COVID-19 Border / Visa Restrictions Thread – July 2022

22 comments

1. [removed]

2. Vaccine question. I have been living in China and have been vaccinated with the Sinopharm vaccine. Is this one accepted in Japan yet or will I have to find some way to get vaccinated with Pfizer or moderna?

3. Hi everyone,

   I’m reaching a WHV age limit pretty soon. At the start of the pandemic I thought to myself: I have about 3 years from now, it will obviously get sorted until then. And here we are.

   So I’m just wondering if anyone has anything to recommend in Hokkaido in terms of part time jobs and the notorious ERFS certificate.

   I can imagine this topic surfaces here quite often, so apologies for repetitiveness. I’m not yet desperate enough to go with the World Unite and such. I tried finding a language school in Hokkaido to supply me with a cert but apparently not all of them do it. I also tried contacting a few businesses I knew there asking them if they need a part-timer but didn’t hear back from them.

4. [deleted]

5. Anyone got any idea on time scale for CoE?

6. Just wondering at what point can I actually enter Japan after obtaining my work visa? If I arrive around 2 weeks before the start of my job, is that ok or is that too early? I’m not sure if immigration would have issues with me being in the country a certain amount of time before my employment begins? Thanks!

7. Any of y’all worried about recent spike in covid cases and that they may close borders again?

8. Has anyone here entered Japan recently on a temporary visitor visa?

   Did you have to bring any documents along with the visa for entry? for example, the ERFS certificate for student visa holders. I’m coming from a blue country to visit a relative.

   MySOS Fast Track Procedure + Hardcopy of PCR test should cover everything at the airport, right?

9. Did the consulate (in my case Los Angeles) email anyone once their Visa was approved before sending it back in the prepaid envelope or do they just ship it back without any heads up once processed?

   Also any timelines others have experienced would be nice. So far it’s been 5 business days for me.

   Edit* I called today as I still haven’t received it. They said it should be processed by Friday. Hoping that means they will ship it and it will be back by Monday which would be a little over 2 weeks total time.

10. I just got my CoE (took just over 3 weeks btw for anyone wondering), was just wondering how long it takes nowadays for an actual work visa application to be approved (from the London embassy if that makes a difference). Is it still around a week?

11. Anyone apply for a visa through the NYC consulate? The website is confusing me they’re asking for copies but not specifying what documents need copies what did you prepare when you applied for a visa through there?

12. I’m leaving from NYC to Tokyo in August, it is my first international travel since COVID. I see that Japan requires a PCR test 72 hours before the flight. Don’t PCR tests usually take 72 hours to process? How would I get the certificate in time for my flight? Can anyone who has done this weigh in? Thanks.

13. Anyone worried Monkeypox will close Japan up again? I heard there’s the first case there already.

14. What happens if you test positive on your pre flight COVID test? I’m supposed to fly in six days and my mom just tested positive.

15. Just to confirm, once I have the visa in hand I can enter whenever? (i.e. I can go a month in advance of a language program starting)

16. Anyone know if Walgreens Rapid NAAT test is accepted? Or does it have to be PCR?

17. will someone PLEASE tell me how the heck the COVID stuff on the Japan entry app is supposed to work? i’m coming in less than a month and I can’t parse it! do rapid tests count? when do I need to submit this stuff? this app is so badly written 😭

18. What is the easiest way to get the The certificate for completion of registration (受付済証) signed for, I do not have a language school or job to sign it for me but have heard that hotels and third party companies can be paid to sign it. If so where is this service available?

19. Does anyone have recent experience with layovers in Japan? I will be flying to KIX at the end of August, and almost all flights I can book from my home country have a layover in Haneda. I’m assuming all the entry and covid procedures will be done in Haneda then, so is a layover of around 2h there realistic? If I miss the connecting flight, will they just put me on the next flight to KIX or will I be in trouble?

20. UK whv- released in april, do the visas run out faster post covid? Im going to hopefully apply in april, but if i want to save more ill try for september.

21. I just got my CoE in hand, but the Visa appointments for Consulate in NYC are two months out. If I mail in the Visa application, will they typically process that in a week once they receive it, or I am better off waiting 2 months for the in person appointment?

22. Entry for Covid

    Hello everyone. I am going to Japan at the end of August.
    I have two layovers. In total, my trip will be 22 hours.
    I wonder when the 72 hours start to count. Is it on my first flight?

    Their FAQ says this: « If you travel from Brazil to Japan, transiting through Mexico and the U.S.(which requires immigration procedures), the starting point to count “72 hours before departure” will be the departure time from the airport of Brazil, only if you don’t go out of the airport upon transition through the U.S. »

    I have to go through immigration in Germany but I won’t leave the airport. Does that mean then that it’s 72 hours before my first flight?

    Thanks