ballin44

Hi,

This is my first post in this forum after having read on Flyertalk for quite a while.

I am a Brazilian, currently traveling together with my German fiancee in Vietnam. In early June, I'll fly on Vietnam Airlines (VN) to NRT, and from the next day on Lufthansa (LH) from HND via FRA to GRU.

As a Brazilian, I need a visa to enter Japan, but since I've been travelling for a couple of months, I can't apply for it in Brazil. The Japanese embassy in Vietnam will not process my request because I'm not a resident.

Therefore, I have to rely on the infamous shore pass. My question is if I can directly apply for it, or if I need support from my airline (VN or LH)?

I asked at check-in and VN does not know anything about it. They said they would let me board but basically told me that I'm on my own when arriving in Japan. Does anyone have any experience with this?

bmwe92fan

While this is technically possible I would be really surprised if you were allowed to board at the airport... Is there any way you can change your flight from into NRT to into HND? If not - make sure you have both boarding passes to show to the immigration officer and stay in the Tokyo area for that evening - not Yokohama or further away. Good luck - hopefully others here with direct experience can help out more...

ballin44

Yes, I was also surprised when the check-in supervisor told me that I can board without a problem since I can apply for the shore pass, but they would not know how to support an application. I was hoping to find someone who has

a) applied for a shore pass without airline support, or
b) someone who can at least tell me the exact procedure (by experience, or by asking when he/she is in NRT).

bmwe92fan

AFAIK a shore pass require the captians signature from your flight - I believe what you need is a transit pass but as a US passport holder I have no direct experience....

AlwaysAisle

Your situation is transit shore pass, in Japanese it is called, 寄港地上陸許可 “Yokouchi Jyouriku Kyoka.” This pass is issued to non-Japanese passport holders from countries Japan does not have visa waiver and transiting international-international in Japanese airports. This is the situation you fall under.

Condition to receive transit shore pass is that you are arriving on an international flight and departing on an international flight in Japan for transit purpose. The departing flight is next day or different airport which require you to go through the passport control at the transit airport. Transit shore pass is valid for 72 hours.

The grey area of this transit shore pass is that immigration officers manning the passport control booth at airports are given wide discretion to decide if a transiting passengers get transit shore pass or not.

What I gathered is that the most common reason for transit shore pass being declined is that an officer suspects that a person is planning to do more than just transit flights at Japan. Transit shore pass is valid for 72 hours. For people from countries which require visa to enter Japan, transit shore pass can be convenient way to get to stay in Japan for a day or two to do some short sightseeing trip without going through the trouble of getting visa prior to the trip. This also avoid visa application fee at Japanese consulate.

Supposedly back in 2013 condition for transit shore pass was relaxed little bit. Used to be that transit shore pass was denied if there was a flight to the final destination departing on that day but a passenger is transiting on next day’s flight. Passenger is not transiting to first flight of the day available on next day, etc. But these are supposedly relaxed now.

Make sure you have flight reservation showing your flight out of HND. Make sure your hotel reservation for your stay at Tokyo is somewhere along the path of NRT to HND. Do not get a hotel room little out of the way which may suggest you are planning to do mini-tour of Tokyo during the transit. Also, you may be asked why you did not get a transit visa in advance.

Again, grey area of this transit shore pass is that immigration officers manning the passport control booth at airports are given wide discretion to decide if a transiting passengers get transit shore pass or not. Hope it will work out. I cannot say much because I do not know anybody with firsthand experience with this transit shore pass.

techc

I have a 2 hour layover in NRT on my trip from SIN > NRT > YVR.

Do I need to worry about going through customs and immigration in NRT if I do not plan on leaving the airport? I'd like to make sure I have time to make the connection, hit up a 7-11 and duty free store and I'm worried immigration/security will cut into my limited time at NRT.

Thanks for your time.

Best regards,
TC

teemuflyer

There is no need to clear immigration. They have an international connections lane, which requires a security check, but for me the whole process has never taken me more than 10 minutes.

You'll have plenty of time for your shopping.

AlwaysAisle

You will not go through customs and immigration. Upon arrival at NRT you will follow the sign of “International Transfer”, go through security check, then you will be out to departure gate area.

Duty free shops will be at departure gate area. However, there is no 7-11 at departure gate area of NRT. 7-11 is located at Terminal 2 before passport control at NRT.

ksandness

There is a little convenience store-like corner in the departure area--not a 7/11, but an area for buying canned and bottled drinks, packets of snack foods or candy, travel accessories and the like--as well as a place to buy light meals, but for serious shopping, you need to go through immigration. However, it's not worth it with a two-hour layover.

TennisNoob

Out of the hotels out in NRT which does everyone suggest? (No SPG or Hyatt propertys nearby)

My inbound flight from HKG-NRT arrives at 330PM and morning flight back home leaves in the morning.

Would like to make the most of my day and get as little sleep as possible (hoping I can sleep on the plane instead).

Any advise based on the time I have?

nishimark

I think that there won't be much to do at night around NRT or in Narita town. Why not just go into Tokyo?

evergrn

Yes, I definitely agree with staying in Tokyo if you want to do a lot and be out and about at night. The first express train from Tokyo to NRT arrives at NRT at 6.42am.

teemuflyer

+1^

TennisNoob

So I have 2 flight options leaving Hong Kong.

There's an 772 that leaves NH and arrives Haneda at 740PM vs the 330PM in Narita.

Which one am I better off taking? Is Sheraton Miyako in an convenient area? I'm not looking for any night life, just some site seeing as I haven't been in parts of Tokyo for over 10 years.

I just have to leave Narita the next morning on NH173 which departs at 11:20am.
Also will be carrying 2 heavy luggage's per person so would try to avoid the lease movement possible without using an Taxi.

NewbieRunner

In that case I'd fly to NRT, leave the heavy luggage at the airport, hop on the Narita Express to Shinagawa which is convenient for the Sheraton Miyako. In the morning get on the Narita Express back to NRT. Buy a N'EX Tokyo Round Trip Ticket at 4,000 yen each.