Currently mid-flight to Japan, and realized my passport is expired
September 17, 2018 9:42 AM Subscribe
I grabbed the wrong passport on my way out the door this morning, and no one at security noticed. I have a second valid US passport, but it's sitting in a drawer at home. I land in 10 hours. What can I do between now and then to help rectify this situation? Or am I just amazingly screwed.
I would assume that Japanese border officials will notice. Is there someone who can contact Japanese customs on your behalf? I found this list of customs counselors to talk to. Here are the numbers for Narita: 0476-34-2128 and 0476-34-2129.
Can someone get into your house and send the passport to you on the next flight over via air cargo? I probably wouldn't do this until after talking with Japanese customs. Would not be great to have your passport arrive in Japan right after you get deported.
You may want to talk to the airline. They have an incentive in you not getting deported as their mistake here might cost them big fines.
The U.S. consulate is another option, but I'm not sure they would do much in this case.
posted by grouse at 9:55 AM on September 17, 2018
Can someone get into your house and send the passport to you on the next flight over via air cargo? I probably wouldn't do this until after talking with Japanese customs. Would not be great to have your passport arrive in Japan right after you get deported.
You may want to talk to the airline. They have an incentive in you not getting deported as their mistake here might cost them big fines.
The U.S. consulate is another option, but I'm not sure they would do much in this case.
posted by grouse at 9:55 AM on September 17, 2018
Can someone at send a photo of the personal details page of the valid passport, as well as a photo of any visa documents that're relevant they also got left at home?
Second, have that person look into how quickly they can get the passport to Japan, up to and including a courier on a flight. Whatever the cost, compare the cost to you to flying back home and then flying to Japan again, and whatever business or vacation you missed in the meantime. The person at home, if any, should do this today.
Put this number in your phone:
US Embassy Emergency Contact – Tokyo, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Naha, Osaka, Sapporo
If you are an American citizen with a serious emergency in Japan, call the Embassy at 03-3224-5000 (011-81-3-3224-5000 from the United States). After normal business hours (08:30 – 17:30 Monday through Friday), you will be directed to an Officer on Duty.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:56 AM on September 17, 2018 [5 favorites]
Second, have that person look into how quickly they can get the passport to Japan, up to and including a courier on a flight. Whatever the cost, compare the cost to you to flying back home and then flying to Japan again, and whatever business or vacation you missed in the meantime. The person at home, if any, should do this today.
Put this number in your phone:
US Embassy Emergency Contact – Tokyo, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Naha, Osaka, Sapporo
If you are an American citizen with a serious emergency in Japan, call the Embassy at 03-3224-5000 (011-81-3-3224-5000 from the United States). After normal business hours (08:30 – 17:30 Monday through Friday), you will be directed to an Officer on Duty.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:56 AM on September 17, 2018 [5 favorites]
If you haven't already boarded the flight, talk to the airline and see if they can rebook you on a later flight. The airline will not want to deal with the hassle of having you be refused entry.
If you're refused entry in Japan, the airline will probably use your "return ticket" to send you back. You may also be liable for any extra costs incurred by the airline, including fines assessed by the Japanese government. See here, for example.
posted by Johnny Assay at 10:00 AM on September 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you're refused entry in Japan, the airline will probably use your "return ticket" to send you back. You may also be liable for any extra costs incurred by the airline, including fines assessed by the Japanese government. See here, for example.
posted by Johnny Assay at 10:00 AM on September 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sorry, this sounds incredibly stressful. Another idea - if they're willing to allow you to stay in the airport (not sure if there is an airport hotel) you could surrender your other ID etc...
Good luck and let us know how things go.
posted by arnicae at 10:14 AM on September 17, 2018
Good luck and let us know how things go.
posted by arnicae at 10:14 AM on September 17, 2018
Response by poster: Thank you all for your help! Through the magic of in-flight wifi I'm also in touch with an immigration lawyer, and will be throwing myself at the mercy of the customs officials. Luckily, I have photos and scans of my still-valid passport, so hopefully that will help. I think I will wait to have it sent, as I imagine that in the worst case scenario that I'm immediately sent home, I'll need to have it to re-enter the US.
