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Re-Entry Permit

If you are in Japan on a limited term visa, and you plan to leave the country and re-enter again on that same visa, you will need to get a re-entry permit before leaving Japan.

To obtain a re-entry permit you need to go to your Immigration Office (nyuukoku kanrikyoku). You will need to fill out a few forms with usual information, plus information about where you are going, how long you expect to be gone, and why you are going.

After you fill out the form you will have to purchase a stamp. There are a few different forms of these stamps. Personally, since I am on a work visa, I had two feasible choices. One stamp cost 3000 yen, with this one you can leave Japan and re-entry once. Another possible option was a multiple-entry permit which costs 6000 yen, and you can use as many times as you want as long as your visa holds up. If you need to renew your visa however, you will also need to buy another stamp.

You must go to a Immigration office in the same city as you live in, so don't try to go to the Yokohama one if that is where you work, but your alien registration card says you live in Tokyo. That sucks.

I only lightly covered this topic, but, there you have it. If anyone has any more details about this, feel free to submit!

- Created 8/2002