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

[Russell]

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.

So, one-armed bandits need not apply...

[omae mona]

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 always found it more useful on the way *out*, not when returning. The time saved is probably enough for me to be able to chug an extra beer before getting on the plane.

[wagyl]

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

After the fingerprints are authenticated, the official will open the gate. Go to the examination booth and provide the official with your passport, Resident Card and a completed RE Card where the special re-entry purpose section is checked. If you need an official stamp, please ask the official.

http://www.moj.go.jp/content/000100490.pdf

Guys, thanks for your input on the benefits of the system. Since my local branch of the Immigration Office does not offer registration into the system, and I am never flying during the times that their desk is open at the international airports (which probably also explains why I have never felt that the wait at the outward Immigration Counter is long), I don't think this will be a high priority for me.

[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.

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

Yes. You still have to see an agent after the automatic bit and hand over the re entry card. Like a lot of modern self-service things, the process actually takes longer in total than the old method. But there is time saving with the current lack of queues and that the users are all straight forward exits who know what they are doing, so no danger of picking the "wrong" immigration line and getting stuck behind a problem case.
The fastest exit method I've found isn't the automatic gates, but travelling with a stroller/pushchair that doesn't fit through the normal immigration gates, when you can completely skip the lines and go through the special assistance area.

[wagyl]

The fastest exit method I've found isn't the automatic gates, but travelling with a stroller/pushchair that doesn't fit through the normal immigration gates, when you can completely skip the lines and go through the special assistance area.

That would require me hiring some props and a stunt-toddler. I'm not sure that the cost would justify the time savings.

[wagyl]

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.

Laggard meister, represent!

Today I got a postcard from Immigration encouraging me to change as soon as possible, because offices are expected to be very crowded for a few months before 8 July. Well, they had the date in American order but you know what I mean.

I see that they want us to write our name on the back of the photo. Even though I don't have Iberian peninsular ancestry my name was enough of a challenge to fit on the postcard, so good luck being able to make sense of it on the back of a photo.

[BigInJapan]

Today I got a postcard from Immigration encouraging me to change as soon as possible, because offices are expected to be very crowded for a few months before 8 July. Well, they had the date in American order but you know what I mean.

Yep, I got one too. I guess they don't want to deal with a bunch of accidental visa overstayers later this summer.

[omae mona]

Today I got a postcard from Immigration encouraging me to change as soon as possible, because offices are expected to be very crowded for a few months before 8 July. Well, they had the date in American order but you know what I mean.

Yep, I got one too. I guess they don't want to deal with a bunch of accidental visa overstayers later this summer.

I went early because I feared long lines right before the final deadline. But the final deadline for switching over cards really doesn't have much to do with overstaying visas. Yes, some of the people on old cards are those who got 3 year visas between March-July 2012, and obviously need to renew their visa to avoid overstaying. They'll get a new card at the same time.

But at this point, probably the majority of owners of old cards are held by permanent residents, who cannot (by definition) overstay. They can soon find themselves walking around with an invalid card, though, which can get them in pretty big trouble.

[wagyl]

I think that part of their concern which made them feel that a postcard and education campaign was necessary, is that for example my card says on it that it is valid until 2016, when it now isn't.

[Mike Oxlong]

I guess the cards may be going out nationwide, as I got one today too.

[Mike Oxlong]

My experience, a scant week-and-a-half from the deadline, mirrors that of Hammerman.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=29985&p=335997&hilit=zairyu#p335997

[Samurai_Jerk]

On a somewhat related note, I'm not sure if any of you noticed this post I made a couple of days ago since it's buried in the Visas forum.

My company recently hired an FG (software developer FYI) that was between jobs because he got laid off by his previous employer. His status had been engineer (技術) but immigration changed his status to 就労 (I can't remember what it said in English exactly but it means seeking employment). I saw a copy of his Zairyu Card because HR came to me for advice as the FG sempai and it clearly stated in Japanese, "no permission to work" (労働許可ありません or something like that). I didn't hear this directly from him but apparently he was told that if you lose your job you have to change to that status and have 6 months to find another one or GTFO. That helps prevent people from doing part-time work while they're looking for another full-time gig which I think has always been technically illegal but pretty common. It also keeps you from staying for your full period of stay if you aren't working. It makes sense that they'd start better enforcing the existing rules but the downside is that if you do find something in that 6 month period you can't start working immediately as you have to change your status again. It took the guy we hired about a month to get permission to work again. I'm not sure how that would work if you got an offer in the last month of your 就労 period.

Anyway, that's the first I've heard of a case like this. Has anyone else?

