New immigration policies: Japan to fingerprint and photograph visitors (merged)
Sep 28, 2007, 9:48 pm
#91
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I know plenty of people who refuse to visit the US because of immigration invasion of privacy, as well as a number who put up with it either because they still like the US enough or because they have to do business in the US. As for Japan, I was thinking of a winter vacation there for the first time in 10 years; now I'm thinking of alternatives.
Sep 29, 2007, 4:37 am
#92
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I thought I had seen some sort of FastTrack system signs while waiting in the emigration line last week. Is Japan considering a program similar to the US "Fly Clear" registered traveller program? I assume this would be a biometric card which could speed up the process.
Sep 29, 2007, 5:31 am
#93
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I thought I had seen some sort of FastTrack system signs while waiting in the emigration line last week. Is Japan considering a program similar to the US "Fly Clear" registered traveller program? I assume this would be a biometric card which could speed up the process.
Surely it would make sense to set it up before starting the mandatory fingerprinting on Nov. 20.
Oct 1, 2007, 1:06 am
#94
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Oct 23, 2007, 3:20 am
#95
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Had a nice long chat with an immigration official at NRT on Friday. He explained how the new all non-Japanese Passports section will work at immigration. The Japanes eonly line will indeed be Japanese PAssport only. The balance of passports wiill be separated into three groups:
1. The special Permananet residents (i.e Those who made noise about fingerprinting last time)
2. Permanent residents, work visa holders, spouse visa holders, etc.
3. The unwashed masses
He said that this means the desks allocated to Japanese only will be fewer as the people in categories 1. and 2. above will not be in those lines. Those extra desks would be for the new larger macro group and its three subcategories. He said it also means that the total time through for those in groups 1. and 2. will be the same, or at least that is the design they are working towards.
We will have to allow for the system to get the kinks worked out, but it was very good to hear real answers to a big worrry many of us had had.
The actual fingerprinting and photo bit is IMHO no big deal. If the US can insist, why not Japan?
I am quite pleased and relieved after that conversation Friday.
Mike
1. The special Permananet residents (i.e Those who made noise about fingerprinting last time)
2. Permanent residents, work visa holders, spouse visa holders, etc.
3. The unwashed masses
He said that this means the desks allocated to Japanese only will be fewer as the people in categories 1. and 2. above will not be in those lines. Those extra desks would be for the new larger macro group and its three subcategories. He said it also means that the total time through for those in groups 1. and 2. will be the same, or at least that is the design they are working towards.
We will have to allow for the system to get the kinks worked out, but it was very good to hear real answers to a big worrry many of us had had.
The actual fingerprinting and photo bit is IMHO no big deal. If the US can insist, why not Japan?
I am quite pleased and relieved after that conversation Friday.
Mike
Oct 23, 2007, 4:52 am
#97
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Not too excited about this fingerprinting BS, but my biggest concern was having to line up with all the other water buffalo and miss my train.
Oct 23, 2007, 6:16 am
#98
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Kudos to mjm for getting the story from the uma's kuchi, so to speak. It seems that we won't face the worst of the unsubstantiated scare stories that I've read in other places (such as Terry Lloyd's newsletter and the Stippy web site).
I dislike being finger printed when I enter the US and I won't like it here Perhaps I'll find it even more objectionable here, because this is my home, whereas the US is just a country that lets me visit. (On the other hand, I don't get shouted at on my way through NRT, which makes it easier to stomach than going through an American airport). But will I be leaving Japan in protest? No - and I guess most foreign residents feel the same.
I'm sure that mjm is right that there will be some teething problems as the NRT officials get used to "load balancing" three immigration lines. I would just remind this forum that the "squeaky wheel gets the oil". So if you feel that your line didn't move as quickly as it ought to have done, you should certainly register a polite complaint with the immigration officials.
I know that NRT responded to multiple complaints from the foreigner line some time last year - by allocating more staff to that side of the hall. (As a result, the Japanese lines got longer). It's a zero sum game. I think I might print up some complaint letters and keep them with my passport - just write the date at the top and hand it to the guy at the window if the line was too slow....
I dislike being finger printed when I enter the US and I won't like it here Perhaps I'll find it even more objectionable here, because this is my home, whereas the US is just a country that lets me visit. (On the other hand, I don't get shouted at on my way through NRT, which makes it easier to stomach than going through an American airport). But will I be leaving Japan in protest? No - and I guess most foreign residents feel the same.
I'm sure that mjm is right that there will be some teething problems as the NRT officials get used to "load balancing" three immigration lines. I would just remind this forum that the "squeaky wheel gets the oil". So if you feel that your line didn't move as quickly as it ought to have done, you should certainly register a polite complaint with the immigration officials.
I know that NRT responded to multiple complaints from the foreigner line some time last year - by allocating more staff to that side of the hall. (As a result, the Japanese lines got longer). It's a zero sum game. I think I might print up some complaint letters and keep them with my passport - just write the date at the top and hand it to the guy at the window if the line was too slow....
Last edited by jib71; Oct 23, 2007 at 6:21 am
Oct 23, 2007, 8:52 am
#99
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It's good to hear that we're not just being thrown back into the regular foreigner line. I'm still wondering how the mechanics of these lines will work, especially as most airports seem to have some desk in the middle, separating the foreigner line from the Japanese line. I guess I'll find out soon enough (come back from a visit to the US on 11/23).
Oct 23, 2007, 1:53 pm
#100
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A little OT: maybe I'm just plain lucky but the vast majority of flights I do to Japan I've never had to wait no more then 2-5 minutes at immigration for regular visitors. I fly NW in the back of the bus, so I'm not the first people off in Business class or even the first section of coach, I don't know it seems everyone is connecting to China (usually NW11 and NW25) on those flights or elsewhere in Asia, maybe there are people going into Japan but get confused and go into the connecting security line and I always managed to run by them. Maybe its just me, I have the no lines luck, but the long lines I usually encounter is at exit immigration.
Oct 23, 2007, 4:24 pm
#101
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Oct 23, 2007, 5:16 pm
#102
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A little OT: maybe I'm just plain lucky but the vast majority of flights I do to Japan I've never had to wait no more then 2-5 minutes at immigration for regular visitors. I fly NW in the back of the bus, so I'm not the first people off in Business class or even the first section of coach, I don't know it seems everyone is connecting to China (usually NW11 and NW25) on those flights or elsewhere in Asia, maybe there are people going into Japan but get confused and go into the connecting security line and I always managed to run by them. Maybe its just me, I have the no lines luck, but the long lines I usually encounter is at exit immigration.
Oct 23, 2007, 5:32 pm
#103
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