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If you are an foreign tourist, you have to be “Temporary Visitor”. This entry status will be stamped at immigration on your passport. Other status cannot be acceptable. Be careful. You have to show your passport at the station when you pass your exchange order to get actual pass.
If you are already in Japan as other status, you have to change your status first. Otherwise you cannot buy Japan Rail Pass. Please see “How to buy and exchange”.

If you are Japanese citizen who have permanetly status in foreign country, or who married to a non-Japanese, you are qualified.

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22 Comments to “Who is eligible?”

1. Bobby says:

   August 20, 2012 at 9:52 pm

   Hi Takeshi,
   Thank you for this helpful website.
   I would like ask to you a question. I am from Indonesia and a student in Hiroshima University. In this next September, my family (my wife and my 3,5 years old son) will come to visit me for one week. They will arrive at Narita Airport, and then go to Hiroshima, and will be back home from Kansai Airport. I think JR Pass is the cheapest way to cover their trip cost in Japan. As an Alien Registration Card holder, may I also use the JR Pass to accompany them during their stay in Japan? If I’m not mistaken, I ever heard (but so sorry, I forget the source), that it is allowed for one permanent resident in Japan to use JR Pass as long as he/she act as a guide for a group of temporary visitor/s.

   Thank you very much for helpfulness.

   Best regards,
   Bobby

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     August 21, 2012 at 12:39 am

     Hi Bobby,

     Thank you for visiting my site.
     In regards to your question, I have never heard that before. As long as I know, you are not eligible to use JR pass. The official site says:
     http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en002.html

     But I’m not 100% sure.
     You cannot purchase the exchange order for JR Pass in Japan. I think you will ask your wife to purchase before she comes to Japan. So ask her to make sure you will be able to use it or not when she purchase an exchange order.

     Cheers,

     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
     • Bobby says:

       August 21, 2012 at 8:17 am

       Hi Takeshi,

       Just know, I googled and I found out that my status only eligible for Kansai Thru Pass.

       Thanks for your explanation.

       Best regards,

       Bobby

       Reply
2. Peggy says:

   April 2, 2012 at 7:43 pm

   Is there any kind of special tickets for JR East that could be bought by my son and daughter-in-law? He is staying in Japan to teach with the JET program. I am coming to visit for 10 days and I have the JP East Rail Pass for myself. I wanted him and his wife to be able to do some tourist things with me, as they have not yet had the chance – like go to Tokyo from Aomori for a couple days. but the cost for them looks to be very high.

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     April 2, 2012 at 8:20 pm

     Hi Peggy,
     There is no pass and discount ticket that provide same value as JR East Pass or Japan Rail Pass. These passes are very special and have a huge deal. Many domestic travellers use “Weekend Pass”. This pass do not cover Aomori, but it covers all JR lines in Miyagi (Sendai), Yamagata, Niigata, Nagano, Izu and around Tokyo. It costs 8700 yen for Saturday and Sunday. This pass includes a basic fare only. So if they use any express trains, like Shinkansen, surcharge must be paid on top of this pass. It costs about 5000 yen for one way to Sendai from Tokyo. I put the link about this pass. This link is in Japanese. But you may forward this link to your son. He may be able to read it by himself. Otherwise he can ask someone who speaks Japanese.
     http://www.jreast.co.jp/tickets/info.aspx?mode=top&GoodsCd=1842
     Actually JR East have five days unlimited pass. But this pass is sold for member only. But this membership is for the person who is more than 5o years old. And it is like credit card application. So it is obviously not for your son.
     As far as I know, Weekend Pass have the biggest deal.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
3. Ray says:

   January 23, 2012 at 1:41 am

   Hi

   I am a Australia Citizen and my wife is Japanese. What type of documents we need to provide in order for my wife to be eligible to purchase Japan Rail Pass? (e.g Married certificate?)

   Thank You

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     January 23, 2012 at 12:44 pm

     Hi Ray,
     Does your wife have a permanent residence visa, like a green card, landed immigrant? You need to show this kind of document and passport usually. Some companies do not check the status and passport. But you need to show the document and passport when you turn in the pass in Japan.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
4. Martin says:

   November 29, 2011 at 9:11 am

   Hi, we will be going to tokyo next march, we will be buying the 7 days rail pass. i would be visting osaka from tokyo, from osaka is it possible to use the over night train to sapporo by using our JR rail pass? From Sapporo we will be returning back to tokyo, is there a night train back to tokyo from sapporo. Thanks for the great assistance.

