Japan Residence Card Pickup and 14-Day Address Registration
Mid-to-long-term residents collect their ๅจ็ใซใผใ (Zairyลซ Kฤdo โ Residence Card) from immigration at one of eight designated airports.
The eight are New Chitose, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, or Fukuoka; residents then file a ไฝๅฑ ๅฐๅฑๅบ (Jลซkyochi Todokede โ address notification) at the ๅธๅบ็บๆ office within 14 days of moving in.
Estimated time
Same-day issuance at one of the eight designated airports, followed by a same-day municipal counter visit within 14 days of moving in
Cost
Free for the initial residence card and the first address registration; ไฝๆฐ็ฅจ extracts cost about ยฅ300 per copy where needed
What You Need
Tap to check off items as you gather them
Additional Items
- Optional integrated card path from 14 June 2026 โ the ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ (Tokutei Zairyลซ Kฤdo โ Specified Residence Card) combines residence-card and My Number Card functions on a single chip-bearing card. Acquisition is voluntary; the standard residence card and a separate My Number Card remain a valid path indefinitely. Issuance takes approximately 10 days longer than a standard card. The fee schedule is not published on the Immigration Services Agency announcement page as of 22 May 2026 โ applicants check the same page for the official figure at launch.
- Statement of Reasons for Delay (้ ๅปถ็็ฑๆธ, Chien Riyลซ-sho) โ informal recovery option when the 14-day deadline is missed. The municipality may accept the late registration accompanied by this statement, but acceptance is at the counter's discretion and does not waive the statutory penalty under Article 71 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. The mechanism appears in resident-orientation literature but is not described on the Immigration Services Agency primary procedural pages.
- Special Permanent Residents (็นๅฅๆฐธไฝ่ , Tokubetsu Eijลซ-sha) โ a distinct legal category (mainly pre-1952-pedigree Korean and Taiwanese permanent residents and their descendants) that receives a ็นๅฅๆฐธไฝ่ ่จผๆๆธ (Special Permanent Resident Certificate) from the municipality rather than a residence card. From 14 June 2026, an optional integrated-chip variant of this certificate is available alongside the Specified Residence Card path.
- Yokohama inter-ward exception โ when moving between wards within Yokohama City, only a move-in notification at the new ward is filed; no separate move-out notification is required. Other designated cities do not necessarily follow the same convention; check the destination municipality's procedural page before relying on this shortcut.
- Three different 90-day rules circulate in resident materials and must not be confused: the 90-day visa-waiver for short-term visitors from waiver countries; the 14-day address-registration deadline once a mid-to-long-term resident establishes an address; and the 90-day non-registration threshold under Article 22-4 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, beyond which the Minister of Justice may revoke the status of residence.
- Individual Number Notification Letter (replacing the discontinued ้็ฅใซใผใ, Tsลซchi Kฤdo โ Notification Card phased out in May 2020) typically arrives by mail roughly two to three weeks after address registration. Obtaining the physical My Number Card itself is a separate application path documented in the partner guide on My Number application and tax linkage.
Step-by-Step
- 1
At the airport โ receive the residence card on the spot or accept a passport notation
New Arrival- (Applicant) Present passport with the status-of-residence visa, the disembarkation card, and the ๅจ็่ณๆ ผ่ชๅฎ่จผๆๆธ (Zairyลซ Shikaku Nintei Shลmeisho โ Certificate of Eligibility) where applicable to the immigration inspector
- (Immigration Services Agency inspector) Affix the landing permission seal in the passport and, at one of the eight designated airports โ New Chitose, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, or Fukuoka โ print and laminate the residence card on the spot
- (Immigration Services Agency inspector) At any other port โ regional airport or seaport โ affix a passport notation ๅจ็ใซใผใใๅพๆฅไบคไปใใ indicating the residence card will be mailed after municipal address registration
- (Applicant) Confirm the address field on the card is left blank โ the address is added by the municipality
๐ก Tip: The card carries a chip and visible data fields including name, date of birth, gender, nationality or region, status of residence, work-authorisation status, validity period, and card number. Article 23 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act requires the card to be carried at all times while in Japan.
