PR - Successful Application!

[Tkydon]

....

We just renewed my son's reentry permit about 2 years early (because he's in the US during the school year and might not come beck next summer) and it went much more smoothly than I expected. ....

Just to be clear, this was done when your son was visiting for summer this year, right? Not in his absence?

It's fairly clear from your statement. But I just wanted to validate my understanding that the applicant (in this case your son) should be present in-person to renew the re-entry permit.

The applicant can send a representative to Immigration to renew the Re-Entry Permit on his behalf, but the representative will need the applicant's passport to do it, so the applicant has to be in Japan at the time.

The Single or Multiple Re-Entry Permit can be extended overseas before it expires. The Special Re-Entry Permit cannot.

https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/inc ... ermit.html

https://www.fi.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_fi/ ... nsion.html

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/930005869.pdf

[TokyoWart]

Just to be clear, this was done when your son was visiting for summer this year, right? Not in his absence?

It's fairly clear from your statement. But I just wanted to validate my understanding that the applicant (in this case your son) should be present in-person to renew the re-entry permit.

Yes, that is correct. We went through the pandemic problem of some family members losing PR because they had been away for longer than the 1 year allowed without a multiple reentry permit and could not even prevent it using the designated representative system. That's why we now all get 5 year reentry permits in addition to our PR (which was restored with some difficulty for my son mid-pandemic) and pay attention to dragging him along to our interactions with the immigration office.

[Gareth]

PR which was restored with some difficulty for my son

Would it be ok to tell us what you needed to do to restore your son’s PR?

[TokyoWart]

PR which was restored with some difficulty for my son

Would it be ok to tell us what you needed to do to restore your son’s PR?

It was during the pandemic and both my son and wife lost their PR just after the summer of 2020 because they had been unable to return as expected for the summer. We had to go through the process of getting special permission for them to visit Japan during the pandemic (which required me going to Shinagawa and them working with a Japanese Embassy in the US; this took from late January to May of 2021), starting an abbreviated PR application process the moment they arrived in Japan at the end of May 2021 (which required much less paperwork than the original) and their approval came through just before they had to return to the US for the start of school so in total just under 3 months from that application to restoring PR. After them I think the process became even easier for some people and PR was restored when you landed in Japan, but I am less sure of the details or reality of that because it isn't what we did. I don't know if any of the pandemic era special procedures are available any more.

Just another reminder that the 3- or 5-year multiple reentry permit is important even if you have PR. If we'd had that back in 2020 we would have saved countless hours of paperwork and appeals.

[adamu]

The applicant can send a representative to Immigration to renew the Re-Entry Permit on his behalf, but the representative will need the applicant's passport to do it, so the applicant has to be in Japan at the time.

It doesn't necessarily follow that the applicant needs to be in Japan just because their passport is required. They could send it via a courier, for example.

Technically there is no such thing as renewing a re-entry permit, only issuing a new one. I'd be interested to know if a) getting one issued while currently out of the country is possible and b) what happens to the old (in use) one in this case.

[Tkydon]

The applicant can send a representative to Immigration to renew the Re-Entry Permit on his behalf, but the representative will need the applicant's passport to do it, so the applicant has to be in Japan at the time.

It doesn't necessarily follow that the applicant needs to be in Japan just because their passport is required. They could send it via a courier, for example.

Technically there is no such thing as renewing a re-entry permit, only issuing a new one. I'd be interested to know if a) getting one issued while currently out of the country is possible and b) what happens to the old (in use) one in this case.

Yes, dunno, but there is provision for extension of a re-entry permit (except special re-entry permit) outside Japan.

They definitely know whether you are in or outside Japan.

[Tkydon]

PR which was restored with some difficulty for my son

Would it be ok to tell us what you needed to do to restore your son’s PR?

It was during the pandemic and both my son and wife lost their PR just after the summer of 2020 because they had been unable to return as expected for the summer. We had to go through the process of getting special permission for them to visit Japan during the pandemic (which required me going to Shinagawa and them working with a Japanese Embassy in the US; this took from late January to May of 2021), starting an abbreviated PR application process the moment they arrived in Japan at the end of May 2021 (which required much less paperwork than the original) and their approval came through just before they had to return to the US for the start of school so in total just under 3 months from that application to restoring PR. After them I think the process became even easier for some people and PR was restored when you landed in Japan, but I am less sure of the details or reality of that because it isn't what we did. I don't know if any of the pandemic era special procedures are available any more.

Just another reminder that the 3- or 5-year multiple reentry permit is important even if you have PR. If we'd had that back in 2020 we would have saved countless hours of paperwork and appeals.

I helped my friend in the same situation to reinstate his PR after the re-opening of the country. There is a procedure:
1. Apply for a Long-Term Visa at the local Japanese Embassy or Consulate overseas.
2. Travel to Japan.
3. On arrival, they cancel your Zairyu Card, as your PR, Juminhyo, etc. have already all been cancelled when your Re-Entry Permit expired.
4. Appeal their decision on the spot.
5. Have PR reinstated on the spot, and put a PR Stamp in your Passport.
6. Then, go and re-register everything, Juminhyo, etc., and receive a new Zairyu Card.
7. If it is urgent, go to personally collect your new Zairyu Card from the Issuing Office (Not the Immigration Office, but another location) as soon as it is ready.
8. Then, if you need to leave Japan again, go to the Immigration Office to get a new Re-Entry Permit, which you can only do with the new Zairyu Card...

The process took the best part of one full week... But the window of time when this process is allowed must be closing soon, as it was supposed to have been for one year from the re-opening, if I remember correctly.

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/930005869.pdf

[adamu]

The applicant can send a representative to Immigration to renew the Re-Entry Permit on his behalf, but the representative will need the applicant's passport to do it, so the applicant has to be in Japan at the time.

It doesn't necessarily follow that the applicant needs to be in Japan just because their passport is required. They could send it via a courier, for example.

Technically there is no such thing as renewing a re-entry permit, only issuing a new one. I'd be interested to know if a) getting one issued while currently out of the country is possible and b) what happens to the old (in use) one in this case.

Yes, dunno, but there is provision for extension of a re-entry permit (except special re-entry permit) outside Japan.

They definitely know whether you are in or outside Japan.

I'm guessing it's not possible to get a new re-entry permit while actively out of the country on an existing one, otherwise this would have been a solution to the special re-entry issue during the covid lockdowns. It's just a guess, though.

[Tkydon]

I'm guessing it's not possible to get a new re-entry permit while actively out of the country on an existing one, otherwise this would have been a solution to the special re-entry issue during the covid lockdowns. It's just a guess, though.

No, the Special Re-Entry Permit cannot be extended, and the only way to get a new one is to fill out the Departure card at the airport on the way out...

[adamu]

Not extended, but replaced by a normal one by having an agent apply on your behalf.