Just arrived in Japan. My entire visa/COVID process (language student).

After about twenty-four straight hours of flying on planes and waiting in airports, I have *finally* made it to my hotel. I have been recently documenting everything that has happened from start to finish for my move. I haven’t included more specific things that would only ever be relevant to my move (such as how/when I began packing up my belongings), but I have included some decisions I made to make my move smoother (such as how I *shipped* my belongings or where I got my mobile number from). Let me know if you have any questions.

Edit: Added December 15.

**January 14, 2020**

1. Began application process for language school in Tokyo, originally for July 2020 intake.
1. Some revisions to the application occur over the next two weeks, which I won’t detail in full as it’s all very specific to my situation and my application process.

**February 7, 2020**

1. Final revision of application was submitted to language school.

**February 13, 2020**

1. Language school approved application.

**May 21, 2020**

1. COE was issued, according to the date on the COE, but we are mid-pandemic and COE’s are not being released to applicants.
1. Around this time, I moved my intake to October 2020 due to a July intake seeming impossible.

**September 14, 2020**

1. Digital copy of COE was provided.
1. Around this time, I moved my intake to January 2021 due to an October intake seeming impossible.
2. I also began a South Korean visa application process for language school since I did not think Japan would be allowing entries any time soon, and I figured it would be easier to enter Japan from Korea than from the US. I received my Certificate of Admission and paid for an apartment all within about the span of a month. ROK is incredibly fast with their processes.
3. And then Japan was like, “Hey, you can enter now!” so I canceled all of the Korean stuff.

**November 23, 2020**

1. Began apartment application process with GaijinPot Housing Service.
2. Received quote for apartment.

**November 24, 2020**

1. School mailed COE to USA with DHL.
1. This also included a bunch of other forms, including the part-time work permission form (though you can just print this out on your own). More importantly was a letter that I think basically stated that the COE would be honored due to COVID even though it was beyond when a COE usually expires.
2. Resident Track pledge was provided digitally.

**November 25, 2020**

1. School COE was delivered.
2. Mailed visa application to consulate in Miami via USPS Priority Express.
3. Received and signed memorandum for apartment agreeing to apply for the unit without physically viewing it in person.

**November 27, 2020**

1. Visa application was delivered to consulate.
2. Booked hotel for 16 nights via Hotels.com.
3. Booked flight from Tampa to LAX with Delta.
4. Booked flight from LAX to Haneda with United/ANA.
1. This is an unprotected transfer from Delta to United. This means you’re not guaranteed a rebooking if you miss your flight due to a delay, and your checked baggage isn’t forwarded to your next flight. If you need to collect checked baggage, you will have to reclear security for your next flight. I only do this when traveling with carry-ons. Transferring from the Delta domestic terminal to TBIT at LAX is very easy, you don’t have to reclear security, and I left myself several hours of leeway between flights. It is generally cheaper for me to book my flights this way rather than try to book straight from Tampa to Tokyo. It also allows more flexibility in my flight times. All Tampa to Tokyo flights arrive in the afternoon. I wanted to arrive in the morning to ensure I started the airport COVID process very early and had time to do other things like pick up my SIM card.
5. Booked airport taxi with Japan Travel.
6. Signed up for Sakura Mobile’s voice/data SIM.
7. Rented pocket Wi-Fi through iVideo.

**November 30, 2020**

1. Called the consulate to ensure they received the application delivery. They are apparently working from home, so I could not talk to the visa section.
2. Scheduled COVID tests (saliva PCR lab diagnostic, saliva PCR rapid diagnostic, and saliva non-CLEIA antigen test) with ARCpoint Labs in St. Petersburg.

**December 1, 2020**

1. Called consulate again to confirm receipt of delivery. Visa section confirmed delivery and informed that they will be issuing the visa today.
2. Consulate issued visa and mailed the USPS Priority return envelope I provided.
1. This envelope was a Priority Mail Forever prepaid flat rate padded envelope. I wasn’t sure how else to provide a return envelope with tracking since USPS usually makes you choose a ship date and it’s impossible for me to know on which exact day the consulate would process and mail my visa.

**December 2, 2020**

1. Received and signed apartment lease.

**December 3, 2020**

1. Signed up for Traveling Mailbox to set up US forwarding addresses for mail and packages.

**December 4, 2020**

1. Ordered 70,000 yen through Bank of America.
1. This is cash for when cash is mandatory and I’m not near an ATM. Cash will be replenished through an Interactive Brokers debit card. Other purchases will be made on Chase Sapphire Preferred where possible, at least until better Japan-focused rewards cards are obtained (like the Bic Camera + View + Suica card).

**December 5, 2020**

1. Passport with visa was delivered.

**December 6, 2020**

1. Scheduled COVID test (mid-turbinate PCR lab diagnostic) with Walgreens in St. Petersburg.

**December 7, 2020**

1. Foreign currency order was delivered.
2. Started packing carry-on bags (one suitcase and one backpack).
3. School asked for flight information, quarantine address, transportation company, and permanent address.
4. Provided information to school.

**December 9, 2020**

1. Sampled for COVID rapid diagnostic at ARCpoint Labs.
2. Received results for ARCpoint Labs rapid diagnostic.
3. Samples for COVID lab diagnostic at Walgreens.
1. Like others have reported, no one asked to verify my insurance or see if I needed to pay. I don’t have insurance, so I expected to pay, but this test was free.

