Visa Run, New Developments Options

[tdermott]

Well the school year is upon us. And many of us are going to be making a visa run for the first time in a couple of years. I have checked the web sites for current info but most of the data is about two years old. If anyone has current info on the trip please provide any useful tibits. Specifically I have two questions.

Do you still have to be at the embassy by 11 am if you want to get your passport back the next day. And do they still make you wait until 11 before you can pick it up.

My new school said all I need to get my visa is an immigration number. I remember before I had an actual sheet of paper (blue). Which is it.

[Americrazy]

Here's are some discussions that go into detail about that topic

http://www.koreabridge.com/forums/index.ph...p;f=4&t=945

http://www.koreabridge.com/forums/index.ph...f=10&t=1946

http://www.koreabridge.com/forums/index.ph...f=10&t=2354

Type in "visa run" or something along those lines in the search box in the opening page of these forums and you'll get the information you need.

[Don Koharski]

Americacrazy, thanks for posting the links.

Anyone have more recent info? I heard something about the infamous blue paper not being necessary anymore but I can't confirm.

tdermott, better safe than sorry... ask someone at Immigration. Good luck.

[Americrazy]

I was in Fukuoka in June 06 gettin my new visa. I DID NOT have the actual "blue paper" I only had my new immigration number that my new director had given me that he received in an email from immigration. So to answer your one of your questions, no, you don't need the actual paper, just the number.

I don't remember the exact times of when I picked up my visa the next day but it WAS earlier than the office person told me to come. I wanted to get my visa as early as possible since I was taking a day trip down to Nagasaki and I wanted the most possible time there. I was there maybe 45 minutes to an hour and a half earlier than the time they told me to come back.

[ignint]

the eslcafe stickyA lot of this information is a year old, but I haven't heard of someone using the blue form in ages.

Really though, the number is what you need.

[tdermott]

Back from visa run with no complications. Put my application in at about 2 and got it back the next morning at 10, The clerk, a very nice young lady, takes your number, types it into the computer and there is your smiling face.

One thing new. Coming back on the ferry, Japan hits you with a additional 800 yen "fuel charge', so keep a bit of yen in your pocket.