Japan Residence Card: Registration, Renewal and Rules

Registration Process

All foreign residents staying in Japan longer than 90 days receive a Residence Card (Zairyu Card) at the airport upon arrival or at their local immigration office. The card contains your name, nationality, residence status, permitted period of stay, and whether work is authorized. Within 14 days of establishing an address, you must register at your local ward office (kuyakusho) by presenting the Residence Card and completing the resident registration form. This registration generates your My Number, a 12-digit identification number used for tax, social insurance, and banking purposes.

Renewal and Changes

Residence Cards expire with your visa period. Renewal requires submitting an extension application to immigration before the expiry date, ideally three months ahead. Address changes must be reported to your new ward office within 14 days of moving. Employment changes for work visa holders must be reported to immigration within 14 days. Carrying your Residence Card at all times is legally required, and failure to produce it upon police request can result in a fine of up to 200,000 yen.

My Number Card

The My Number Card (Individual Number Card) is a photo ID card linked to your My Number that increasingly serves as identification for banking, tax filing, and government services. Application involves submitting a photo and form at your ward office, with the card arriving by mail in three to four weeks. While not yet mandatory, the card simplifies many administrative processes and is required for certain services including online tax filing.

What the Card Contains

The residence card (zairyu kaado) serves as the primary identification document for foreign residents, containing your photograph, name, nationality, date of birth, address, visa status, period of stay, and work permission status. The card must be carried at all times, and police may request it for identification checks. Address changes must be reported to the local city or ward office within 14 days of moving. The card is issued at the airport upon arrival for visa holders or at immigration offices for status changes. Renewal must be applied for before the current card expires, and overstaying even one day creates serious legal complications. The My Number system, Japan’s social security and tax identification number, is linked to the residence card and is needed for employment, tax filing, bank accounts, and government services. The Individual Number Card (My Number Card) is a separate physical card that some services require for in-person identification.

Residence Card Practicalities

The zairyu kaado (residence card) must be carried at all times by law. Police may request to see it during random checks (shokumu shitsumon), and failure to present it can result in a fine. The card displays your name, nationality, residence status, period of stay, work permission status, and address. When you move to a new address, you must update the card at the new municipality’s ward office within 14 days. The back of the card is stamped with your new address at each move.

Re-entry permits for travel outside Japan are built into the residence card system. A minashi sainyuukoku kyoka (deemed re-entry permit) allows you to leave and return to Japan within one year without applying for a separate re-entry permit, provided you show both your passport and residence card at immigration on departure. For absences longer than one year but within your visa validity period, you must apply for a special re-entry permit (sainyuukoku kyoka) at the Immigration Bureau before departure, costing 3,000 yen for single entry or 6,000 yen for multiple entries. Leaving Japan without a valid re-entry permit voids your residence status, requiring a full new visa application from outside the country.

This content is for informational purposes only and reflects independent research. Details may change — verify current information before making travel plans.