My Number Card & Resident Registration in Japan: Step by Step

Last updated: April 2026 · 11 min read

Quick summary: Within 14 days of arriving in Japan, you’re legally required to register your address at city hall. This single visit unlocks almost everything else — your Residence Card, your eligibility for NHI, your ability to open a bank account, and eventually your My Number card. This guide walks through exactly what to bring, what happens at each step, and what to do immediately after.

Table of Contents

1. Why this one visit unlocks everything else
2. What to bring to city hall
3. The registration process, step by step
4. Understanding your My Number and the My Number Card
5. How to apply for your My Number Card
6. What to do immediately after registration
7. FAQ

1. Why This One Visit Unlocks Everything Else

Address registration is the single most consequential bureaucratic step you’ll take in your first weeks in Japan — not because the process itself is complicated, but because almost everything else depends on it.

Here’s the dependency chain that catches most new arrivals off guard:

• You can’t enroll in National Health Insurance without a registered address
• You can’t open most Japanese bank accounts without a registered address (and the resulting updated Residence Card)
• You can’t get a monthly SIM contract at most carriers without a registered address
• You can’t apply for a My Number Card without first being registered in the system
• Many apartment and share house applications ask for your registered address as part of the process

In other words: this is the first domino. Everything practical about settling into Japan — banking, insurance, phone contracts, official identification — sits downstream of this one city hall visit. It’s also a legal requirement: you must register within 14 days of moving into your address, regardless of visa type, and the rule applies to working holiday, student, engineer, and all other resident visa categories.

2. What to Bring to City Hall

Bring these four things. Missing any of them means a wasted trip.

• Your passport — with the visa stamp from immigration at the airport
• Your Residence Card (在留カード) — issued automatically at the airport on arrival for most visa categories. If you didn’t receive one at the airport (this happens with some short-validity visas), check with immigration first.
• Proof of your address — usually your rental contract, share house agreement, or a letter from your accommodation confirming you live there. Requirements vary slightly by municipality — call ahead if you’re unsure what your specific ward office requires.
• A pen — sounds trivial, but most municipal offices expect you to fill out forms on the spot, and queues move faster if you’re not waiting to borrow one.

Before you go: You’ll need a Japanese phone number for several of the next steps (especially opening a bank account afterward), so it’s worth having your SIM sorted before or shortly after this visit. See the SIM card guide if you haven’t done this yet.

3. The Registration Process, Step by Step

Step 1: Find your local city hall or ward office

This is determined by your address, not by where you’d prefer to go. In Tokyo’s 23 wards, this is your local ward office (区役所, kuyakusho) — Shibuya City Office for Shibuya residents, Shinjuku City Office for Shinjuku residents, and so on. Outside the 23 wards and in other cities, it’s your city hall (市役所, shiyakusho). A quick search for “[your area] city hall foreigner registration” will confirm the correct office.

Opening hours are typically weekdays 8:30am–5:00pm, closed weekends and public holidays. Some larger ward offices offer limited Sunday hours once a month — check your specific office’s website if a weekday visit is difficult.

Step 2: Take a number and find the right counter

Most city halls use a ticket queue system. Look for signage indicating 住民登録 (jūmin tōroku, resident registration) or just ask at the information desk — most have at least one staff member who can point you in the right direction even with limited English. Larger ward offices in Tokyo with significant foreign populations (Shinjuku, Minato, Shibuya) often have dedicated multilingual support staff or signage in English.

Step 3: Submit your move-in notification

This is called a 転入届 (tennyū todoke) — a notification that you’ve moved into the area. You’ll fill out a form with your name, nationality, previous address (or “overseas” if this is your first registration in Japan), and new address. Staff will check your passport and Residence Card against this information.

This step typically takes 15–30 minutes, longer if the office is busy. Mornings tend to be quieter than lunchtime and late afternoon.

Step 4: Receive your updated Residence Card

Your Residence Card will be updated with your registered address — either printed on the spot or, at some offices, your address is recorded electronically and shown when the card is scanned. Either way, your card is now your full legal ID in Japan, valid for opening bank accounts, signing contracts, and identification generally.

Step 5: Enroll in National Health Insurance (same visit)

Do this in the same visit if you can — you’re already there, and it saves a second trip. Ask for the 国民健康保険 (Kokumin Kenkō Hoken, NHI) counter or window. You’ll need your newly updated Residence Card and passport. Enrollment is mandatory if you’re staying more than 3 months and not covered by an employer’s health insurance plan.

Premiums are calculated based on income — as a new arrival with no prior Japanese income, your first year’s premium is typically very low. You’ll receive payment slips by mail, or can set up automatic payment from a Japanese bank account once you have one.

For a full breakdown of what NHI covers and what it doesn’t, see the National Health Insurance guide.

4. Understanding Your My Number and the My Number Card

This is where confusion usually starts, because “My Number” refers to two related but distinct things.

Your My Number (the 12-digit number)

Every resident of Japan — citizen or foreign national — is automatically assigned a unique 12-digit number called My Number (マイナンバー) the moment they’re registered as a resident. You don’t apply for this; it’s generated automatically as part of your address registration at city hall.

This number is used across government systems: tax filings, pension and social insurance, and various administrative processes. You’ll be asked for it by employers (for tax withholding purposes), sometimes by banks, and on various official forms.

You’ll receive a paper notification (個人番号通知書, kojin bangō tsūchisho) by registered mail within a few weeks of registration, containing your My Number. Keep this document safe — you’ll need to reference the number for various administrative tasks even before you have the physical card.

