Entry Requirements & Customs

Entry Requirements

Americans, Australians, and New Zealanders traveling to Japan as tourists for a stay of 90 days or less need only a valid passport to gain entry into the country. Canadians don't need a visa for stays of up to 3 months, and United Kingdom and Irish citizens can stay up to 6 months without a visa.

Note: Only tourists don't need a visa -- that is, those in the country for sightseeing, sports activities, family visits, inspection tours, business meetings, or short study courses. Tourists cannot work in Japan or engage in any remunerative activity, including the teaching of English (though some young people ignore the law). No extensions of stay are granted, which means tourists must leave the country after 90 days. If you're going to Japan to work or to study for longer than 90 days, you'll need a visa; contact the Japanese embassy or consulate nearest you (visit www.jnto.go.jp for a list of addresses).

Entry Procedures -- Since November 2007, all foreigners arriving in Japan are fingerprinted and photographed to prevent terrorists from entering Japan. Exceptions include children younger than 16, diplomats, and some permanent residents of Japan.

Passport Savvy -- Safeguard your passport in an inconspicuous place and keep a photocopy of your passport's information page in your luggage. Note: All foreigners must present their passports for bank transactions and for photocopying when checking into lodging facilities. In addition, foreigners are required to carry with them at all times either their passports or, for those who have been granted longer stays, their alien registration cards. Police generally do not stop foreigners, but if you're caught without an ID, you'll be taken to local police headquarters. It happened to me once and, believe me, I can think of better ways to spend an hour and a half than explaining in detail who I am, what I am doing in Japan, where I live, and what I plan to do for the rest of my life. I even had to write a statement explaining why I rushed out that day without my passport, apologizing and promising never to do such a thoughtless thing again. The policemen were polite and were simply doing their duty.

Customs

What You Can Bring into Japan: If you're 20 or older, you can bring duty-free into Japan up to 400 non-Japanese cigarettes or 500 grams of tobacco or 100 cigars; three bottles (760cc each) of alcohol; and 2 ounces of perfume. You can also bring in goods for personal use that were purchased abroad whose total market value is less than ¥200,000 ($1,666/£833).

What You Can Take Home from Japan: U.S. Citizens: For specifics on what you can bring back and the corresponding fees, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.cbp.gov. (Click on "Travel," and then click on "Know Before You Go! Online Brochure.") Or contact the U.S. Customs & Border Protection, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8667) to request the pamphlet.

Canadian Citizens: For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).

U.K. Citizens: For information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.

Australian Citizens: A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

New Zealand Citizens: Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).