**December 10, 2020**

1. Sampled for COVID lab diagnostic at ARCpoint Labs.
1. This was supposed to happen yesterday. I was scheduled for a lab diagnostic and the technician decided to order a rapid diagnostic. When I asked her about it at today’s appointment (for what should have been a rapid diagnostic), she told me the rapid diagnostic was what I needed for travel. In my conversations with the manager the past two months, it was indicated that the rapid PCR diagnostic is not officially accepted by Japan and I should instead do the lab PCR diagnostic (which is cheaper anyway); I opted to do both for safety. This is the opposite of what the technician told me; there is a severe communication and information failure somewhere in this company. I was scheduled for a rapid test either way, so her decision to ignore the fact that my Dec. 9 appointment was for a lab diagnostic — when the appointments were specifically ordered to do the lab diagnostic first to give ample turnaround time — is very frustrating and unprofessional.
2. Received signed MOFA certificate for rapid diagnostic from ARCpoint Labs.
1. The technician who collected my sample originally tried to fill this out herself when I asked her if they could fill it out for me (yesterday). On my follow-up visit today, during the discussion about rapid vs. lab diagnostics, the person who runs the front desk saw the form and immediately took it to be sent to the doctor, stating they’ve filled out this form before for other patients. He made two copies (one for the lab diagnostic and one for the rapid). So, honestly, if you find yourself at this location for a COVID test, just make sure *all* the staff are aware of your situation and what you need, as apparently not everyone is on the same page as far as how things should be handled.
3. Shipped belongings with FedEx to Traveling Mailbox for holding while in quarantine.

**December 11, 2020**

1. Flew to ATL.
2. Flew to LAX.

**December 12, 2020**

1. Flew to HND.
1. Gate agent called my name to check my passport and COVID test. My COVID test includes three pages: MOFA form, doctor verification of results, and test results. Agent only looked at the MOFA form.
2. Flight was about 20-30% full. I had an entire three-person row to myself.
3. Immigration, customs, and health questionnaire documents are provided on board.

**December 13, 2020**

1. Landed at HND.
2. Proceeded to checkpoint to have my health questionnaire (provided on flight) reviewed. Given a test number.
3. Proceeded to sampling station. Given a funnel and tube to spit into. You have a somewhat private cubicle to do this in.
4. Proceeded to document inspection. Took my Residence Track, verified my questionnaire again, confirmed how I’d be transporting to my hotel, and confirmed my phone number.
5. Proceeded to waiting area for COVID test. There are bathrooms and vending machines here, as it’s just a repurposed terminal gate.
6. After number is called (about 1.25 hours later), proceed to checkpoint window where they give you a negative result sheet (assuming you’re negative).
7. Proceed to immigration (show your negative sheet to a handful of people along the way).
1. Better have some eggs incubating in Pokemon Go because this is a forty-mile walk.
8. Immigration took origin COVID test, boarding pass, a questionnaire you fill out right before immigration, part-time work permission sheet, and whatever COVID sheets you still have left from the various previous checkpoints (negative result sheet and one of the questionnaires, I think).
1. They did not spend much time reviewing my origin COVID test as far as I could tell. They did not ask me any questions about it. As mentioned before, I had a MOFA certificate with my results.
2. I was never asked to install the COCOA contact-tracing app. I had installed this anyway before leaving.
3. I was never asked to connect with them on LINE. This may have been because I provided a Japanese phone number. I signed up with Sakura Mobile beforehand. However, at the time of reaching immigration, I did not have the Sakura Mobile SIM card (you get this only after clearing customs and entering the terminal lobby). Maybe they expect to be able to find my LINE account via my phone number, so I’ll get that set up soon just in case.
9. Customs took my customs declaration and gave me the certified copy for my unaccompanied baggage (thirteen boxes I shipped of my belongings). I filled out the second form on the plane, as you need two forms with the exact same info if you have unaccompanied baggage. They only give you one form by default on the plane, so be sure to ask for a second.
10. Picked up Sakura Mobile SIM card from the SIM card shop in terminal 3. Following the instructions to get the APN setup (instructions are provided in the SIM package), I was able to get a working number and data very quickly.
11. Japan Travel taxi picked me up and took me to my hotel.
1. There was a miscommunication here from Japan Travel to the car companies they seemingly contract. I said my flight arrival time was 5:30 am but would like to be picked up at 2:30 pm because my hotel check-in is 3:00 pm. For some reason, the driver messaged me on LINE around 7:00 am to say he was there. Fortunately the owner of this company was very accommodating and understood that Japan Travel gave his company bad info, so he sorted things out and got a car for me there at 2:45 pm.
12. Checked into hotel easily. They did not ask for COVID test results, but they did take temperature with this fancy device that you stand in front of almost like you’re positioning to get your photo taken, and then it takes your temperature.

**December 15, 2020**

1. Received an automated LINE message from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare.
1. Click left button labeled アンケート.
2. You will be asked if you or anyone with you have a temperature over 37.5 C. Answer はい for yes or いいえ for no.
3. You will be asked if you have COVID-related symptoms. Same answers as before.