The My Number Card (the physical ID card)

This is a separate, optional physical IC card with your photo, My Number, and other details — Japan’s closest equivalent to a national ID card. Unlike the number itself, the physical card is not automatically issued — you need to apply for it separately.

While technically optional, getting the My Number Card is worth doing. It functions as photo ID for many purposes, can be used for convenient tax filing and various online government services, and is increasingly integrated with services like health insurance (some hospitals now use it in place of a separate insurance card) and, in some municipalities, public services like tax certificate issuance at convenience store kiosks.

5. How to Apply for Your My Number Card

Step 1: Receive your notification

After registering your address, you’ll receive a notification card by mail containing your My Number and an application form for the physical card. This typically arrives within 2–4 weeks of registration.

Step 2: Apply online or by mail

The application form includes a QR code linking to an online application portal where you can upload a digital photo and submit your application. Alternatively, you can mail the paper application with a physical photo attached. The online method is faster and more straightforward.

Photo requirements: Plain background, taken within the last 6 months, no glasses glare, neutral expression — standard official photo requirements.

Step 3: Wait for processing

Processing typically takes 4–8 weeks. You’ll receive a postcard notification when your card is ready for collection — it’s not mailed directly to you for security reasons.

Step 4: Collect your card in person

Bring the postcard notification, your Residence Card, and your passport back to city hall. You’ll set a 4-digit PIN for the card on the spot (used for tax filing and some digital services) and the card is issued immediately.

Practical note: The My Number Card application isn’t urgent in the way address registration is — there’s no penalty for delaying it, and you can function in Japan without it for months. Many foreigners apply for it once they’re more settled, often when they realize they need it for a specific purpose (tax filing season is a common trigger). Don’t let it distract you from the higher-priority tasks in your first two weeks: address registration, NHI enrollment, SIM, and bank account.

6. What to Do Immediately After Registration

With your updated Residence Card in hand, several other tasks become possible. Here’s the logical next order:

1. Open a Japanese bank account — your registered address and updated Residence Card are required by every Japanese bank. See the banking guide for which banks are most accessible to new arrivals, and why Wise or Revolut might solve your immediate money needs faster than waiting for a Japanese account.
2. Get a monthly SIM contract if you haven’t already — most carriers require a registered address for anything beyond a prepaid plan. See the SIM card guide.
3. Confirm your NHI enrollment is processed — you should receive your insurance card by mail within a couple of weeks. If it doesn’t arrive, follow up with your city hall.
4. Consider supplemental health insurance for the gap period and beyond — see the health insurance guide for what NHI doesn’t cover.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I don’t register within 14 days?

Technically, failing to register within 14 days can result in a fine of up to ¥50,000 under Japanese law. In practice, enforcement for foreign residents who register a few days late is lenient — city hall staff are generally understanding if you explain you’ve just arrived and are sorting out accommodation. That said, don’t treat the deadline as flexible; register as soon as you have a confirmed address.

Can I register before I have permanent accommodation?

You need a confirmed address to register — a hotel or short-term stay generally doesn’t qualify. This is one reason share houses work well for new arrivals: you have a registered address from day one, even if you later move to a different share house or apartment (in which case you’ll need to re-register your new address, also within 14 days of moving).

Do I need to speak Japanese for this process?

Not necessarily, but it helps. Larger ward offices in areas with significant foreign populations often have English signage and at least some English-speaking staff. Smaller municipal offices may not. Bringing a translation app, or asking your share house manager or a Japanese-speaking friend to accompany you for your first visit, makes the process considerably smoother.

What if I move to a different address later?

You need to notify your old city hall that you’re moving out (転出届, tenshutsu todoke) and register at your new city hall (転入届) within 14 days of the move — the same process you followed initially. If you’re moving within the same ward or city, it’s a single notification (転居届, tenkyo todoke) rather than two separate ones.

Is the My Number Card mandatory?

No — the physical card is optional, though your My Number itself (the 12-digit identifier) is automatically assigned and used in various administrative contexts regardless of whether you have the physical card. Some specific situations increasingly favor having the card — certain digital tax filing processes, health insurance integration at some hospitals — but there’s no penalty for not having it.

I lost my Residence Card or My Number notification. What do I do?

For a lost Residence Card, report it to the nearest police station to get a loss report (used for the reissue application), then visit your local immigration office to apply for a replacement — this involves a fee and can take a few weeks. For a lost My Number notification card, visit your city hall — they can verify your number is still valid and guide you through next steps, including applying for the physical My Number Card directly if you haven’t already.

The Bottom Line

Address registration is a 30-minute administrative task that unlocks almost everything else you need to function in Japan — health insurance, banking, phone contracts, and official identification. It’s not complicated, but it’s foundational: do this first, within your first week if possible, and the rest of your setup moves considerably faster.

The My Number Card itself can wait. The address registration and NHI enrollment cannot — get those done in your first 14 days, and everything downstream becomes straightforward.

What to Read Next

• National health insurance Japan: foreigners’ guide — What NHI actually covers, in detail
• Banking and sending money from Japan — What to do once your Residence Card is updated
• Best SIM cards for foreigners in Japan — Get this sorted before or right after your city hall visit
• Finding housing in Japan as a foreigner — You need an address before you can register one

Last updated: April 2026. Municipal procedures vary slightly by city and ward — always check your specific local office’s website or call ahead for any office-specific requirements.

Registered recently and had a different experience? Leave a comment — local office variations are common and helpful for other readers.