- 2
After arrival โ establish a Japanese address and start the 14-day clock
New Arrival Resident- (Applicant) Sign a residential lease, move into employer-provided housing, or take up residence with a relative or sponsor
- (Applicant) Confirm the move-in date โ the 14-day clock under Article 19-7 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act starts on the date you actually establish residence, not the date you landed in Japan
- (Applicant) Note that hotels and serviced-apartment short-term stays do not satisfy the residence test; some municipalities reject a hotel address outright
โ ๏ธ Watch out: Trying to register from a hotel or temporary accommodation typically fails at the counter. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications page on move-in and move-out states the clock starts on the day of taking up the new residence; arriving early and waiting for permanent accommodation does not by itself create a missed deadline.
- 3
After arrival โ visit the ๅธๅบ็บๆ office of the new address within 14 days
New Arrival Resident- (Applicant) Identify the ๅบๅฝนๆ (Kuyakusho โ ward office) for Tokyo's 23 special wards, or the ๅธๅฝนๆ (Shiyakusho โ city office) / town office / village office for ordinary municipalities of the address
- (Applicant) Take a queue ticket at the ๆธ็ฑไฝๆฐ่ชฒ (Koseki Jลซmin-ka โ Family and Resident Affairs Division) or equivalent counter unit named for the municipality (for example, the Counter Services Subsection in Minato, the Residents and Family Registration Division in Shibuya, the family registry division of the new ward in Yokohama)
- (Applicant) Check ward office hours โ Yokohama: MondayโFriday 08:45โ17:00 closed Saturday/Sunday/holidays and 29 December โ 3 January; Shibuya: 08:30โ17:00 with the same closed-day pattern
- (Applicant) Build in time for a translator or English-speaking support where the municipal counter has limited foreign-language coverage
๐ก Tip: Major Tokyo wards (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Minato), Yokohama, Osaka, and similar designated cities publish English-language living guides covering the counter visit. Smaller towns may rely on bilingual signage and a Japanese-only form โ bring a Japanese-speaking contact if you are unsure of the procedure.
- 4
After arrival โ submit the residence-address notification form and supporting documents
New Arrival Resident- (Applicant) Hand over the ไฝๅฑ ๅฐๅฑๅบๆธ (Jลซkyochi Todokede-sho โ residence-address notification form), the residence card (or passport bearing the ๅจ็ใซใผใใๅพๆฅไบคไปใใ notation), and the passport itself
- (Applicant) Submit family-member documentation when registering a household โ marriage certificate, children's birth certificates, and certified Japanese translations of any non-Japanese documents (Minato requires certified translations explicitly)
- (Municipal clerk) Record the address in the ไฝๆฐๅบๆฌๅฐๅธณ (Jลซmin Kihon Daichล โ Basic Resident Register) under the ไฝๆฐๅบๆฌๅฐๅธณๆณ (Jลซmin Kihon Daichล Hล โ Basic Resident Registration Act)
- (Municipal clerk) Confirm the single counter act discharges both the municipal registration and the Immigration Services Agency notification owed under Article 19-7 โ verbatim ไธ่จใฎไฝๅฑ ๅฐใฎๅฑๅบใ่กใฃใใใฎใจใฟใชใใใพใ (deemed to have completed the residence address notification)
โ ๏ธ Watch out: If a proxy submits on the principal's behalf, the principal must carry a copy of the residence card while the proxy holds the original at the counter. Missing the residence card or the annotated passport blocks completion; rebook for the next available slot within the 14-day window.
