Super confused about “re-entry permit” when leaving Japan for a month?

I have a spouse status of residency. Im going home to the UK for a month to visit next month.
I have read s lot about “applying for a re-entry permit” and such but in practice i have no idea what it is or why I need it.

So I cant just show them my zairyu/passport when i fly back and be let in?
Where do I apply for this permit? I dont want to miss it at Haneda airport due to not knowing what to look for. I have read “tell immigration officer”.
However im not experienced. I have only ever interacted with immigration officers upon landing in a country not leaving them. Do I have to make sure i find their desk?

6 comments
  1. When you get at immigration, you take one of those yellow papers and fill in the departure card, check the box that says ‘I’ll come back within a year” and hand it over along your zairyu card and passport. They’ll attach an arrival card inside of your passport.

  2. When you’re leaving, you’ll be asked to fill out a card. That’s pretty much it, as you will only be gone a month. Don’t worry about missing it, you’d have to go to great lengths to intentionally miss it

  3. Yes, it’s quite an easy process. After security check you will have to go through immigration and at that point just make sure to fill out the small departure and arrival document that only has a few box’s to tick and flight info. Really you only need to fill out the departure side as you can fill out the arrival on your return because it will be affixed to your passport. Sometimes there is staff helping people before you even walk up to the immigration officer. They can help you get the correct document.

  4. It’s a card you fill out at the airport and the border control officer (those guys behind the tall square booths right after having your carry ons X rayed and going through the metal detectors) staples it to your passport. It’s hard to miss, they should tell you to fill it out if you plan to return.

  5. To clarify, what most people are talking about here is the “special re-entry permit” which you can fill out at the airport upon your departure. If you are leaving Japan for less than a year, this is all you need. As others have mentioned, you will find them immediately before you pass through exit immigration.

    If you are leaving for more than a year, you need to apply for a traditional “re-entry permit” at the immigration office before your trip.

    If you were to leave Japan without either type of re-entry permit, your status of residence would be terminated, and you would need to re-apply from scratch to get it back.

Leave a Reply
You May Also Like