[Mike Oxlong]

My experience, a scant week-and-a-half from the deadline, mirrors that of Hammerman.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=29985&p=335997&hilit=zairyu#p335997

Like Yokohammer, I went in a bit later than planned on account of the bad local traffic, and arrived at about 10:30. There were three people sitting in the waiting area, two young American sounding hipsters and their local handler. I went to the information desk, got the necessary form from the nice old gentleman, and filled it out as requested. In the few minutes that took, the hipster gang had gone. I submitted the form at the counter, and was told it was the old form. The young female immigration officer gave me the new one, had me fill it out again, and asked me to wait. In only about five minutes the new card was ready. My passport and old alien registration card were returned to me, and it was pointed out the new card was valid for seven years, at which point I should go back to immigration for another one. Smooth, fast, and relatively painless, despite the information desk paperwork being out-of-date.

[yanpa]

On a somewhat related note, I'm not sure if any of you noticed this post I made a couple of days ago since it's buried in the Visas forum.

My company recently hired an FG (software developer FYI) that was between jobs because he got laid off by his previous employer. His status had been engineer (技術) but immigration changed his status to 就労 (I can't remember what it said in English exactly but it means seeking employment). I saw a copy of his Zairyu Card because HR came to me for advice as the FG sempai and it clearly stated in Japanese, "no permission to work" (労働許可ありません or something like that). I didn't hear this directly from him but apparently he was told that if you lose your job you have to change to that status and have 6 months to find another one or GTFO. That helps prevent people from doing part-time work while they're looking for another full-time gig which I think has always been technically illegal but pretty common. It also keeps you from staying for your full period of stay if you aren't working. It makes sense that they'd start better enforcing the existing rules but the downside is that if you do find something in that 6 month period you can't start working immediately as you have to change your status again. It took the guy we hired about a month to get permission to work again.

Hmm, I think I heard before that it works like that, but not sure of the details.

I'm not sure how that would work if you got an offer in the last month of your 就労 period.

I'd guess they extend the 就労 period until they make the decision. IIRC they converted my short-stay status to something like that as otherwise I'd have exceeded my 90 days (and not been able to apply for a 90 day extension as is my God-given right as a British citizen, hah). And I vaguely remember being told not-quite-with-a-nod-and-a-wink not to start working before the paperwork came through.

[matsuki]

On a somewhat related note, I'm not sure if any of you noticed this post I made a couple of days ago since it's buried in the Visas forum.

My company recently hired an FG (software developer FYI) that was between jobs because he got laid off by his previous employer. His status had been engineer (技術) but immigration changed his status to 就労 (I can't remember what it said in English exactly but it means seeking employment). I saw a copy of his Zairyu Card because HR came to me for advice as the FG sempai and it clearly stated in Japanese, "no permission to work" (労働許可ありません or something like that). I didn't hear this directly from him but apparently he was told that if you lose your job you have to change to that status and have 6 months to find another one or GTFO. That helps prevent people from doing part-time work while they're looking for another full-time gig which I think has always been technically illegal but pretty common. It also keeps you from staying for your full period of stay if you aren't working. It makes sense that they'd start better enforcing the existing rules but the downside is that if you do find something in that 6 month period you can't start working immediately as you have to change your status again. It took the guy we hired about a month to get permission to work again. I'm not sure how that would work if you got an offer in the last month of your 就労 period.

Anyway, that's the first I've heard of a case like this. Has anyone else?

What's the penalty for not changing your status? I didn't do sheeeet when I switched employers and had no problem renewing my visa afterwards...in fact, I got long extensions afterwards.

[Samurai_Jerk]

On a somewhat related note, I'm not sure if any of you noticed this post I made a couple of days ago since it's buried in the Visas forum.

My company recently hired an FG (software developer FYI) that was between jobs because he got laid off by his previous employer. His status had been engineer (技術) but immigration changed his status to 就労 (I can't remember what it said in English exactly but it means seeking employment). I saw a copy of his Zairyu Card because HR came to me for advice as the FG sempai and it clearly stated in Japanese, "no permission to work" (労働許可ありません or something like that). I didn't hear this directly from him but apparently he was told that if you lose your job you have to change to that status and have 6 months to find another one or GTFO. That helps prevent people from doing part-time work while they're looking for another full-time gig which I think has always been technically illegal but pretty common. It also keeps you from staying for your full period of stay if you aren't working. It makes sense that they'd start better enforcing the existing rules but the downside is that if you do find something in that 6 month period you can't start working immediately as you have to change your status again. It took the guy we hired about a month to get permission to work again. I'm not sure how that would work if you got an offer in the last month of your 就労 period.

Anyway, that's the first I've heard of a case like this. Has anyone else?

What's the penalty for not changing your status? I didn't do sheeeet when I switched employers and had no problem renewing my visa afterwards...in fact, I got long extensions afterwards.

No idea. How recently was that? Did you have any gaps in your employment?

