Need some help. Will we run into issues getting back into Japan as long-term residents without the re-entry slip stapled into the passport when leaving Japan?
We have a new passport, the zairyu card and photocopy of the long term resident visa, but the old passport that contained it has still not been returned to us by US passport services (and we’re concerned they may have lost it).
Background: Back in the beginning of April, we came back to the US for a few months and were warned that we should get our daughter’s passport renewed ASAP due to the massive processing backlogs hitting the US.
We booked the earliest appt we could (in early May), paid for expedited processing, and finally received the new passport in mid July. The US Passport services would not offer us any help on determining the status of the old passport until we entered 14 days before our flight. They then told us they did not know where it was but would send a note to the agency responsible for processing supporting documentation. Not very promising.
We tried calling the Japan visa hotline, who told us we needed the re-entry slip but we need to contact our nearest japan consulate for assistance. I then called the consulate who told us they could not help us and we should instead email the visa matters alias. We then emailed, which got routed back to the consulate who responded by telling us we would need to contact the immigration office in Tokyo to request a letter verifying that my daughter is indeed a resident of Japan.
At this point, I’m starting to despair that I’m just caught in a bureaucratic loop. This can’t be that uncommon given how casual the US passport agency is about having no idea where the old passport is, right?
Has anyone ever been in this situation? If so, how did you get back in? As I mentioned at the start of this loooong post, we do have the new passport, the zairyu card, and a photocopy of the long term resident visa that was in the old passport.
6 comments
Found a post from someone in exactly the same situation, but the author was not clear about how they ultimately got through this situation and comments are disabled 😕
https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/v9h8yh/reentry_permit_in_old_passport/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1
See here: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-5.html
Under heading
>再入国許可（みなし再入国許可を含む。）で出国中に旅券・在留カードをなくされた方へ
Text stating:
>再入国許可（みなし再入国許可を含む。）を受けて出国中に旅券若しくは在留カードを紛失した方又は新旅券の発給に伴い旧旅券を回収された方など、日本への再入国が可能であることを示す資料を所持していない場合、地方出入国在留管理局等で代理人の方等を通じて書面（再入国許可期限証明願）をもって再入国許可期限の証明を受けることができます。
なお、代理人の方等とは、本人と同居する親族又は本人から委任を受けたことを証する書面（委任状）を所持する方をいいます。
Form here: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/930002837.pdf and https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/930002838.pdf
Thanks, Karlbert86.
Here’s that same section in English as run through the website auto translator:
“For those who lost their passport or residence card while leaving Japan with a re-entry permit (including special re-entry permit)
Those who have received a re-entry permit (including a special re-entry permit) and lost their passport or residence card while leaving Japan, or those who have had their old passport recovered when a new passport is issued, are able to re-enter Japan. If you do not have any documents that prove that you have been granted a re-entry permit, you can obtain a certificate of the re-entry permit expiration date in writing (re-entry permit certificate request) through a proxy at the Regional Immigration Bureau, etc.
An agent, etc. means a relative who lives with the principal or a person who has a document (power of attorney) that proves that the principal has delegated the request.
Proof of Re-entry Permit Period (PDF:74KB)
Letter of appointment (reference form) (PDF:38KB)
* As for the power of attorney, it is acceptable to submit the letter sent to the mandated person by FAX.”
Btw, managed to contact the poster of the post I found above and they confirmed that since they had resident card with them, when they returned to japan they simply showed the card and immigration gave them a new re-entry card to fill out. It was that simple. Hoping it’s the same for us as we don’t have someone we can easily send on our behalf to fetch this letter in the time we have remaining.
Will update this thread either way on how it turns out. And US citizens be warned: The passport renewal situation is in a pretty bad state right now, no matter how much you pay for “expedited” services 🙁
Pretty sure your residence card will be sufficient as they can easily verify your reentry permit on their computer using your residence card.
>We have a new passport, the zairyu card
That is all you need. If you lost your reentry permit they’ll staple a new one in the new passport.
I might be miles off because I never needed to do it so someone else will have to confirm.
Can’t OP just get a new re-entry at the airport when you arrive at the airport?