- 5
After arrival โ receive the address-stamped residence card and the ไฝๆฐ็ฅจ record
New Arrival Resident- (Municipal clerk) Print or stamp the registered address on the reverse side of the residence card and return the card to the applicant
- (Municipal clerk) Create a ไฝๆฐ็ฅจ (Jลซminhyล โ Certificate of Residence) record with the resident's name, address, date of birth, sex, nationality, status of residence, and period of stay
- (Applicant) Verify the address printed on the back of the residence card and the ไฝๆฐ็ฅจ entry are correct before leaving the counter
- (Applicant) Where the card was not issued at the airport, expect the Immigration Services Agency to mail the residence card to the registered address โ no published target window applies; resident-orientation literature reports one to two weeks anecdotally
๐ก Tip: From this moment, the residence card is fully usable as government-issued photo identification โ banks, telecom carriers, and employers accept it as primary identification.
- 6
After arrival โ optional integrated card path once the new format is in operation
Expat New Arrival Resident- (Applicant) Decide whether to apply for the ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ (Tokutei Zairyลซ Kฤdo โ Specified Residence Card), an optional card format that combines residence-card and ใใคใใณใใผใซใผใ (My Number Card) functions on a single chip-bearing card once the Immigration Services Agency launches operations (see the optional-route item for the exact force-date)
- (Applicant) Where applying, hold both a standard residence card and a My Number Card before filing โ the application is accepted at a regional immigration bureau or during a municipal address registration
- (Immigration Services Agency) Issue the Specified Residence Card approximately 10 days longer than a standard residence card
- (Applicant) Otherwise continue with the standard residence card and a separate My Number Card โ the Immigration Services Agency confirms this remains a valid path indefinitely
๐ก Tip: The Immigration Services Agency states the voluntary character in plain Japanese on its launch page: ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ็ญใฎๅๅพใไปปๆใงใใ (Tokutei Zairyลซ Kฤdo-tล no shutoku mo nin'i de ari โ acquisition of the Specified Residence Card is also voluntary). Standard residence card holders are under no obligation to switch.
- 7
After arrival โ receive the Individual Number Notification Letter
New Arrival Resident- (Municipality / national mailing system) Mail the Individual Number Notification Letter to the registered address roughly two to three weeks after address registration
- (Applicant) Store the letter โ it carries the My Number assigned to the resident and is needed for the separate My Number Card application
- (Applicant) Treat obtaining the physical My Number Card as a distinct procedure documented in the partner guide on My Number application and tax linkage
โ ๏ธ Watch out: If the Notification Letter does not arrive within roughly three weeks, contact the municipal counter that handled the address registration. A reissued letter or in-person collection at the counter may be available depending on the municipality.
What Could Go Wrong
Arrival via a port that is not one of the eight designated airports: No residence card is issued on the spot. The inspector affixes a passport notation indicating that the card will be issued later.
Recovery: Proceed with the passport only. Establish a Japanese address and complete municipal address registration within 14 days of moving in. The Immigration Services Agency mails the residence card to that registered address after registration.
Attempting to register from a hotel or short-term address: Hotels and serviced-apartment short-term stays do not establish residence. Some municipalities reject a hotel address outright; others demand evidence of long-term occupancy.
Recovery: Wait until permanent or long-term accommodation is secured. The 14-day clock begins only on the date of moving into a real residence, so a delayed move-in does not by itself create a missed deadline.
Forgetting to bring the residence card (or the annotated passport): The municipal counter cannot complete address registration without either the issued residence card or the passport bearing the ๅจ็ใซใผใใๅพๆฅไบคไปใใ notation.
Recovery: Return to the counter with the missing document. Most counters retain queue tickets for same-day re-presentation; otherwise rebook for the next available slot within the 14-day window.
Missing the 14-day deadline: Article 71 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act sets a maximum penalty of imprisonment up to one year or a fine up to ยฅ200,000. Leaving the address unregistered for more than 90 days exposes the resident to revocation of status under Article 22-4.
Recovery: File the registration as soon as possible. The municipality may accept the late filing accompanied by a ้ ๅปถ็็ฑๆธ (Chien Riyลซ-sho โ Statement of Reasons for Delay), at counter discretion. The Statement does not waive statutory penalties; it documents the cause of delay and supports administrative leniency.