Will keep you updated.
posted by jasonsmall at 10:20 AM on September 17, 2018 [33 favorites]
Will keep you updated.
posted by jasonsmall at 10:20 AM on September 17, 2018 [33 favorites]
If you are a U.S. citizen, the U.S. can't deny you entry, passport or no. You will be subjected to very tedious secondary inspection, but eventually they will let you in. Just in case you need that tidbit of info. Good luck!
posted by praemunire at 2:07 PM on September 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by praemunire at 2:07 PM on September 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sorry buddy they are almost certainly going to send you straight back. Best of luck and let us know how you go.
posted by smoke at 3:49 PM on September 17, 2018
posted by smoke at 3:49 PM on September 17, 2018
Response by poster: I decided to have the working passport Fedexed, hope that was the right call. Should know in about 6 hours. Thanks again all for help.
posted by jasonsmall at 4:03 PM on September 17, 2018 [9 favorites]
posted by jasonsmall at 4:03 PM on September 17, 2018 [9 favorites]
Response by poster: Update: @smoke was right on, sadly. All my arguments fell on polite but deaf ears; after about 15 minutes, I was booked on the next flight back to where I’d started. On board now, hoping the reentry process isn’t too bad and my Global Entry will somehow be of use!
Thanks again to all for making this stressful day of my own making less bad!
posted by jasonsmall at 12:29 AM on September 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
Thanks again to all for making this stressful day of my own making less bad!
posted by jasonsmall at 12:29 AM on September 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
OP—did the airline charge you for the return flight? Or did they eat the cost given that they shouldn’t have let you board the plane in the first place?
posted by suncages at 8:34 AM on September 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by suncages at 8:34 AM on September 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: They used my existing return flight. There wasn't much discussion, just gave me a return ticket and when I asked, they explained that they'd used that. At least I wasn't charged a change fee?
posted by jasonsmall at 11:55 AM on September 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by jasonsmall at 11:55 AM on September 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sorry man, I really wanted to be wrong on this one!
posted by smoke at 2:06 PM on September 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by smoke at 2:06 PM on September 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Final update: Getting back in to the US was a breeze, immigration here was weirdly understanding about the whole thing!
posted by jasonsmall at 6:34 PM on September 18, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by jasonsmall at 6:34 PM on September 18, 2018 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: Final final update: The airline didn't charge me any fees, but did (as mentioned above) eat my return ticket. Luckily, this was a business trip.
Only other piece I wanted to update: I Fedexed my valid passport to Tokyo on the off chance I was granted temporary entry. Happy, sort of, that I was turned back, since the package was held at customs and didn't arrive at our office for four days. That would have been nerve-wracking!
I'd spoken with a lawyer who'd also recommended that course of action. Apparently, it *does* happen that with the right customs official, you can be granted special entry. Even in Japan. Just didn't happen for me!
The main takeaway, a few weeks after the fact remains simple: ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PASSPORT BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE.
posted by jasonsmall at 7:22 PM on September 30, 2018 [7 favorites]
Only other piece I wanted to update: I Fedexed my valid passport to Tokyo on the off chance I was granted temporary entry. Happy, sort of, that I was turned back, since the package was held at customs and didn't arrive at our office for four days. That would have been nerve-wracking!
I'd spoken with a lawyer who'd also recommended that course of action. Apparently, it *does* happen that with the right customs official, you can be granted special entry. Even in Japan. Just didn't happen for me!
The main takeaway, a few weeks after the fact remains simple: ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PASSPORT BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE.
posted by jasonsmall at 7:22 PM on September 30, 2018 [7 favorites]
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If you are a U.S. citizen entering or transiting Japan, you should ensure that your passport and visa are valid and up to date before you leave the United States. Occasionally, airlines mistakenly board U.S. citizens coming to Japan even though their passports have already expired. The U.S. Embassy and U.S. consulates cannot "vouch for" you without a valid passport, and passport services are not available at the airport. In some prior instances, travelers have been returned immediately to the United States, while in other cases, they have been issued 24-hour "shore passes" and required to return the next day to Japanese Immigration for lengthy processing.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 9:48 AM on September 17, 2018 [1 favorite]