Discussion Forum

#1

• Lemon
• mail
• 2026/08/09 00:12

I would like to ask those who applied for a re-entry permit to stay in Japan:

While staying in Japan, did you update your resident registration? ？
If you didn’t update it, you’ll be uninsured for health insurance ？

If you update your resident registration, I’m worried that when I return to the U.S., my years of residence there will reset to zero, which might affect matters like inheritance.
On the other hand, if I don’t update my residence registration, I won’t be able to enroll in Japan’s National Health Insurance, and the prospect of being uninsured worries me as well

I plan to continue living in the U.S. for the most part, but if I have to stay in Japan for an extended period to care for my parents, I’d like to hear from those who have applied for a Re-entry Permit and lived in Japan—I’d appreciate your experiences and opinions.

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132 days until expiration

#1

• American2026
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• 2026/07/11 16:09

I'll be joining soon. I received a notification. I'm a little nervous. I have an accent and my English isn't very good.

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104 days until expiration

#2

• American2026
• 2026/07/11 (Sat) 16:22
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I'll be joining shortly. I received a notification.

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#1

• alohamaialohaaku
• mail
• 2026/03/06 15:40

I have been required to temporarily return to Japan for an undetermined period of time to support a family member in hospital.
Due to the urgency, we are considering leaving the country within 1 ～ 2 weeks, but we will send the Reentry Permit Application by Certified Mail within a few days → Has anyone been able to leave the country once we confirm our arrival ？

When I applied a few years ago, I had a grace period to wait for the Biometrics to be accepted ・ before leaving the country.
It took almost a year and a half for them to be issued, circumstances changed, and I ended up with insurance without making any use of them.

Should I go back and apply for it depending on the situation → or should I make the fact of application even if it ended up as insurance again ・ considering the current situation, rather than fearing the possibility of Denial for an undetermined period of time and having already left the country?
Officially it says that I can leave the country, but I am not sure when Application is accepted ＝.

I know this is something that should be discussed with a lawyer, but if you have any experience with this, I would be very grateful if you could tell me.

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#3

• alohamaialohaaku
• 2026/03/07 (Sat) 10:13
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Thank you very much, Mr. Copilot.

Our specialist advised us to apply for the visa if we are likely to be out of the country for more than 6 months, and we are proceeding with the procedure as soon as possible to ensure that it arrives while we are still in the US.

I am writing to see if anyone else is in a similar situation.
（ You are not alone, we are in different situations, but we will work together ！ ）.

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#4

• Maru
• 2026/03/12 (Thu) 22:38
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I recently returned home after applying for a re-entry permit and collecting biometrics ！
After sending in my application, it took about a week for my card to be debited, about 2 weeks for the letter about biometrics to arrive from there, and about a week for the biometrics to be collected. I was in a hurry. But I was in a hurry, so I went walk-in and they let me take it easily.
I also did some research and it seems that there is no problem if you leave the country before the biometric collection. However, you will need to come back for biometrics collection. In some cases, you may be exempted, in which case you do not have to return.
Appointment dates and times are listed in the letter, but they can be rescheduled, so it is a good idea to reschedule to a date when you can return.
I hope this helps.

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#1

• ひろし
• mail
• 2026/03/12 02:51

I work in a restaurant on a J1 visa and I don't know how to do my tax return.
For those who also have J1 visa, where do you do your tax return ？?

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#2

• こーの字
• 2026/03/12 (Thu) 11:25
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- About U.S. National Taxes
I think the first step is to determine residency for tax purposes.
Usually, the Substantial presence test is used to determine whether you are a resident or non-resident for tax purposes based on the number of days you have been in the U.S. in the past three years.
However, if you are a J-1 Trainee, the above test does not apply for the first two calendar years.
If Mr. Hiroshi meets these conditions, he will be a nonresident for tax purposes and the form used will be a 1040-NR.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/taxation-of-alien-individuals-by-immigration-status-j-1
Nonresidents for tax purposes are eligible for income earned only in the US. On the other hand, the standard deduction would not have been available.

Major DIY tax softwares (H&R Block, Turbo Tax etc.) do not accept 1040-NR applications, but the following companies, for example, seem to sell 1040-NR on the contrary.
https://www.sprintax.com/returns/

When I was a J-1, I did the calculations in Excel, created the form, and mailed it in. It was not that difficult.

- Hawaii State Taxes
The two calendar year rule does not apply to Hawaii state taxes, so the number of days you stay in Hawaii in 2025 determines whether you are a resident or non-resident under state tax law.
Residents will file Form N-11 and non-residents will file Form N-15.

Hope this helps!

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#1

• まる
• mail
• 2025/10/11 01:50

Please let me know if you know of any stores in Oahu, Hawaii that take pictures for green card applications.
I can take it myself with an app, or at Cosco, Walmart, etc., but I am looking for a photo shop that actually does it because I want it to meet the regulations for green card applications.

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#1

• Lin
• mail
• 2025/09/17 15:44

I have heard that there is no problem to enter the US as long as you have the necessary documents ？
but I was wondering ？ what it is really like.

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#1

• Hui
• mail
• 2025/09/11 01:38

Question for those who have renewed or applied for a new passport at the Honolulu Consulate after March 2025.

The website states that after March, passports are made in Japan and sent to Honolulu, so it takes one month from application to issuance. Could you please tell me how long it actually took to receive the passport ？

for reference?

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#2

• 先月
• 2025/09/11 (Thu) 10:53
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I renewed last month ！
It took 3 weeks and 4 days, so almost a month.
When I updated my son in June it took 4 weeks and 1 day ！

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#3

• 飛行機
• 2025/09/12 (Fri) 00:25
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I applied for renewal the day before yesterday.
I submitted it on 9/9 and was told after 10/8.

