Can dual citizen children purchase JR Passes?

Can dual citizen children purchase JR Passes? - Little Boy Carrying Can

I took a look at the JR Pass website, but it's not very specific when it comes to dual citizens. My child has Canadian and Japanese citizenship and both passports.

Current the child is under 6, so they don't need a JR Pass, but once the child is over 6, I'd need to get a child JR Pass.

From other questions, I've understood that you're supposed to use the Canadian passport at the airline (so it matches the ticket), and the Japanese passport at immigration points when entering and exiting Japan.

In the past when I've gotten a JR Pass for myself, I've had to show my Canadian passport with the stamp from immigration, but my child won't have that if they use the Japanese passport. This website seems to state that the dual citizen should use the non-Japanese passport, but I can't find anything on the official website, plus this goes against what I've heard for entering Japan.

I've seen the changes from 2017 that say Japanese nationals who have lived abroad over 10 years can use a Japanese passport, but as the child is under ten years old, I'm guessing this doesn't apply?



Best Answer

The Eligibility requirements (PDF file) from this page states:

  • In regard to (1), if a single copy of your Overseas Residential Registration verifies that any family members living with you in the country have stayed for 10 consecutive years or more, such a document is valid for those family members.
  • Concerning children (under 12 years of age) whose stay in the country is less than 10 years at the time of purchase of an Exchange Order, if a single copy of the Overseas Residential Registration stated in (1) verifies that they live together with the applicant whose stay in the country is 10 consecutive years or more, and if they also use the JAPAN RAIL PASS together with that applicant, their eligibility requirements are satisfied.

There may be other allowances listed in this document, but this one seemed like it may be relevant to you.




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Who is eligible for JR Pass?

Who is eligible for the Japan Rail Pass? In order to enjoy the Japan Rail Pass, you will need a "temporary visitor" stamp (up to 90 days) in your passport. It is usually granted automatically on arrival or, if your country does not have visa waiver agreements with Japan, by entering the country on a tourist visa.

Can I buy two JR passes?

Yes, there is no limit on the number of JR Passes you can buy. It's worth bearing in mind the per day costs of the JR Pass reduce as you purchase larger passes.

Is my child a dual citizen?

Dual citizenship means that an individual is a citizen of two countries at the same time. Some times dual citizenship occurs as an operation of law. For example, a child born in the United States to foreign parents is usually both a citizen of the United States and his/her parent's home country.

Can dual citizens travel without visa?

Some nationalities may not need a visa at all to enter certain destinations. The advantage of having 2 passports is that one passport might grant the holder access to online visas or visa-free entry to destinations that the other does not.



Dual Citizenship: Issue facing Philippine-born citizens with one American Parent




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