I have been browsing this forum for 3 years, and offered lots of helpful and valuable information. I also like to contribute my part. I found there is not much information available for people who want a trip to Japan. I was super nervous using RTD in the first time for international travel, especially in entering Japan and returning to Canada.
Background information: I am a granted protected person who has already applied for PR but still waiting for my PR status.
Step one: apply for Japan visa. Unfortunately, Japan only offers a one-time entry visa for RTD holder no matter you are a PR or not, and this visa only valid for 3 month after approval. The good news is there is no application fee.
Step two: exiting Canada. This is a very easy process without any trouble. You will just need to follow the regular check-in process
Step three: go through Japan custom. This was the part that scared me. My friend was using Canadian passport, they went through all the process with machine, super easy. For me, the machine didn't recognize RTD, the agent appointed me to boarder officer. He checked my RTD, couldn't recognized it neither, locked me in the line and went to senior boarder officer, came back, put tax-free sticker in my RTD, and let me pass. I was nervous and scary, but I shouldn't. A valid visa is all we need to enter Japan.
Step four: picking up checked luggage (if you have one). Following the crowd, there are multiple letters (ABCD, etc.). I got different letter from most of my friends, except one who was holding Canadian passport, so I guess the letters didn't make us different from people holding regular passport.
Step five: Shopping in Japan. Japan offers temporary visitor tax free when purchasing over 5000 yen in one bill, you will be required to show your passport. However, RTD wouldn't pass their system. I didn't get tax free in my first attempt. Instead, in order for us to get it, you will need to scan your sticker in their custom website, and show the QR code generated to service provider. Unfortunately, not all the service providers recognize QR code.
Step six: exiting Japan. Same as entering Japan, machine couldn't recognize RTD, I was appointed to boarder officer. He looked my RTD and let me pass.
Finally, come back to Canada. Canadian passport holder and PR can go through machine scan and go. So if you are using RTD with PR, you can go now. For me, I joined the line, scan RTD, appointed to boarder officer, been asked for few questions, appointed to second boarder officer in aother room, been asked one question, and let go. The whole process including lining up took me around 1 hour.
To conclude, it wasn't happy processes. The trip itself was great, but going through both customs made me feel like a suspect. I won't do it again until I become Canadian citizen. I don't mean to disencourage people from international travel, it's just purely my own feeling. I hope my experience helpful and maybe make you less nervous like me did it in the first time.
If you have experience traveling to other country, please share.
Background information: I am a granted protected person who has already applied for PR but still waiting for my PR status.
Step one: apply for Japan visa. Unfortunately, Japan only offers a one-time entry visa for RTD holder no matter you are a PR or not, and this visa only valid for 3 month after approval. The good news is there is no application fee.
Step two: exiting Canada. This is a very easy process without any trouble. You will just need to follow the regular check-in process
Step three: go through Japan custom. This was the part that scared me. My friend was using Canadian passport, they went through all the process with machine, super easy. For me, the machine didn't recognize RTD, the agent appointed me to boarder officer. He checked my RTD, couldn't recognized it neither, locked me in the line and went to senior boarder officer, came back, put tax-free sticker in my RTD, and let me pass. I was nervous and scary, but I shouldn't. A valid visa is all we need to enter Japan.
Step four: picking up checked luggage (if you have one). Following the crowd, there are multiple letters (ABCD, etc.). I got different letter from most of my friends, except one who was holding Canadian passport, so I guess the letters didn't make us different from people holding regular passport.
Step five: Shopping in Japan. Japan offers temporary visitor tax free when purchasing over 5000 yen in one bill, you will be required to show your passport. However, RTD wouldn't pass their system. I didn't get tax free in my first attempt. Instead, in order for us to get it, you will need to scan your sticker in their custom website, and show the QR code generated to service provider. Unfortunately, not all the service providers recognize QR code.
Step six: exiting Japan. Same as entering Japan, machine couldn't recognize RTD, I was appointed to boarder officer. He looked my RTD and let me pass.
Finally, come back to Canada. Canadian passport holder and PR can go through machine scan and go. So if you are using RTD with PR, you can go now. For me, I joined the line, scan RTD, appointed to boarder officer, been asked for few questions, appointed to second boarder officer in aother room, been asked one question, and let go. The whole process including lining up took me around 1 hour.
To conclude, it wasn't happy processes. The trip itself was great, but going through both customs made me feel like a suspect. I won't do it again until I become Canadian citizen. I don't mean to disencourage people from international travel, it's just purely my own feeling. I hope my experience helpful and maybe make you less nervous like me did it in the first time.
If you have experience traveling to other country, please share.
