No Need For Re-entry Permits for Japan

再入国許可

I called Nagoya Immigration Office this week and was told by the official on the end of the phone that there is now no need to renew expired re-entry permits after the new immigration rules came into force this month.

The new immigration procedures for foreign nationals will see the old alien registration card (gaikokujin-tōroku-shōmeisho) replaced by new (zairyu cards) beginning from July 2012.

The move mirrors the change in authority for issuing foreign residence cards from the local municipalities (ward offices) to the Justice Ministry (MOJ).

The new procedures got off to a bad start this Monday when the computer system handling the changes crashed on the first day affecting regional immigration offices throughout Japan, as well as immigration offices at Narita Airport and other major airports.

People spent many hours in queues and some applicants were not issued with the new cards but told they would later be mailed to them.

Tags

Japan immigration