Consolidated Japan Customs & Immigation Discussion (was Extremely long wait times...)
Mar 28, 2016, 7:41 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA MP
Posts: 1,659
I arrived at KIX yesterday and at 3:00 PM the lines seemed to be around an hour, although they were taking foreigners living in Japan and sending them over to the Japanese lines.
The setup for foreigners reentering at KIX was terrible yesterday - most people were confused about it, and the person in the area started getting snippy. Of course, they had a separate line for foreigners reentering that was roped off and a sign pointing to the roped off line, when you were just supposed to leave the roped off area and go into a separate line in the middle of the floor.
The setup for foreigners reentering at KIX was terrible yesterday - most people were confused about it, and the person in the area started getting snippy. Of course, they had a separate line for foreigners reentering that was roped off and a sign pointing to the roped off line, when you were just supposed to leave the roped off area and go into a separate line in the middle of the floor.
Mar 30, 2016, 7:55 pm
#17
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Boulder, CO
Programs: UA, SQ, DL, Hyatt
Posts: 14
I flew ICN->NRT on Thursday 3/24 arriving ~3:30pm. Took me around 40 minutes to make it through the immigration line from where I started. (bmwe92fan's photo looks just like my experience.) And the line grew quite a bit while I was there. Even the Japanese lanes were full upon my arrival, but they cleared out in less than 10 minutes. When no Japanese citizens were in line, they did send a few foreign passengers through those lanes as well.
Didn't expect it to be so crowded on a Thursday afternoon even with it being a popular time of the year for tourists.
Didn't expect it to be so crowded on a Thursday afternoon even with it being a popular time of the year for tourists.
Mar 31, 2016, 11:23 am
#18
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: SAS Eurobonus - Blue / Emirates Skywards - Blue
Posts: 618
Lesson is -
If you qualify for automatic gates then get registered.
It saved me a huge queue through 2 747's from TPE.
Me and the Mrs were the only ones at the automatic gates when we went through - nice personal service.
-mrploddy
If you qualify for automatic gates then get registered.
It saved me a huge queue through 2 747's from TPE.
Me and the Mrs were the only ones at the automatic gates when we went through - nice personal service.
-mrploddy
Mar 31, 2016, 9:12 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, AA 2.1MM, EK, BA, SQ, CX, Marriot LT, Accor P
Posts: 6,317
Returned to HND today (Friday April 1) from PVG mid-day and happy to report things are back to normal - 25 minutes from de-planing to curb...
Mar 31, 2016, 9:15 pm
#20
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Tokyo/Syd/Mel
Programs: NH Dia (MM), QF-Plt, S-La GC Dia, Marriot Plt
Posts: 226
"Normal" for me at Haneda is 5 minutes... seriously. Maybe 10 at Narita given gates tend to be further away (using Automated Gates).
Mar 31, 2016, 9:18 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, AA 2.1MM, EK, BA, SQ, CX, Marriot LT, Accor P
Posts: 6,317
90 percent of my time was waiting for bags in baggage claim....no lines In Immigration or customs and in taxi on way home now - landed at 1203 so more like 15 minutes lol...
Last edited by bmwe92fan; Mar 31, 2016 at 9:25 pm
Apr 1, 2016, 12:26 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seoul, Tokyo
Programs: OZ Diamond+ Lifetime, JL Diamond
Posts: 101
Not sure why more people don't use them. I rarely see even citizens taking advantage of the gates.
That said, the implementation of these things is pretty poor for us non-Japanese. I cringe every time I see an immigration officer scurrying over to check my passport and re-entry card after clearing the biometric gantry.
Apr 1, 2016, 1:28 am
#23
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: SAS Eurobonus - Blue / Emirates Skywards - Blue
Posts: 618
What's even worse is asking for re-entry stamps.
Unfortunately I have the joy of at some point dealing with UK Immigration again for my wife (moving back at some point) and we need to justify our existence or not existence in a country to them and entry/exit stamps are the easiest ways of doing that.