Moving between municipalities within Japan: A move between separate municipalities triggers two filings under Article 19-9: a ่ปขๅบๅฑ (Tenshutsu Todoke โ moving-out notification) at the old municipality and a ่ปขๅ ฅๅฑ (Tennyลซ Todoke โ moving-in notification) at the new one within 14 days of moving in.
Recovery: File both notifications. Yokohama publishes an inter-ward exception โ moves between wards within Yokohama City require only the move-in notification at the new ward; other designated cities do not necessarily follow the same convention, so verify the destination municipality's procedural page first.
Costs
| Item | Amount | Payment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residence card issuance at the port of entry | ยฅ0 | No payment required at the immigration counter | No fee is disclosed on the Immigration Services Agency page that defines the residence card. Cards issued at the eight designated airports are handed over during immigration inspection. |
| Initial address registration at the municipality | ยฅ0 | No payment required at the municipal counter | No fee is disclosed on the procedural pages of Shinjuku, Shibuya, Minato (Tokyo), or Yokohama City. The clerk records the address in the ไฝๆฐๅบๆฌๅฐๅธณ (Jลซmin Kihon Daichล โ Basic Resident Register) at no charge. |
| ไฝๆฐ็ฅจ (Jลซminhyล โ Certificate of Residence) extract per copy | ยฅ300 | Paid at the counter (cash or municipal stored-value where accepted) | Indicative figure published by Yokohama and matching practice across Tokyo wards. Each copy is typically ยฅ300. The first-time registration itself does not require requesting an extract; copies are purchased downstream when needed for a bank account, mobile contract, or similar. |
| Residence card reissuance โ loss or damage | ยฅ0 | Filed at a regional immigration bureau | Indicative figure for reissuance after loss or damage as published by the Immigration Services Agency reissuance procedural page. |
| Residence card exchange โ voluntary | ยฅ1,600 | Paid at the regional immigration bureau by revenue stamp (ๅๅ ฅๅฐ็ด, Shลซnyลซ Inshi) | Indicative figure for the voluntary exchange procedure as published by the Immigration Services Agency procedural page. The first card issued at the airport is free; this fee applies only to a later exchange request. |
- Payment:
- No payment required at the immigration counter
- Notes:
- No fee is disclosed on the Immigration Services Agency page that defines the residence card. Cards issued at the eight designated airports are handed over during immigration inspection.
- Payment:
- No payment required at the municipal counter
- Notes:
- No fee is disclosed on the procedural pages of Shinjuku, Shibuya, Minato (Tokyo), or Yokohama City. The clerk records the address in the ไฝๆฐๅบๆฌๅฐๅธณ (Jลซmin Kihon Daichล โ Basic Resident Register) at no charge.
- Payment:
- Paid at the counter (cash or municipal stored-value where accepted)
- Notes:
- Indicative figure published by Yokohama and matching practice across Tokyo wards. Each copy is typically ยฅ300. The first-time registration itself does not require requesting an extract; copies are purchased downstream when needed for a bank account, mobile contract, or similar.
- Payment:
- Filed at a regional immigration bureau
- Notes:
- Indicative figure for reissuance after loss or damage as published by the Immigration Services Agency reissuance procedural page.
- Payment:
- Paid at the regional immigration bureau by revenue stamp (ๅๅ ฅๅฐ็ด, Shลซnyลซ Inshi)
- Notes:
- Indicative figure for the voluntary exchange procedure as published by the Immigration Services Agency procedural page. The first card issued at the airport is free; this fee applies only to a later exchange request.
FAQ
General
Is the residence card free at the airport?
Yes. The initial residence card is issued at the port of entry at no charge. No fee is disclosed on the Immigration Services Agency page that defines the card. If you arrive via one of the eight designated airports, the inspector affixes the landing permission seal in your passport and prints the card on the spot. If you arrive via any other port, the card is mailed to your registered Japanese address after you complete municipal address registration โ also at no fee.
