US & Japanese Passports

Hmm, I actually had this happen this year and showed my US passport to the united airlines checkin lady at narita (after presenting my japanese one initially, and being asked for a visa). She did not run to get immigration, and everything was cool. I guess she was nice.

In this situation, what are one's options? I'm thinking you won't qualify for a visa waiver since you won't have a return ticket to japan.

If you are leaving Japan show the airline representative your US Passport, when you get to Exit Immigration Officer show your Japanese Passport.
When you get to the USA, use your US passport, going through the US immigration line.

When Leaving the US, show your US Passport (US does not have exit Immigration for citizens like Japan), when entering Japan use your Japanese Passport and the Japanese Citizen line.

Easy. NEVER SHOW BOTH. the end.

thanks john.

I've heard the similar plan as John's. And I was wondering the proof of the Visa upon exiting Japan and didn't know showing Visa was not necessary to the Immigration Officer. Showing US password only at the Airline counter was clever. But also I wonder if the Immigration Officer checks the US entry stamps when entering Japan. Or just looking for the Stamps at the last exit from Japan?

I've heard the similar plan as John's. And I was wondering the proof of the Visa upon exiting Japan and didn't know showing Visa was not necessary to the Immigration Officer. Showing US password only at the Airline counter was clever. But also I wonder if the Immigration Officer checks the US entry stamps when entering Japan. Or just looking for the Stamps at the last exit from Japan?

've heard the similar plan as John's. And I was wondering the proof of the Visa upon exiting Japan and didn't know showing Visa was not necessary to the Immigration Officer. Showing US password only at the Airline counter was clever. But also I wonder if the Immigration Officer checks the US entry stamps when entering Japan. Or just looking for the Stamps at the last exit from Japan?

The US doesn't issue entry stamps (at least at most places), unless you are there on a visa, then you have a US visa, if you are there on a visa-waiver they staple this detachable card that the airline takes away, so there isn't a stamp stamp in your passport, btw many european countries don't issue stamps for visitors, so I don't think the Immigration inspector is looking for any entry stamps, when entering Japan the Immigration inspector just processes you back into the country, if you hold a Japanese Passport you are a citizen and they can't really kick out citizens.

I also hold both U.S. and Japanese passports and travel somewhat frequently between the U.S. and Japan. (I am based in the U.S. at the moment.) My strategy has been the same as John's answer above. Assuming a trip originating in the U.S.:

Leaving U.S. - no passport shown
Entering Japan - show Japanese passport
Leaving Japan (airline counter) - show U.S. passport
Leaving Japan (immigration) - show Japanese passport
Entering U.S. - show U.S. passport

In my experience, the Japanese immigration officers don't seem very interested in where I've been, how I've been staying in the U.S., or if I have another passport. For some reason, the Japanese customs inspectors are much more curious and tend to ask probing questions about why I can stay in the U.S. so long and whether I have a visa, green card, or U.S. passport. I've tended to answer such questions honestly, and while I have received some confused/disapproving looks, I have yet to encounter a problem.

The US has no official exit immigration like Japan, however the airlines usually want to see if you have a passport so they can enter it into the machine when you check-in. Usually you can just use the Automatic Kiosk to enter your passport. But it really doensn't matter much on the US Side, as you can just show your US passport.

Is anyone here familiar with A.P.I. (Advance Passenger Information) and how it might apply to the dual passport issue? For example would this make it more important to show your japanese passport when checking in to your flight on the US side, so that it matches up when you use your japanese passport to enter Japan? Thanks.

i have a question, i'm not Japanese, but i would like to move there and get citizenship, how should i go about doing this, is there a problem with applying for Japanese Citizenship, without having Japanese parents?

(also i would like to keep my US citizenship. . .)

Getting a visa will be your first step. You should worry about that before thinking about obtaining citizenship. Have you even lived here before?

