You have prepared everything you need for your Japan trip?! But before entering the country, you will have to fill in the “Disembarkation Card for Foreigner”, also known as the “Arrival Card”! Don’t worry if you cannot understand a single word of Japanese, here we have prepared everything you need to know regarding how to fill in Japan Arrival Card! Let us be your Japan travel guide.
Additionally, in this article, we are going to walk you through the steps of the whole immigration process, from filling in the forms to answering the officials’ questions. Let’s get started!
How to Fill In Japan Arrival Card?
Can’t read Japanese?
Don’t worry if you only speak “Konnichiwa”, and cannot read a single word of Japanese. The Disembarkation Card comes in hundreds of different languages: English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Russian, Nepali, just to name a few. Japanese people are extremely considerate, aren’t they?
Filling in the Japan Disembarkation Card
And here comes the most important part: filling in the Arrival Card.
(source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan )
➤ Name: Write down your full name on the passport, separate the first name and the surname.
➤ Date of Birth: In the order of date/month/year.
➤ Intended length of stay in Japan: The number of days you planned to stay in Japan.
➤ Intended address in Japan: Full detailed address is required. Fill in both the name of the hotel and the corresponding address.
➤ Telephone number: Either your mobile phone number (with the country code) or the telephone number of the hotel you are going to stay in.
⭐️Reminder: Just be aware of the requirement on the top of the card. “Enter information in either English or Japanese.” For example, even though you collected an Arrival Card in Traditional Chinese, in this case, you still have to fill in all the information in English.
(source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan )
At the back of the Arrival Card, there are going to be 3 questions. If your answers to those 3 questions are all “No”, then just write down “No” under all the questions. And you’re done!
① Have you ever been deported from Japan, have you ever departed from Japan under a departure order, or have you ever been denied entry to Japan?
② Have you ever been found guilty in a criminal case in Japan or in another country?
③ Do you presently have in your possession narcotics, marijuana, opium, stimulants, or other controlled substance, swords, explosives or other such items?
⭐️Reminder: Every person has to fill in one Arrival Card, no matter the age or identity. If you did not get an Arrival Card on the plane from the flight attendants, just remember to pick one up at the desk close to the immigration lines.
Go Through Immigration Area
After filling in the Arrival Card, please enter the immigration area, and prepare your passport and the disembarkation card in advance. Some customs officers may ask you for some basic information. For instance, the purpose of the visit and the length of stay. After that, they will ask you to be fingerprinted and pictured.
⭐️Reminder: If you are visiting Japan frequently, applying for automatic customs clearance will be much more convenient!
Baggage Claim – What can I bring into Japan?
Coming out of the immigration area, you will be directed to the baggage claim, and remember to identify your pieces of luggage carefully!
Things You Can Bring into Japan ✅
➤ Dried fruit
➤ Some fresh fruit and vegetables (eg. pineapples and durians). But they have to be put in the carry-on baggage and be checked at the counter after landing.
➤ Patent medicine: less than 24 boxes
➤ Other medicine: eg. Chinese medicine ingredients, less than 2 months of usage. (Perscription from the doctor is required.)
➤ Disposable contact lenses: 2 months of usage is allowed.
Things You Can’t Bring into Japan 🚫
➤ Vaccum-packed food
➤ Meat products (all kinds of meat)
➤ Most of the fresh fruit and vegetables (oranges, mangos, bananas, etc.)
➤ Illegal pornography: Child pornography and sexual violence are included.
➤ Pirated products: all DVDs, music, handbags that violate intellectual property.
Japan Customs Declaration Form
Normally, you will receive the Customs Declaration Form along with the Disembarkation Card on the plane from the flight attendants. If you did not, please collect them yourselves at the desk close to the immigration area. Don’t walk through the immigration area empty-handed! The officials may suspect that you have something to hide!
How to fill in Japan Customs Declaration Form?
(source: Japan Customs)
If you are traveling with family members, one declaration form from one family is enough. But the policy applies to immediate families only, separate Custom Declaration Forms are required if you are cousins or just friends.
The basic information required in the Japan Custom Declaration Form is generally the same as those in the Arrival Card. The only additional information needed is the “Occupation”.
Check the Boxes Carefully
The yes-or-no boxes in the declaration form should be checked carefully and truthfully. Not truthful answers may lead to fines or penalties.
Go through Japan Customs!
Congratulations! After going through all the previous steps, this is the last part of the task – going through the customs. Generally, officials will briefly review your passport and the declaration form. If everything is fine, you are free to go! Welcome to Japan!
We hope the information above helped you a lot ✨
Are you currently planning your trip to Japan? 🌸🌸🌸
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