It's always hillarious how they have to take the passports in to the office to get them stamped. You would think they would keep at least 1 stamp primed at the gates just in case someone asks for a stamp.
Personally I think it's a good thing the gates are not well advertised - only those in the know go - the registration booths are Narita / KIX are definitely out of the way and you only know to go there if you have read up.
Unfortunately I have the joy of at some point dealing with UK Immigration again for my wife (moving back at some point) and we need to justify our existence or not existence in a country to them and entry/exit stamps are the easiest ways of doing that.
It's always hillarious how they have to take the passports in to the office to get them stamped. You would think they would keep at least 1 stamp primed at the gates just in case someone asks for a stamp.
Personally I think it's a good thing the gates are not well advertised - only those in the know go - the registration booths are Narita / KIX are definitely out of the way and you only know to go there if you have read up.
Apr 1, 2016, 7:20 pm
#24
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seoul, Tokyo
Programs: OZ Diamond+ Lifetime, JL Diamond
Posts: 101
What's even worse is asking for re-entry stamps.
Unfortunately I have the joy of at some point dealing with UK Immigration again for my wife (moving back at some point) and we need to justify our existence or not existence in a country to them and entry/exit stamps are the easiest ways of doing that.
It's always hillarious how they have to take the passports in to the office to get them stamped. You would think they would keep at least 1 stamp primed at the gates just in case someone asks for a stamp.
Unfortunately I have the joy of at some point dealing with UK Immigration again for my wife (moving back at some point) and we need to justify our existence or not existence in a country to them and entry/exit stamps are the easiest ways of doing that.
It's always hillarious how they have to take the passports in to the office to get them stamped. You would think they would keep at least 1 stamp primed at the gates just in case someone asks for a stamp.
I saw something in the news about how they're planning to revamp airport security in Japan before the Olympics in 2020. Hopefully things will improve at NRT and HND in the next couple of years.
Apr 2, 2016, 2:26 am
#25
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
Wow, even domestic-international transfer was brutal today. Took CTS-NRT today with slightly more than MCT and just made it onto NH8 on time. No time for the F lounge!
Apr 5, 2016, 1:53 am
#27
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
Thanks
Apr 5, 2016, 6:59 am
#28
Moderator, All Nippon Airways and Japan
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: NH SFC (*G), JL JGP (OWE), AS MVP, WOH E, IHG SE
Posts: 3,908
http://www.moj.go.jp/nyuukokukanri/k...i07_00015.html
If you have a valid re-entry permit, you are eligible. Holders of temporary visas are not eligible.
If you have a valid re-entry permit, you are eligible. Holders of temporary visas are not eligible.
Apr 5, 2016, 7:01 am
#29
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
http://www.moj.go.jp/nyuukokukanri/k...i07_00015.html
If you have a valid re-entry permit, you are eligible. Holders of temporary visas are not eligible.
If you have a valid re-entry permit, you are eligible. Holders of temporary visas are not eligible.
Apr 10, 2016, 11:03 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Tokyo/Syd/Mel
Programs: NH Dia (MM), QF-Plt, S-La GC Dia, Marriot Plt
Posts: 226
I'd also mention that in my experience applying for this at Narita seemed to be more successful than at Haneda.
I initially tried at Haneda but my fingerprints were too weak to be picked up. The guys there just shrugged their shoulders and said sorry..can't help you. Then I tried again at Narita and there's a lady there who has been doing this for like 8 years and knows a bunch of tricks to get it to work. I eventually got registered after much persistence and I've since never had any issue using these gates.
I initially tried at Haneda but my fingerprints were too weak to be picked up. The guys there just shrugged their shoulders and said sorry..can't help you. Then I tried again at Narita and there's a lady there who has been doing this for like 8 years and knows a bunch of tricks to get it to work. I eventually got registered after much persistence and I've since never had any issue using these gates.