Immigration & Landing Guide
A comprehensive overview of airport landing procedures, residence card management, municipal address filings, and re-entry guidelines to ensure a fully compliant stay in Japan.
Guide Sections
1. Landing Permission & Residence Card
Upon arrival at major entry airports in Japan (New Chitose, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, or Fukuoka Airport), a landing permission stamp will be affixed to your passport and a Residence Card (Zairyu Card) will be issued immediately.
If you enter via an airport other than those listed above, a landing permission stamp will be affixed to your passport with a seal indicating the later issuance of a Residence Card. In this case, once you determine your residential address in Japan, bring your passport (with the stamp) to your local municipal office within 14 days to register your residence, and the Residence Card will be issued later.
The Residence Card serves as your official identification in Japan. By law, you must carry your Residence Card with you at all times. Failure to produce it upon request by an officer can result in fines.
Key Guidelines
- Verify that your name, date of birth, and status of residence ('Student') are printed accurately on the card.
- If you plan to work part-time, submit your 'Application for Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence' directly to the immigration officer at the airport to receive the stamp immediately.
2. Address Registration at Municipal Offices
Within 14 days of finding a place of residence (such as a dormitory, apartment, or share house), you must visit the municipal ward office (City Hall) in your residential district to register your address.
The ward office will print your address on the back of your Residence Card and register you in the local basic resident ledger. This step is a prerequisite to opening bank accounts, getting cell phone lines, or obtaining health insurance.
Key Guidelines
- Required documents: Passport, Residence Card, and housing lease or dormitory agreement.
- Enrolling in the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme is done concurrently during this visit.
3. Notification of School or Address Changes
If you change your school (graduation, withdrawal, transferring, or moving to a higher educational level) or change your place of residence, you must submit a notification within 14 days.
Residency change notifications are filed at the municipal office of your new district, while school change notifications are filed at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau (physically or via the online portal).
Key Guidelines
- Failing to report a school change or residency change within the 14-day limit is a violation of the Immigration Control Act and can affect visa extensions.
- Report online through the Immigration Services Agency Electronic Notification System.
4. Travel Abroad & Re-entry Permits
If you plan to leave Japan temporarily (for holidays, family visits, or study trips) and return within one year, you do not need to apply for a standard re-entry permit. You can use the 'Deemed Re-entry Permit' system.
When departing from the airport, you must check the box indicating 'I am leaving Japan temporarily and will return' on the Embarkation/Disembarkation Card (ED Card) and show your Residence Card to the immigration officer.
Key Guidelines
- Ensure you return to Japan before the deemed re-entry validity period expires (1 year from departure, or before your current period of stay expires, whichever is shorter). Deemed re-entry permits cannot be extended from outside Japan.
- If you will stay outside Japan for more than 1 year, you must apply for a standard Re-entry Permit at the Regional Immigration Bureau prior to departure.