I left japan in April last year, and didn't hand in my gaijin card when I flew out of Osaka. At the time, I thought I would be returning to Japan within a few weeks and so I filled in the disembarkation card for reentrant.
It has now been 8 months and I haven't returned to Japan in that time.
However, I am due to return to Japan in March for 2 weeks on holiday, and when I went to apply for my JR Rail pass they told me it was unlikely I would get it seeing I had a re-entry permit that wasn't cancelled.
Will I have any problems returning to Japan?
I have tried calling the embassy and they haven't been of much assistance.
My re-entry permit is valid until August 2012. My passport expires in May.
If I apply for a new passport, does this automatically make the re-entry permit void? Or is it better to enter on my current permit, forget about being able to get a JR Rail pass for the 2 weeks I am in Japan, and then hand in my gaijin card when I leave?
Any advice would be appreciated. I didn't realise it would cause so much hassle and am quite concerned that I will have problems entering the country.
Have you tried asking the Japanese Embassy or Consulate?
I also think that it might be possible to hand in your gaijincard at an Immigration Bureau anywhere in Japan in exchange for a tourist visum, but that might have changed.
I would try to hand in your gaijin card somehow so that you can get a tourist visum with which you can use a JR Pass, but that`s just my opinion. (I even think there`s an immigration Bureau at Narita Airport, but I`m not sure.)
Phoning the Japanese Embassy or Consulatewould probably be best in this case.
Left Japan with gaijin card?
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