Resident Registration

Foreign residents who will be living in Japan for more than 3 months are required to register themselves as residents of the town where they are living. This is called "resident registration."

Resident Registration When Coming to Japan

Procedure when coming to Japan for the first time

When the place you'll be living is settled, go to the local government office for the area and complete your resident registration.
This process must be completed within 14 days after you start living there.

Take the following items with you to the local government office.

Passport
Residence card

If you have family members living with you who aren't Japanese, also bring the following.

Documents certifying your relationship with these family members from your home country
Japanese translations of these documents

Also bring a document which proves your address, such as the contract you signed to start renting your apartment.
When you finish this registration process, your address will be written on your residence card.

Resident Registration When Moving Within Japan

Process when moving to a different town

What to do before moving: Before moving, visit the government office for the area you currently live and complete a "moving-out notification."
To do this, submit a "resident change notification" form at the window and notifies the office that you will be changing your address. The "resident change notification" forms are available at government offices.
After completing the "moving-out notification," you will receive a "moving-out certificate."

What to do after moving: After moving, visit the government office in your new area and complete a "moving-in notification."
Taking along your "moving-out certificate", submit a "resident change notification" form at the window and notifies the office that you will be moving in. The "resident change notification" forms are available at government offices.

At this time, bring your residence card with you. When the process is completed, your new address will be written on the back.

This process must be completed within 14 days after moving to your new area. It cannot be carried out before moving.

Process for moving within the same town

Visit the government office in the town where you live and complete a "change of address notification."
To do this, submit a "resident change notification" form at the window and notifies the office that you will be changing your address.

Bring your residence card with you when you do this. When the process is complete, your new address will be printed on the back.

This process must be completed within 14 days after you move. It cannot be carried out before moving.

Certificate of Residence

What is a certificate of residence?

When you complete resident registration, a paper called the "certificate of residence" is created.
In addition to your official address, this certificate lists the following main items.

Name
Date of birth
Male or female
Name of the head of household and your relationship to them
Date you began living in the area
Address where you previously lived
Individual Number (the number on your My Number card)
Date you first completed resident registration
Country or region of citizenship
Whether you'll be living in Japan for more than 3 months
Information written on your resident card (residence qualification (time period in Japan and allowed activities), date your residence approval in Japan ends, resident card number, etc.)

Certificate of residence copy

The "certificate of residence copy" and "certificate of items stated in the resident register" (a document with a portion of the certificate of registration content written on it) are used to verify your identity and address. These documents are available at the government office for your area. There is a fee for issuing them.

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