Residence Card

A residence card will be issued to *mid- to long-term residents when granted permission for residence, such as landing permission, permission for change of resident status, and permission for extension of the period of stay. All or part of the information printed on the residence card will be recorded in an IC chip embedded for the purpose of preventing forgery or alteration.

*mid- to long-term residents: those who are admitted to stay over 3 months in Japan. Residence cards are not issued to persons granted permission to stay for 3 months or less. A residence card must be carried all the time during your stay in Japan. So please do not forget to carry the card.

Application for re-issuance of a residence card

In case your residence card is lost, stolen, severely damaged or defaced, please apply for reissuance.

Application period:

1. In case your residence card is lost or stolen, please apply for reissuance within 14 days of the day when you noticed this (or the day when you re-enter Japan in case you noticed it outside Japan).
2. In case your residence card is severely damaged or defaced, be sure to apply for reissuance as soon as possible.
3. You can apply for a replacement residence card even if it is not severely damaged or defaced. In such a case, you are required to pay a reissuance fee.

Application procedure:

Apply at a regional immigration office. This application, in principle, must be filed in person at the regional immigration office by the applicant, but if the applicant is under the age of 16 or unable to do so because of sickness, etc., a family member living with the applicant must file the application on behalf of the applicant.

<Required documents>

1. Application form for re-issuance of residence card
2. ID photo (3cm x 4cm)
3. Documentation that proves the loss of the Residence Card (e.g. Certificate of Lost Property Report, Theft Report)
   *If it is impossible to submit it, a statement about the situation of and the reason for the loss.
4. Passport
   *If it is impossible to present it, a statement of reasons for not doing so.