[matsuki]

Talking back in 08-09. Was a few month gap, registration-wise....but the previous job still owed me for a few months work that I did before my original work visa was approved so I was still getting paid. (though the fuckers short changed me the two last months pay)

[Samurai_Jerk]

Talking back in 08-09. Was a few month gap, registration-wise....but the previous job still owed me for a few months work that I did before my original work visa was approved so I was still getting paid. (though the fuckers short changed me the two last months pay)

I was out of full-time work for almost a year working part-time in 2009-2010 (also collected Hello Work for 5 months) with Humanities/International Service Specialist status. When I was full-time again I reported it to city hall like I was supposed to and had no problems extending my stay half a year later when my period of stay was up. However, things have changed since then.

I don't know if our new employee's case is isolated or if it's the norm now.

[wagyl]

Is "software developer" a codeword for "gentleman who eats chapattis?" That may well be a factor.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Is "software developer" a codeword for "gentleman who eats chapattis?" That may well be a factor.

Nope. Paella and tapas.

[matsuki]

Talking back in 08-09. Was a few month gap, registration-wise....but the previous job still owed me for a few months work that I did before my original work visa was approved so I was still getting paid. (though the fuckers short changed me the two last months pay)

I was out of full-time work for almost a year working part-time in 2009-2010 (also collected Hello Work for 5 months) with Humanities/International Service Specialist status. When I was full-time again I reported it to city hall like I was supposed to and had no problems extending my stay half a year later when my period of stay was up. However, things have changed since then.

I don't know if our new employee's case is isolated or if it's the norm now.

Gotcha...maybe new norm...but wonder how he knew or was told to change the visa status.

[wagyl]

What's the penalty for not changing your status?

Q100：
必要な届出をしなかったり，うその届出をした場合，どのような罰則または不利益処分がありますか。

A.

届出をしなかった場合には２０万円以下の罰金に，虚偽の届出は１年以下の懲役又は２０万円以下の罰金に処せられることがあるほか，住居地の届出をしなかったり虚偽の届出をした場合には，在留資格が取り消されることがあります。また，虚偽の届出をして懲役に処せられた場合は退去強制事由にも該当します。

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/ ... tml#q100-a

[Samurai_Jerk]

Talking back in 08-09. Was a few month gap, registration-wise....but the previous job still owed me for a few months work that I did before my original work visa was approved so I was still getting paid. (though the fuckers short changed me the two last months pay)

I was out of full-time work for almost a year working part-time in 2009-2010 (also collected Hello Work for 5 months) with Humanities/International Service Specialist status. When I was full-time again I reported it to city hall like I was supposed to and had no problems extending my stay half a year later when my period of stay was up. However, things have changed since then.

I don't know if our new employee's case is isolated or if it's the norm now.

Gotcha...maybe new norm...but wonder how he knew or was told to change the visa status.

Yeah, I'm not sure. Who knows what kind of new rules there are for employers. Maybe they have to report it when they let an FG go or something.

[wagyl]

Yeah, I'm not sure. Who knows what kind of new rules there are for employers. Maybe they have to report it when they let an FG go or something.

Indeed.

外国人が離職した場合は，ハローワークへ届出をしてください。

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/seisaku/pdf/fuhoushurou.pdf

[matsuki]

More motivation to stop procrastination and go get a PR visa.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Yeah, I'm not sure. Who knows what kind of new rules there are for employers. Maybe they have to report it when they let an FG go or something.

Indeed.

外国人が離職した場合は，ハローワークへ届出をしてください。

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/seisaku/pdf/fuhoushurou.pdf

Yeah, but Hello Work and immigration don't seem to communicate. Or at least they didn't. I didn't even realize I was breaking the law working part time between jobs since Hello Work told me I could do it and I was reporting how much I worked to them every month during the time I was receiving benefits. The only reason I found out is a friend of mine in the same situation at the same time went to immigration's info desk to ask come questions and mentioned he was teaching English a few hours a week while he looked for work and the lady flipped out and told him to report upstairs to Window XYZ because he wasn't supposed to do that. He did the smart thing and just left since she didn't make sure he actually went where she told him.

[wagyl]

Yeah, but Hello Work and immigration don't seem to communicate. Or at least they didn't.

I suspect that may have changed, because that same pdf goes on to say that in the cases where the employer has reported to Hello Work they do not need to report to Immigration. Just in the same way that the registration system shakeup changed the communication between the municipalities and Immigration.

[matsuki]

Crackin' down on immigration status laws...I guess it's like traffic tickets, maybe immigration is out to generate revenue via violation fines?

[BigInJapan]

Just a last minute reminder for those of you haven't yet switched over to the new resident card (在留カード) from the ARC up until now. I finally made it into immigration last week and got mine renewed with no fuss at all.
As my paperwork hasn't filtered through all channels of immigration, I received another notice in the mail today, letting me know that there are only two days left before the final deadline of July 8.
So, if you've put it off this long - better get down to immigration ASAP.

[Mike Oxlong]

From all the reports thus far, it sounds like it has been smooth sailing for most.