rustykettel

You should be able to see the date that it was approved for secondary inspection in your account.

If it's going to be close, I'd withdraw the application and reapply, assuming there's enough time for approval based on current trends.

s0ssos

Hmm, so it was the end of a month, and I'll be arriving 6 months later (as in the end of the month 6 months later), but in the evening. It seems the regular counter will be closed by then but the departure counter will be open, but I'm not departing that day.
So do you think I should risk it, or just withdraw? What happens if I exceed the 6 month deadline and haven't withdrawn, versus withdraw, to applying again?

rustykettel

You won't have access to the departure counter unless exiting I believe. The one I noticed at HND was adjacent to exit immigration and post-security.

Hasn't been updated from 3 to 6 months, but the TTP FAQ has

Quote:

Q16: I received an email to the effect that I have passed the preliminary inspection, but I do not plan to go to Japan within the next 3 months. Will I still be able to get the registered user card after the 3 months?
A ：
At the time of the secondary inspection, if 3 months have passed since the end of the preliminary inspection, in principle, your registration will not be permitted, and therefore please undergo the secondary inspection within the specified timeframe.

I was in that situation last year so just withdrew and reapplied. This was actually the second withdrawal since my original app was delayed past my prior visit. No apparent penalty to withdrawing and reapplying, and no payment for the application, so I don't see any downside to doing so unless it won't be reapproved in time for your visit (looks like it's currently running about 2 weeks?).

angra

I got my card at the end of my last visit to Japan and used it for the first time on this trip.

Overall, the experience was pretty miserable. For some unknown reason, Japan's auto passport readers seem unable to scan my passport. Everywhere else that uses a scanner seems to work fine, so I don't think it's that my passport is just unreadable or something.

Anyway, the staff at Haneda, while well meaning, had absolutely no idea how to react to this. After it failed to scan my pasport a couple of times, staff approached me and shepharded me around various desks, asking me to fill out various forms that were never used for 20 minutes or so. Eventually one of them was able to get my passport to scan and I went through.

On exit, again my passport would not scan. This time the staff sent me to the regular passport inspection desk. But, of course I had no entry card, so he couldn't process me out, and he didn't know what to do with my card, which had my entry printed onto it. so, he sent me back to the autmoated gate, which again, did not work, but another staff came by quickly, and then spent 5 minutes or so trying to get the system to scan my passport. Once he gave up on that, he led me over to the separate desk to the far right of the passport control room. Then he spent about 20 minutes reading notebooks and then making phone calls trying to figure out what to do. In the end, he put a stamp in my passport and sent me through the gate there.

My traveling companion patiently waited on both ends after sailing through regular passport control. She strongly encouraged me not to use the TTP again while traveling with her.

SNA_Flyer

Last week noticed that they have new automated machines for Japanese passport holders. I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for the legacy automated gates at least for Japanese citizens.

ryman554

Mine didn't scan, either. They should have had difficulties scanning the passport to set you up in the first place. I think my IC card is fubar. They attached a QR stamp to my passport (I had to ask them to do it, google translate is best for this) and then thngs work well ever since. Up to 10 stamps so far. Plane to train in 10 minutes can't be beat.

ryman554

Actually, I thought I saw them for *fioreigners* yesterday. I just headed to the TTP lane (which went under maintenance just as I was trying to exit), so didn't look too closely. If this is true, does the TTP card have any advantage???

paperwastage

took about 25 min for me to go through secondary processing

Narita T1, level 2 central building between the north and south escalators

Desk needed to call another person (who handles TPP), took about 10 min
Fingerprint was fussy, had to take it a few times (usually have no issue with any machine taking prints)
Only wanted form about GE/PassID, didn't care about the other printouts

T1 B1 Lawson ran out of stamps, got them from central tokyo

I used the older machines when exiting (did not notice the new machines until later)
no issues with older machine (fingerprint or passport)

LASNRT

I too have problems in both Taiwan and Japan having my passport scanned. Last time leaving Japan (when I first got my TTP card) the machine wouldn't read my passport so one of the assistants nearby wiped it down with a cloth and it finally worked.

What is this magical QR code you speak of? Would you be able to post a pic (blurred, of course)? I've googled a bit but can't find anything.

Thanks!

NYCFlyer10001

Current processing time is almost exactly one month (for US GEP members registering for TTP use.)

rustykettel

First time using it on arrival, and first time arriving at NRT

- filled out the disembarkation card online within the 12 hour window about 1.5 hours prior. Despite receiving an email that my disembarkation info has been received, it wasn’t on the screen at entry & I had to refill it out on the spot

- T2 TTP gate (only one; Japanese gates will not work even if no one is waiting as the guy behind me found) are to the far left side next to the Fast Lane entrance on the Japanese passport holder side. If you need help, say “ T T P”.

- Machine went to system error when processing the card itself after scanning my passport’s QR stamp, and said to use a regular lane. Since I hadn’t filled out a card and the machine didn’t self reset, I called one of the immigration officers over so it wasn’t left hung. He looked at it, went back to his station, and cleared the fault. Did it again, this time using the passport’s bio page, and worked fine. Did that make a difference? No idea.

rustykettel

Used it at three different places (Mitsukoshi, Itoya, & Tokyu Hands) during my short trip. No issues in the end for any of them. Two had to look over the entry "stamp"/print on the card and confer with other staffers but was ultimately accepted. Glad to see that the sensible response to these cards (and duplicated by others upthread) is winning out, even if it's a bit un-Japanese.

TechMarauder

I have had issues with the machine reading my passport, too, but I've found that it works when you push your passport to the furthest top and left part of the scanner.

Also, it's amazing to me how little the folks know about the program. I showed an officer my card and I think he thought it was counterfeit.

alphaod

I guess 4th time is the charm? After giving up last year, I applied again mid October with the exact passport and Nexus card, finally got approved mid November. I thought I was flying to Japan around Thanksgiving, but plans got changed. Anyways I'm flying there next Friday into Haneda.

I need the stamps since I didn't buy them the last time i was in Japan (silly me, huh), so I'm guessing based on the posts here I should go through the regular immigration channel first and only when I leave can I do the application? I was hoping not having to carry by passport around. I will be in Japan for about a month.

MattEvan

If you're comfortable doing so, PM me your address. I have extra shuunyuu inshi stamps in the denomination you need that are worthless to me. Happy to send them to you for free. Or you can meet me to grab.