Procedures at Narita airport

In one month I will be visiting Japan for the first time ever, and I'm very excited. However, I've heard different stories from different people and am not sure what to expect when I arrive at Narita airport. What kind of procedures will I have to go through as a foreigner entering Japan? I've heard about the fingerprints and that they'll take your picture as measures against terrorism, but my boyfriend has a lot of foreign friends who have been visiting the country all the time and he'd never heard of it from them, so I'm a bit puzzled.
And as I'm traveling all by myself (I'm an 18 year old girl), my friend said the staff at the airport might give me a hard time because I'm traveling alone or something. I thought this was pretty weird, because I've paid for my flight and am not breaking any rules or laws so... I don't know, I thought it was strange she said that. Should I just tell them that I'm mainly visiting my boyfriend, so they'll know I won't be staying there all by myself?

Also, where is a good place to meet at Narita airport? My boyfriend is going to pick me up there but I have no idea what would be a good meeting point. I arrive at Terminal 1, if that's any help. As my cellphone won't work over there I'm worried about getting lost/not being able to find him at all, so there has to be an easy-to-find point where we can meet there.

And the last question, I land at 09:40 in the morning. At around what time will I be able to meet my boyfriend, in other words about how long do the procedures at the airport take? Because we're planning to drop my stuff off at his place, and then immediately go to Nagoya by shinkansen because we have tickets to a live event. (It starts at 17:00 or so.)

Thank you very much for your answers in advance. :)

Yes, photo and fingerprinting will be carried out at the passport control. You can lots of information on the Narita Airport website, incuding a step by step guide of what to expect:

http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/step/index.html

The passport control officer may ask you some questions, but there is no need to say anything unless you are asked. Japanese customs is quite strict and young person travelling on a flight from Amsterdam will most likely involve a search of your luggage.

As for where to meet, there are two luggage and customs areas, north and south wings. If your boyfriend finds out which wing will service your flight he can wait at the exit doors from the customs hall of that wing. If you have aproblem, there are plenty of public phones in the airport, so you could always call your boy friend.

It is difficult to say how long it will take for you to go through immigration and customs, etc. It depends on if your flight is early, late or on time. You may also be one of the first people off the plane or one of the last. If several flights arrive at that time, there may be a long wait at passport control. Your luggage may be on the carousel when you get to the luggage hall, or it might be the last piece off the plane. It might take a few minutes to get through customs, it might take a lot longer. An average time might be around 45 minutes to an hour.

As for making the concert, it depends on where in Tokyo your boyfriend lives. The fastest journey from Tokyo to Nagoya is under 2 hours by Nozomi, but if you are using a JR Railpass, you will have to get an Hikari shinkansen that is just over 2 hours. But even if it akes a few hours to drop off your luggage, I think that making the concert in time sould not be a problem.

The fingerprinting at the airport was instituted about 18 months ago. Every foreigner arriving in Japan is fingerprinted, so it is absolutely guaranteed that it will happen. It's quite painless and quick, don't worry. I can't say why your boyfriend's friends haven't mentioned it other than they didn't think it was something worth mentioning.

At any airport in the world, most people will meet with travellers in the arrival lounge, when they come through the doors after passing through customs. Your boyfriend just needs to check which arrivals hall passengers from your flight will be coming into (usually A or B and very easy to find out about on arrival at the airport- the info is displayed on a screen).

Thank you both so much! That clarified a lot of things for me. :) I'm even more excited now!

I've flown into Narita from the US twice (June 2008 and December 2008). And I was never fingerprinted... so... I don't know about that...

NeoRaye, unless you have a Japanese passport, it is impossible that you weren't fingerprinted. You don't remember putting your index fingers into a small machine, and having to look at a screen while it took a picture of you? There is no ink involved, but your fingerprints are stored by the machine.

100% of foreigners have to go through this procedure- it is absolutely mandatory, even for people with permanent residence in Japan, so I have to say that I think you have simply forgotten the exact procedure due to tiredness for example, unless as above you have a Japanese passport.

are you sure about that? maybe you just don't remember it. the fingerprinting and photographing system has been in place since 2006 or 2007. when i came through narita in march 2008 they printed and photographed me at customs.

Maybe NeoRaye had not reached 16 by then and/or the friends of Kellybelly's boyfriend made the last visit to Japan before the new set of procedures was installed (on 20 November 2007).

Kellybelly, you are 18 years old and hoping to enter Japan just to meet your boyfriend; so it seems you are no exception to that, and I hope you will smoothly get an entry permit.
- Outline of New Immigration Procedures:
http://www.moj.go.jp/NYUKAN/nyukan64-2.pdf
- New Immigration Procedures:
http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/IB/ip.html

While no law of Japan has an official translation, as to Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, a translation in English is available on a governmental Web site:
http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail/?ft=...
As is stated in Paragraph (3) of Article 6, the duty of providing electromagnetic personal info has exception for some specified Aliens.
So, Sira, that's not mandatory for 100% of foreigners.

