One of the most important items to consider during your move to Okinawa is the documentation you will need to have on hand when you arrive. First, you must have your Permanent Change of Station orders, area clearance and passports as well as shot records for yourself and all members of your family accompanying you. Contact your current command immediately to obtain assistance in acquiring these items.
Area Clearance
Upon receipt of PCS orders Marines inbound to any command aboard Okinawa will submit for area clearance approval. Requests are submitted to the Commanding General, MCB Camp Smedley D. Butler (Attn: G-1A). Information for these requests can be obtained from your local IPAC. Naval personnel only: dependent entry approval requests receipts for all sailors assigned to Okinawa are submitted to PerSuppDet Okinawa per NMPCINST4650.3a. POC: Admin office DSN: 634-9337.
Upon receipt of the area clearance request, which is submitted by the Marine's command, area clearance approval is provided by naval message.
The area clearance message provides a vast amount of information that will be very helpful to the requester. Some of this info includes: sponsor, school info, pets, housing, cost of living, medical and dental info, transportation costs, etc.
Passports and Visas
As a military member, you are not required to carry a passport for travel into Okinawa, but you may wish to purchase one at your own expense for leave travel. Your family members, however, must have a valid passport. Passports issued to parents that include their children may pose a problem if an emergency or medical evacuation arises. It would be wise to get each child a separate passport or visa.
When you receive notification of your assignment to Okinawa, and obtain your area clearance for your dependents, you should report to your administrative section and obtain a dependent’s passport application and photo request. When traveling by commercial flights, you can use a tourist passport and a visa is not required. These requirements are subject to change, so check with your admin office.
If you plan on visiting other countries such as Korea, China, Thailand, etc., be sure you have the proper re-entry visa stamped in your passport. This visa stamp is obtainable at Pass & ID on Camp Foster and PSD at Kadena Air Base for sailors.
Japanese Passport Holder
If you have a family member that is a Japanese Passport holder please be aware when flying commercially into Japan, customs and immigration will be separate lines within the same commercial terminal. However, if you are arriving on an AMC flight, via Kadena Air Base, family members with Japanese passports cannot be processed at the Air Base Terminal. Japanese law stipulates Japanese citizens must be processed at the Government of Japan (GOJ) office. American customs officials are not permitted to process Japanese citizens.
Additionally, U.S. Customs Officials are not authorized to stamp passports of family members, on EML Orders traveling without their sponsors, who are not stationed in Japan. For example, a spouse traveling from Korea to Guam, with a stop in Okinawa cannot be processed. Retirees, traveling to Okinawa Space "A" on their ID cards, must also be processed at the GOJ office.
In an effort to accommodate these individuals, Air Force Customs Officials provide round trip transportation to and from the GOJ office. It is approximately a four minute ride by car.
Other Documents
Besides passports and visas, other important documents you will probably need in-hand for your transition to Okinawa include:
- Area Clearance
- Original birth certificates
- Military orders and Dependent Entry Approval
- I.D. and Social Security Cards
- Current drivers' licenses or permits
- Marriage Licenses or Divorce Decrees
- Immunization Records
- Naturalization Paperwork
- All educational documentation
- Deeds and titles to all real estate or other property
- Wills and Powers of Attorney
- Shipping and storage documents for your household goods
- Insurance Policies
- State and Federal Income Tax Returns
- Adoption Papers
- Addresses of financial institutions you do business with
- Civilian & Military Medical/Dental Records
- Resumé/Previous employment records
- Pet Health/Rabies Vaccination Records