Does the 14-day clock start when I land in Japan or when I move in?
When you move in. The clock starts on the date you actually establish residence at a Japanese address โ not on the date you land. Hotels and short-term accommodation do not start the clock; the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications page on move-in and move-out for foreign residents states this in plain terms. Plan your housing carefully: if you arrive several days before moving into permanent accommodation, the 14-day window opens on your move-in date.
What if I arrived through a regional airport that isn't on the eight-airport list?
The inspector stamps your passport with the notation ๅจ็ใซใผใใๅพๆฅไบคไปใใ (residence card to be issued at a later date). You then have 14 days from establishing residence to register your address at the municipal counter. The Immigration Services Agency issues your residence card after registration and mails it to that address. Bring the annotated passport instead of the residence card to the municipal counter.
Do I have to apply for the new ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ (Specified Residence Card) from 14 June 2026?
No. Acquisition is voluntary. The Immigration Services Agency states the launch date and the voluntary character in plain language: 2026ๅนด๏ผไปคๅ8ๅนด๏ผ6ๆ14ๆฅ๏ผๆฅ๏ผใใ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ็ญใฎ้็จใ้ๅงใใใ (operations of the Specified Residence Card and related variants begin from Sunday 14 June 2026) and ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ็ญใฎๅๅพใไปปๆใงใใ (acquisition is also voluntary). The standard residence card path remains a valid choice indefinitely. Issuance of the Specified Residence Card also takes approximately 10 days longer than a standard card.
What happens if I miss the 14-day deadline?
Article 71 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act sets the maximum penalty at imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to ยฅ200,000. In practice, prosecution for a missed 14-day deadline is uncommon โ administrative remedies are typically pursued first, and some municipalities accept a late registration accompanied by a ้ ๅปถ็็ฑๆธ (Chien Riyลซ-sho โ Statement of Reasons for Delay). This mechanism is informal and at the counter's discretion; it does not waive the statutory penalty. A separate Article 22-4 trigger applies once an address has been left unregistered for more than 90 days: the Minister of Justice may revoke the status of residence.
Can I register a friend's address while I look for my own place?
Only if you have actually moved in and intend to reside there. The legal test is whether residence has been established, not how long you intend to stay. Some wards will register an address based on a lease or sponsor letter; others require utility-bill-style proof. A hotel address does not satisfy the residence test.
Do I have to carry the residence card all the time?
Yes. Article 23 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act imposes a carry-and-present obligation. Police, immigration officers, and coast guard officials may request to see the card; non-presentation can trigger a penalty. Keep the card on your person rather than leaving it at home โ even short errands fall within the obligation.
My family came with me โ can we all register together?
Yes. The municipality registers an entire household on a single ไฝๆฐ็ฅจ (Jลซminhyล โ Certificate of Residence). Bring the residence card or annotated passport of every household member, your marriage certificate, your children's birth certificates, and certified Japanese translations of any non-Japanese documents. Minato and several other Tokyo wards require certified translations explicitly; smaller municipalities may accept simpler translations.
What is the difference between ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ and ็นๅฎๆ่ฝ?
Two unrelated things that share the prefix ็นๅฎ (Tokutei โ Specified). ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ (Tokutei Zairyลซ Kฤdo) is the optional integrated card format launching 14 June 2026. ็นๅฎๆ่ฝ (Tokutei Ginล) is a separate status-of-residence category for skilled labour. The wording overlap causes confusion in resident-facing material; check the surrounding context to be sure which one a document refers to.
When does the My Number notification arrive?
Roughly two to three weeks after address registration, the Individual Number Notification Letter arrives by mail at your registered address. The older ้็ฅใซใผใ (Tsลซchi Kฤdo โ Notification Card) was phased out in May 2020 and replaced by the Notification Letter plus a separate My Number Card application path. Obtaining the physical My Number Card itself is a distinct procedure documented in the partner guide on My Number application.