: I land at 09:40 in the morning.
: we're planning to drop my stuff off at his place, and then immediately go to Nagoya by Shinkansen because we have tickets to a live event. (It starts at 17:00 or so.)

Hmm…. It depends on where "his place" is, but I guess you will have enough time for the live event.
The date of rides is within one month, so JR seat reservation is now available. (Narita Express [N'EX] seats require reservation.)
For transfer to Shinkansen from the direction of Narita Airport, probably Shinagawa [品川] Station is better. Of course it's OK if your boyfriend has got accustomed to transfer at Tokyo Station.

As a Japanese, I feel the new set of Japan's immigration procedures does not balance well with Alien Registrations of foreign people who stay longer than 90 days or with digitized passports of Japanese nationals, neither of which requires fingerprints. But, I also understand this can be the finest chance to examine those hoping to enter Japan as Temporary Visitor.

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Absolutely finger printing and photo: very easy, very unobtrusive, takes very little time. We found both times arriving from Australia we were through Narita 2 in under 45 minutes

Yes, digital fingerprints and a photo will be taken - but its really no problem at all. Apart from that you need to fill out a landingcard (touristvisa) and a customsdeclaration - which are both done in a matter of minutes, no problems at all either - dont worry.

Why dont you and your boyfriend meet inside the arrival-hall? Perhaps you could meet in front of the "Friendly Airport Limousine"-counter as its very easy to find with its bright orange sign?

Best regards,
Thomas

PS. Oh, i forgot to mention, these days, you need to fill out a yellow quarantine-form with your address in Japan because of the risc of swineflu, in case authorities needs to contact you during your stay. (but that is no hazzle either - seriously) Enjoy your stay!

Thomas, what if you don't know your address in Japan yet when landing? I haven't booked, I seldom do upfront, so I'll find something when I arrive in the city/town I first go to. That always worked fine (I've been to Japan 3 times before) also in high season.

-So i guess on your previous visits, swineflu wasnt an issue right?

They want to know your address and/or a cellphone-number you can be reached on in case one of your fellow-passengers was infected with swineflu.

I have no idea what (if any) the consequence would be, if you fail to come up with one or both of these informations.

Hmm, maybe you could just write down the address and phone number of some random hotel, or a friend who lives there? I wouldn't think it would really matter, I personally think the whole swineflu thing is overreacted anyway... I know that's basically lying, but it might be a solution? There isn't really a big chance someone on your flight will be infected anyway.

They have always handed out those yellow health forms to people arriving from certain destinations- I have been given them when coming back from places like Vietnam and India, even before swine flu existed.

You should choose an address from one of the places you think you might stay at- you also have to provide an address on your arrival form (or at least you used to), so you will have to pick one anyway.

Then if you do start showing flu symptoms, contact them. It's unlikely to be an issue, however.

i write negative situation to you I have expected.
you may spend 2 hour over in Narita Airport. Immigration,Picking stuffs・・at jam time.
and,a traffic jam will happen absolutely in Tokyo downtown include near Tokyo Station if you choice using car.
I recommend to use a train(Narita Express).
you must arrive at Tokyo station until 14:00.
but,a shinlansen is easy. a shinkansen is to run each 30 minutes,10780,about 2 hour to NAGOYA. Tokyo's train timetable is correct!
Moving to live event space also spend a littel time don't you.
Have a enjoying japan!

Since we've begun to discuss it, are there many cases of swine flu in Japan?

Does anyone have any advice for a traveling family of 4 from the US? (transportation, tourist attractions, etc.)

About 700 cases in a residency population of over 125 million people, zero deaths. Nothing to worry about.

Major earthquake, slipping on soap, catching the "regular" flu would probably happen before catching swine flu.

ok! sorry people! I WAS "fingerprinted"! I was just thinking ink u know? but I did put my finger in the things and get my pic taken!

Sorry!

I thought you might be thinking of ink.

Omotenashi, I realise that not literally 100% of foreigners are fingerprinted- diplomats for example are exempt, however since I very much doubt that any diplomats or other people in the exempt category are posting here, I think we can safely say that if you are an adult foreigner arriving in Japan you *will* be fingerprinted.

Yes, yes. Probably non-Japanese people of 16 or older who are exceptions to this rule know that fingerprints are not required as to them. (So they don't need to ask here on the issue....) As a Japanese I hope the Government has explained well on this point.

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