I hope so, otherwise will need to go to immigration before I leave."

Ticking the box is all your friend needs. No need to visit immigration. The only reason you need the traditional multiple re-entry permit is if you plan to be out of the country longer than 1 year. The checkbox only gives you 12 months to return.

By the way I hope you mean August 3, 2014 (not 2015). If your friend bought that expensive 3-year re-entry permit in August 2012, he got tricked! There are very few people who actually need them since the new system started in July 2012.

Thanks for the quick reply OM. She means 2014..so next month thank God or i would have ragged her for that.

[omae mona]

4 month warning, guys and girls! No idea if immigration is planning to send out reminder postcards to the laggards that still have not converted their cards yet. But I wouldn't count on it, so put a date on your calendar, ok? Don't end up in the gaijin gulag.

At this point, the only people who could possibly still have an old card are permanent residents, people who got a 3-year visa right before the old system ended in July 2012, or people who managed to get a non-PR visa with term longer than 3 years. Still, I imagine there are a few of us FG around here that fit the criteria.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

I only got mine updated last month. If you are going to waste a day at immigration then sign up for the automated gate system at the same time. It will only cost an hour of your time anyway that will be lost in the day visit to immigration.

[omae mona]

I only got mine updated last month. If you are going to waste a day at immigration then sign up for the automated gate system at the same time. It will only cost an hour of your time anyway that will be lost in the day visit to immigration.

Agreed with ODG on the automated gate permit. But, at least if you're using Narita Airport, my experience has been that registration on the spot at the airport only takes about 5-10 minutes.

[yanpa]

I only got mine updated last month. If you are going to waste a day at immigration then sign up for the automated gate system at the same time. It will only cost an hour of your time anyway that will be lost in the day visit to immigration.

Agreed with ODG on the automated gate permit. But, at least if you're using Narita Airport, my experience has been that registration on the spot at the airport only takes about 5-10 minutes.

Is the registration before leaving Japan?

[omae mona]

I only got mine updated last month. If you are going to waste a day at immigration then sign up for the automated gate system at the same time. It will only cost an hour of your time anyway that will be lost in the day visit to immigration.

Agreed with ODG on the automated gate permit. But, at least if you're using Narita Airport, my experience has been that registration on the spot at the airport only takes about 5-10 minutes.

Is the registration before leaving Japan?

Yep. You just go to the 自動化ゲート lane and they have a pile of application forms on a table.

[BigInJapan]

4 month warning, guys and girls! No idea if immigration is planning to send out reminder postcards to the laggards that still have not converted their cards yet. But I wouldn't count on it, so put a date on your calendar, ok? Don't end up in the gaijin gulag.

At this point, the only people who could possibly still have an old card are permanent residents, people who got a 3-year visa right before the old system ended in July 2012, or people who managed to get a non-PR visa with term longer than 3 years. Still, I imagine there are a few of us FG around here that fit the criteria.

I'm in that category it seems. I'm a bit out of the way in some serious boondocks and have not had any need to renew yet.
But, I think I'll try and make some time before long as I really don't need some city hall bureaucrat or an ignorant cop to look at my card and tell me that it expired more than a year ago...

[wagyl]

When I left on my old ARC in December last year I was asked when I would be returning to Japan. I think that Immigration are watching this to make sure nobody has a surprise with an expired card trying to reenter. I am going to try to wait for the very last few days before I do the card renewal, because my drivers licence renewal is around the same time and I plan to try to get my tsushomei added on the drivers licence, just so that I have some handy ID with it on. The added bonus is that I can use the same photo for both cards.

What is the benefit of the automatic gates? I never find any delay going through the reentrants queue. And however slow Immigration is, I always beat my luggage to the carousel.

[Samurai_Jerk]

What is the benefit of the automatic gates? I never find any delay going through the reentrants queue. And however slow Immigration is, I always beat my luggage to the carousel.

I've been wondering that too. If anything, the reentry line is the shortest.

[yanpa]

When I left on my old ARC in December last year I was asked when I would be returning to Japan. I think that Immigration are watching this to make sure nobody has a surprise with an expired card trying to reenter.

I think they've started asking generally to make sure everyone is aware that the special checkbox minashi reentry non-permit is "valid" for a year; I've certainly been asked every time I've left the country since getting the ZRC.

[wagyl]

This Automated Gate process is discriminatory!

For use of automated gates, a registrant is identified (authenticated) with fingerprints of both hands. If you lost all fingers of one hand or otherwise cannot provide a fingerprint of any finger of one hand, we cannot register you because we cannot authenticate you with certainty.

[wagyl]

When I left on my old ARC in December last year I was asked when I would be returning to Japan. I think that Immigration are watching this to make sure nobody has a surprise with an expired card trying to reenter.

I think they've started asking generally to make sure everyone is aware that the special checkbox minashi reentry non-permit is "valid" for a year; I've certainly been asked every time I've left the country since getting the ZRC.

OK, maybe they are asking routinely. The impression I got was that there was an element of "Minashi usually gives you one year, but your card is not valid for one year (despite what is written on it), so your minashi is shorter than one year" in the talk I got.

[Wibble]

What is the benefit of the automatic gates? I never find any delay going through the reentrants queue. And however slow Immigration is, I always beat my luggage to the carousel.

I've been wondering that too. If anything, the reentry line is the shortest.

Agree no time saving on entry, but there can be a time advantage on exit as exit immigration seems to get snarled up at random times in both Narita and Haneda. It's never that long to wait though. Other benefit is you don't need to get entry/exit stamps, so saves passport space if that is a problem for some.

[Russell]

What is the benefit of the automatic gates? I never find any delay going through the reentrants queue. And however slow Immigration is, I always beat my luggage to the carousel.

I've been wondering that too. If anything, the reentry line is the shortest.

Agree no time saving on entry, but there can be a time advantage on exit as exit immigration seems to get snarled up at random times in both Narita and Haneda. It's never that long to wait though. Other benefit is you don't need to get entry/exit stamps, so saves passport space if that is a problem for some.

But do you still need to fill out that card that they attach to your passport?