After This Process
- โ Open a Japanese bank account using the address-stamped residence card and the ไฝๆฐ็ฅจ extract as primary identification
- โ Apply for the physical ใใคใใณใใผใซใผใ (My Number Card) using the Individual Number Notification Letter โ see the partner guide on My Number application
- โ Enrol in national health insurance (ๅฝๆฐๅฅๅบทไฟ้บ, Kokumin Kenkล Hoken) at the municipal counter if not covered by an employer's Shakai Hoken plan
- โ Schedule a calendar reminder for the residence-card validity expiry โ renewal is filed at a regional immigration bureau before the expiry date
- โ If moving within Japan, file the ่ปขๅบๅฑ (Tenshutsu Todoke โ moving-out notification) at the old municipality and the ่ปขๅ ฅๅฑ (Tennyลซ Todoke โ moving-in notification) at the new municipality within 14 days under Article 19-9
Sources
- Immigration Services Agency โ Initial Address Registration Post-Entry (moj.go.jp โ)
- Immigration Services Agency โ What is a Residence Card? (moj.go.jp โ)
- Immigration Services Agency โ Specified Residence Card launch announcement (moj.go.jp โ)
- Immigration Services Agency โ Address Change Notification (moj.go.jp โ)
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications โ Move in / Move out for Foreign Residents (soumu.go.jp โ)
- Study in Japan Official Website โ Immigration and Student Visas (studyinjapan.go.jp โ)
- Yokohama City โ Procedures for When Moving House (city.yokohama.lg.jp โ)
- Minato City Living Guide โ Moving (city.minato.tokyo.jp โ)
- Japanese Law Translation โ Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (japaneselawtranslation.go.jp โ)
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8 sources cited last accessed 2026-05-22
T1 official portal ยท T2 embassy/consulate ยท T3 news ยท T4 community โ higher tier wins on conflict. methodology →
- T1Immigration Services Agency (ๅบๅ ฅๅฝๅจ็็ฎก็ๅบ) โ Initial Address Registration Post-Entry 2026-05-22
Procedural anchor for the 14-day rule: the mid-to-long-term resident must notify the municipality of their residence within 14 days of establishing it. The Immigration Services Agency states this in Japanese as ไฝๅฑ ๅฐใๅฎใใๆฅใใ๏ผ๏ผๆฅไปฅๅ (within 14 days from the date you establish your residence). The municipal counter visit is legally treated as also discharging the notification obligation owed to the Immigration Services Agency under Article 19-7 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act: ไธ่จใฎไฝๅฑ ๅฐใฎๅฑๅบใ่กใฃใใใฎใจใฟใชใใใพใ (deemed to have completed the residence address notification). If the residence card was not issued at the port of entry, the passport bearing the notation ๅจ็ใซใผใใๅพๆฅไบคไปใใ (residence card to be issued at a later date) is presented instead.
moj.go.jp - T1Immigration Services Agency (ๅบๅ ฅๅฝๅจ็็ฎก็ๅบ) โ What is a Residence Card? 2026-05-22
Defines the residence card recipient population and card data fields. The card is issued to mid-to-long-term residents granted a status of residence allowing a stay longer than three months on the basis of a Certificate of Eligibility (ๅจ็่ณๆ ผ่ชๅฎ่จผๆๆธ, Zairyลซ Shikaku Nintei Shลmeisho) issued in advance by a regional immigration bureau and surrendered with the visa at the port of entry. The card carries the holder's name, date of birth, gender, nationality or region, address, status of residence, work-authorisation status, validity period, and card number. No fee is disclosed on this page for the initial residence card issued at the port of entry.
