What is the difference between deportation and a Departure Order?
A Deportation Order is issued when a foreigner is arrested by immigration officers and found to be in violation of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. The first time you are deported, you are prohibited from re-entering Japan for five years. If you have been deported (or left Japan with a Departure Order) more than once, you may not re-enter Japan for ten years. A Departure Order is a lighter penalty designated especially for the first offense of overstaying. If you are found guilty of overstaying for the first time and have never committed any other violation of the law, you can go to the Immigration Bureau and tell them that you are willing to leave Japan with a Departure Order. If you leave Japan with a Departure Order, you may not re-enter Japan for one year. The Deportation Order and the Departure Order are administrative penalties imposed by the Immigration Bureau. But you may also be penalized for criminal activity by court order. The penalty for the crime of ov
