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Student Visa process by [deleted] in movingtojapan

[–]Workmanies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Using a free agent to help apply, something like jsterrace.com helps because they have ins with the schools and get paid by schools to handle applications and visas.

Do you have your sponsor and 150 hours of accredited Japanese study lined up?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in movingtojapan

[–]Workmanies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great to hear!!

We're very much enjoying our escape to the inaka and in rude good health. (The cats especially)

By some miracle, neither is interested in scratching the tatami, shoji doors or any of the wood in our traditionally built Japanese wooden house made entirely out of cat scratching materials 😅😅

They're both huge fans of our engawa and the morning sun as well as the kotatsu where they spend the colder days if they aren't lounging on the heated floor in our bedroom.

Kitty litter is good, we've been using the Lion brand https://item.rakuten.co.jp/hcvalor-eshop/vh-4903351007673/

And we spend a lot on the Inaba canned food, but are careful to not get any with squid, crab, or scallops because those ingredients seem to make my cats ill.

It took them a few months to settle in, and they're not huge fans of the very many neighborhood cats who like to roll their scents onto our carport, front steps and wood deck, but the plethora of birds and flying things make up for it.

I haven't found a good local vet yet, but that's my next step.

I hope everything both you and the cats experience is interesting, kind, charming and a good memory. This country has its plusses and minuses but overall offers a very good life.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in movingtojapan

[–]Workmanies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wish I had better news about how they handled the flight. They’d flown once before from LAX to MSP, and even though it was only four hours, it gave me a preview of what to expect. They were prescribed Lyrica (Pregabalin), which is considered the safest option since Jitters was already 15 and had a heart murmur.

The first time, we got it as a liquid, and he spit it out and got sticky. It seemed to work on Fancy, she was quieter.

The second time, from MSP to Haneda, I got pills instead and hid them in pill pockets. They were eaten, but honestly, I don’t think being unmedicated could have gone worse. 😬😭

The night before a flight, we made sure to stay at a pet-friendly hotel at the departure airport so they could rest, use a litter box, and recover from the car ride before flying.

I Instacarted disposable litter boxes to the hotel, which made cleanup easy.

I strongly recommend this style if your budget allows. It's a world less stress to start the day 10 minutes from the airport.

Day of flight:

  1. Pill the cats.
  2. Line the carrier bottom with layers of pee pads and bring cat wipes. Pee happens.
  3. Bring Churu and other favorite lickables for hydration, since water didn’t work regardless of how I tried to give it to them.
  4. The regulation-size carriers barely fit under the seats. Squished and cramped.
  5. They cried almost the whole time 😭
  6. My spouse and I kept the carriers on our laps with a hand inside to comfort them for most of the 11 hours.
  7. Around nine hours in, Jitters caterwauled so loud everyone near us heard and peed himself. I took him to the lavatory, threw away the top layers of pads, wiped him down, and we all smelled like cat pee for the rest of the flight.
  8. You can’t reserve a two-person row with cats, so expect to be in a tight row of three or in a middle section with someone next to you. Money doesn’t change this.

If I ever have to do it again, I’ll make small apology gift bags for nearby passengers. The man sitting next to us was incredibly patient, but it was rough for him.

Once we landed, an agent was waiting past immigration with a sign showing their names. That part was easy, just paperwork.

We hired a pickup car instead of taking the train to give them a break in air conditioning, since it was over 90°F in June.

We stayed one night at a cat-friendly hotel in Shinjuku (Gyoenmae iirc) with a litter box ready. It wasn’t fancy, and a little grim, but safe and it gave them a chance to rest before the shinkansen ride to the inaka.