moj.go.jp - T1Immigration Services Agency (ๅบๅ ฅๅฝๅจ็็ฎก็ๅบ) โ Specified Residence Card / Operations Begin 14 June 2026 2026-05-22
Optional integrated card path launching 14 June 2026 โ the ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ (Tokutei Zairyลซ Kฤdo โ Specified Residence Card) combines residence-card and ใใคใใณใใผใซใผใ (My Number Card) functions on a single chip-bearing card. The Immigration Services Agency announcement page states 2026ๅนด๏ผไปคๅ8ๅนด๏ผ6ๆ14ๆฅ๏ผๆฅ๏ผใใ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ็ญใฎ้็จใ้ๅงใใใ (operations of the Specified Residence Card and related variants begin from Sunday 14 June 2026); ็นๅฎๅจ็ใซใผใ็ญใฎๅๅพใไปปๆใงใใ (acquisition is also voluntary); ้ๅธธใฎๅจ็ใซใผใใซๆฏในใฆใไบคไปใพใงใฏ๏ผ๏ผๆฅใปใฉ้ทใใใใใพใ (issuance takes approximately 10 days longer than a standard residence card). From the same launch date, the facial-photograph threshold is lowered from age 16 to age 1 for both standard and specified residence cards.
moj.go.jp - T1Study in Japan Official Website (MEXT-aligned) โ Immigration and Student Visas 2026-05-22
Designated-airport list at which the residence card is issued on the spot: New Chitose, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. The Study in Japan portal states that when entering Japan via one of these airports, during the immigration process a Landing Permission stamp will be affixed in the passport and the traveller will be issued a residence card. After determining where they will live in Japan, the traveller brings the residence card to the municipal office administering the address within 14 days to register as a resident. Arrival via any other port (regional airport or seaport) means the card is mailed after municipal registration.
studyinjapan.go.jp - T1Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (็ทๅ็) โ Move-in / Move-out Procedure for Foreign Residents 2026-05-22
Establishes the start of the 14-day clock and the framing of municipal registration. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications page states that medium to long-term residents must take their Residence Card (or passport for those who were not issued a Residence Card at the airport, etc.) and submit a move-in notification to the municipality of their residence within fourteen days of taking up their new residence. The clock starts on the date of establishing residence, not on the date of arrival in Japan.
soumu.go.jp - T1Japanese Law Translation โ Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act 2026-05-22
Statutory anchors: Article 19-7 (notification of place of residence following a new landing) sets the 14-day notification rule; Article 19-9 (notification of change of the place of residence) extends the rule to subsequent moves between municipalities; Article 22-4 (revocation of status of residence) lists failure to notify the place of residence within the statutory deadline as a revocation ground, with the 90-day non-registration threshold; Article 23 (carry-and-present obligation) requires the residence card to be carried and presented to immigration officers, police, or coast guard officials; Article 71 (penalties) caps the maximum penalty for notification failure at imprisonment up to one year or a fine up to ยฅ200,000. Reference version: Act No. 63 of 2019, translated 31 March 2020.
japaneselawtranslation.go.jp - T1Yokohama City (ๆจชๆตๅธ) โ Procedures for When Moving House 2026-05-22
Representative ward-level procedural page (last updated 1 March 2025). Deadline: within 14 days of the day of moving in. Where to submit: family registry division of the ward office of the ward you have moved to. Required: resident card or Special Permanent Resident Card, plus passport. Yokohama publishes an inter-ward exception: residents moving from one ward of Yokohama to another do not file a separate move-out notification โ only the move-in notification at the new ward is required. Ward office hours: MondayโFriday 08:45โ17:00; closed Saturday/Sunday/holidays and 29 December โ 3 January.
city.yokohama.lg.jp - T1Minato City Living Guide (ๆธฏๅบ) โ Moving 2026-05-22
Representative Tokyo ward procedural page (last updated 28 March 2024). Submit a resident registration form within 14 days of moving into Minato City. Required: passports and residence cards of all your household members who are moving into Minato City. Family-relation documents (marriage certificate, birth certificates) and certified Japanese translations are required when registering household members on a single ไฝๆฐ็ฅจ (Certificate of Residence). Counter Services Subsection, Residents Support Section at each Regional City Office handles the registration.
city.minato.tokyo.jp