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     November 29, 2011 at 12:52 pm

     Hi Martin,
     I think you mean Twilight Express from Osaka to Sapporo.
     http://jprail.com/destinations/overnight-express-train-twilight-express.html
     Japan Rail Pass cover only a basic fare when you take an overnight train. So you need to pay limited express surcharge and accommodation fee. But there are only two trains that you can take by Japan Rail Pass without any extra charge.
     http://jprail.com/travel-informations/akebomo.html
     http://jprail.com/travel-informations/hamanasu.html
     If you don’t want to pay any extra, try to take these above trains.
     Regarding Sapporo to Tokyo, it is same story as Twilight Express. There are two trains, Cassiopeia and Hokutosei.
     http://jprail.com/destinations/overnight-express-train-hokutosei.html
     http://jprail.com/destinations/overnight-express-train-cassiopeia.html
     You need to pay extra by Japan Rail Pass.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
5. immigration services says:

   April 21, 2011 at 7:10 am

   I am married to a Japanese national who has permanent residency in a foreign country. Can I also qualify for this?

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     April 21, 2011 at 12:21 pm

     Hello,
     Yes.
     Even Japanese who live in other counties as a permanent residence can buy.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
6. J. V. Chan says:

   February 24, 2011 at 5:34 am

   Hi JPRail.com!
   A simple question. We have a three-year-old son. If both parents use JR Passes, can our son travel for free in JR trains, and especially, Shinkansen trains?
   Thank you for any information you can provide.
   Your site is very informative and comprehensive.
   Thank you.

   J.V. Chan

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     February 24, 2011 at 7:02 am

     Hello J.V.,
     Yes. As long as you share the seat with your son, it’ free. But you want to have a seat for your son, you need to buy a pass or a single ticket. If you find a lot of extra seat on non reserved car, use non reserved and get the extra seat for your son too!
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
7. Nat says:

   February 22, 2011 at 4:41 pm

   Hi JPRail,
   I found the other document. My mum reported Thailand Consultancy in Osaka in order to get her Thai Birth Certificate, In the birth certificate, it stated that her nationality is Thai. So I think that she has dual nationality but she only holding japanese passport. Is that would be evidence to proof? Thank you in advance..

   Nat

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     February 22, 2011 at 7:56 pm

     Hello Nat,
     I think Thai birth certificate is fine. But when you buy Japan Rail Pass, ask the travel agent. Technically they have to check the passport or the other document. Otherwise they cannot sell.
     (some of travel agent sell the pass without check…)
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
8. Nat says:

   February 22, 2011 at 4:21 pm

   Hi JPRail,
   First of all, Thank you for your reply.
   Her visa is temporary residence as her mother is Thai. We also has her name in house registration etc. Is that could be a document to proof her status in Thailand?

   Reply
9. Nat says:

   February 22, 2011 at 5:06 am

   Hi JPRail.
   I have the similar problem as well. My sister (13yrs) holding the japanese passport. She left Japan since she was 2 months and never get back to Japan. She live in Thailand in the past 13yrs. She also doesnt have thailand permanent residence visa. So Could she buy JR pass? If yes , what documents does she need in order to proof that her situation considered as the ‘You are a Japanese national living in a foreign country who is qualified to live permanently in that country ….
   Thank you

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     February 22, 2011 at 12:22 pm

     Hello Nat,
     I have never heard this kind of situation. I’m not familiar with the immigration low of Thailand. How does she stay in Thailand? As long as she stays in Thailand legally, I think you can get some papers from the government to proof her status in Thailand.
     In my opinion, we need to have something to proof ourselves. Otherwise she cannot get it technically.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
10. Angelia says:

    January 16, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    Hi, first i want to than you for such an excellent website! It is so resourceful and easy to understand for someone who is new to Japan transportation like me. Unbelievably Japan is expensive…. Well, here come the question. I am traveling with one of my friend, a Japanese, but beside having a Japanese nationality, she could not speak Japanese and have not been living in Japan since she was 2. Now we are going to japan to explore her birth country and are very keen on getting the Japan Rail Pass. Do you think she is eligible for this pass? Noted, she still has Japan passport and not yet a foreigner in Japan. And if by any chance you know the customer support for Japan Rail Pass, it will be greatly appreciated. I tried to search the web but come with none, and the travel agency in our country couldn’t really help either. Thank you for your help in advance. If I didn’t get your reply, I just want you to know, AWESOME website!

    Reply
    • JPRail says:

      January 16, 2011 at 10:22 pm

      Hello Angelia,
      Thank you very much for your comment!
      I think she is eligible. For example, Japanese who has US Green Card is eligible. Please seethis page on Japan Rail Pass official website. They say “You are a Japanese national living in a foreign country who is qualified to live permanently in that country.” This person is eligible.
      Your friend has been living in foreign country since she was 2 years old. I believe she has a permanent residence permit. I have a lot of Japanese who has Canadian landed immigrant. They can buy the pass!
      If you still have any questions, please let me know.
      I hope both you and your friend enjoy your trip in Japan.
      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      Reply