New immigration policies: Japan to fingerprint and photograph visitors (merged)
Nov 20, 2007, 7:18 am
#168
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
Have just received the following in .pdf format:
1. Application Form for User Registration of the Automated Gates (45kb)
2. User's guide (manual for the gates and registration) (47kb)
Anybody that would like them mailed, please semd PM or mail to me wit an address at which you can receive these docs.
Mike
1. Application Form for User Registration of the Automated Gates (45kb)
2. User's guide (manual for the gates and registration) (47kb)
Anybody that would like them mailed, please semd PM or mail to me wit an address at which you can receive these docs.
Mike
Nov 20, 2007, 7:32 am
#169
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
NHK ran piece tonight about new procedure. Looked
like lines were extremely long. They interviewed pax
with German accent, who expressed surprise because
"we don't have anything like this in Europe". Another
French sounding passenger expressed concern about
being recorded into the system. They did not interview
any U.S. passengers, probably would have gotten a
different response.
I am not happy about the new procedure. My wife is
Japanese and we own a house here. But in the past
never stayed longer than 90 days per visit, so for all
these years I never bothered getting a "green card" and
in-and-out was easy. We did the same in the U.S. until
last year they detained my wife, held her in jail overnight
and returned her to Tokyo because they said she was
visiting too often using the visa-exempt privilege!!! The
world is not getting any better. Now we are contemplating
moving to another country that's more visitor friendly.
Thailand and Malaysia offer deals for retired people.
like lines were extremely long. They interviewed pax
with German accent, who expressed surprise because
"we don't have anything like this in Europe". Another
French sounding passenger expressed concern about
being recorded into the system. They did not interview
any U.S. passengers, probably would have gotten a
different response.
I am not happy about the new procedure. My wife is
Japanese and we own a house here. But in the past
never stayed longer than 90 days per visit, so for all
these years I never bothered getting a "green card" and
in-and-out was easy. We did the same in the U.S. until
last year they detained my wife, held her in jail overnight
and returned her to Tokyo because they said she was
visiting too often using the visa-exempt privilege!!! The
world is not getting any better. Now we are contemplating
moving to another country that's more visitor friendly.
Thailand and Malaysia offer deals for retired people.
Anyone experience the new immigration policies for Japan arrivals?
Nov 20, 2007, 5:58 pm
#171
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ani Ichibanya
Programs: WWMFD
Posts: 6,292
Nov 21, 2007, 1:13 am
#174
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Seattle, WA (ex Tokyo, JP)
Programs: A3*G, DL Platinum
Posts: 864
Alright, I signed up for the "automated gate" today at NRT 1-South. Took about 20 minutes, but that was only because the three folks in front of me were having problems with the fingerprint reader. The actual registration only took about five minutes. Lots of immigration folks around who spoke great English and were generally jovial about the process.
That having been said, I think the biggest advantage right now is just having a dedicated exit gate. For gaijin, the "automated gate" really isn't that automated. You fingerprint in and then as the documents describe hand your passport to the guy, who basically does what he did before (staple in the card). If you want, however, you can now decline the entry/exit stamps.
(If you're Japanese, you get to use a different automated gate that's much more like the UK -- it's just pass through. The immigration guy called the gaijin one "50% automated" but said they were working on ways to improve it. Oddly, there were no Japanese signing up for the automated gate -- maybe they don't want to give their fingerprints in?)
Will try it coming back in next week. Since there are less than 150 people registered to date at T-1, the line should be nonexistant.
That having been said, I think the biggest advantage right now is just having a dedicated exit gate. For gaijin, the "automated gate" really isn't that automated. You fingerprint in and then as the documents describe hand your passport to the guy, who basically does what he did before (staple in the card). If you want, however, you can now decline the entry/exit stamps.
(If you're Japanese, you get to use a different automated gate that's much more like the UK -- it's just pass through. The immigration guy called the gaijin one "50% automated" but said they were working on ways to improve it. Oddly, there were no Japanese signing up for the automated gate -- maybe they don't want to give their fingerprints in?)
Will try it coming back in next week. Since there are less than 150 people registered to date at T-1, the line should be nonexistant.
