Procedures at a Regional Immigration Services Bureau/port of entry/local municipal office

Immigration screening

At New Chitose Airport, Narita International Airport, Haneda Airport, Chubu Centrair International Airport, Kansai International Airport, Hiroshima Airport, and Fukuoka Airport, landing permission will be stamped in the entrant's passport and a residence card issued to those who will become mid to long-term residents upon receiving landing permission.

For those entering at a different port of entry, landing permission will be stamped in the entrant's passport and "Residence card will be issued at a later date" (在留カード後日交付する) will be written in a space nearby in their passport. In this case, the residence card will be issued after the mid to long-term resident notifies the municipal office of their place of residence. (In principle, the Regional Immigration Services Bureau will mail the card to the registered address).

You can apply for permission to engage in an activity other than those permitted by the status of residence previously granted at a port of entry!

You can apply at a port of entry if you meet any of the following conditions:

• New entrants
  Those who enter via re-entry permission do not qualify.
• Those who have been granted a status of residence of "Student"
  Those who have been granted a status of residence for three months do not qualify.

Notification of (change of) address

Those who are new to Japan

Those who were issued a residence card at a port of entry (Note) must bring their residence card and notify their address to the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency at their local municipal office's relevant counter within 14 days of the residency being determined.

(Note) Includes those with 在留カード後日交付 (residence card will be issued at a later date) written in their passports. In such a situation, bring your passport to continue with the procedure.

* Notification of address will also be required for those who were granted a change of status of residence and recently became mid to long-term residents.

For those who are moving to a new residence

If a mid to long-term resident has changed their place of residence, they have to bring their residence card to the municipal office of the new place of residence within 14 days of moving to notify the Commissioner of the Immigration Service Agency.

• If you move... File a notification of change of address at your local municipal office

This can be done in one step with the moving-in/out notification!

Mid to long-term residents are eligible to register under the Basic Resident Registration System.
When notifying your address in the Residency Management System, you can also file moving-in and moving-out notifications in the Basic Registration System by bringing your residence card.
In principle, these notifications have to be filed by the person in question. However, a representative may be delegated with a power of attorney.

Notifications or applications of (changes to) items other than address

When notifying or applying at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau, bring your passport, a photograph, and your residence card. In principle, a new residence card will be issued on the date that you file the notification/application.

Notification of change of name, date of birth, sex, or nationality/region

In case of changes to your last name or nationality/region due to marriage, or changes made to your name, date of birth, sex, or nationality/region, submit a notification to the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency at a Regional Immigration Services Bureau within 14 days of the change.

* In principle, the Latin alphabet will be used, however it is possible to use kanji (Japanese orthographic characters) as well. If there is a change to the kanji, a notification of change will be required.

Application for validity period extension of residence card

Permanent Residents, Highly Skilled Professionals (ii), and those under the age of 16 whose validity period of their residence card is until their 16th birthday must apply to renew their residence card at a Regional Immigration Services Bureau before the expiration date.

Permanent Residents and Highly Skilled Professionals (ii) can apply from up to two months before the expiration date, and those under the age of 16 whose validity period of their residence card is until their 16th birthday can apply from up to six months before their 16th birthday.

Application for reissuance of a residence card

In case a residence card is lost, stolen, destroyed, severely defiled, or damaged, apply for reissuance at a Regional Immigration Services Bureau.

• In case a residence card is lost, stolen, or destroyed, apply for reissuance within 14 days from the day you realize it is missing (or from the date of re-entry if found to be missing while overseas).

  (Note) When applying, bring some type of proof in place of your residence card, such as a Certificate of Acceptance of Report of Lost Property or a Certificate of Theft Report issued by a police department, or a Disaster Victim Certificate issued by a fire department.

• In case a residence card is severely defiled or damaged, apply for reissuance as soon as possible.
• Even if the residence card has not been severely damaged, it is possible to apply for reissuance if you wish to exchange your residence card. In this case, a handling fee will be required.

• If you have lost your residence card...
• First, report the loss at a police department
• Then, fill out an application for reissuance at your nearest Regional Immigration Services Bureau

Notifications pertaining to affiliated organization or relationship with spouse

• Notifications pertaining to affiliated organization (activity organization or contract organization)
  Among mid to long-term residents, those with a work-permitted status of residence (excluding "Artists," "Religious Activities," and "Journalists"), or those residing with a status of residence of "Student," "Trainee," or "Technical Intern Training" must notify the Immigration Services Agency Commissioner within 14 days if there is a change in name, change in location, dissolution, leaving (termination of contract), or transfer (conclusion of new contract) at the affiliated organization (employment or educational institution).
• Notification of change in relationship with spouse
  Among mid to long-term residents, those who are a spouse and reside with the status of residence "Dependent," "Spouse or Child of a Japanese National," or "Spouse or Child of a Permanent Resident" must notify the Immigration Services Agency Commissioner within 14 days in case of divorce with or bereavement of the spouse.

Notifications regarding the organization for an activity

Those residing with the status of residence "Professor," "Highly Skilled Professional (i) (c)," "Highly Skilled Professional (ii)" (those following activities under c), "Business manager," "Legal/Accounting Services," "Medical Services," "Instructor," "Intra-Company Transferee," "Technical Intern Training," "Student," or "Trainee" must notify the Immigration Services Agency Commissioner within 14 days if there are changes to the activity organization as listed below.

• Change of name of the organization
• Change of location of the organization
• Dissolution of the organization
• Leaving the organization
• Transfer to the organization

• If you graduate from a Japanese educational institution
• Notification for leaving the organization for the activity

Notification pertaining to the contract organization

Those residing with the status of residence "Highly Skilled Professional (i) (a)," "Highly Skilled Professional (i) (b)," "Highly Skilled Professional (ii)" (those following activities under a or b), "Researcher," "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services," "Nursing Care," "Entertainer," or "Skilled Labor" must notify the Immigration Services Agency Commissioner within 14 days if there are changes to the contract organization as listed below.

• Change of name of the contract organization
• Change of location of the contract organization
• Dissolution of the contract organization
• Contract termination with the contract organization
• Contract signed with a new contract organization

• Notification of signing a contract with a new contract organization after entering a new company
• Notification of end of contract with the contract organization after resigning from the company

Notification of change in relationship with spouse

Those residing as a spouse with the status of residence "Dependent," "Spouse or Child of a Japanese National," or "Spouse or Child of a Permanent Resident" must notify the Immigration Services Agency Commissioner in the following cases.

• Divorce
• Bereavement

If you divorce your spouse, you have to submit the following notification.