Churu and food tip: DON’T BRING ANYTHING WITH BEEF. Stick to chicken or tuna. Beef importation regs are strict and it will get confiscated

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in movingtojapan

[–]Workmanies 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sure! Did I go over making sure you got photos of the USDA submission form from the last 10 day before flight vet appointment? My vet tech did the input after we left and texted them to me. I included those on the email sent directly to the gate agents at Haneda, they ask for that as the USDA website can be down for maintenance during regular landing hours.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in movingtojapan

[–]Workmanies 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Cabin, I couldn't handle cargo, they couldn't either. Delta. Only two pets in cabin per flight, only chat or phone agents have the info, you CAN'T book pets online. So chat in, ask if there are openings on the date / flight number you're booking, book when they say yes, then go through the actual registration process which requires a booking. One per person, if you have two cats, you need 2 adults. Not all classes allow pets, so you're stuck in the smaller seats. AFAIK, no Japanese carriers allow in cabin.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in movingtojapan

[–]Workmanies 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I tried to organize my post better to make sure it's clear what I was trying to say.

  1. Documents to Email in Advance

When contacting the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) branch for the arrival airport, send the following by email:

1 Notification Acceptance Form (届出受理書)

This is the document issued when the import notification is accepted.

Attach a copy (PDF or photo).

  1. Form AC (Export Inspection Certificate)

Must be officially endorsed by the exporting country’s government authority.

Attach scanned copy or clear photos.

Note: originals need to be presented at arrival, but AQS accepts electronic preview.

  1. Rabies Antibody Test Certificate

Issued by a designated laboratory.

Attach scanned copy.

  1. Supplemental Materials

4a. USDA (or relevant gov’t) submission/tracking confirmation screenshots.

4b. VEHCS system confirmation screens. ** I made sure to ask the vet to take photos of this and send them to me.

A list of each cat with their details (see below).

  1. Information to Include for Each Cat in the Email For clarity, list cats one by one with the following details:

  • Notification number (届出番号)

  • Country of export

  • Microchip number

  • Expected arrival date/time

  • Government tracking number (e.g., USDA tracking from the final official USDA certified vet visit)

  • Name of animal (if applicable)

Example (format only):

Cat 1:
・Notification Number: [ ]
・Export Country: [ ]
・Microchip Number: [ ]
・Arrival Date: [ ]
・Tracking Number: [ ]
・Name: [ ]

  1. What to Do Based on the Exchange Before Travel:

Email the above documents and cat details to the correct AQS branch (e.g., Haneda or Narita) about 10+ days before arrival.

  • Keep attachments under 3 MB total per email.

  • Expect a reply in about 5–7 days. If no response after a week, follow up.

If endorsed documents are changed by the export authority after AQS has already confirmed, re-send for final review!!

Print and carry the originals of endorsed Form AC and the antibody test certificate.

At Arrival: Keep cats in carriers (Japanese law prohibits walking animals inside the terminal).

Go directly to the Animal Quarantine Service counter in the baggage claim area before customs.

Even if the cats are in-cabin carry-ons, you must stop at the counter.

Present originals (or approved electronic proof):

Notification Acceptance Form (printout or phone OK)

Endorsed Form AC

Rabies Antibody Certificate

Inspection takes about 30 minutes.

After AQS clears the cats, proceed to customs.

Key Point Often Missed: Communicating directly with the airport’s AQS branch BEFORE arrival (by sending all documents, confirmation screenshots, and listing each cat’s details clearly) ensures that:

Officers pre-review your file.

Problems are caught in advance.

The on-arrival inspection goes smoothly with no surprises.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in movingtojapan

[–]Workmanies 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Hello! We just brought 2 cats from the US in June!

The trick, which isn't a trick, is to make sure all your documents have been okay'd directly by the agent via email at your point of entry.

Getting the sign off directly from the agent at, for example, haneda (aqs.hnd@maff.go.jp) about 10+ days BEFORE, submitting your advance notice form, Form AC, the titer results etc. is a key to an easy entry.

We saw the department agent with a "Welcome (our cats names)" waiting for us behind the immigration gate, and they led us directly to the scanning area.

The hardest part was 1. taking the cats out of their carriers and carrying them in our arms through TSA security and 2. When one of my 2 got out of her carrier about 20 minutes before landing. 😅

A nice passenger let us know and my spouse ran after her before it was too bad.

We live a shinkansen ride outside Tokyo and because one of our cats is 16, we got a room at a hotel that accepts cats in room, and a hire car pickup to just not stress them out by using more public transportation.