The system for foreign residents has changed

Updated: February 1, 2018

Due to the "Law to partially amend the Basic Resident Registration Act" (promulgated on July 15, 2009), foreign residents are now subject to the Basic Resident Registration Act (promulgated on July 9, 2012). Enforcement ( ) ).

Foreign residents are also registered in the Basic Resident Register

The previous Alien Registration Act will be abolished on July 9, 2012, and foreign residents will be registered in the basic resident register in the same way as Japanese residents, and resident records will be created for each household.
The important changes in the new system are explained below.

●Foreign residents will also be issued a copy of their resident card.

A copy of a resident's card, etc. will be issued instead of the conventional "certificate of registered items on the original registration record" as proof of residence. As a result, in the case of multinational households, one certificate can be used to prove the address of all household members, both Japanese and foreign residents.
Note 1: The applicant or a member of the same household can request a copy of the resident card, etc. However, if someone else is applying, please bring a power of attorney from the head of the household or a member of the household.
Note 2: Please directly contact the Ministry of Justice to request disclosure of the information that was recorded on your alien registration card at the time.

(Reference link resident record )

●If you change your address to another municipality, you need to submit a moving-out notification.

Under the Alien Registration System, there was no need to submit a notification of change of address when changing address to another city, ward, town or village. Under the new system, when changing your address to another city, ward, town, or village, you must first submit a move-out notification to the municipal office of the new city, ward, town, or village, and receive a certificate of change. You will need to bring this with you to notify your transfer.
Note: As a general rule, you will also need to submit a moving-out notification when leaving the country.

● When submitting a moving-in notification or change of address notification, it is necessary to present your residence card or special permanent resident certificate (temporary refuge permit or temporary stay permit) (please check the details below).

Please write the new residence on the back of the above card and return it to the Citizen Affairs Division counter. Please note that if you do not present these certificates, the address change procedure will not be completed and you will be required to bring your card to the office again.　

Note : In addition, for procedures involving changes in household status, you may be required to submit a document showing your relationship with the head of the household (if the original is in a foreign language, a Japanese translation is also attached).

For detailed procedures such as notification of moving in, please check the page of "Resident Registration (notification of moving in, moving out, etc.)" .

Eligible foreign residents

Resident records are created for foreign nationals who legally stay for more than three months and have an address, excluding short-term visitors such as tourists, and are classified as follows.

○ Mid- to long-term residents ( ) (those eligible for residence cards)

Foreign nationals residing in Japan with a status of residence other than those with a period of stay of three months or less or those with a status of residence for short-term stay, diplomatic or official business, are subject to the provisions of the revised Immigration Control Act. Landing permission ( ) A residence card will be issued along with the permission for residence.

○ Special permanent resident

Special permanent residents stipulated by the Special Immigration Law
A special permanent resident certificate will be issued based on the revised Immigration Special Law.

○ Temporary refuge or provisional stay permit

According to the provisions of the Immigration Control Act, foreign nationals on board a ship, etc. may be refugees, and those who have been granted permission to land for temporary asylum (temporary asylum permit holders) or those who have been granted permission to land illegally. A person who has applied for refugee recognition and is temporarily permitted to stay in Japan when certain requirements are met (temporary residence permit holder)

○ Transitional resident due to birth or transitional resident due to loss of nationality

According to the provisions of the Immigration Control Law for foreign nationals who come to stay in Japan due to birth or loss of Japanese nationality, they can stay in Japan without obtaining a status of residence for a period of 60 days from the day the said reason occurred.

Note: Even if you have previously registered as an alien, if your residence status is short-term visitor or you do not have residence status at the time the law comes into effect, a resident record will not be created and you will not be able to register your seal.

A residence card or special permanent resident certificate will be issued in place of the alien registration certificate.

With the abolition of the Alien Registration System, the Alien Registration Certificate will be replaced by Mid- to long-term residents ( ) Those who have a residence card will be issued a residence card, and those who have a special permanent resident certificate will be issued a special permanent resident certificate.
The only procedure that needs to be done at the city office is to notify your place of residence. Applications for obtaining or changing your status of residence or for changes to your passport, etc. must be made at the Immigration Bureau.
The city will continue to be the contact point for any changes to the information on special permanent resident certificates or applications for issuance.

Note 1: As a general rule, the name written on the new card is the same name in Roman letters as on your passport. If you are a Chinese or Korean national whose name is written in kanji on your alien registration certificate, you can write your name in kanji along with your name in roman characters, but the kanji that is written in combination will be Japanese kanji.

Note 2: The contents of the new card will be different compared to the previous Alien Registration Certificate. For example, the head of household, place of birth, passport number, common name, or joint name will not be recorded. For people from Taiwan, "Taiwan" will be written in the "Nationality/Region" column.

Note 3: After transitioning to the new system, when carrying out procedures such as changing addresses at city hall, you will need to bring the "residence cards" or "special permanent resident certificates" for all members of your household.　

Note 4 : Alien registration cards held as of July 9, 2012 will not be valid under the new system. Enforcement ( ) For the time being, it will be considered a "Residence Card" or "Special Permanent Resident Certificate" and can continue to be used.
　
Please see below for details on the new card.

○ Resident card

A residence card is a document issued by a person who has received permission for residence, such as permission to extend the period of stay or permission to change the status of residence. Mid- to long-term residents ( ) Permanent residents will be required to apply for the card at the Immigration Bureau by July 8, 2015.

Attention New System Effective date ( ) If you are under 16 years of age at the time of application, you must apply by the earlier of the expiration date of your period of stay or your 16th birthday (permanent residents must apply by July 8, 2015 (Heisei 27) or your 16th birthday, whichever comes first).

○ Special permanent resident certificate

Procedures for special permanent resident certificates will be accepted at the Citizens Division on the 1st floor of City Hall as before. For more information, please see the "Procedures for Special Permanent Resident Certificate Issuance" page.

Each link list

Information leaflet (Ministry of Justice)
“The special permanent resident system will change! ” (external link)

“A new residence management system has started! ”
Japanese version (external link)
English version (external link)

Chinese version (Simplified) (External link)
Chinese version ( Traditional Chinese ( ) ) (External link)
Korean version (external link)

Information leaflet (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)
“The basic resident register system for foreign residents has started! ! ” (PDF file)
Japanese version (external link)
English version (external link)