To All Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan

VANO

　　
To All Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan                 
Beginning July 9, 2012:

A Resident Card will be issued with the introduction of a new residency management
system. The Alien Registration System will be abolished.
Issue of Resident Card

 Who this applies to: A Resident Card will be issued to persons residing in Japan who have been
granted a status of residence with a period of stay of more than three months.

・  A Resident Card will not be issued to persons with Temporary Visitor status or persons with
Diplomat or Official status.
・  For special permanent residents, a Special Permanent Resident Certificate will be issued
instead of a Resident Card.  

 Information shown: In addition to a picture (face only), information such as name,
nationality/region, date of birth, sex, status of residence, period of stay, and working permits will
be shown on the card.  

 Valid Period：
16 years or older Under 16 years old
Permanent residents Seven years from
the date of issue
Until the individual’s 16th
birthday
Persons other than  
permanent residents
Until the expiration
date of the period of
stay
Until the expiration date of the period of stay
or the individual’s 16th
birthday, whichever
comes first

 Place of Issue:
・ Regional Immigration Offices: Starting July 9th
, 2012, a Resident Card will be issued at
Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Kansai airports to those entering Japan with a mid- to long-term
resident status. However, for those entering via all other ports of entry and departure, a
Resident Card will be mailed by Simplified Registered Mail to the individual’s reported place
of residence submitted to municipal offices upon entry. For further information, please
contact a Regional Immigration Bureau, District Immigration Office or Branch Office.

 By what date must the Alien Registration Certificate be changed to the Resident Card?
・ For a certain period, until the new Resident Card is issued, an Alien Registration Certificate
will be deemed equivalent to a Resident Card for the purpose of residence notification or
procedures at Regional Immigration Offices.  It is not necessary to immediately exchange
your Alien Registration Certificate for a Resident Card.  
・ A new Resident Card will be issued at a Regional Immigration Office when permission to
extend period of stay, etc., is granted.
・ Permanent residents aged 16 or older are required to change to the Resident Card no later
English（英語）than July 8th
, 2015*, whereas permanent residents under 16 years of age must do so by July
8th
, 2015 or their 16th
birthday, whichever comes first. *Note: Residents with the status of
Designated Activities with a period of stay of four years or five years are also required to
change to the Resident Card no later than July 8th
, 2015.   


 What will be more convenient?
・  Those departing Japan with a passport and Resident Card who plan to re-enter Japan within
one year and before the expiration of their period of stay*, will, in principle, not be required to
apply for a Re-entry Permit. This is called the Special Re-entry Permit system. However,
residents who fail to re-enter Japan within the valid period will lose their resident status.
Furthermore, please note that the period of validity of a Special Re-entry Permit cannot be
extended while abroad.
*Note: In the case of special permanent residents, the Special Re-entry Permit is applicable
for those planning to return to Japan within two years.   
Certificates of Residence
Foreign residents who are eligible to receive a Resident Card or Special Permanent Resident
Certificate will have a Certificate of Residence made for them at the local municipality in which
they reside, just as is done for Japanese nationals.  


 Items shown:
Certificates of Residence for foreign residents will show name, date of birth, sex and address,
as well as items unique to foreign nationals, such as nationality/region, status of residence,
and period of stay.  


 Issue of copies of a Certificate of Residence
Foreign nationals will also be able to obtain a copy of their Certificate of Residence or a
Certificate of Items Stated in Resident Register at the counter of their local municipal office,
the same as Japanese nationals.
*For further information regarding the Basic Resident Registration System, please consult
the following link provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications:  
http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosi ... gyousei/zairyu.html
Notification or application procedures will be necessary in the following cases:
    Situation Where to go

1.) When deciding on a new address, or when changing addresses
Moving-in Notification*, Change of Address Notification*, Moving-out
Notification**

* Please bring your Resident Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate (or your
Alien Registration Certificate).

**When changing to an address in a different municipality, you are required to submit
in advance a moving-out notification to the municipality you will be leaving.
Local municipalities

2.) When changing name, nationality/ region, etc.   Regional Immigration 3.) When you have lost your Resident Card or it has become damaged
beyond use.  
Offices

4.) Permanent Residents and those under the age of 16:
・  When the period of validity of your Resident Card is due to expire

5.) Those with employment status (with some exceptions), Students and

Trainees:


・  When your affiliated organization such as employer or educational
institution changes its name or location, or in the case of bankruptcy of
a company, or in the case of termination of an employment contract, or
in the case of transfer due to a new employment contract.


Bring a notification
form to a Regional
Immigration Office in
person or send by post
to the Tokyo Regional
Immigration Bureau


6.) Those with the status of: Dependent (as spouse), Designated Activities  
(C), Spouse or Child of Japanese National, or Spouse or Child of
Permanent Resident:
・  In the case of divorce or death of spouse

Non-Japanese Language Inquiries: For further information, please contact the offices below.


 Immigration Information Center  
Mon. thru Fri.: 8:30-17:15

TEL: 0570-013904 (IP Phone, PHS, International Call:
03-5796-7112)

Languages available:  
English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish
and Portuguese

 One-Stop Consultation Support Centers
Mon. thru Fri.: 9:00-16:00
Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents
(Shinjuku): 03-3202-5535
Saitama Information & Support: 048-833-3296
Hamamatsu Multicultural Center, One-Stop Consultation
Corner: 053-458-1510
Web: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/info/index.html
For inquiries by telephone or in
person, services are available in
languages other than Japanese.
Languages available differ
depending on the day of the week,
so please make sure to check the
website.
Shinjuku: English, Chinese,
Spanish, Portuguese, Bengali,
Vietnamese, Indonesian
Saitama: English, Portuguese,
Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog,
Thai, Vietnamese
Hamamatsu: English, Portuguese,
Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog  
Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice: Regarding the new residency management system
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/index.html
*English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, Spanish and Portuguese versions are
available.  
Translation: Tokyo University of Foreign Studies