How do I apply for an Alien Registration Card and who needs to have one?

(1)New registration

Foreign nationals who stay in Japan must comply with alien registration, except for those to whom Item 2 below applies. Each foreign national must go in person to the city, town or village office located in the place of his/her residence in order to go through required formalities. For foreign nationals under 16 years of age, however, their family members living in the same household shall stand proxy for them.

[Documents to be submitted]
* Application for alien registration (available at the section in charge)
* Passport
* 2 photographs (4cmx3cm, a full from-the-waist-up photograph with uncovered head, taken within the past 6 months). No photograph is required if the applicant is under 16 years of age.

Upon completion of registration, a certificate of alien registration will be issued later.

Foreign nationals are required to carry the certificate with them at all times.

(2)Foreign nationals who are not under an obligation to comply with alien registration

Foreign nationals who fall under any of the following categories do not need to comply with alien registration.
* Foreign nationals who stay in Japan for less than 90 days
* Infants aged less than 60 days who were born in Japan
Infants who are subject to a stay in Japan exceeding 60 days must go through the alien registration procedures shortly after birth.
* Foreign nationals with a status of stay for diplomacy or official duties. In case such nationals lose their status of stay, they must go through the alien registration procedures within 60 days estimated from the day when they lose such a status.
* Members and/or paramilitary personnel of the U.S. military forces retained in Japan and/or the United Nations forces, as well as their family members.

(3)Report of change of address or status

In case foreign nationals change their address or any details stated on their certificates of alien registration, such as a change of period of stay or workplace, they must report such changes to the city, town or village office within the determined period. If they move to a different city, town or village, they should report their change of address to the relevant city, town or village office in which their new address is located within 14 days of moving in.

Foreign nationals are subject to submit necessary documents which certify the occurrence of such a change, as the needs of the case demand.

(4)Reissue of certificate of alien registration

In the case where foreign nationals lose a certificate of alien registration, they should apply for it to be reissued at the city, town or village office of their place of residence within 14 days from the day when the loss comes to their knowledge.

[Documents to be submitted]
* Application for reissuance of certificate of alien registration(available at the section in charge).
* Passport
* 2 photographs (4cmx3cm, a full from-the-waist-up photograph with uncovered head taken within the past 6 months). No photograph is required if the applicant is under 16 years of age.

Foreign nationals are subject to submit documents to certify the reasons for the loss of certificate, as the needs of the case demand.

(5)Application for confirmation

Foreign nationals are under an obligation to apply for confirmation of the contents stated in their alien registration within 30 days from the day when they register for the first time or from the last day of a fixed period determined at the previous confirmation (the due date is stated on the certificate of alien registration of each foreign national) by the city, town or village office of their place of residence.

Foreign nationals under 16 years of age are not subject to this confirmation; however, they must apply for confirmation within 30 days after their 16th birthday.

[Documents to be submitted]
* Application for confirmation of the contents of the alien registration (available at the section in charge).
* Passport
* 2 photographs (4cmx3cm, a full from-the-waist-up photograph with uncovered head, taken within the past 6 months)

A new certificate of alien registration will be issued upon completion of this confirmation procedure.

For further details, make inquiries at the relevant sections at the city, town or village office of your place of residence.