Japan Customs and Immigration: taking 2 kids without spouse present
May 24, 2016, 12:17 am
#1
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Japan Customs and Immigration: taking 2 kids without spouse present
I'll be taking 2 school age kids for a 2 week trip to Japan. Due to work/school commitments the other kids and wife will stay home.
Traveling from Canada to the USA in the past I got questioned a bit by immigration and they advised me next time I should bring a letter from my wife (I think with a photocopy of her picture ID if I recall correctly) confirming that it was OK for me to bring the kids into the country. It seems they are hypersensitive about the possibility of child abduction.
Planning ahead for Japan, will there be any similar concerns?
Traveling from Canada to the USA in the past I got questioned a bit by immigration and they advised me next time I should bring a letter from my wife (I think with a photocopy of her picture ID if I recall correctly) confirming that it was OK for me to bring the kids into the country. It seems they are hypersensitive about the possibility of child abduction.
Planning ahead for Japan, will there be any similar concerns?
May 24, 2016, 9:58 am
#2
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Why risk problems, especially if you're rerouted in IROPs and might need to go through the USA or a third country? It seems simple enough to have such a letter, possibly notarized (or the Canadian/Japanese equivalent). I like the idea of also having a copy of wife's passport data page and a driver's license showing that you share a residence.
IIRC the USA State Department website has some information on international travel with kids in the absence of both parents. I think Japan might be one of the places where it can be hard to have kids returned to their legal custodial parent, so they might be especially careful (or likewise the Canadian officials at passport control before you leave).
IIRC the USA State Department website has some information on international travel with kids in the absence of both parents. I think Japan might be one of the places where it can be hard to have kids returned to their legal custodial parent, so they might be especially careful (or likewise the Canadian officials at passport control before you leave).
Last edited by MSPeconomist; May 24, 2016 at 10:51 pm Reason: typo
May 24, 2016, 10:26 am
#4
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My wife travels with my kids without me all the time to Jpn, and same goes for other families are friends of ours. I've never heard of this issue come up. I can only think this came up with OP, because he's male?
May 24, 2016, 2:04 pm
#5
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this issue occasionally popped up when there's an initiative or something to fight international child smuggling. but I've only heard this in the north american where a divorced parent taking children away is an issue. I've heard they check this in asia countries.
May 24, 2016, 2:37 pm
#6
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Why risk problems, especially if you're rerouted in IROPs and might need to go through the USA or a third country? It seems simple enough to have such a letter, possibly notarized (or the Canadian/Japanese equivalent). I like the idea of also having a copy of wife's passport data page and a dirver's license showing that you share a residence.
May 24, 2016, 10:52 pm
#8
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May 25, 2016, 3:57 pm
#9
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I did get some docs on my trip to Japan in case my wife had to fly home to toronto and I had to travel home alone with my child. Not for Canadian border on arrival but for US authorities as I was transiting via the US and for japanese authorities on exit.
May 25, 2016, 11:03 pm
#10
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Also, this is a legitimate question from check-in staff - the airline will deny boarding to people who they suspect will not be admitted to the country (or allowed to leave - that happened to a coworker who forgot to renew her visa in Japan).
May 26, 2016, 1:51 am
#11
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You're more likely to be asked a question by the Customs officer rather than the Immigration Inspector. During my last transit at NRT, I went landside since there was no line at immigration. The immigration inspector didn't ask a single question and only said "90 days" and pointed to the passport sticker. The customs officer in the green channel asked more questions like "What do you plan to do in Japan, Where are you staying, etc..."
Last edited by ginoa724; May 26, 2016 at 1:54 am Reason: Add explanation, reduce quote to relevant section
May 26, 2016, 6:04 am
#12
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Yes. I know. I live in Canada. I was pointing out to the person suggesting there was outbound passport control has no idea what they are talking about if the OP was Canadian and leaving to Japan directly from Canada.
May 26, 2016, 9:51 am
#13
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There have been posts (more than one instances) at other FT forum about only one parent traveling with their kids not able to check-in and board an international flight due to not having a notarized consent letter from another parent of kids.
There are cases reported on FT that it is an airline which will refuse travel, does not have to have passport control at departing airport. Same as any other situations, if a passenger refused entry at a destination country then an airline which carried the passenger do get fined. Airlines do care because of this.
Looks as at this moment it is destination country dependent situation.
There are cases reported on FT that it is an airline which will refuse travel, does not have to have passport control at departing airport. Same as any other situations, if a passenger refused entry at a destination country then an airline which carried the passenger do get fined. Airlines do care because of this.
Looks as at this moment it is destination country dependent situation.
May 26, 2016, 10:28 am
#14
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There have been posts (more than one instances) at other FT forum about only one parent traveling with their kids not able to check-in and board an international flight due to not having a notarized consent letter from another parent of kids.
There are cases reported on FT that it is an airline which will refuse travel, does not have to have passport control at departing airport. Same as any other situations, if a passenger refused entry at a destination country then an airline which carried the passenger do get fined. Airlines do care because of this.
Looks as at this moment it is destination country dependent situation.
There are cases reported on FT that it is an airline which will refuse travel, does not have to have passport control at departing airport. Same as any other situations, if a passenger refused entry at a destination country then an airline which carried the passenger do get fined. Airlines do care because of this.
Looks as at this moment it is destination country dependent situation.
I am usually a conservative person and I decided to get something specifically in case I had to fly home without my wife as I noted via ORD to YYZ with my child...
So my 2 cents, OP get something...I normally blow this off when I go to the US with my child but it is more on arrival to Japan that I have no idea about ....
but my situation is unique to some degree...
May 27, 2016, 5:14 pm
#15
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I believe the policy/law in the US is that a father traveling alone with child under 13 (12?) has to have a notarized letter. A mother would not. (Don't ask me, I'm not the law). I went to Japan with just my son, and had a signed letter from my wife, not notarized. She was already in Japan so I was prepared to show her reservations if necessary. I was not asked for anything. I realize OP is from Canada, and not US, so situation is different.