Procedures After You Arrive in Japan: Residence Card, Address Registration (Within 14 Days) and National Health Insurance

After you arrive in Japan, there are a few important procedures to complete before you start studying. Some of them have deadlines. This guide explains, in order and using official information, what to do in your first weeks and what you will need later.

We checked the official pages listed at the bottom on 7 November 2026. How procedures are handled can differ by municipality and airport, and can change. Use this guide as a rough guide and confirm the actual procedures with your school and the municipal office.

The whole picture first

1. At the airport

Receiving your residence card

According to the Immigration Services Agency, at the following airports a residence card is issued at the airport to people who become mid- to long-term residents on landing: New Chitose, Sendai, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Naha.

If you enter through another airport or port, a note saying "residence card will be issued later" is put in your passport. In this case the residence card is, in principle, mailed from the Regional Immigration Services Bureau to the address you report.

At the airport, once you receive the residence card, check yourself on the spot that your name, status of residence and period of stay are correct.

If you plan to work part-time: permission to engage in other activities

To work part-time you need permission to engage in activities other than that permitted under your status of residence. If you hold the "Student" status with a period of stay of more than three months, you can apply at the airport when you enter. For details, see the part-time work guide. Do not work without permission.

2. Register your address: within 14 days at the municipal office

A person newly arriving in Japan must report their address to the municipal office for that address within 14 days of deciding where they live, bringing their residence card (Immigration Services Agency).

• You report to the municipal office for your address, not to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau.
• What to bring: your residence card, or, if your passport carries a note that the card will be issued later, that passport.
• If you file the move-in notification (resident register) at the municipal office, this report is treated as done. In most cases no separate form is needed.
• When you move, you report in the same way within 14 days of the date you moved.

If you will live in a school dormitory or housing arranged by your school, ask the school when, by whom and where the procedure will be done. If you arrive before your address is decided, count from the day you decide where you live.

3. National Health Insurance

According to Study in Japan (JASSO), foreign residents who will stay in Japan for three months or more must enroll in National Health Insurance. You enroll at the municipal office after registering your address (resident registration).

• Your share of insured medical costs is 30%. The other 70% is covered by the insurance. Medical care not covered by insurance is paid in full by you.
• You show your insurance card at the hospital.
• The premium is based on your previous year's income, including part-time earnings. You must report your income at the municipal office. Without it, the premium cannot be calculated correctly.
• If your previous year's income is below a set amount, the premium is reduced. You must also report your income to receive the reduction, and people with little or no income should report too.
• There is a system to refund you later if your medical costs exceed your monthly limit.

For accidents, or if you injure someone while cycling, your school may point you to accident insurance or personal liability insurance. The types of insurance and whether you can join depend on the school. Ask your school, before or after you enroll, what insurance is available through your Japanese language school. For a rough idea of costs, see the "Insurance" section of the cost guide.

4. Extending your period of stay

You apply for an extension before your period of stay ends. You can usually apply from three months before it ends (Study in Japan). If you stay in Japan after your period ends without extending, you may face serious penalties or deportation.

If you often miss school and your attendance drops, your extension may not be approved (Immigration Services Agency). The Immigration Services Agency decides each case individually. Ask your school what documents you will need.

5. When you must notify the authorities

• When your address changes: Report to the municipal office within 14 days of the date you moved.
• When your name, date of birth, sex or nationality/region changes: Report to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau that covers your address within 14 days of the change.
• When you change schools, or leave your school by graduating or withdrawing: Notify the Immigration Services Agency within 14 days of the event (notification about your organization). You can do this at a counter, by mail, or through the online notification system. If your organization does not change, such as moving on to a graduate school at the same university, no notification is needed.
• When you lose your residence card (for example, it is stolen): Apply for reissue at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau within 14 days of the day you learned of the loss. For loss or theft, you also need to report to the police and have the acceptance number. If you learned of it while outside Japan, the 14 days count from the first day you enter Japan afterward.
• When your residence card is dirty or damaged: Contact the Immigration Services Agency's Foreign Resident General Information Center (0570-013904) or the Regional Immigration Services Bureau.

If you miss a deadline, do not leave it. As soon as you notice, consult your school or the Regional Immigration Services Bureau and complete the necessary procedure. Depending on the procedure, a document explaining why you missed the deadline may be required.

If you stop your activities as a student and want to do other activities, you must change your status of residence.

If you leave Japan and return, you do not need a re-entry permit if you have a valid passport and residence card and return within one year (or by the date your period of stay ends, if that comes first). When you leave, show your residence card and tick the "Special Re-entry Permit" box on the ED card (Study in Japan).

6. Things to be careful about

• If you work every day without attending school, your status of residence may be revoked unless there is a justifiable reason.
• For the part-time work rules, such as the hour limit and prohibited jobs, see the part-time work guide.
• This guide does not cover opening a bank account, mobile phone contracts, pension or My Number procedures. Ask your school or the municipal office which ones you need and when.

Frequently asked questions

Will I always get my residence card at the airport?

No. It is issued at New Chitose, Sendai, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Naha airports. If you enter through another place, it is mailed to your address later. It helps to ask your school beforehand whether you can receive it at the airport where you enter.

By when must I register my address?

Within 14 days of deciding where you live. Take your residence card to the municipal office.

Do I register my address at the immigration office (Regional Immigration Services Bureau)?

No. You register your address at the municipal office for your address.

Do I have to enroll in National Health Insurance?

Foreign residents who will stay in Japan for three months or more must enroll in National Health Insurance. You do it at the municipal office after registering your address.

How much is the premium?

It differs from person to person depending on your previous year's income and the municipality you live in. If your income is low, it may be reduced. Report your income at the counter and confirm the amount.

What should I do if I lose my residence card?

Apply for reissue at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau within 14 days of the day you learned you lost it. For loss or theft, you also need to report to the police. Also talk to your school.

What to do next

Before you go to Japan, ask your school how your arrival day will go (the airport, housing, help with registering your address). You can compare dormitories and fees in the school list. For the full process, see How to Study in Japan from Nepal. If you need help, contact us. This site is free to use. We do not guarantee admission or a visa.