It'll take a minimum of five years to get citizenship but probably more like 10 to 20 years. And you're supposed to give up your US citizenship if you want to naturalize, although they may not enforce it.

i have both japanese and canadian passports.
I want to know how to use both so that i'll be able to enter Japan as japanese and Canada as canadian.
WHD's answer seemed precise, but i forgot what it is the different btwn airlines counter and immigration at japanese airport.

My mom is a japanese citizen and permanent resident of canada. when she comes back to canada, the immigration at japanese airport asks her fo her PR card. i wouldn't have that, so what do i do!?

thanks ALOT

i meant WMH, sorry.

I was wondering what the procedures were to obtaining a Japanese citizenship under my circumstances.

I am just about to receive my U.S. passport, meaning that I am renouncing my Philippine-citizenship. To clarify, I only have 1/8th Japanese background, which is a bit insignificant since my family has been in the Philippines since my great-grandfather.

I am doing a year of study abroad in Tokyo, then coming back to New York to finish college. However, I plan on returning to Japan to work after I graduate. Like someone mentioned, it may take up to 20 years to obtain a Japanese citizenship. I was wondering if you have to remain in Japan the whole time you are trying to receive citizenship. Does this mean that I cannot have extended stays in the U.S. if I want to receive Japanese citizenship? Also, does it become quicker if I were to marry a Japanese citizen? My fiancee is currently in the U.S. as an international student, but we are having our wedding in Japan.

Oh, and I forgot to add. I was wondering if I could also somehow keep both my U.S. and Japanese (if I am to obtain one) passport to travel "freely" between Japan and the U.S. as someone naturalized by marriage.

I've been looking through this thread and many others of the same topic for sometime as I am also a Dual citizen (born in US).

Thank you to everyone who contributes as it has been extremely helpful. That said, I have some questions.

I was wondering if anyone (US born) has moved to Japan. I'll be going there in a few months to marry a Japanese man. My mom says that I have a koseki, so I was planning to enter with my J passport and assume life there as a citizen.

What kind of paperwork/"touroku" will I run into?

Basically, I'm looking to transfer my US driver's license (car + motorcycle), find a job, possibly go back to school for my Masters, eventually have kids...etc, etc...

I'm wondering if there are benefits to showing my US passports to some offices in Japan vs. just being a citizen. And if that's the case, should I go through the process of getting a "foreigner's card"?

Anyone who's experienced a similar situation, I'd love to hear about it.

Thank you!!

If a same person entered Japan on two separate trips showed US passport on one trip and then Jpn passport on the next, will the Jpn officials have a device to match the two as the same identity? Maybe John can answer this question well, thank you for all your postings.

Things may become more difficult as the USA are becoming more paranoid. Soon --2009?-- every visitor flying to the USA will have to ask for an authorization from the US government to visit the USA 72 hrs before landing (this will b done by internet) and give full details: passport #, address at home, employment status,flight # etc. I visited the USA twice by car recently and was asked "what is the purpose of the visit?" I answered "sightseeing" and was asked what I meant by that! "visiting this and that town, looking at historical buildings, doing some shopping" Both times the border guards looked annoyed! what is one supposed to say? I am a boring looking Caucasian guy..

I've been using both japanese/american passports successfully for the past years but am now in a bit of a snag. My Japanese name and American names are different and this time when leaving Japan I bought the ticket under my Japanese name. I'm wondering if I'll have any problems trying to get out of the country when showing my plane ticket and the name on the ticket and my passport don't match? Has anyone had this experience?

Also, just to note. My American passport only has my american name, while my Japanese passport has my Japanese name with my American name in () next to it. I'm thinking that I should always buy my ticket with my American name since my Japanese passport also shows it. Maybe I'm worrying too much.

I've had dual citizenship by birth, but always used only my US passport when going to Japan (short term visits only). With the new system in place I'd been advised to use both passports now, showing my Japan passport upon entry/exit in Japan.

Wondering though, which cards do I fill out for entry? Do I do it as a Japanese national, or still do the embarkation/disembarkation for foreigners card since I will be returning to the US showing my US passport on entry? Any insight is appreciated!