What to Know Once You Have Entered Japan
Resident Registration
Foreign residents are required to register their residence. Please conduct procedures for resident registration at your local ward office.
1 Registration
| Change to be Resported | Deadline | Documents Required |
|---|---|---|
| Moving to Osaka City | Within 14 days |
|
| Moving within Osaka City | Within 14 days |
|
| When moving out of Osaka City | Before moving |
|
| Non-address registration changes Special permanent resident |
Within 14 days of the change | Contact the ward office in your district |
| Non-address registration changes Other resident |
Within 14 days of the change | Contact Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau |
2 Renewal of Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate Renewal
Renewal submission for Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate must be made before the day it expires.
| Status of Residence | Deadline | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Special permanent resident | Before your 7th birthday since your last application. (for those under 16, by your 16th birthday) | Local ward office |
| Permanent resident | For 7 years from the date of issue of residence card (For children under the age of 16, until 16th birthday) | Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau |
| Other resident | Until end of period of stay or 16th birthday for children under the age of 16, whichever comes first | Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau |
3 When your Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate has been lost
| Status of Residence | Application period | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Special Permanent resident | Within 14 days of noticing. | Local ward office |
| Other resident | Within 14 days of noticing. | Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau |
4 Returning your Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate
In any of the following cases, you must returnyour Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate.
| Return Reason | Deadline | Return Location |
|---|---|---|
|
Within 14 days of the day of occurrence | Contact Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau |
|
Immediately | Contact Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau |
|
Immediately | Local ward office |
| Return Reason | Deadline | Return Location |
|---|---|---|
|
Within 14 days of the day of occurrence | Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau |
|
Immediately | Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau |
5 Requesting a copy of your certificate of residence
The person in question, or from the same household, must apply. If an attorney applies, please attach power of attorney paperwork.
Application
Ward Office
Branch Office
Nanko Port Town Service Corner
Northern / Southern Service Centers
Osaka Service Counter
Osaka City Hall 1st Floor (Residency・Family Register Certificate Corner)
Various Registrations
1 Marriage
Please prepare the following and submit it to the ward office in addition to the Marriage Registration Form / Kon-in-Todoke provided. (Fill out the required information and get it signed by two adult witnesses).
The Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau procedures can be different, depending on your circumstances, so please contact the Immigration Information Center on your own.
1 When a non-Japanese citizen and a Japanese citizen get married
※If you have already been married in another country, the necessary documents and procedures are different. Please consult your ward office for details.
A Foreign National
- Document certifying nationality (passport, nationality certificate, birth certificate, etc.)
- Document certifying that the marriage can be done by national law from your country (Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage)
- Proof of identity (Residence Card, Special Permanent Resident Certificate, Passport, etc.)
If you have already been married in another country, the necessary documents and procedures are different. Please consult your ward office for details.
For how to obtain such a document, please contact your home country's embassy or consulate in Japan.
If it was prepared in a language other than Japanese, a Japanese translation with information on its translator needs to be attached.
B Japanese Nationals
Full family register or extract of family register
Proof of identity (driver's license, passport, etc.)
2 If the marriage is between two foreign nationals
Please prepare the same things when a non-Japanese citizen and a Japanese citizen get married a foreign national
2 Divorce
Please prepare identification documents (Residence card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate, Passport, etc.) and present them to the ward office in addition to the Divorce Registration Form / Rikon-Todoke provided (Fill out the required information and get it signed by two adult witnesses).
Depending on the husband and wife's Family Register and Residency, Japanese public offices may not accept your divorce papers. Also extra documentation might be required, so please contact your local ward office.
Check with your country’s embassy or consulate in Japan for more information about reporting your divorce in your own country.
3 Birth
When a child is born, the father or mother must register the child at your local ward office. Procedure details please read For Expectant Parents.
4 Death
If a foreign national has died, within 7 days after learning of the death his or her family member or housemate must prepare the things below and notify the ward office of the place where the deceased person lived, stayed, or died.
Also the Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate must be returned to the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau within 14 days.
For information about reporting the death to the deceased person’s home country government, please contact that country’s embassy or consulate in Japan.
※The procedures at the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau may differ depending on individual circumstances, so please consult with the Immigration Office Information Center for foreign residents.
- Report of Death (The signature of the notifier is required.)
- Death certificate issued by a doctor.
Driver’s License
If you will drive an automobile within Japan, it is necessary to have either a Japanese driver’s license or an international driver’s license. (Please note that there are some exceptive countries, etc.)