Nov 21, 2007, 2:04 am
#175
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ani Ichibanya
Programs: WWMFD
Posts: 6,292
Nov 21, 2007, 2:51 am
#176
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: JAL Global Club & oneworld Sapphire, ANA SFC & Star Alliance Gold
Posts: 3,738
(If you're Japanese, you get to use a different automated gate that's much more like the UK -- it's just pass through. The immigration guy called the gaijin one "50% automated" but said they were working on ways to improve it. Oddly, there were no Japanese signing up for the automated gate -- maybe they don't want to give their fingerprints in?)
Nov 21, 2007, 5:13 am
#177
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,656
I am surprised that any of you are considering giving your mugshot and fingerprints to immigration for a "half" automated service. You should all be voicing your displeasure
about this ill thought out law and plan!
about this ill thought out law and plan!
Nov 21, 2007, 6:37 am
#178
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SIN / SFO
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,215
The "automated gate" program for foreigners seems about as useful as the TSA's Clear program back home in America. You get to go through the line more quickly, but otherwise, despite registering in advance and handing over a nice bundle of personal info, you have the exact same experience as anyone else. The whole thing seems rather pointless in its current form.
When I first saw the info on this, I had high hopes for a truly automated gate - stick your fingerprints on the reader, let the facial recognition software do the work, and walk through. That doesn't seem to be what we got, though.
My main complaint with this whole fingerprinting nonsense isn't that I feel particularly violated by the fingerprinting itself (the US government has a full set of my fingerprints), but the fact that it seems like it would be rather useless at catching any major terrorists. Most of them don't have their fingerprints on file anywhere until after they get caught...
It's an inconvenience, especially for those who live in Japan, it will discourage tourism and use of Japan as a transit point (just like US-VISIT did), and I really don't understand why people with valid re-entry permits can't use a truly automated gate.
When I first saw the info on this, I had high hopes for a truly automated gate - stick your fingerprints on the reader, let the facial recognition software do the work, and walk through. That doesn't seem to be what we got, though.
My main complaint with this whole fingerprinting nonsense isn't that I feel particularly violated by the fingerprinting itself (the US government has a full set of my fingerprints), but the fact that it seems like it would be rather useless at catching any major terrorists. Most of them don't have their fingerprints on file anywhere until after they get caught...
It's an inconvenience, especially for those who live in Japan, it will discourage tourism and use of Japan as a transit point (just like US-VISIT did), and I really don't understand why people with valid re-entry permits can't use a truly automated gate.
Nov 21, 2007, 7:01 am
#179
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,656
! The folks at immigration seem ecstatic that they will now have more work to do!
Nov 21, 2007, 7:02 am
#180
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ani Ichibanya
Programs: WWMFD
Posts: 6,292
Just in case any of us have questions regarding the efficacy of the program:
Ummmm, yeah. This always happens on day one of any new program.
Japan to Deport Five After Narita Crackdown, Yomiuri Says
Nov. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Japan, which yesterday began taking fingerprints and photographs of foreign visitors at ports of entry, will deport five people whose fingerprints showed up on a government blacklist, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on its Web site.
The blacklist has data on criminals and people who have been deported, Yomiuri reported, without saying where it obtained the information. The report didn't provide details on the five people.
The government is tightening security to prevent terrorism and crack down on illegal immigrants who overstayed visas and attempt to reenter Japan using fake passports. Human rights activists have criticized the system, saying it implies only foreigners can be terrorists.
(Yomiuri, 11-21, online)
Nov. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Japan, which yesterday began taking fingerprints and photographs of foreign visitors at ports of entry, will deport five people whose fingerprints showed up on a government blacklist, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on its Web site.
The blacklist has data on criminals and people who have been deported, Yomiuri reported, without saying where it obtained the information. The report didn't provide details on the five people.
The government is tightening security to prevent terrorism and crack down on illegal immigrants who overstayed visas and attempt to reenter Japan using fake passports. Human rights activists have criticized the system, saying it implies only foreigners can be terrorists.
(Yomiuri, 11-21, online)
