Felony and entry into Japan.

[MMM]

I think we all need to calm down and not get too excited. No, moving violations or misdemeanors are not things people are worried about.

[Polar]

The US and Canada have the same policy believe it or not.

[darkshadowgirl]

Originally Posted by JBaymore

You are therefore basically gambling on the lieklyhood of being caught if you lie about it. Playing the odds. They may be good odds.... but they are not foolproof. Is he willing to do some serious time if it goes the wrong way? My guess is that IF they catch him in the overt lie in an attempt to enter the country illegally (read the bottom of the form he'll sign) that he will likely have a lot more than a single item on his criminal record after that. I don't think "Oops I forgot" will go very far.

The odds might certainly be small......... but there is no guarantee.

Your business, your decision.

best,

...............john

argh.... your right I guess.... it's not worth getting caught.... ffffffffffff and I can't risk spending $8K on the hope that they will let us through if we're honest.

Well I guess I'm not going to Japan...

I'll have to wait till 2014 or 2015 when he'll be eligible for expungement...

f my life.

[MMM]

So you have talked yourself out of it even after you answered your own question on the first page? Sad...

[Nyororin]

Why not just call the embassy and ask their policy in detail for a tourist visa? You are going to get a much more definite answer than you will get asking here. I highly doubt that they will turn someone away who is only coming to Japan for tourism - longer term visas are where it will really matter. But the only way to get a definite answer is to ask people whose business it is to know... Like the Japanese embassy.

[JBaymore]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Why not just call the embassy and ask their policy in detail for a tourist visa? You are going to get a much more definite answer than you will get asking here.

Apparently she already tried to check it. mentioned eariler in the thread.

Originally Posted by darkshadowgirl

I called the Japanese embassy on the west coast and they could not answer the question. They said the decision is solely decided by immigrations at the airport. You cannot even find out before hand because the visa process starts when you land in the airport. So I cannot call ahead for instance and find out. I can only find out by landing in Japan.

This stuff apperas to be much like the Yakkan Shoumei business for bringing prescription drugs into Japan; it is amazingly difficult to get a straight answer on anything. Call the US Embassay and they say they don't know and call the Japanese one, call the Japanese one and they say they don't know but to contact the Customs people, and the Customs folks say they don't know and to call the Ministry of "Drug Stuff". Then you have to call that place (your japanese better be fluent) or send a letter off to them and wait a gazllion years to get a reply back just to find out if a particular drug is allowed into Japan.

Almost as difficult as getting transactions done in a Japanese bank.

best,

...............john

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by JBaymore

Apparently she already tried to check it. mentioned eariler in the thread.

I assume that is asking whether that specific person will be allowed into the country. I would try asking in a broader sense - as in asking the exact policies. None of this is done just on the mood of immigration. There are rules they go by, and those rules are something the embassy should be able to clarify. What they cannot do is tell you if a specific individual will be able to enter the country or not.

So I say to call them again and ask about the policies, not about the individual. They are always required to not say anything that could be taken as a promise. All they can do is tell you the detailed rules.

[darkshadowgirl]

Originally Posted by MMM

So you have talked yourself out of it even after you answered your own question on the first page? Sad...

Haha John talked me out of it.. But it really is no joke and we're trying to get his record cleaned up so he can have a normal future... So yeah getting caught in something like that would be BAD.. I was just getting my hopes up before....

Nyororin, that's a good idea... I might try calling them again and getting more specific rules from them. And maybe there is a way to apply and approved for a visa ahead of time instead of of just trying to get landing permission at the airport.

I did find their immigration department website and their numbers, but all the offices are in japan and it doesn't look like they speak English. I can try the embassy again too.

[OHayou]

Originally Posted by darkshadowgirl

argh.... your right I guess.... it's not worth getting caught.... ffffffffffff and I can't risk spending $8K on the hope that they will let us through if we're honest.

Well I guess I'm not going to Japan...

I'll have to wait till 2014 or 2015 when he'll be eligible for expungement...

f my life.

I admire that you are going to be honest. (Though lieing and getting caught is a scary predicament as well.)

Sounds like you really wanted to go (i.e.: F my life) soo..why not go by yourself this time or take a friend (like me! hey nice to meet ya let's be friends) and then go again with him in 2014/15?

(Monetary wise: 2014/15 is pretty long away and if you have 8k now why not just spend like 3k of it (or if you're taking me I'll contribute 300 dollars) and then save some money back up for the 2014/15 trip.)

I know it's not THE plan you wanted but it's also not your fault he can't go and if the world ends in 2012...

EDIT: Also, what if .. (stay with me here) in 2014/2015 your friend/significant other/ whatever relationship this person is to you is no longer in your life (i.e. - you had a falling out, you broke up, etc) and you designed an entire trip spanning 4 years based on the possibility that his record will be expunged AND you are still in cahoots with each other....I know it's painful to even imagine but something to consider ...2014/15 is a long ways away

[darkshadowgirl]

Originally Posted by OHayou

I admire that you are going to be honest. (Though lieing and getting caught is a scary predicament as well.)

Sounds like you really wanted to go (i.e.: F my life) soo..why not go by yourself this time or take a friend (like me! hey nice to meet ya let's be friends) and then go again with him in 2014/15?

(Monetary wise: 2014/15 is pretty long away and if you have 8k now why not just spend like 3k of it (or if you're taking me I'll contribute 300 dollars) and then save some money back up for the 2014/15 trip.)

I know it's not THE plan you wanted but it's also not your fault he can't go and if the world ends in 2012...

EDIT: Also, what if .. (stay with me here) in 2014/2015 your friend/significant other/ whatever relationship this person is to you is no longer in your life (i.e. - you had a falling out, you broke up, etc) and you designed an entire trip spanning 4 years based on the possibility that his record will be expunged AND you are still in cahoots with each other....I know it's painful to even imagine but something to consider ...2014/15 is a long ways away

Yeah I've thought about going without him.. But I HATE traveling alone. It is very depressing and lonely to me and un-enjoyable so that's out. And none of my friends have any money to go with me.

I admire your offer to go with me that would be cool (are you in the states or Japan?)
But I don't think my bf would be having that at all. Maybe if you we're a girl it would be OK.

Yeah 2014/15 is a really lonnnggg time but been together for 8 years and I doubt we'll break up.

But yeah going without him is an option to think about...