Residence card and immigration: what to do and when

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) handles your stay in Japan. This guide shows what to do and when.

Quick answer

• Carry your residence card (在留カード, zairyū card) at all times if you are 16 or older.
• Your period of stay is written on the card.
• Apply to extend before it expires.
• Change of status is needed before you start a different kind of activity.

Your residence card

• Mid- to long-term residents receive a residence card.
• At major airports it is issued when you arrive.
• Your new address is written on the back after you register at the city office.

Extend your stay (在留期間更新)

1. Check the expiry date of your period of stay on the card.
2. You can usually apply from about 3 months before that date.
3. Apply before it expires.

Watch out

• Do not wait until the last days.

Change of status (在留資格変更)

If you want to do a different kind of activity, for example student to work, you need a change of status of residence. Get it before you start that activity.

Work rules

• Work only within what your status allows.
• Students need permission for part-time work (資格外活動許可, shikakugai katsudō kyoka).
• There are hour limits.

Short trips outside Japan

1. Have a valid residence card.
2. On the embarkation card, tick the box for special re-entry permit (みなし再入国, minashi sainyūkoku).
3. You can usually return within 1 year without a separate re-entry permit.

Watch out

• This does not go beyond your period of stay.
• For longer trips, apply for a re-entry permit before you leave.

What changes to report

• Name or nationality changes on your card: report to immigration within 14 days.
• Address changes: report at the city office, not immigration.

Quick table

Event	What to do	Where	Deadline
New address	Register address (転入届)	City / ward office	Within 14 days
Name or nationality change	Report the change	Immigration	Within 14 days
Stay is ending	Apply to extend (在留期間更新)	Immigration	Before expiry; usually from about 3 months before
New kind of activity	Change of status (在留資格変更)	Immigration	Before you start the activity
Trip abroad up to 1 year	Tick the box on the embarkation card	At departure	Return within 1 year and within period of stay
Longer trip	Apply for re-entry permit	Immigration	Before you leave

Help in your language

• The Immigration Services Agency runs the Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC) in Tokyo.
• Many cities have multilingual consultation desks.

This guide is general information. Rules can change and your city may differ; check with your city or ward office and the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.