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#1

• daiso
• mail
• 2025/08/25 21:38

I heard that they are going to check all foreigners for illegal activities, but I don't know. ？ They are going to kick us out if there are any violations.
I am worried because I got a parking ban the other day.

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#2

• KAN
• 2025/08/26 (Tue) 14:51
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It's only for serious crimes,

like drug trafficking, for example, or being the main suspect in a demonstration.
But if you have multiple repeated DUI violations, you might be in trouble.

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#3

• A
• 2025/08/26 (Tue) 15:21
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It seems to be for people staying with a visa, but I wonder if it is also for ） people whose visas have expired （ but are still staying ？
I am curious to know how far they will go in their search.

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#4

• 名無し
• 2025/08/26 (Tue) 16:23
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Only for serious offenders.

As for the parking ban, it's only a fine, not a crime.

You know, you should look up the meaning of a felony.

By the way, DUI （ and DUI ） are serious offenses.

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#6

• アミ
• 2025/08/26 (Tue) 19:08
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>>4
What a guy
It's natural to have such concerns because of that Trump and how the laws may change in the future. I wish Hawaii would go back to being friendly to Japanese with visas!

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#7

• momo
• 2025/08/26 (Tue) 20:07
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In June of this year, the Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu sent the following email regarding compliance with U.S. laws and regulations.

＜ Compliance with U.S. Laws and Regulations （ Notice from the U.S. Government ） ＞

●If you enter or stay in the U.S. illegally or violate other laws and regulations （ such as driving while intoxicated ） you may be arrested ・ fined ・ imprisoned, and may result in cancellation of your visa ・, deportation from the country
, and a ban on re-entry.

On May 29, （ Thursday, ） the U.S. government issued a reminder to embassies ・ and consulates general of all countries, including Japan, regarding compliance with laws and regulations in the United States.
The U.S. government has informed us that those who enter the U.S. illegally, exceed the period of stay in the U.S.,
or violate other laws and regulations may be subject to arrest ・ fines ・ imprisonment, or even deportation
We also ask that diplomatic missions inform their citizens that if they are deported, they may be permanently barred from re-entering the United States.

*We ask all Japanese nationals and visitors to the U.S. to be aware that illegal entry, illegal stay, violation of laws and regulations, （ activities outside the status of residence, drunken driving, etc. ） may result in arrest
and detention ・, risk of large fines, and even cancellation of visa ・ status. You may also have your visa status revoked, be deported, and be prohibited from re-entering the country
thereafter.

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#1

• のり
• mail
• 2025/07/09 15:53

I heard that some green card holders have recently been stripped and denied entry by immigration officials.
The reasons vary, such as having a criminal record.
I plan to return to Japan next week.
I have a green card but I am concerned.
I wonder if a traffic ticket is also a criminal offense ？
or if having a record of being in the country illegally is also a reason ？
Please share any information you may have.

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#3

• LAX
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• 2025/07/10 (Thu) 12:42
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I came back from Japan last month.
I was not asked any questions at immigration and was able to enter the country easily.
If you don't have a criminal record, I don't think you need to worry too much ！.

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#4

• たんたんたぬき
• 2025/07/10 (Thu) 13:09
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Your concern is valid. Even if you are a Green Card （ Permanent Resident ） holder, there is no chance that you will be denied by the immigration authorities. The following are some of the most common reasons for denial of entry into Japan. Main reasons for denial of entry
Criminal record

Especially "immoral crimes （ CIMT ）" and drug-related crimes are likely to make you ineligible for entry.

A fine, even if suspended, may be considered a "conviction". If you have a record of illegal presence

overstaying （ or overstaying ） or working illegally in the past, this may be a problem for immigration officials. In particular, if you have a history of entering the country under ESTA, please be careful when declaring the length and purpose of your stay.

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#5

• 断捨離
• 2025/07/10 (Thu) 16:40
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I returned home in the third week of June, one month before my GC was due to expire and in the process of being renewed. I have no criminal record, but I have 4 ・ 5 traffic violations in my 20 years in the US. I brought the renewal application with me, but was told that I did not need it because my GC had not expired. They complimented me on how the Japanese organize everything and ended with a "Welcome Back" with almost no questions.

I think people who get stuck with immigration in the first place will get stuck even without the Trump administration.

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#7

• 重罪
• 2025/07/31 (Thu) 02:35
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？ I heard that there was a case in which the GC was finally revoked after several DUIs, but I thought it would be better to revoke it after just one DUI.

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#1

• Shimu
• mail
• 2025/05/20 14:24

Has anyone updated their passport while applying for a green card ？

I am currently applying for a green card with AOS （ Adjustment of Status ） from K1 visa.
I submitted my application documents with my new name, but the Japanese passport I submitted as proof of identity is still my maiden name.

I am thinking of renewing my passport with my new name.

Is there any problem if I change my passport while applying for AOS ？

If anyone has experienced a similar situation, I would like to know if it affected you. I would like to know if anyone has experienced a similar situation and if it had any impact.

Also, if anyone knows if I need to report to USCIS ・ after renewing my passport, I would greatly appreciate it.

If anyone has had a similar experience, we would appreciate it if you could let us know.

Please do let us know.

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#4

• グリーンカード
• 2025/05/22 (Thu) 20:30
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You can renew your passport with your new last name. You do not need to report to USCIS after renewal. If you are not exempt from the interview, you may bring your current passport with the K1 visa affixed to it to the interview. If you do not have your new passport at the time of the interview, you do not need to bring it with you.

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